Do Whatever He Tells You

ILLUSTRATION- You know anyone that is predictable? You just know how they are going to react. You ever use the phrase, “They are going to be sooo mad...” Or “They will love this!”

John 2:1–12 (NLT) — 1 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. 9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” 11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 12 After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.

I love this story for so many reasons… You can see the humor in the setup and the power of Christ come to life in the presence of an opportunity…

KEY- Running out of wine at a wedding was a disgraceful disaster!

Marry comes to Jesus and shares the problem with him and Jesus says mom that is not our problem. In the Greek the phrase is “what is that to me and you”

KEY POINT- When Jesus says, “What is that to me and you.” This is not because he is uncaring or unsympathetic. Jesus is likely petitioning His mother to consider whether the request is really the type of thing He should be addressing with his purpose in mind.

But Jesus sees an opportunity to foreshadow his ministry and his purpose…

Jesus says hey you see those jars… Someone may have said, “You mean the ones everyone has washed their hands in.” Jesus says, “Yeah those ones. Fill them up to the brim, then scoop some water out and give it to the master of the ceremonies.” I would imagine how several people thought Jesus was messing with the master of the ceremony…

KEY- This is what Jesus did for us. His first miracle foreshadowed his very purpose. He takes dirty water and makes it the best. He will take the worst and completely transform it.

I want to focus in on another element of this story tonight… The mother of Jesus goes to the servants at the wedding and says, “Do whatever he tells you.” How is it that Marry knows that Jesus could do something about this dilemma? Keep in mind this is Jesus’ first miracle…

KEY POINT- Marry knew who Jesus was before she could see and fathom all that he could do.

CHALLENGE- Do you know Him CrossFire? Do you know who he is?

KEY- It is God’s desire that you would know him. How do I know this? Because he gave us His word!

POINT- Knowing Jesus is the greatest thing we can ever do in our lifetime. Knowing him deeper, and knowing him more.

POINT- It can’t be just knowing about him. I know about the president, but I don’t know the president. I know about Bruno Mars, I don’t know Bruno Mars…

MAIN POINT- Knowing Jesus is not complicated, we have been given the opportunity to know Jesus.

1. Marry Knew Jesus By Way of the Initial Miracle.

Luke 1:30–38 (NLT) — 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.” 38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

And in an instant her statement of faith because her reality. She became pregnant, not by the usual means, but by a miracle.

POINT- The initial miracle told her who Jesus is.

Do you remember your initial miracle? When God called you one of his own?

John 1:11–12 (NLT) — 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Do you remember the joy and the change that happened in your life when he saved your soul?

KEY- Jesus was around 30 when he began his public ministry.

Think about it, Marry spent 30 years with Jesus before he ever did a public miracle. This is why you have to cling to your testimony. Don’t forget what he has promised you!

2. Marry Knew Jesus By Way of just spending time with him.

Luke 2:41–52 (NLT) — 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” 49 “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they didn’t understand what he meant. 51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. 52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

POINT- Everyday spent with Jesus is a testimony.

Conclusion…

The time that Marry and Jesus spent together as he was growing up is not recorded in the Bible except for a few instances. Who is to say with absolute certainty that Jesus wasn’t performing miracles the whole time from the start… I can’t say with absolute certainty. Here is what I do know, Marry’s private, personal relationship with Jesus was far more consuming than her public relationship with Jesus.

CHALLENGE- Never let your public walk with Jesus outgrow your private walk with Jesus.