Gospel of John: The mircales of Jesus
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Miracle #1: Turning water into wine pt. 1
Miracle #1: Turning water into wine pt. 1
The Gospel of John has a purpose:
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John in his Gospel records seven miracles:
Changing Water into Wine (2:1-11)
Healing an officials son in Capernaum (4:46-54)
Healing the invalid at the pool in Bethesda (5:1-18)
Feeding the 5000 near the sea of Galilee (6:5-14)
Waling on water in the sea of Galilee (6:16-21)
Healing the blink man in Jerusalem (9:1-7)
Raising the Lazarus from the dead in Bethany (11:1-45)
Over the next few weeks we’re going to look into these miracles and search out the significance of their inclusion into John’s gospel and what we can draw from them today.
The first miracle, and perhaps one of the most famous, is recorded in John 2 at a wedding feast. Let’s read these versus and then we can dig in together.
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
The two main things to focus on today are this:
Jesus makes all things new.
Our wills must be surrendered to his.
First noticed John’s reference to time here… we must always interpret Scripture in light of Scripture.
At best, it is dangerous and reckless to use a verse of Scripture out of context to prove a point.
Chapter 2 starting out with “on the third day” has to be connected to the timeline that the author was building from the beginning of his letter.
In Chapter 1, there’s a phrase that is repeated several times, “the next day.”
Day 1 - John 1:19
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
Day 2 - John 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Day 3 - John 1:35-36
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
Day 4 - John 1:43
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.”
Do some math with me… 4 days + 3days = 7 days
Day 7 - John 2:1
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
John gives more emphasis to the deity of Christ than other Gospels.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Specifically, one of the ways in which John proves the deity of Christ is his involvement with Creation. The “pre-incarnate” Christ was active in creation.
Paul supports this idea on Colossians 1:14-16
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
John is structuring the opening of Gospel with Gen 1 in mind:
There is a connection between the creation account in Gen 1 and John 1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus is God, Jesus is Active in Creation. Why is this important for us today?
Jesus has the authority and power to take people who are broken and separated from God and make them new.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
So often in life we are burdened by guilt, shame, and death. These very things that weigh us down and separate us from God can be surrendered to Christ and He can make you new.
Mary’s rebuke
This miracle takes place at a wedding that Jesus and his disciples were invited too attend
Jesus was not a social pariah avoided by everyone, Jesus’s life was full of social interactions with all types of people. In this case, at a wedding celebration where people had obviously abused alcohol in excess.
We see in this account an interaction between Jesus and his mother, that can often be difficult to understand.
A crisis arrises at the wedding.. There is no more wine!
The Gospel according to John 1. The First Sign: Jesus Changes Water to Wine (2:1–11)
A wedding celebration could last as long as a week, and the financial responsibility lay with the groom (cf. 2:9–10). To run out of supplies would be a dreadful embarrassment in a ‘shame’ culture; there is some evidence it could also lay the groom open to a lawsuit from aggrieved relatives of the bride.
They brought gifts and “paid” to be part of this event.
This wasn’t a quick run to the grocery store to pick up some drinks… this was a real dilemma with lasting consequences.
It’s likely that this wedding was someone related to Jesus, as Mary had some type of catering duties and felt responsible to find a way to resolve the lack of wine.
For a moment: Let’s consider Mary’s perspective and request.
Mary is a widow, Jospeh’s last mention was at the temple when Jesus was 12.
It’s likely that up to this point, in the absence of her husband, the 1st born son, Jesus, had taken responsibility for the family. His skill has a carpenter provided for the family.
When Mary approaches Jesus, his response is really a soft rebuke. She’s coming at him as a momma with the inside track to involve her son in the problem. It would have been natural for her to assume upon her 1st born son to help with this matter.
And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
That Jesus called her “woman” is not disrespectful as it would be in our culture.
Jesus is entering into his divine purpose and ministry and there’s going to be a new relationship between him and Mary. He doesn’t call her “Mother” and is making clear that she has no advantage in access to Jesus over anyone else.
In our time, Jesus was saying, “Madam, that concerns you, not me” or “Your concern and my concerns are not the same.”
While this may seem harsh to us, Jesus is establishing the beginning of his earthy ministry will be free from any kind of human advice, agenda, or manipulation.
This had to be difficult for Mary who had nursed him, taught him life skills, and had come to rely on him as a family provider.
But, Mary could no longer allowed the prerogatives of being his earthly mother.
From this point forward everything that Jesus was going to do was in submission to the will of the Father
At the end of his ministry, while on the cross, Jesus makes provision for Mary, but like everyone else, She must come to Christ as the promised messiah, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
The disciple Peter had to learn this lesson too!
And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Here’s some application for us.
Your pastor doesn’t have an inside track on talking with Jesus
while we want to honor those that serve God, you can bring your request directly to Jesus.
There are people who ask me to pray for things, and I am happy and willing to do so, but so often this request comes from a place of feeling inadequate to approach Christ
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
2. Our request must be in submission to God’s will.
Notice Mary’s faith in the story.
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
After receiving a gentle rebuke, Mary did not walk away, sulk, or become angry.
Instead, she exemplifies persevering faith.
Jesus could have done nothing and regardless of the outcome, Mary was content leaving the matter in the hands of Jesus.
The gospel focuses on the Glory of Christ and not on the faith of Mary or his disciples.
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
There’s really two things I want to encourage us to focus on today.
Jesus is God and he can make broken things new...
When you bring your request to Jesus, the creator of all things, are you content leaving the matter in his hands to do whatever he decides in his timing?
God, we come before you today asking that you rebuke our pride, our arrogance, and humble us. Helps us to lay aside our agenda, our plan, and instead trust you with your plans and your will for us.