Filled to the Brim

Welcome

Thank you so much for joining us today. We are so glad that you are here. No matter where ‘here’ is. In person, online, podcast, I want you to know we have been praying for you this week and we truly believe God has a Word for each of you.

Before we jump into todays message, I want to take a moment to honor the precious families that made the decision to have their children dedicated. Today we celebrate you and are committed to partnering and serving your family.

Series Introduction/Context

It is rightly said that each of the Gospels presents Christ with a distinctive emphasis. Matthew emphasizes his kingship, Mark his servanthood, Luke his manhood, and John his Godhood.

John is unique in his powerful presentation of Jesus as the great Creator-God of the universe. His massive vision of Christ has been used countless times to open the eyes of unbelievers to who Jesus is and the way of redemption.

The serious student of John will find that each time he returns to the Gospel, Christ will be a little bigger—something like Lucy’s experience with the lion Aslan (the Christ symbol in C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia) as she again gazed into his large, wise face.

“Welcome, child,” he said.“Aslan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.”“That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.“Not because you are?”“I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”

My hope is that as we work our way through the wonders of this book, we will find Christ bigger and bigger and bigger.

John 20:30–31 CSB

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John writes this book for it to serve as a sign. This Greek word, semeion, means, miracle, indicator, take note, distinguishable mark. John is saying as we read his book, we will see what distinguishes Jesus from all else. That the miracles are meant to exalt the power and grace of Christ and ignite faith in all of us.

The goal is to see Christ bigger. Our growth is inextricably connected to our vision of Jesus. Once we see Him beyond our one-dimensional or overly narrow picture of Christ, once we see the fullness and glory of Christ in the Scriptures, our lives will be enlarged.

My belief is this series will reveal what God has done for others, He can and will do for me. We must make it personal. What God has done for others, He can and will do for me!

Scriptures

John 2:1–12 The Message

1 Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples were guests also. 3 When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus’ mother told him, “They’re just about out of wine.” 4 Jesus said, “Is that any of our business, Mother—yours or mine? This isn’t my time. Don’t push me.” 5 She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, “Whatever he tells you, do it.” 6 Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus ordered the servants, “Fill the pots with water.” And they filled them to the brim. 8 “Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host,” Jesus said, and they did. 9 When the host tasted the water that had become wine (he didn’t know what had just happened but the servants, of course, knew), he called out to the bridegroom, 10 “Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best till now!” 11 This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum along with his mother, brothers, and disciples, and stayed several days.

Prayer

This is a sign of supernatural transformation. Today I want speak to you on the subject called, Filled to the Brim.

Lord, we thank you for your presence. For inviting to have a seat at your table. We pray that you speak to us. Give us open eyes, open ears, open hearts.

Illustration

I am a glass half full type of guy. Rarely do I focus on what I don’t have, I celebrate what I do have. I acknowledge reality but I don’t make an altar to it. If I can just see a sliver of hope, I will believe the best. I was raised with a mother who would often say, “a little is a lot when you got Jesus”.

HOWEVER, when it comes to certain things, half full or empty just doesn’t cut it. Somethings just need to be filled to the brim.

A little battery life on your cellphone. That’s not going to cut it.

A little bit of gas in the car, not going to cut it.

I was about to buy a car once and it was on E, I said this is unacceptable. They said their policy is they didn’t fill the tanks. I said my policy is I don’t buy cars with an empty tank. I want every drop. When I go to the gas station now, I don’t stop after the first click. I want my tank to virtually overflow. I can get some distance on that extra 82 cents.

I want it filled to the brim!

Every time I buy potato chips, I am literally disappointed. I didn’t pay for 50% air.

Going through a drive through and getting french fries half full is frustrating.

Perhaps the worst offender is getting a drink and it is 3/4 full with ice. Not only do we get little to no substance but what you have is watered down.

Let’s think about that for a moment, the illusion of being filled but it actually lacks substance. It’s watered down. It lacks potency and impact.

Transition

It is possible for us to think our lives are filled but the reality is we are actually empty or lack true substance. It is watered down.

This is substantial because whatever we are filled with becomes the overflow we live from. Have you ever thought you were good? Maybe you experienced a trauma and you refused to be a victim to it so you push through it. You add another ice cube to it…I’m cool. We add fillers that lack substance. I’m cool.

I recently learned a valuable lesson in anatomy. I injured my back and discovered how our body goes into fight or flight mode to survive the crises. When it doesn’t return to its natural state, it becomes vulnerable and begins to breakdown. That means, one day you are doing good until you’re not. Watered down. Lack true impact. Empty.

I was told I needed to get my body in alignment so that I can be whole. So I can be filled. I believe God wants to get us in alignment with Him so that we can see and experience a miracle.

Observation/Context

Weddings are a big deal. They are dreams becoming reality. They are expensive. They are emotional. They are sacred. In Biblical history, they went even a step further. The bride and groom were treated like royalty. This quite literally was the most important day of their lives as they would likely never be given such honor. So you could imagine the horror at the idea of wine running out. Wine was a symbol of peace, prosperity, happiness. Image the bride and groom starting off with no peace, prosperity, happiness. There could be law suites and shame brought on to the family.

Points

This fiasco is avoided because of Jesus. He makes a statement, fill the vessels with water. Vessels means containers. Carriers. We are called to be vessels of God. Carriers of the Kingdom. I believe this moment and statement and the subsequent behavior served as the catalyst for the first miracle/sign…the miracle of radical transformation. The miracle of taking things from one state to the next.

The text says they filled them to the brim. I believe there are a couple of things that this text encourages us to be filled with.

Be Filled with Faith

Mary, the mother of Christ, is brought into the loop and she brings the matter to Jesus. Are we getting Jesus involved? She had faith that Jesus could fix it. Faith is defined as strong belief in a certain outcome. It has substance to it.

Hebrews 11:1 CSB

1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.

Mary brought it to Jesus. She knew what she needed, she knew He could do it and she brought it to Him with an expectation that He would get involved. There was a situation of lack but because she had faith, the overflow was faith. When there is a faith deficit the overflow is often despair. Pain is universal.

What separates determination from despair is what you are filled with.

What you are filled with is the overflow that you live from.

How do you get faith? The Word of God!

Romans 10:17 NLT

17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

The word of God gives me the faith to believe in healing, restoration, freedom, transformation. Jesus say if we have just a small portion of faith we can remove mountains. I don’t have faith in myself, I have faith in Christ and Him alone!

What you are filled with becomes the overflow you live from.

Be Filled with Obedience

Mary says, whatever He says do, do it. Just do it! Such a simple statement but no always so simple to do. When we were teaching my children to swim, there’s a moment that they have to take the floaty’s off, trust their training and their parents. With Keith Jr, I recall backing away from him about 5 feet. As he clung to the edge of the pool, I told him, push off and swim. I am right here. He was so hesitant but he finally did it and he sunk like a rock! However, I was right there!

There are moments God prompts us to do things that may not make sense, but it is our obedience that allows us to experience the miracle. Most significant moves of God include a yes from man. The promises of God become our reality when we do our part. Just do it!

Forgive

Pray for those that despise you

Be radically generous

Put others before yourself

Just do it. Your obedience is an active ingredient in the miracle you want to see. Mary instructs the servants to do what Jesus tells them to do. What is Jesus telling you to do? Just do it. (start the business, get involved, say yes)

Be Filled with The Holy Spirit

At first glimpse, you may not recognize that this entire narrative is about the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells them to fill it to the brim with water. Transformation took place because of water. The Holy Spirit is often seen as water. (John 7:37-39; Isa 44:3; John 4:14) Out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water!

Ephesians 5:18 CSB

18 And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit:

Whatever you are filled with is what you are led by.

Filled with the Spirit, led by the Spirit. Full of yourself, led by your flesh.

We will either be filled with the Spirit or we will be full of ourselves. Whatever you are filled with becomes the overflow you live from.

Closing

My daughter and I love our morning cup of coffee. We grind our own beans. We have a variety of milks, creamers, syrups. It’s a lifestyle. I do have one complaint. It seems as though she has a spiritual gift of leaving the container empty of water. It is so frustrating that when I want to get my day started, I get the sign that says, “empty, fill with water”.

Even though it is so profoundly annoying, I have to remind myself, to just go 3 feet to faucet and get more water. Sometimes we get lost in the emotions and disappointment of the emptiness that we forget we have access to the source to get exactly what we need.

Joy

Peace

Life

Hope

Strength

Power

Grace

Jesus is the source of our miracle. We need to be filled with...

FAITH

OBEDIENCE

HOLY SPIRIT

If you are in need of a miracle, I want you to meet me at this altar. I believe God wants to fill us. Whatever we are filled with becomes the overflow we live from.

Altar

It’s ok, not to be ok. The Bible is filled with people that took inventory of where they were and brought their emptiness to Jesus. The woman at the well was living a life where she kept adding ice and convincing herself, I’m cool. However, Jesus begins to reveal to her that He has more for her but it requires her to acknowledge that she has been living her life on E.