Sermon Tone Analysis

The First Miracle: Turning Water into Wine \\ John 2.1-11 \\ \\

Jesus’ first miracle is found here when He turned the water into wine.

This miracle served as a sign of what was to come.

Have you ever missed a sign?

You were looking for some place and you missed the sign.

Signs are an important part of our society.

For example, road signs provide direction.

They give information or instructions.

On DMV tests, you had better know your signs.

White rectangular signs give information.

\\ Yellow signs give warnings.

Red octagon shaped signs mean stop.

As a driver, you better know your signs.

Signs are also used by virtually every business and restaurant in our culture.

One of the keys to a successful business or restaurant is advertisement, and signs play a large part in that venture.

If I pull into a restaurant that says McDonalds, I want McDonalds and not Burger King.

(Ben understands) Furthermore, if there is an inspection sign on the wall of a Southern CA restaurant that has a C, I don’t want to eat there.

Churches even use signs.

I’ve seen and heard of some funny church signs—3 mile Baptist Church, 2 miles this way.

Burnout Baptist Church.

In one town there was a Hope BC.

New Hope BC.

Greater New Hope BC.

In MO we had a Peculiar Baptist Church and a Tightwad Baptist Church.

People are looking constantly for signs of the end times.

The Left Behind series is one of the top-selling novel series of all times.

Preachers are warning of the signs of the times.

People are searching for religious signs.

A recent BC comic.

God give me a sign to know you are there!

Wham!

A sign drops from the sky.

In our text today, we have what John labels, the first sign.

In his gospel, John highlights 7 of these signs in order to fulfill his primary purpose.

Do you remember John’s purpose statement from 20:30-31?

“Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

In his gospel, John provides signs or markers that encourage the reader to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing on Him, one is granted eternal life.

In today’s text, we read about our first sign.

Let’s examine the text together and then draw some life lessons from the first miracle or sign.

Jesus and his disciples (at least 5 at this point), along with his mother, have been invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee.

And during this midst of this celebration, the wine runs out.

Weddings were a major event in Jesus’ day.

Weddings of that time lasted a week or more; therefore, it was necessary to have plenty of food and beverage.

To run out of either was a disgrace and embarrassment for the groom and his family and could even be grounds for a lawsuit.

So when the wine runs out, it is a major catastrophe.

Mary, who seems to have some organizational role in the wedding, does not know what to do about this situation, so she turns to Jesus and says, “They have no wine.”

Evidently, Mary believes that Jesus can fix the problem (this may be motherly ambition).

There is no indication that Jesus has performed any miracles prior to this event, but for whatever reason, Jesus’ mother believes Jesus can solve the setback.

He may be the primary caregiver in the family at this time.

Jesus’ response may appear a bit harsh: “Woman, what does that have to do with me?

My hour has not come.”

I do not suggest any of our kids use this response at home with their mother.

Take out the trash.

Woman, what does that have to do with me?

My hour has not come.

Make your bed.

Woman… If you do try this, you may discover that your hour has come sooner than you had anticipated.

What is going on here?

Is Jesus setting a bad example for how we should treat our parents?

Actually, Jesus’ response is not as unkind as it may appear in our English translations.

His reference to His mother as “Woman” was a common term in the first century that does not reflect irreverence or disrespect nor endearment.

And what about his reply, “what does this have to do with me” or “what do you and I have in common,” is this disrespectful?

It appears that Jesus’ abrupt response seems to be setting the parameters for his relationship with his mother.

For many years, Mary has raised Jesus as her son.

But now, Jesus is redefining their relationship.

He is establishing distance between them.

Why?

No longer are family relationships to be the determining factor in Jesus’ life.

He is beginning His public ministry.

He is starting a journey that will end on Calvary’s cross.

And just as every other human being, Mary must respond to Jesus in saving faith.

She must embrace Him as her personal Savior and Lord.

The relationship between Jesus and Mary has changed.

Jesus seems to be reminding Mary that He is controlled by obedience to the Father and not by human relationships.

His hour is coming, but it is an hour determined only by the Father.

His destiny is not controlled by human relationships but by His divine appointment with death.

Indeed, His hour is coming, but it has not yet arrived.

Mary seems to understand at some level this break in their relationship for she instructs the servants to do whatever Jesus says to do.

She shows some faith here.

Jesus points to the six stone water-pots that were used for the ceremonial cleansing performed before the meals and instructs the servants to fill them to the brim with water.

With all 6 containers, there would have been around 150-180 gallons of water.

Why to the brim?

So there would be no doubt about the genuineness of this miracle.

The servants obey.

Let me interject the words of JC Ryle here: “Duties are ours.

Events are God’s.

It is Christ’s to make the water wine.”

Be faithful to do what we are told to do—fill the water pots and leave the miracle event to God.

Jesus next commands the servants to draw some of the water out and take it to the chief waiter.

Suddenly from the time the servants draw the water and the head attendant tastes the liquid, a miracle occurs.

The Bible simply states, the water had become wine.

A few simple words for such an extraordinary event.

The water has become wine!

The headwaiter is shocked.

He has never tasted wine so good.

As a matter of fact, he accuses the bridegroom of breaking a first century custom and saving the best wine for last.

From all indications, only the disciples and servants know the real story.

In v. 11, John states that this was the beginning of signs in the ministry of Jesus.

And as a result of this sign, Jesus’ glory was revealed and the disciples believed in Him.

So the miracle created 2 responses: the glory of Christ was revealed and the disciples believed.