Jesus and Miracles

John 2:1–11 ESV

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.

Mark Gali was a pastor in california. Their church relocated some laotian refuges so the refuges decided to come out to church and do a little bible study with pastor Galli.

They read the passage we read on Friday… the passage where Jesus calms the storm.

The pastor asked them… what are some storms in theirs lives?

The people looked confused…

The pastor then continued… we all have storms in our lives… worries , troubles, crisis… what are your storms..

they were puzzled again.. but one of them took couraged and asked… Do you mean Jesus can calm the wind and sea in the middle of the storm?

The pastor didnt want them to get distracted by his main point.. so he answerd yes quickly and asked again… What are some storms in our lives...

Then another person says… wait.. Jesus can calm the storms? he must be a very powerful man! and all of them were filled with excitment and wonder execpt the pastor…

Then he realised… The refuges grasped the story better than he did… He had become so numb to the power of Jesus because he reads it everyday.... But tehse people… these refugees were amazed....

We might be numb to all of Jesus’ miracles also… When we read the Bible… are we amazed and get goosbumbs when we read… Jesus walked on water! What!!! or just read it … Jesus walks on water again for the hundreth time....

Today I want to talk about Miracles.... what are miracles?

The other day.. i got a notification… big mac for 1 dollar just for you! is that a miracle?

Or maybe my mom got healed from cancer! is that a miracle?

This is how the dictionary defines it… : a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.

Jesus’ miracles were all powerful but they all had a reason why he performed it.... It wasnt jsut for show… all the miracles had some sort of deeper meaning behind it.

Today I want to focus on two miracles of Jesus and the real meaning behind it… turning water into wine...

Jesus and his discples go to a wedding in Cana…

We had a wedding at church the other day… I saw some of you guys at the wedding all dressed up nice… It was a good short wedding… about 4 hours right?

Well weddings back then… it was held for days.... IT could last for weeks… so.. there is a one problem… there is a financil problem...

Lets go back to the wedding that was held at church… It was probably like 5-6k? because they had to feed all of us…

Imagine if you had to feed people for a week!

But what happens here… they run out of wine… this is an embarrassment… they will be shamed if they can not provide…

Mary turns to Jesus… Jesus my firstborn child… they have no more wine… Mary was probably a widow… The Bible does not mention Jospeh anymore after the temple incident whent hey lost JEsus.... So because there is no Joseph around.. She depended on Jesus.... There are even stories of Jesus making clay pigeons turning into real pigeons… (not in the bible.. but it is in other writings)… So Mary knew that Jesus could do miracles so she relys on Jesus again.... JEsus// They have no wine...

but how does Jesus respond? Woman, what does this have to do with me? (slap) What if you said that to your mom…

Jesus then says my time has not yet come....

Jesus performed many miracles before he turned water into wine… but whenever he performed it.. it was in private.. and he usually told them to not tell anyone… but the told everyone...

Jesus saying his time has not yet come means that His ministry did not start yet…

Then what does mary do? She just shakes it off and tells the servant to do what Jesus tells them to do.. lol

Maybe you all can relate with this… For me… when I was in korea with my family.. prob in 10th grade… we went to a church and they wanted us to share a testimony.. my mom told me to share it.. I said no.... and when they called us up… she said Jesus will share his testimony.. lol

Maybe that is what happend to Jesus here...

There were six stone water jars… Jesus tells the servants to fill the jars up with water.... and them walah~ there was wine… The mastor of the feast dranks some.. then he was shocked… he was like every wedding.. they bring out the good wine first so when everyone gets drunk, they bring out the bad winel.... but this wedding it is the opposite! and then happy ending!

This was Jesus’ first public miracle…

So what is the meaning of this miracle? Remember I said all the miracles have a secret meaning in it? Well the secret meaning in this miracle is the stone Jars....

what? the stone Jars??? Not Jesus calling his mom Women! Why the JAr?

Well first of all.. there were 6 jars… this symbolizes imperfection in the bible… the number 7 is the number that symbolizes perfection.... so this symbolizes the world is not perfect yet...

The stone Jars were purification Jars… These Jars are very significant because it is made by using one jar…

Do you all know how jars are normally made? lol clays jars have all kind of substances mixed into the mold.... some jars are made with stacking multiple things, gluing, and then carving....

But these purifcation jars were made with one stone.... They will get a huge stone… and start carving in it.... So it is one substance.. So they start carving… but what happens when they make a mistake? oh no… they cant turn it back… if they add another substance to it to cover the mistakes.... it wont be a pure jar anymore....

So once they start carving into it.. there is no turning back… This is the first sign of Jesus’ miracle… There was no turning back for him once he starts… He knew that if he did this miracle… he cant turn back anymore… he has to do his ministry that leads him to the cross....

So when he performed this miracle… of turning water into wine… it symbolizes the start of Jesus’ official ministry. There is no turning back for him now…

He starts his minisry.. He performs miracles publically now....

He makes the lame walk.. he makes the blind see… he heals the sick… He performs public miracles and now he doesnt say keep it a secret.... his word spreads around the whole country...

AS Jesus continues his ministry.... another miracle I want to talk about is Jairus’ daughter and the bleeding women...

Jairus was a well known leader in the region… his daugher (12 years of age) was dying.... Girls had one job… they had to carry on the family legacy by giving birth.. 12 year old was when they got married and started giving birth… So this leaders duaghter.. who is suppose to give life and carry the town on her shoulder was dying… This super high status girl was dying… So Jesus started to walk towards her.... But he gets interuppted by the women who was bleeding for 12 years....

IF you are bleeding in the culture… you are unclean… she was an outcast of the society.... for 12 years… you starting to put the pieces together? 12 years ago.. someone was born to lead the people and someone became an outcast to the society....

What happens in this story? Jesus heals the bleeding woman and lets the daughter of Jairus die.... He heals the last but lets the first die....

He wants to show that the last shall become first and the first shall become last....

He continues and reaches JAirus house… Everyone is crying ebcause the daugher is dead… They tell JEsus only if you got here earlier… now she is dead… what does Jesus respond? No! she is sleeping...

The crowd would have been mad… what the… JEsus… you are being ridiculous right now....

Jesus enters the house and tells the girl… wake up… and she woke up...

This symbolises israel… the country… it has fallen asleep in God’s commands and law… Jesus was here to wake up the country and warn them that the kingdom of God is near....

All the miracles Jesus performed had a special meaning behind it....

Because Jesus was a political leader… the religious leaders cruficied Jesus on the cross...... Jesus follows God’s will and ends up on the cross and dies for us....

So the question now is.... are there still miracles in the world today… some of us will say yes… some of us will say no....

But let me tell you.... Miracles are happening everyday in the world today....

Just like Jesus tells jairus daughter who died.... wake up… and she woke up...

Jesus is performing the same miracle today.... We were all spiritually dead once… but now we are spiritually restored… Jesus resurrected us from the dead… that is the true miracle.... That is what we call a miracle...

All the people Jesus healed in teh Bible… Whenver Jesus restored people… He tells them… Go! your faith has healed you! Go and sin no more!

The true meaning of the miracles were to restore people back to God.... He restored us… He restored you! thats the true miracle....

Jesus came down.... and died for a worthless sinner like us… so that he can restore us to God! That is the true miracle...

The qurstions is… have we been numb to this miracle....

Like the laotian refugees who were in wonder that Jesus was a powerful man.. like hwo they were excited....

Are we excited that JEsus performed a miracle for us? or are we numb to it and think that is is nothing....

WAKE UP! JEsus is calling us to wake up today! HE comes to us… when we were dead… when we were sleeping and he tells us to wake up....

Are we going to wake up or are we going to let ourselves continue to rot....

understand the true miracle of God..... the greatest miracle was raising us from the dead....