Fill the Waterpots to the Brim!
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On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding as well. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother told Him, “They don’t have any wine.” “What has this concern of yours to do with Me, woman?” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.”
“Do whatever He tells you,” His mother told the servants. Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained 20 or 30 gallons. “Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim.
Then He said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the chief servant.” And they did. When the chief servant tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from—though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom
John 2:10–11 (HCSB)
and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people have drunk freely, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.” Jesus performed this first sign in Cana of Galilee. He displayed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
Purpose: Jesus performed the miracle of water to wine was a sign to the identity of Jesus and to reveal His glory and His grace. He meet the emergency and brought joy to a wedding that was going to be a social disaster.
Point: The Lord uses that which is available. Am I available?
Jesus does not only supply for one’s needs, but He does so with abundance. He not only gives sinners enough to be saved, but gives us His grace in abundance. Let the wine stand as a type of His grace, does not Jesus’ grace flow in abundance liberally? And what joy this grace should bring us, as merry as the joy that fine wine can, and is a symbol of.
Jesus is invited to a wedding, along with His disciples and his mother. Prominent teachers and distinguished guests were a top priority to have at such an event, that was to be as well attended as possible. But Jesus has not yet performed any miracles, so His abilities were not yet known. His invitation would likely have been extended because of his reputation as a good teacher or the son of Mary.
The wedding celebration would last for seven days, according to tradition. Thus the brides family was resonsible for seven days of food and wine. To run out of food and drink would be a social disaster and embarrassement for the family.
The “Master of the banquet” was a position of high honor and carried the responsibility of keeping the celebration going, and taking care of the food and wine inparticular. Other than the first “round”, the wine was watered down to a ratio of 2 or 3 portions of water to wine. As the merriement went on for seven days, the wine had to last for seven days. Whatever short run, the guests were expected to defray the costs of the wedding with their “gifts”. It is safe to venture that the wedding was not of a couple, or family, “well off” for they have run out of wine, and their is no idication that they have the means, nor thier guests, to supply the needed wine.
Thus steps in Mary, Jesus’ mother, expecting Jesus to supply for the need, “They don’t have any wine” (John 2:3). Note, she presents the problem to Jesus, she does not order Jesus to take care of the problem. Mary expects Jesus to provide the wine, she has faith that Jesus can supply the wine. After all, you are to respect your mother and father, as the Torah, and 10 commandments command (Ex. 20; Deut 5). Mary tells the servants to “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5).
Do you and I have the faith to come to Jesus with a problem and expect Him to provide the solution? Do you and I have the faith and will to do whatever He tells us to help solve a problem? Mary is a woman of exceptional faith in her son, also a person of expectation in Jesus, that He will provide, or has the solution. Does Jesus have the solution to our problems? Do I have the expectation that Jesus can solve my problems? Do I ask for His solution?
Fill the Waterpots!
When Jesus is about to bestow a blessing He gives a command.
Jesus commanded the servants to fill the stone waterpots with water. These stone waterpots were for the ritual cleaning (purification) of hands. All guests had to be “clean” in order to attend the wedding feast celebration. (Maybe this is where we acquired the tradition of washing our hands before a meal.) The waterpots would have held between 20 and 30 gallons of water. What an abundance of grace that Jesus is going to provide!
Jesus works blessing through His commands. He says to His disciples, “Go, teach, preach, and baptize, with all authority, and I will be with you always” (Mt. 28:19-20). Jesus will bless His disciples because He commands it. The lame man was healed because Jesus commanded it…as the lame man obeyed. The blind man was healed because Jesus commanded it…as the blind man obeyed and washed. The dead girl was brought back to life because Jesus commands life, He is the author of life, the alpha and omega, the beginning and end. Jesus is the commander of Ezekiel and dry bones - those dead, dry, helpless, and depressed.. By Jesus’ command life comes and is restored.
When Jesus means to bless His children, and make them a blessing, He issues a command to them. “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9).
So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
2. In order to receive the blessing, one needs to obey Jesus’ command, not question them.
Mary’s advice to the servants is “to do whatever He tells you”. Do I do whatever Jesus tells me to do? Do I obey as Jesus commands me? Or do I question Him? What did the servants do? They filled the waterpots to the brim! They did not argue with Mary or with Jesus. They simply did, obeyed. It is not our job to reason why Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, ask us to do certain things, or lead us in certain ways, it is our job to do what He commands. We will not see the connection between the water and the wine, but Jesus does!
God says,
Isaiah 7:9 (NKJV)
“If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.”
Other Bible translations would translate the word of God this way, “If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all” (NRSV). If you and I do not believe that Jesus turned water into wine, then how will you and I believe he can do anything at all? How can we believe we will receive anything from Him at all? How will we obey Him at all?
3. When we receive a command from Christ, obey Him zealously!
When Jesus commanded the servants to fill the waterpots, they filled them to the brim! They were enthusiastic! Are we enthusiastic about obeying Jesus when commands us to fill the waterpots? Do we though our whole soul and body into fulfilling Jesus’ commands? Do we love Him, and each other, with our whole mind, body, and soul. Do we serve Him with enthusiasm? Do we read, pray, do with ENERGY and purpose?
The worst kind of basketball player is one without energy and purpose. You cannot play basketball without it. You cannot live life without energy and purpose. Even though we may not be able to see the connection between the water and the wine, do your best to fill the waterpots that Jesus asks you to with your best love and best energy…with your whole person!
4. Earnest obedience in action is necessary to our dependence upon Christ
If we indeed proclaim to be dependant upon Christ for our very person and living, do our actions proclaim this fact? Proclaiming to be of great faith and following, does the ledger add up? Does our bottom line reflect Jesus expectations? Does our work reflect our proclaimed faith? Because our work does proclaim our faith in Christ (James 2:18).
Then He touched their eyes, saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith!”
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
Wine is a symbol of joy in the Bible. Jesus turned water into wine…joy! Doing the will of Christ is a joyful thing. Acting in faith is a joyful thing! Obeying Christ should be a joyful thing! When we follow Jesus in faith, it is His responsibility, His duty, to turn the water into wine; and we can expect that He will, because it is His glory on the line.
“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
Jesus knows how to work the miracle, He expects us to obey His commands, so the miracle can come forward, and He be glorified. Are people coming to Jesus through your obedience to share the Gospel of Jesus? The servants were required to go draw the water for Jesus…but Jesus turns the water into wine. Therefore...
4. Human action is insufficient, but yet appointed.
We are invited to draw the water, but not expected to turn the water into wine…that is Jesus’ job. Jesus uses what and whom is available. Am I available? Serve and do heartily, not despondantly. Remember, there is a great short coming in all that we can say or do, and always will be, but we are invited and expected to do what we can do the best expectations of Christ. In the end, Jesus turns the water into wine, the servants fill the waterpots! So fill them to the brim!
Amen!