Worship call 0652

Worship call 0652

Friday May 13, 2022

The second miracle at Cana

Robert, don't run out of fuel! Hebrews 4:9-11 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Gas is going up...a lot. But your tank is the same size, and not filling up is not an option, unless you want to park in the shoulder lane, or leave the car in the garage. Leave the car in the garage (if you have a car)....now there's an idea. Perhaps, this weekend, the best way to refuel is NOT to spend money on gas, or go driving somewhere! Someone who ought to know said the Shabbat was made for man... a day of rest and relationship for a totally different type of "refueling". That might really serve (and save)! Save on gas by not driving, and instead, spend time with God and loved ones...at home! Shabbat really was made for man..... and woman, and children. So spend some time walking, talking and refueling your relationships this weekend. It will do your heart good, and set you up for your work week....with a "tankful" for which you are truly thankful. Robert, enter His rest this Shabbat. Stop running on fumes. Fill your spiritual and emotional tank, leave your money in the bank, and remember whom to thank. Shabbat Shalom! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah (George, Obi and Elianna, Baltimore, Maryland -- Baht Rivka, Israel)

This is another fine day in the Lord!

What is there hindering your coming to the Lord in faith? what is there left that you have to be witness to before you will surrender to the authority of your Lord and savior?

The first sign was Cana turning the water into wine.

Now here is the second of the six signs

(indication) found in the Gospel of John.

What are signs?

σημεῖον sēmeion 77× a sign, a mark, token, by which anything is known or distinguished

Signs was to draw attention to the word, and delt with those things that were of a physical nature. That which defies the logic and the natural order of things.

The purpose of Signs and wonders were to draw attention to the source of those miracles the word. You know that very word which in the beginning was. It is the word that spoke the universe in existence.

John 4:46–48 (NASB95) — 46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum.

WE are back at the scene of the first Miracle. The royal official may have been a part of the Herod’s administration or a part of the Roman Governing body. But in either case the one who was in position and authority would humble himself to approach a commoner as Jesus or any Jew would be seen, and approach Jesus to ask for help in a hopeless helpless case. The boy was dying.

47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring (asking) Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.

The official was yet understanding the power of Jesus and the authoritative nature of his word. Like the Centurion who

Matthew 8:6–9 (NASB95) — 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

The man says come. You can do it. If you will follow me to Capernaum.

48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”

Remember, we say no such chastisement from the Samaritans.

Even today with the signs and wonders crowd, they are seeking outside of faith and are still seeking something that would boost their faith over and above the word of the Lord.

Tantamount to the Israelites in the wilderness who were rejecting Mana. Numbers (11:1-9)

The powers which Jesus demonstrated were attesting miracles, a calling card. The signs were to bring attention to the word of the Lord. to the message. While the people once again were believing in the miracles, believing that Jesus could perform the miracles they could not yet take him sight unseen that he was the Messiah or look past this life into eternity with the Christ.

Signs and wonders which Jesus performed was to draw attention to the word. They were never that which was to depend upon. In such a way signs and wonders become a stumbling block to faith.

What pleases Jesus? The same thing that pleases the Father and the holy Spirit.

11:1 Hebrews 11:1–2 (NASB95) — 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval.

Hebrews 11:6 (NASB95) — 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

There was kind of humorous point but maybe not so funny in Mark when the Disciples were looking for and found Jesus

Mark 1:35–38 (NASB95) — 35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37 they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.”

“In short, the town is looking for you.”

Jesus said

“Lets go elsewhere.”

Why were they looking for Jesus, not to

1. Seek out who he was

2. Or for the free gift from God

3. Or to ask for the living water

They cared only for the immediate circumstance with no thought of the eternal. They sought only to be comfortable in their misery.

Who believed?

The Samaritans.

Why did Jesus abide with the Samaritans for the two more days?

Faith.

Really. This is an indictment against the signs and wonder people of this day. Still looking for the next stimulating and wonderous display of signs of any Charcotian who ventures through ready and willing that you would write the check out to their so-called ministry.

We may feel sorry for those who had been deceived. But the truth of the matter is that prior to pulling out their check books they had already themselves rejected the truth. And all they have to show for their giving to this or that side show is a pray cloth. Who knows maybe it is monogramed with this false prophet’s logo.

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB95) — 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NASB95) — 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Jesus will say to Thomas

John 20:29 (NASB95) — “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

We do not want this mana (God’s word) says the people it is loathsome to us. We want signs and wonders.

Things are growing more difficult in our day. We must know by faith who are going to trust. For if we are not already secured in the faith, we will believe the first one who will promise to feed us. It will probably not be the Christ it will be the Anti Christ with his signs and wonders.

John 4:49–50 (NASB95) — 49 The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off.

What does he believe”?

The word of the Lord.

How did the man respond?

By turning away and returning back home.

How do we respond when we ask of the Lord?

Matthew 21:21–22 (NASB95) — 21 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

You see. As it is that Signs and Wonders a part from what they were meant for in the day when used by the Lord and even limited gifts to the apostles the Signs and wonders becomes a distraction and stumbling block to faith.

Remember the Devil can produce some miraculous things and often does to draw peoples attention away from God’s word.

Is there enough word in your heart that you have faith? without the word of God circulating in your heart what is it that you are believing?

If your response one of relief? Or are you looking for relief in some miraculous event?

The man sight unseen turns around and left to go home for the Lord had said his son would live.

The man having heard the news of His son recovery looked past the miracle and entrusted himself to this Jesus and his household as well.

Both signs were to a point obscure.

Few was privy to the turning the water into wine

And really no one but the man having left would know of his sons recovery.

But yet both signs attested to that fact that Jesus was the promised one.