The Everyday God

Intro: God LOVES to be trusted. All day, everyday.

learning to rappel - lots of faith is needed to lean back over the ledge. It’s a BIG moment. We want and need God to be present and trustworthy in these moments!

Big moments can present big opportunities for faith. But what about the little moments? Moments that may even seem big IN the moment, but maybe not in the grand scheme of our life.

He’s there in the mountaintop moments.

He’s there in the valleys.

What about that long winding path we are usually on that connects the two?

Passage:

John 2:1–12 NASB95

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

PRAY

Teaching Point #1 - The setting - a WEDDING

John 2:1–2 NASB95

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.

Cana was a village/town a few miles away from Nazareth.

Mary and Jesus and his family (vs 12) were perhaps friends or relatives of the family, Nathanael was from Cana. There is no indication that Jesus was invited b/c of his reputation - as this is the beginning of His miracles (vs 11).

From the beginning, God ordained marriage. Jesus is happy to attend this wedding.

Side NOTE: Jesus is not a recluse. He was out among the people doing earthly people things.

While each person hopefully does not have weddings often, they happen every day. They are a normal part of life on earth.

Teaching Point # 2 - The problem - NO WINE

John 2:3–5 NASB95

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

The weddings in this culture would last seven days, with the bride’s and groom’s families providing food and drink for the entirety of the wedding.

Running out would bring dishonor to the families involved.

Mary - somehow involved - comes to Jesus with the problem, hoping he’ll help, as she tells the servants to do whatever He says.

Side note this is actually GREAT ADVICE TO US ALL!

His response is respectful and intentional. He is beginning His mission, but He is at the beginning. It is not time according to His plan for His deity to be on display. It is not until John 12, at the triumphal entry, when He says, “My time has come.”

Normal wedding, could be a normal problem.

Teaching Point # 3: The solution - NEW WINE

John 2:6–8 NASB95

Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him.

Six pots for the custom of purification - Mark 7:1-5

Mark 7:1–5 NASB95

The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?”

This was their system of cleaning themselves before the LORD.

WHY DID HE NOT HAVE THEM FILL THE WINE PITCHERS WITH WATER…?

The servants obeyed. We don’t know WHEN the water turned into wine.

Teaching Point # 4 - The Outcome - BEHOLD, NEW THINGS.

John 2:9–12 NASB95

When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

The headwaiter (wedding coordinator - in charge of keeping the festivities going) did not know the drink came from the washing pots - there is NO WAY he would’ve drank it if he had known. It must’ve been wine by that time.

IT TAKES WEEKS/MONTHS to ferment GOOD WINE.

His response: “Our way is to wow the guests with the best wine at first, and after they are used to it, start to water it down to make it last. BUT YOU HAVE HAVE SAVED THE BEST FOR NOW.”

This is the first of the attesting miracles in John.

Jesus manifested His glory - and His new disciples witnessed this. He grew their faith.

SO WHAT?

His disciples’ faith grew. That is great. But there is more. What does a miracle of supernaturally providing more refreshments at a wedding for unnamed people have to do with me?

This miracle is included for a specific reason.

John 21:25 NASB95

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

John 20:30–31 NASB95

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.

SON OF GOD

Only the Son of God could have power over Creation to make water to wine instantly. He demonstrates His power over CREATION.

THE CHRIST

He attends a wedding. He is out with the people. He is the Son of Man, too.

He honors His mother.

He cares about the people at the wedding with their everyday problems.

He shows that the systems and customs of our world - our works for our righteousness do not work. If He does not intervene, we will be left with dirty water.

BUT GOD - GOD LOVES TO BE TRUSTED - EVERYDAY.

He did this so that WE would KNOW that HE is the CHRIST, the SON OF GOD,

AND THAT BY BELIEVING WE WOULD HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME.

The wedding went on - the best wine, the most abundant time and enjoyment at that wedding came AFTER Jesus was trusted.

So what - what now?

GOD LOVES TO BE TRUSTED. All Day. EVERYDAY.

This is Who He is and What He does.

What problems do you have? Would you like Jesus to be involved in your everyday problems?

You’ve got to invite Him to your ‘wedding’ - to your everyday.

Has He turned your water to wine? Have you placed your faith in Him for the entirety of your life?

If so, how much of your life is lived WITH Him around? Read your Bible and pray - spend time with Him daily, and do what He leads you to do through His word and the Holy Spirit.

You’ve got to submit to His word.

Love each other as He loves us

Go make disciples

An everyday life spent with THE CHRIST, the SON OF GOD is not an ordinary life, it is an ABUNDANT, ETERNAL Life - the best life ever.

GOD LOVES TO BE TRUSTED. All Day. EVERYDAY.