By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher
Text: John
2:1-12
John
2:11
This beginning
of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and [a]manifested
His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
(NKJV)
It takes an artist to
turn something ordinary into something extraordinary. In my youth, I loved to
play basketball but lacked the talent and physical abilities to become a
professional basketball player. That requires the artistic and athletic
abilities of someone like Michael Jordan who can take an ordinary basketball
and turn it into something extraordinary. In the hands of the Lamb of God,
ordinary water becomes fine wine symbolizing the transformation of one’s life
from a sinner to a child of God (Romans
3:23, 8:12-17).
On the third day after
John the Baptist declares Jesus as the Lamb of God come to take away the sins
of the world, Mary, Jesus, and His disciples find themselves at a wedding feast
in Cana (John
2:1-2). They have run out of wine at the feast, an
embarrassing situation for the family of the bridegroom. Mary tells Jesus they
have run out of wine (John
2:3).
Jesus responds to His
mother by referring to her as woman, asking what that has to do with Him for
His hour had not come yet (John
2:4).
Jesus is not addressing Mary as His mother but as a disciple, letting her know
his time of glorification had not come yet, something that would occur at the
time of his crucifixion (John
12:23, 27, 13:1, 16:32, 17:1). Mary tells those at
the wedding to do whatever Jesus tells them to do (John
2:5).
At the feast there were
six waterpots used for purification which held twenty to thirty gallons of
water (John
2:6).
Jesus tells the servants to fill each of the waterpots with ordinary water
which the servants do out of obedience to the instructions of Jesus, filling
them to the brim (John
2:7).
Jesus then tells the servants to draw out some of the liquid and take it to the
master of the feast, which they did out of obedience to Christ (John
2:8).
When the master of the feast tasted the water now turned into wine not knowing
where the water had come from, but the servants knew (John
2:9).
When the master of the feast called for the bridegroom, the servants might have
thought they were in trouble for trying to pull a fast one on the master of the
feast. However, the master of the feast called the bridegroom over to commend
him for saving the best wine for last (John
2:10).
This first miracle of
Jesus that manifested his glory was a precursor of what was to come, climaxing
in the manifestation of the glory of God with the resurrection of Christ and
the conquering of death. However, this first simple manifestation of the glory
of God did cause Jesus’ disciples to believe in Him (John
2:11).
After this miracle, Jesus, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples went to
Capernaum but did not stay there many days (John
2:12).
This miracle, the turning
of water into wine was the first miracle of Jesus which manifested His glory to
his disciples, leading to their believing in Him. This is easy to understand
because there had been 400 years of silence from God since the prophet Malichi
till John the Baptist entered the scene with some of Jesus first disciples
coming to Jesus after John pointed Him out as the Lamb of God (John
1:29).
Now the manifestation of a physical miracle has occurred with ordinary water
turned into fine wine. However, this first miracle of Jesus is just the
beginning of what these disciples of Jesus will witness, climaxing with his
resurrection from the dead.
Those at the wedding
feast observed the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine, but the greatest
miracle of God’s glory is the transformation that occurs in one’s life when one
finds salvation from their sins. Like Jesus turning ordinary water into wine,
this miracle turns an ordinary man who is a sinner (Romans
3:23)
into a child of God (Romans
8:12-17). Everyone who has prayed for the forgiveness of
their sins, professing their belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of
Jesus Christ has a story of this transformation in their lives (Romans
10:9-10). While our story of salvation may not be as dramatic
as the Apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts
9:1-9), it is a story someone may relate to and why we must
not fear sharing it.
Some reading this may be
like me, someone raised in the Church who thought they could get to heaven
based on their raising, with no need to pray to receive Jesus as their Savior.
However, I came to a point in my life when I realized I needed to repent of my
sins and make a personal decision to make Jesus Christ my savior. If that story
relates to anyone reading this, I encourage you to take a moment to pray with
me and receive forgiveness of your sins and receive Jesus as your Savior,
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans
3:23)
and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans
6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse
me as you promise in your Word (1
John 1:9). I believe
you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now
declare you Lord of my life.
May the Lord challenge,
convict, and bless everyone reading this post.
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