Water Boys Series

Help Wanted

Pt. 2 - Water Boys

I. Introduction

We are in the middle of a national worker shortage. According to the National Federation of Independent Business, 67% of business owners were trying to hire workers in May 2022, and 92% of those seeking to hire reported few or no qualified applicants. This left a record-high 51% of businesses reporting job openings that they were unable to fill.

However, this is not a new issue or dilemma. In fact, this has been an issue for over 2,000 years. Remember Jesus highlighted the same issue when He was looking out over a crowd of hurt and confused people and He said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few!" He then told us to pray that God would send harvest hands to intervene and secure the harvest before it was lost. So, we said we are called to be hole help. We are called to step into the gap and as saved folks we are supposed to help others be rescued as well.

I want us to examine another passage that shows us some things about being the kind of helpers Jesus needs.

Text: John 2:1-11 (NLT)

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Not an unfamiliar passage. Jesus attends a wedding, and at the behest of His mother, He saves the groom's family the embarrassment of being unprepared for the celebration. There are a lot of interesting facets of this story, but I want to simply ask you a question - a hypothetical question I agree - but perhaps it will get us to stop and think.

What if the servants had refused to follow the instructions of Mary? What if the servants had refused to do what Jesus said? I mean it is towards the end of a long celebration. They have been working hard. They are tired. They had done their part. They had fulfilled their contract. They had gone above and beyond the expected actions. And now you want me to lift heavy buckets - just under 1,000 pounds or up to 1,500 pounds of water into these wash pots? What would have happened if they had walked off the job? Thrown their hands up in the air and quit.

Ever felt that way? After a long hard week at work Jesus, you want me to smile at the person who just cut me off in traffic? After the struggle I have faced this week, you want me to open a door at church and I have to get there early to do it? After my own kids walked all over my last nerve all week, now you want me to take care of someone else's kid so they can go enjoy worship and get their spirit fed? I have looked at a computer screen all week and now you want me to stare at another screen so others can participate in worship? I'm tired. I have done my part. I know it isn't recorded but I just wonder if these servants felt this way?

This is what I do know for sure . . .

Jesus turns water in wine because someone was willing to obey. Jesus performs a miracle because someone else was willing to do the heavy lifting. Stated plainly . . . the servant's help helped produce a miracle.

Simple obedience leads to the supernatural.

Why is serving so important and crucial? It is a critical part of the equation. I like formulas. I like recipes. Do this and it leads to this. I am going to give you the equation for the supernatural to be birthed in the lives of the people around you. Are you ready?