World Premiere Series

The World Premiere

CCCAG February 25th, 2018

Scripture- John 2:1-11

Introduction:

Everyone here probably has a few television programs they watch other than news. Some people like drama’s, some like comedy’s, others are into reality TV.

What all of these shows have in common is this- at some point, they started out as a pilot.

A pilot is a single episode of a future TV series that is produced to show the studio executives what this show will look like and to get approval to make more.

I love medical dramas, particularly if they involve fire and rescue. A few years ago there was a show called “Trauma” and I set my DVR to watch the pilot. The show starts out showing a roof top rescue with a medical helicopter coming into transport the patient. After getting the patient on board, the helicopter just jerks into the air and immediately goes down off the rooftop. That’s a huge violation of helicopter EMS flight rules- if you are taking off from anywhere, you lift straight up, turn your aircraft 360 degrees to check for other aircraft or obstructions, and then turn and head to where you are going. If you are interested in seeing that, the next time you hear a helicopter overhead- park across from the fire station and you can watch it happen.

Needless to say, the helicopter in this TV show goes straight down and collides with a tourist helicopter sending both to the ground. I’m already thinking- they didn’t spring for an expert advisor to tell them that should never happen. The scene then shifted to a female paramedic having inappropriate contact with her partner in the ambulance, and I just knew this show would stink, and it was canceled after 5 episodes after receiving so many negative emails from professional firefighters and paramedic that they pulled it off the air.

I bring all of this up to give us a common frame of reference to make this point- How something starts, whether it be a TV show, political movement, popular cause, or even a religion- how it startsz sets the stage for the whole life of that thing.

In John Chapter 2, we are witnessing the world premiere of Jesus’ public ministry, beginning with His first miracle. Jesus is setting the stage for what His ministry and mission are all about.

He has called his first 5 disciples, and is now attending a wedding in Cana, about 9 miles from his hometown of Nazareth.

That’s where we pick up the Gospel of John today: John 2:1-11

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Prayer

There are several things that Jesus’ first miracle shows us about what His ministry is going to be about.

Keep that in mind, because first I have to deal with a question this may bring up in many people’s minds. This story in John 2 is not a very popular one amongst those who believe that drinking alcohol is a sin.

Honestly, I wanted to ignore that part of it and just get to the main part of the lesson, but it would not be honest to do so without addressing the subject of alcohol. I have to bring the whole counsel of God, and not just the parts that make me comfortable, so let’s jump into the subject of alcohol briefly, and please hear me out. If you have questions or concerns about it, please see me after the service.

In John chapter 2, as well as other NT scriptures that deal with the subject of wine, our fellowship and many other charismatic church’s they want to say that Jesus turned water into grape juice and not alcoholic wine. To get that conclusion they do all kinds of backflips with the Greek language to try and prove it. The Assemblies got their start in 1917 during the height of the temperance movement. The temperance movement was against any use of alcohol for any reason, and that movement is what got prohibition to become the law of the land. Prohibition was a constitutional amendment that made alcohol illegal for 13 years before it was overturned.