Inisghts Into Christian Service

Insights Into Christian Service John 2:1-11

I want to direct your attention to the word “servants” in verses 5 and 9. The servants are referred to in several more verses by the words “they,” “them,” or “you.” It is these unnamed servants that I want us to focus on this morning.

Though Jesus could have filled the waterpots merely by His word, He preferred to use the servants. Isn’t not that a blessing!

There was the want expressed, “they have no wine” that was followed by the way explained, “fill the waterpots with water.” Next came the will exercised, “they filled them up to the brim,” and this was followed by the wonder experienced, “the water...was made wine.”

Here is a miracle with a message. Dr. G. Campbell Morgan once said that every parable Jesus spoke was a miracle of instruction, and every miracle Jesus performed was a parable of instruction.

Here is a miracle filled with Insight Into Christian Service.

I. The anxieties that troubled these servants

Now in Palestine a wedding was a big thing. In fact, the biggest thing going in those days was a wedding.

The servants are troubled because the wine has run out. There is no more wine. Nothing could be more devastating at an eastern wedding than this.

A. They were troubled about the resources that were inadequate

These servant were struggling with what they are to do. For the provisions to fail was unacceptable, as well as inexcusable.

I don’t know if more came than was expected but the wine ran out.

What were these servants going to do? This was a crisis situation for these servants.

Everyone was looking to the servants to give them the wine, but the resources had run out.

B. They were trouble about the reproach that was inevitable

In Bible times, wedding feast could last up to a week, and it was considered a crime for a host or a host to allow the feast to run out of food or wine. In fact, one was liable to be sued in a court of law.

It could be costly both financially and socially to run out of food or wine.

No doubt the servants felt like quitting at this point in their service; they had given all they had, and there was nothing more for them to give.

However, Mary speaks to them in verse 5 some of the best advice known to man. Mary pointed the men to Jesus. Mary makes an announcement to the servants, and it revolved around the authority of God.

Mary directed the servants punctually to observe His orders, without disputing, or asking questions.

“Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”

II. The activities which tested these servants

“Fill the waterpots with water...draw out now and bear unto he governor of the feast ”

They were not given an easy task; they didn’t just take the waterpots to the faucet because there wasn’t any faucets. There must have been a spring or a well somewhere, and they had to carry water to fill those water-pots.

It is worth our attention to note that Jesus employed the use of the disciples. Jesus could have filled these pots by merely speaking the word. However, god loves to give us, His servants an opportunity to labor with Him. God chose to use the servants to share in His work. He, who is a Supernatural God, chooses to use natural men to accomplish His work.

A. Consider the apparent uselessness of the Saviour’s request

They needed wine not water. Why do they need water they must have reasoned.

What Jesus told them to do made no sense! If Jesus would have told them to go buy some wine, that would have made sense. However, that would have been walking by sight, and Jesus wanted them to walk by faith.

What they were told to do made no sense at all. What does filling waterpots with water have to do with the need of wine?

“DO WHAT?”

They were going to have to trust the Lord with this one.

The assignment of the servants revealed the secret of God’s activity. He was going to work through them.

B. Consider the absolute thoroughness of the servants’ response

“filled them up to the brim”

Whenever we get a command from God, it is always our wisdom to carry it out zealously.

A customer in a restaurant once asked the waitress suspiciously after seeing the menu, "Why do you call this ’enthusiastic stew?’"

The waitress explained, "The cook puts everything he has into it." This is exactly what these servants did.

The wisest thing you could ever do is to be obedient to the Word of God, to the work of God, and to the will of God.

“Draw out now” - There no conclusive evidence that Jesus turned the water in the water-pots into wine.