Jesus' First Miracle Is A Success!

JESUS’ FIRST MIRACLE IS A SUCCESS! (Outline)

January 18, 2009 --

EPIPHANY 2 --

John 2:1-11

INTRO: Miracles – some believe in them and others do not. Mankind likes to have a logical and reasonable explanation for everything. But there is not always a logical or reasonable explanation for everything that happens in this world. Many amazing, unexplained events are often miracles. John uses a specific word in his gospel in speaking about miracles. This word means miracles were signs to strengthen believers in their faith. This is the meaning and purpose of every miraculous sign Jesus performed in John’s gospel. John wrote that Jesus did so many miracles and taught so many things that the whole world would not be big enough to contain all the books describing them. "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name"(JOHN 20:31).

JESUS’ FIRST MIRACLE IS A SUCCESS!

I. The water changes into wine.

II. This miracle strengthens faith.

I. WATER IS CHANGED INTO WINE

A. Verse 1a. The third day refers to the third day after Jesus had called Philip as his disciple (John 1:43).

1. The setting is given: A wedding in the small town of Cana. Cana is not far from Nazareth.

2. Verses 1b, 2. Mary is invited. Jesus is invited. The disciples, Jesus’ friends, are invited.

3. The hosts must be very close family friends or maybe even relatives of the family of Jesus.

B. Verse 3. They run out of wine. Weddings often lasted seven days during Jesus’ time.

1. Invitations were not exact. Mary wants Jesus to take care of this social embarrassment.

2. Verse 4. It is not quite the right time. Jesus had his ministry to do. Mary had hers.

3. Jesus is now a grown man with his mission to be busy about his Father’s business.

C. Verse 5. Mary understands and tells the servants to do whatever Jesus asks. Jesus has the authority.

1. Verse 7. Empty water jars are to be filled. Lots of water was used for purification rites.

2. They filled the jars and drew some out, verse 8. Verse 9. The water changed into wine.

3. This was a miracle. The banquet master did not how or when this happened.

D. There was no fanfare when Jesus did this miracle. At first, not too many even knew there was a miracle. The works of Jesus are done humbly. Some look at Jesus’ today only as a good teacher. Some consider Jesus to be a great philosopher. Others think of him as a hypnotist that fooled the people of his day. Still others consider the miracles of Jesus as cheap magic tricks. By the miracle of God’s grace you, I, all believers recognize these amazing acts of Jesus for what they are, miracles. Jesus was more than the Son of man. Jesus was and still is the Son of God. "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him"(ACTS 10:38). We learned this last week at the baptism of Jesus.

E. We want to be careful not to point our fingers only at those who openly deny the power of Jesus. Our own sins are also a denial of the power of God. Our own sins are an act of disobedience against our lov-ing Savior. Our own sins stand as a rejection of God’s almighty power and grace. Isaiah is harsh in his assessment of mankind. "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away"(ISAIAH 64:6). Note that Isaiah describes that even “all our righteous acts” are sinful. Every act is tainted by sin. Miracle of miracles our sins do not sweep us away because our Savior Jesus sweeps away our sins.

F. Jesus showed his power in physical miracles of healing. Jesus also reveals to us his authority by his spiritual miracle of healing souls. Forgiveness is the greatest of all miracles. Jesus provides believers his forgiveness freely. It is a miracle that we are forgiven. Such is the mercy and love of our Savior. "Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.…Then he said to the paralytic, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home’" (MATTHEW 9:5,6). We do not deserve this miracle. We cannot earn this miracle.

JESUS’ FIRST MIRACLE IS A SUCCESS!