Ladle Of Love - When Did The Water Turn To Wine?

I. REMEMBER YOUR WEDDING DAY? I remember ours – seemed perfect!

A. Cana Wedding – Not Perfect, Had Problems

1. They ran out of stuff

2. Important to note that Jesus was present before trouble started, not after

3. Just because it’s Christian home, doesn’t mean wine can’t run out

B. This Message Isn’t For The Home Where Wine Has Run Out, And The Feast Is Over And The Parties Have Left The Table

C. This Message Is For Those Who Are Still At The Wedding Feast (Still Willing To Work On The Issues)

II. THREE THINGS I NOTICE REGARDING THE SUPPLY OF WINE

A. Someone Is Ultimately Responsible For Inventory & Supply Of Wine (Jn 2:9-10)

1. We live in day where some states have what’s called a “No-Fault Divorce”

a. makes a divorce sound nicer & proceed nicer

b. divorce isn’t nice - it’s painful!

c. divorce w/out “fault point” like earthquake w/out a “fault line”

2. Difficulty in preaching on marriage problems

a. one can easily err on side of accusing or excusing

b. somewhere between accusing and excusing is the truth

c. up to each husband & wife to take responsibility, stop accusing / excusing, start fixing it

3. Cana wedding – someone was ultimately at fault - responsible for wine

4. Wine of nurturing, love, honor, respect, faithfulness – it’s a joint responsibility

5. At Cana, someone was responsible for the inventory & supply of wine

a. wasn’t Jesus – He’s not responsible to keep love flowing in your marriage

b. wasn’t disciples – church is not responsible to keep love flowing in your marriage

c. wasn’t the master of the feast – counselor isn’t responsible for your marriage

d. wasn’t the servants – kids not responsible – kids, not your fault if your parents are having problems in their marriage

6. Those responsible = those with most at stake – the couple

B. Trend Of Drifting From “Good” To “Inferior”

1. When Jesus is made Lord of the feast – he reversed the trend

2. Good to better to best

C. When Trouble Came, Mary Didn’t Ask Jesus To Do Anything

1. Jesus had never done a public miracle before

2. What was she expecting of Him?

a. was she really expecting Him to do a miracle?

b. or expecting Him to dispatch His new entourage to the local grocery?

c. what was her expectation?

3. She didn’t ask Him anything, She just brought to him a problem

a. she didn’t tell Him how to work out the problem

b. she had some expectation that Jesus would do something

c. and of course, He did abundantly above anything she probably expected

4. Don’t be afraid to come to Jesus when the wine runs low

5. We’re backward to come to Him because we don’t know what to ask

a. so tired, spent & empty – can’t see any possible solution

b. unsure of what He could really do / not sure He can do anything

6. It’s still good to come to Him – simply bring the problem to Him

a. Mary came with problem

b. but Mary didn’t tell Him how to work out the problem

c. Mary came prepared to listen, and then to follow

III. THREE THINGS JESUS SAID

** FIRST, JESUS SAID Jn 2:4 "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."

A. Was It Not Yet Time To Show His Public Ministry?

B. Something About It – It Was Not Yet Time To Supply This Need

1. Yet the wine had run out – what better time – what more waiting for?

2. Jesus wasn’t saying “no” – I won’t supply this need – He eventually met it

3. But certainly Jesus wasn’t jumping on a bandwagon –rushing to meet it

C. Jesus Wasn’t Saying “No”. Nor Was He Saying “Yes”. Then what?

1. Instead of “Yes” or “No”, sometimes God says “Slow” Or “Grow”

2. Sometimes God says “slow”

a. the timing is not yet right

b. I want to do something and I intend to do something

3. Sometimes God says “grow”

a. the timing is right, but the person or people are not ready yet

b. I want & intend to do something – but the people involved are not yet ready to receive what I’d like to do

D. For Some Reason, There Was A Bit Of A Delay, A Strategic Delay

1. Granted there was one verse (v 6) between verse 5 and 7

2. One verse of strategic delay …

a. one verse could be a few seconds

b. one verse could be a few minutes

c. one verse could be a few hours, days, weeks, months

E. We Know That This Was Not The Only “Delay” In This Story