Introduction
I. John chapter 20, verses 30 and 31 state - 30 Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
II. It is not until John’s letter is almost finished that he states the purpose for his writing.
A. “I write these things in order that you will believe Jesus is the Christ, ...and that in believing you will have life...”
B. So the logical question is,
1. “Of all the things that John could have chosen why these?” and
2. “Of all the things that Jesus did, which John could have started with; why the turning of water into wine.”
III. Even though it seems that John is being fairly chronological in his presentation, why didn’t he begin the story we will be looking at the next message I will present, the cleansing of the temple?
IV. Why not the women at the well?
V. Why did John choose turning water into wine as his first presentation of the miracles of Christ?
VI. I suppose we cannot be sure, but perhaps it goes back to chapter 1, verse 14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,”
A. God came and made his home with us, for a while, and then through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, He makes his home within us.
B. This is more than a simple story of water becoming wine,
C. This is a story which demonstrates that “Christ Cares For You and I.”
D. Christ cared then, and He cares now.
VII. Perhaps this is a story which demonstrates that “Faith in Christ, is demonstrated by trust in His goodness.”
VIII. Perhaps this is a story which demonstrates that “Faith in the Christ brings completeness in life.”
IX. Perhaps this is a story which demonstrates that “Faith by those that believe, can bring belief by those who wonder.”
X. Perhaps this is a story, that just like the gospel of John itself, is all that and more.
XI. Let’s look together at John, chapter 2, beginning with verse 1.
Invite Him In
2:1 And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 and Jesus also was invited, and His disciples, to the wedding.
I. I find this story to be a rather exciting picture of who Christ is.
A. John 1, 14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...”
B. This wedding story is about Christ, the Word of God dwelling among man, and His concern for our every day lives.
II. What does a maturing Christian look like?
A. Someone said, “A maturing Christian is someone that involves Christ in every aspect of their life.”
B. OK, but what does that mean; and if that is true, how many of us are truly maturing Christians?
III. Consider for a moment how many aspects of your everyday life you go about, with at best minimal thought about God
A. On most days, we get out of bed, and begin the normal routine of our lives.
B. O, we may stop for a few moments and pray, but being perfectly honest, how much of our lives do we go about without really considering God’s involvement?
IV. This story really reflects that Christ has a desire to be involved in every aspect of our lives.
V. Weddings, typically are a great time of joy and celebration.
A. So also was this one to be.
1. We don’t know who was getting married, but we can probably assume that the couple was somehow related to the family of Jesus.
2. Mary had been invited, but verse 2 states specifically that “Jesus also was invited.”
B. Most likely the couple didn’t really know how much the presence of Christ would add to their wedding, and if I read the text clearly, they probably didn’t know how much He had added, even when the wedding was over.
C. And if Christ had not been invited, they probably would not have known what they had missed by not inviting Him in.
VI. If you recall back to our “Won by One” message, I asked you to choose one person to pray for.
A. Not simply to pray for their salvation, but to pray for their needs,
B. Ask God to bless them, heal them, to touch them.
C. The object of your prayers may not even realize what is happening, but you will.
VII. That is a bit like this wedding.
A. Mary was invited, and so also was Jesus.
B. But look very quickly at verse 11,
1. “...His disciples believed in Him.”
2. At first glance, a miracle was about to be performed for the newly wedded couple.
3. In God’s plan however, I believe the miracle was done so that “...His disciples would grow in their belief in Him.”
VIII. Do you want to grow in your faith? Do you want to know Christ more intimately?
A. Invite Him into your life.
B. Invite Him into the lives of those around you, and then watch Him work.
Trust In His Goodness
3 And when the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, what do I have to do with you? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
I. Do you want to grow in your faith; then we must trust in His goodness.
II. Six times in the gospel of John, Jesus states that “My hour/time has not yet come.”
A. Most commentators seem to stick with an idea that Jesus is saying that He is so committed to the Fathers timing that He can only do what the Father authorizes.
B. Certainly, to a point that is true.
C. It is also true, but I believe there is an additional reason for Jesus saying “My hour has not yet come.”
D. Chapter 7 will be the most illustrative of what this phrase means.
1. In chapter 7, the brothers of Christ urge him to be more public in the miracles and deeds he is doing.
2. Jesus answers their advice with, “My time has not yet come.”
a. What time?
b. I believe Jesus is saying then, and here in this passage, that
(1) “it is not yet time for the general public to see who I am.”
(2) That time will come at the cross.
E. Even though there will be multitudes that will begin to follow Christ, it seems that what he first wants to do is have those closest to Him get a fuller picture of who he is.
1. I believe Jesus knows that only a short time in the future, the cross awaits.
2. I believe He also knows that unless the disciples can fully grasp who He is, they would not be able to carry on the work that he will begin.
F. That fact seems to be supported by verse 11.
III. BUT what I find interesting here is what Mary says to the servants in verse 5; “Whatever he says to you, DO IT.”
A. For there not to be enough wine for the wedding party would be an insult to the invited guests.
1. It was the newly married couples responsibility to plan well.
2. Why was Mary concerned with this?
3. Was she somehow responsible?
4. Was the new couple somehow related to Mary, and thus Jesus?
a. We don’t know
b. We won’t ever know, unless you think to ask Jesus in heaven.
B. But that’s not really the point of the story.
IV. I believe at least one point is, “Whatever he says to you; DO IT.”
A. It may not make sense to you,
B. It may not seem like the best course of action,
C. But if you want to grow in your faith,
1. “Whatever He says, DO it.”
2. Trust in the goodness of Jesus, no matter what.
D. Want what Jesus is about to say, really wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense. Trust, Even When It May Not Make Sense
6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus *said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He *said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the headwaiter.” And they took it to him. 9 And when the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom, 10 and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when men have drunk freely, then that which is poorer; you have kept the good wine until now.”
I. It was the custom that each guest should “wash” before eating.
A. The text states that there were six pots each containing from 20 to thirty gallons each.
B. With at the very least 120 gallons of water available, the guest list must have been fairly large.
C. This was a large wedding party, with many people present.
II. Now can you imagine this for a moment,
A. The concern was the there was not enough wine,
B. So why in the world does Jesus say, “Fill up the water pots, with water.”
C. But fill them up the waiters did,
1. In fact they filled them up to the brim,
2. To overflowing,
D. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall; can you just hear the servants
1. Fill up the water pots,
2. I thought he would have just given us some money to go buy some more wine.
III. Mary must have been a women of some authority, because all the servants obeyed.
IV. I wonder at what point the water became wine?
A. When Mary said, “Do what He says”
B. When Jesus said “Fill them up.”
C. When the servants obeyed,
D. Maybe it was on the way from the pot to the head waiter.
V. None of it made much sense; it simply was not logical, but the results of doing what Jesus commanded, even when it didn’t make sense, was that a great miracle was performed, and I don’t even think the greatest miracle was the turning of water into wine.
VI. I believe the real miracle was found in the act of obedience to the Word, which became flesh and dwelt among us.
VII. And even beyond that was a miracle that a group of men that had begun to follow Jesus, believed in Him.
VIII. Let me ask,
A. “What has Christ put on your heart to do, that simply doesn’t seem to make much sense?”
1. Maybe He has placed someone on your heart to build a relationship with.
2. Maybe He is asking you to persevere in a situation that doesn’t seem to even be tolerable.
3. Maybe He is asking you to do something, you feel totally inadequate to do.
IX. What is Jesus asking you to do?
A. I do not consider myself an evangelist by gifting,
1. The first time I ever really shared Christ with a complete stranger, resulted in not only that person, but the young ladies mother, who was also present, praying to accept Christ as savior, on my first visit.
2. And I didn’t even know the mother had made that decision until about three months later, as she lay dying from brain cancer.
B. I do not consider myself to be a public speaker by choice, and yet 14 or so years ago, I said yes to going to PCB and preparing to be a preacher.
C. I say this not for my glory, but because the best way to grow in your faith, is to say yes to Jesus, even when saying yes doesn’t make a whole lot of sense at first glance.
X. What is Jesus asking you to do? Signs Are Not For Everyone
11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
I. There was evidently a fairly large crowd at the wedding feast.
A. I would imagine that the crowd would have been pretty amazed to learn that this Jesus person, son of Mary had just turned more than 120 gallons of water into wine.
B. It seems to me, that to have perhaps several hundred people see this feat would have been a great way for a ministry to be born,
C. Isn’t that what we see on TV,
1. A healing ministry, coming to your town,
2. Look at how great preacher so and such is,
3. Follow this or that person, because they are anointed by God.
D. Some of these so called evangelist spend great amounts of money to get their name out; And I am sure some are totally honest in their desire.
II. But even with all the people that were present at this miracle, John depicts that only a few knew what Jesus had done.
A. The bride and groom were oblivious to the blessing that Christ had brought.
B. All the head waiter knew was that the “Best” wine had been saved until the last.
C. Mary knew,
D. The servants knew,
E. But it seems that most important of all, “The disciples knew, and believed in Him.”
Closing
I. Do you want to grow in your faith.
A. Invite Jesus into every part of your life.
B. Trust in His goodness, in every situation.
C. Become obedient, even when it may not make the most sense.
D. Understand that sometimes miracles that Christ performs, are meant for YOU.
II. What is Jesus asking you to do?
