JOHN 2:1-11
SOCIAL SAVIOUR STARTS SUPERIOR SYSTEM
I. THE SETTING: JOHN 2:1-2
A. Social.
B. Summoned.
C. Success.
II. THE SUPPLY: JOHN 2:3-10
A. Suddenness.
B. Simplicity.
C. Surpassing.
III. THE SYMBOLISM: JOHN 2:11
A. Supplanting.
B. Sufficiency.
C. Securing.
Much has been said and written about the Wedding at Cana. It is surely one of the more popular events in the life of Christ. The events of these happenings reveal a great deal about Jesus as being One who was a social Person; One who was kind and tender to His mother: and, One who was a miracle worker. These things form only a partial list of Jesus attributes as He attended the wedding and as One who did His first miracle at a house of a friend or of an acquaintance.
Besides all of these good things one can say about Jesus and this most wonderful event, there are some other key items one can study which make this first miracle of His stand out as being something special.
As one studies this wedding episode and all the parts that comprise this event, one can begin to see that this wedding typifies something even more wonderful for all Christians. We are all invited to come to a wedding in the future. Every Christian will have the privilege of attending this most glorious event because we are summoned to attend. Unlike this event in the Scriptures, there will be no shortage of anything at that wedding when Christ takes His bride the Church and together we enjoy the seven-year feast with Him while the Tribulation unfolds here on this Earth.
This Wedding of Cana of Galilee also stands for something wherein we who are redeemed by His blood can rejoice about it even now. This wedding was a start for a nameless but a real couple. They began a new life together as every wedding signifies. This wedding was-like all other weddings-full of love and happiness and the prospect of leaving behind a former life of being alone and coming together to start a new life of union with the one whom one loves. This Wedding in Cana of Galilee typifies, for us Christians, a new start. We leave our old life of living just for us and come together to be united with Jesus. We have a union with Him that is based on love and together we start a new life with Jesus. One more thing I would like to add is that this wedding typifies the New Covenant, the New Testament. The Old Testament was fine, but God has saved the best for the last and we live in this new era called salvation. These are just some of the things, which invite our attention to this most glorious event.
I see three things regarding this wedding for my study today and they all relate to this happy time. The first thing I note is about the SETTING of this event. The second thing I see is in regard to the SUPPLIES of this event past and present. The last item, which I wish to explore, is in regards to some of the SYMBOLISMS that are present for our study and appreciation.
I. THE SETTING: The scene before us is a happy one. Two people were to be married, and as the custom of the day was, the wedding feast would last seven days. Following this, the groom would take his bride into the bridal room and consummate the marriage. The festivities would be over and the couple would start their time together as a married couple. During the week of activities, the groom would supply the necessary food and drink for all of the guests. This is the very point that did not happen in this wedding and as a result, it led to the first Miracle that Christ preformed as He began His ministry. There are three parts of this event which I would like to expound upon for our better understanding of Christ and who He was.
The first thing I note about Christ and this wedding is the fact that He was a Social Being. He did not live a hermit’s life and He did not shun the fact that He could go to a wedding and enjoy Himself. He seemed to fit in with everybody and the one who invited Him must have known that Jesus would like to be a part of some simple Social event of His day. In fact, a wedding was one of the high points of any social calendar of that day and the ones to be seen and to see usually attended such events willfully. Christ attended because He was a Social Person. Could not Christ attending this Social event foretell of the great Social time in the future at His Marriage Supper of the Lamb? When this event takes place, it will be the main Social event of the Christian’s life and we will all attend because we are a part of His bride.
However, there is something strange about Christ coming to this wedding-He came on the third day. We are not told where He was on the first two days of the feast, but He arrived on the third day. The Bible implies that Christ was Summoned, was asked or maybe was implored to attend and He did on the third day.
Likewise, we too are being Summoned to come to the Marriage Feast. Jesus was asked to attend and by our acceptance of Him as our Saviour, we too will be summoned to attend His Marriage Supper. Whenever that time will be, we do not know, but we will go if our sins are forgiven.
When Jesus arrived at this happy SETTING, He found that there was a serious problem-the wine was gone. This was a terrible thing to happen to the new groom and to his family. This showed poor planning and it was an insult to be asked to come to a wedding feast and then have part of the supplies consumed before all arrived. The situation was desperate and the news of the disaster spread quickly. The situation needed immediate attention and only one Person could solve this problem-Jesus.
Even though He had not done any previous miracles before this event, Mary-His mother-knew that her Son was able to do something to solve the problem. Is it not just like Jesus to be the one to solve our problems? Jesus came just in time as He always does to us. He always is on time with His blessings and miracles He does for His children.
When Mary told the servants to do as Jesus would ask of them, they must have seemed a bit bewildered. They obeyed and once acting on His words, the wedding party continued as if nothing happened. The scene reveals great Success on the part of Jesus and His power over the elements of this world. May we always remember this one simple thing-Christ always brings Success to any situation. He may work out front where all can see Him and His handiwork, or He can do as He did here, work secretly and mysteriously, yet the end product is always the same-Success. We owe Him our all for the successes He brings to our lives on a daily basis. I turn from THE SETTING of this event to the second part of my sermon: THE SUPPLY.
II. THE SUPPLY: With the wine running out the
situation turned from grave to seriousness. It would have been a social “faux paw” for this to be allowed to happen and for the guests to see that they were invited to a feast and there were not enough supplies for them to consume. What was to be done?
Without hesitation, Mary turned to Jesus for help. Even though He had not done a miracle up to this time, Mary knew her Son and yet recognized that He was also God’s Son-indeed God Himself. I am not able to explain the Trinity, nor do I completely comprehend it; however, I believe it. I do not know nor do I comprehend the delicate balance that Mary had established with her Son, but I believe that she did reach some middle ground and was comfortable with Him being her earthly Son and yet God incarnate. It was at this point that she turned to Him for help in replenishing THE SUPPLY of the wine.
The Bible gives the barest records of what happened next, but the facts are sufficient to show us something about God’s power and the first miracle Jesus preformed. He simply said to fill up the water jugs. What a simple command. With out more ado, the servants obeyed Him and to everyone’s astonishment, the water became Wine. I am amazed at the Suddenness of this miracle. I do not know too much about the process of getting the grape juice to turn itself into wine, but to those who do know, they can verify that it is a long process. Yet, here, the process was condensed into seconds and the results were astonishing. I am amazed that when our supply of God’s mercies and His graces seem to run low, they are replenished in such a short time. Maybe it is through a Bible passage we read that supplies our needs. Maybe it is a prayer; maybe it is a sermon; maybe it is a song; or, maybe it is through some kind words spoken to us-whatever it is, the Suddenness of God’s care comes just in time.
Besides the spontaneity of the miracle, I notice the Simplicity involved here. Jesus said to simply fill the water jugs and then draw some out to take to the governor of the feast for his approval. I notice that there was no “hocus-pocus” involved here. It was all so plain, so ordinary, so matter of fact-and the miracle happened.
Again, is it not like our Lord to do things in such a simple matter? Coming to Him for our salvation is such a simple thing for Him. I do not know how He can forgive one’s sins, but He does. I do not comprehend His ability to change us in an instant, but He does. What ever He does is simple-there is nothing complicated about Jesus.
Finally, I see where the miracle He worked was Surpassing all the other wine products that the governor ever sampled. He said it was the best and that is the story of the miracle of salvation ever since Jesus came to die for our sins. His saving work is a miracle and it far surpasses all other works and happenings to mankind.
Jesus was and is the Miracle worker. He might have preformed His first miracle at the wedding in Cana, but He does His miracle works of salvation all the time.
III. THE SYMBOLISM: With all that has been said about the Wedding at Cana, there is just that much more to be said. THE SETTING of this most joyous event made it the Social event of the year for the couple who were married and probably for the guests who attended. It is necessary to remember that Christ attended this social event for various reasons and one of them was that He was Summoned or invited to attend. This Wedding at Cana serves as a type of the Marriage Feast of the Lamb replete with the Bride of Christ-the Church-enjoying the seven-year Feast in Heaven with the Groom while the Earth reels under the terrible onslaught of the Tribulation period.
Another symbol, which is evident at this Wedding Feast, is that with Christ there is always a sufficient supply for one’s wants. He worked a miracle at this wedding and He still works miracles today to everyone who comes to him for salvation. The miracle of the New Birth is a mystery to all of us, yet it happens out of sight-in the hearts of the believer-and is done in an instant.
We now come to the last part of this glorious Wedding Feast at Cana and see where there are still more signs to be gleaned from this wondrous event.
The first sigh or SYMBOL I note has to do with Christ Supplanting even surpassing, the Old Testament with the New Testament. The Governor said that the new and the best wine was saved to the last, just as God saved the New and the best Testament of His grace until the last. The Old Testament was fine but the Jewish religion had drunk from this cup for so long; now, God was giving a New Testament and it came at the last part of God’s timing and it is the best yet.
Besides the best being served at the last, the New Wine-the New Testament-offers all the Sufficiency that is necessary to get us to Heaven. The new Wine that Jesus just created was just the right type, with just enough to see the wedding to a conclusion. Likewise, the New Testament, given by the Blood of Jesus, is all-sufficient for the believers to imbibe until Jesus returns to rapture His Church. What He has provided for all of us is enough-we need no other gospel or any added words to what He has provided for us for our Salvation.
Finally, the last symbol I glean from this Wedding at Cana, is the fact that He is busy Securing for us a new Home in Heaven. Just as the groom, went to secure a home for his bride before the wedding feast, Jesus, the Groom of His bride-the Church, is busy Securing our home with Him once the Marriage Feast begins and ends. Along the way, He will make sure that we will not run out of blessings because He has saved the best for the last-our future wedding with Him.
