John 2:1-11 Water to Wine
Weddings are expensive these days. I read about some celebrity couple who spent one million dollars on their wedding recently. They had everything plus fireworks. There are books available to help you plan a wedding from elaberate to low-cost. I heard on the TV not too long ago about how to have a low-cost wedding of under 15,000 dollars.
I don’t know if the wedding in John chapter 2 was supposed to be a low-cost wedding, but they did have an embarrassing situation. They ran out of wine before they ran out of wedding. But I’m getting head of the story…
Look at verses 1 and 2. 1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
It was on the third day, probably Tuesday. But whose wedding was this? Some have guessed it was either a disciple or some relative of Jesus. A few commentators think that this was none other than John’s wedding. Cana is just a few miles north of Nazareth. It seems to be springtime. (If Passover follows this event as we see in Verse 13).
Weddings are wonderful times of celebration. Jesus and his disciples are invited. Jesus mother seems to be aware of refreshments to the point that some think she may have been at least somewhat responsible. Was she in charge of the wine? She knows that they are out of wine and she certainly puts it to Jesus’ attention. Her words are brief. She doesn’t ask Jesus for anything. She doesn’t tell him to do anything. She simply makes this report: “they have no wine.” It’s sort of like a news headline. I wonder what was in those words? We don’t have a lot of scripture about Jesus’ relationship with his mother. We know that he was obedient. We remember his earliest recorded conversation in Luke 2:48-49. Remember when Jesus was left in Jerusalem at age 12? After 3 days of looking for him they found him in the temple. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." 49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?"
We have another record of his ministry when his family thought he was out of his mind. Mark 3:20-21,31-35
20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."
31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." 33 "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. 34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother."
On this occasion, Jesus distances himself from his blood family. On another occasion, John 7:5 records for us, even his own brothers did not believe in him.
There are only a few words recorded about Jesus talking with his mother. The most touching time is found in John 19:25-27. Here Jesus gives responsibility to the care of his mother to John, his closest apostle, and perhaps his closest friend. That being the case, John, who wrote this gospel and kept Mary in his own home would have unique information about Jesus from his mother. It appears that Joseph may have died before Jesus leaves home. Joseph is not mentioned again after Luke chapter 2. Jesus may have had firsthand experience as the son of a widow. His deep compassion for the widow of Naine whose only son had died takes on a new perspective if this is the case.
But let’s go back to John chapter 2. The facts here are laid out for us. There is a wedding in Cana. Jesus, his disciples, and his mother are all present. They run out of wine, and Jesus mother informs him. The Bible says, when the wine was gone, or after the wine was gone. This implies they were they are for some time. These weddings took a long time. A week was traditional. Today, we usher them in, we tie the knots, we go to the reception, decorate their car, and send them off. And we do it all in the same day. Perhaps there is a rehearsal party the night before. And we do it all for under 15,000 dollars on the low budget plan. We are in a hurry in our culture. Not much time to celebrate relationships. We celebrate entertainment instead. At most weddings I have been to, wine wasn’t even on the menu. There may be ginger ale for a toast, but that’s about as far as it goes. So now, when we come to John 2, and see Jesus at a wedding, were kind of glad to see that the wine is gone. Well, it was gone because they drank it all up before the party was over.
Listen to me here… a lot of ink has been spilt over these verses through the years. All of us know that God’s Word clearly teaches that drunkenness is a sin. Proverbs clearly warns against the dangers of wine and strong drink. Wine is a mocker and strong drink is raging, he is deceived thereby is not wise. Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Drunkenness is sinful! But here we find Jesus about to make approximately 600 liters of wine. And not just any wine, the best wine.
I’ve heard preachers argue that there was clearly no alcohol in this wine.
I’ve heard in read scholars who argue that there clearly was alcohol in this wine.
If you approach the text with a prejudice, you can usually find support to back your own prejudice. I have another sermon on the Bible and drinking that we can do later. Right now that issue can blind us from what God’s word is showing here. Don’t miss the glory that is revealed here! Don’t let the wine distract you from the wonder!
This is Jesus first miraculous sign. Here we see it… God, the Word in flesh, drawing back the curtain to give a glimpse a glory. Look at Verse eleven. John 2:11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. This is Jesus training his disciples, revealing himself to them. And how does he do that? Jesus involves himself in our lives. He is baptized to identify himself with us sinners. He meets us where we live. He enters this world and shares our sorrows. He walks in our shoes. He celebrates with us. And when we run out of wine, he replenishes it. I love him, don’t you? Jesus touches us in our most intimate time whether it be suffering, or celebrating. And he cares! God in flesh was not some distant and aloof stranger. No! Jesus, the Word of God, is closer than a brother. He interacts with us. He identifies with us, adjusting his schedule to meet our needs. God reveals his glory in giving us special attention when and where we need it most. He is warm, up close, and personal.
When you think about the power of God what you think about? When I consider the heavens, the work of thy hands, what is man think you are mindful of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?
When the telescope was first invented and someone searched the night sky they were overwhelmed to discover the countless stars in the Milky Way. Today, it seems the farther our telescopes can see the more vast we discover is this universe. In view of such vastness, we can seem pretty small and insignificant. In the bigger picture things, we’re just a tiny planet in a small solar system in the midst of trillions of stars in our galaxy which is in the midst of billions of galaxies. And we are only a tiny life form on this planet. We see this enormous universe, and we believe that God made all this. God is so huge! We are so small. How can he care about us?
Interestingly enough, about the same time the telescope was invented, someone also invented the microscope. And it wasn’t long before they looked at a tiny drop of pond water and discovered thousands and millions of little living things. Tiny one celled animals. Each one having the gift of life. Today, the more power we have to see smaller and smaller things, the more we discover order and beauty and detailed design. What an amazing God we have! The same awesome God who built this vast universe is the God who cares about the tiny details of each part of his creation. God is greater than we can begin to imagine, and yet more caring and personally in touch us and the little details of our lives than we can ever grasp. The God we serve shares in our lives on every level. Do you see his glory?
Here in John chapter 2 Jesus shows his power over nature. He’s at this wedding; they are out of wine. His mother seems to know Jesus well enough to know that she needs only to state the need. There’s no begging or pleading here. There’s no explaining the embarrassment implied by running out wine. There are no deals cut, just a statement of the need. “They are out of wine.”
Jesus seems to object. “Woman, why do you involve me.” The Greek is vague here. Literally it says, “What to you and to me, woman.” It is sort of like saying, “This is none of our business.” Or it could mean, “This is not for you and me to decide.” Or it could mean, “Why are you involving me?” I think the KJV is weakest in saying, “What have I to do with thee?” But Mary doesn’t say another word about it. She just turns to the servants and says, “Do whatever he tells you.” She leaves it in his hands.
One other thing Jesus says here is also vague. “My hour is not yet come.” What this implies is that Jesus is on a mission with a schedule. 19 times this word occurs in John’s gospel referring to Jesus plan. When Jesus finally says, “The hour has come!” Guess what follows… John 12:23, “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.” And how is Jesus to be glorified? The glory of God is seen in Jesus giving himself for us! And here at this wedding, before it was time for glory, when Jesus performed this miracle of changing the water into wine, the disciples began to see the glory of Jesus and began to put their faith in him.
Jesus’ glory involves 4 questions that all begin with “W.” Who is he, Where is he, Who he is with, Why he is here. The answers are these: God, with us, sinners, for us.
For people who look for symbolism in this story there is plenty of ammunition. The Wedding… what an appropriate place for Jesus’ first miracle, especially in light of the church as the bride of Christ.
Six stone water jars. Six days of creation. Man made on the sixth day. The jars were earthen. Man is created from the dust of the earth.
Purpose of the jars: Religious cleansing with washing of water. This represented the Jewish custom or dealing with impurities. Jesus will provide cleansing with washing in his blood represented by the wine. His cleansing will supercede the Jewish cleansing rites.
The jars are filled with water, a nonliving substance. Jesus changes it to wine, which comes from a living source. They are filled to the brim. Jesus fills us completely. Jesus changes that which is in us to life. Not just any life, the best. The wine Jesus made was the best! Jesus fills us with the best.
Do you see his glory? Do you trust him? Will you let Jesus change your life?
