The Best of the Best
Prairie Baptist Church – 11/29/09
A.M. Service
Text: John 2:1-10
Key verse: John 2:8 - And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.
Premise: As Jesus turned the water into the very best wine, what He does for us is even more spectacular; He gives us the best heaven has to offer.
The Introduction
One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the evil that was going on. He decided to send an angel down to Earth to check it out. So he called one of His best angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time. When the angel returned he told God, yes it is bad on Earth, 95% is bad and 5% is good. Well, God thought for a moment and said "Maybe I had better send down a second angel, to get another point of view." So God called another angel and sent him to Earth for a time too. When the angel returned he went to God and told Him yes, the Earth was in decline, 95% was bad and 5% was good. God said this was not good. So He decided to E-mail the 5% that were good. He wanted to encourage them..............give them a little something to help them keep going. Do you know what that E-mail said? * * * * * * * * * You didn’t get one either, huh?
We constantly look for the best.
• We want the best doctor
• We want the best friends
• We want the best in our children
• We want the best education
Jesus is accustomed to give his very best to us and here we have a story that actually took place in Jesus life.
He is a guest at a wedding and it takes place in the small town Cana of Galilee.
Read John 2:1-10
Here we have a joyous occasion that could have turned into a disaster had not Jesus been there and intervened.
Body
1. The Best Occasion
A. On their 50th wedding anniversary, a couple summed up the reason for their long and happy marriage. The husband said, "I have tried never to be selfish. After all, there is no ’I’ in the word ‘marriage.’” The wife said, "For my part, I have never corrected my husband’s spelling." Marriage and weddings, especially, are a wonderful and joyous occasion.
B. It is interesting that Jesus begins His miracle ministry, not with some spectacular show before a large crowd, but behind the scenes, at a wedding.
C. Invitation to a marriage
i. A Jewish marriage feast could last 7 days
ii. It was an insult at its greatest to run out of anything, especially the wine
iii. Jesus and His disciples accepted the invitation as guest of this gathering
iv. Jesus loves an invitation – Rev. 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
v. We need to invite Jesus into our marriages and households
D. Invitation to a miracle
i. Concerning miracles, we always seem to think in large terms:
a. The parting of the Red Sea
b. The ten plagues of Egypt
c. Daniel in the lion’s den
d. Water from a rock
e. The healing of the blind, deaf, lame, demon possessed, or mute
f. The raising of the dead to life
ii. The turning of the water into wine is a rather small miracle, comparatively, but it illustrates so much in our lives:
a. Christ changes the bland to the best – 2nd Cor. 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
b. Christ fills the emptiness with fullness – John 10:10 – The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
2. The Best Option
A. The words of Eleanor Roosevelt ring true: One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words. It is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.
B. Mary is presented with a number of options:
i. Tell the bridegroom he is out of wine and risk pressure on him
ii. Tell the master of ceremonies they are out of wine and risk embarrassing the bride and bridegroom.
iii. OR, tell Jesus.
C. Empty pots or new wine
i. Water, here, represents life
ii. Wine represents Spirit-filled life – Eph. 5:18 - And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
iii. Jesus is the only one who can fill the empty container of a person’s souls with the gladness of new wine, salvation in Jesus Christ and Spirit-filling
D. Flesh or Spirit
i. Gal. 6:8 - For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
ii. Flesh = corruption – destruction, decay, punishment
iii. Spirit = everlasting life
E. Satan or Savior
i. There is a difference that places us in one of two families - 1st John 3:10 - In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother
ii. He said to the Pharisee’s - John 8:44 - You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
iii. Receiving Christ in salvation places us into the family of God - John 1:12 - But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
3. The Best Offer
A. Jesus always gives the best:
i. The wine previously bought by the bridegroom was second-rate compared to what Christ made (10)
ii. It no doubt had the taste and properties of the expensive and higher wines of that day.
iii. It was new and fresh because it was made by the hand of God
iv. This illustrates that when Jesus is involved in the process, “all things become new.”
B. New Life
i. Eph. 2:4-5 - 4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
ii. Sin only brought death and the promise of death
iii. Christ brings a new spiritual life and freedom through His grace
C. New Hope
i. Heb. 6:17-19 - 17Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
ii. We have a sure hope of heaven
iii. We have a sure hope of eternity with God
D. New Family
i. Eph. 2:19 - Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
ii. The old family was fickle and untrustworthy
iii. God gives us a new family that we will never be separated from through eternity
E. New Purpose
i. 2nd Cor. 5:15 - and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
ii. Phil 1:21 - For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
iii. Our purpose is to glorify God in our lives
iv. We desire this as His children, to please Him
4. The Best Outcome
A. As a result of poor planning a Texas man needed some same-day dry cleaning before he left on a trip. He remembered one store with a huge sign, “One-Hour Dry Cleaners,” on the other side of town, so he drove out of his way to drop off his suit. After filling out the tag, he told the clerk, “I need this in an hour.” She replied, “I can’t get this back to you until Thursday.” “I thought you did dry cleaning in an hour?” “No,” she replied, “that’s just the name of the store” With God, what he says and promises He also gives outstanding and expected results.
B. Redemption
i. Gal. 3:13 - Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)
ii. Jesus Christ bought us back from the prison of sin and set us free
iii. The law was a mirror to show us our sinfulness
iv. Christ took on Himself our sin so the price could be paid that we could never afford.
v. Redemption resulted from this payment
vi. OUTCOME: Salvation
C. Reconciliation
i. Col. 1:20-21 - 20and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight
ii. A term indicating the changed relationship for the better between persons or groups who formerly were at enmity with each other.
iii. God did not need to be reconciled to man but man needed to be reconciled to God
iv. This happened through the blood of the cross (Atonement)
v. OUTCOME: Peace
D. Restoration
i. Eph. 2:14-17 - 14For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
ii. The wall that separated us is now taken down and we have a restored relationship with God
iii. The former life was one of being enemies at war with God
iv. The new life is one of being children at peace with God
v. OUTCOME: Fellowship
E. Relationship
i. Galatians 4:6-7 - 6And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
ii. Our status is changed
iii. We have been brought into the family of God.
iv. OUTCOME: Inheritance (eternal life, heaven, glorified body [1st Pet. 1:4])
Conclusion:
God offers the very best to you, His Only Son (salvation)
Christian, since Christ has given His very best, have you offered Him your very best?
Jesus has not held back; He has given the top of the line for you and He does so on a daily basis.
What will you give to Jesus to show Him your thankfulness for giving the very best for you?
