GOD’S TIMING IS ALWAYS BEST
JOHN 2:1-12
TODAY WE ARE COMPLETING A SERIES LOOKING AT SOME OF THE EARLY EVENTS AND STATEMENTS OF JESUS’ MINISTRY. THIS MORNING WE WILL LOOK AT THE FIRST RECORDED “SIGN” OF JESUS’ POWER WHEN HE TURNED THE WATER INTO WINE AT A MARRIAGE IN CANA OF GALILEE.
WEDDINGS WERE VERY IMPORTANT IN JEWISH CULTURE AT JESUS’ TIME. THE PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE MUCH TO CELEBRATE SO WHEN A WEDDING BANQUET CAME AROUND EVERYONE WOULD ATTEND AND STAY A LONG TIME AT THE PARTY, USUALLY BETWEEN SEVEN AND TEN DAYS.
WEDDINGS HAVE GREAT SYMBOLIC MEANING IS SCRIPTURE.
EPHESIANS 5:31-32:
31 “FOR THIS REASON A MAN WILL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE UNITED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE FLESH.” E 32 THIS IS A PROFOUND MYSTERY—BUT I AM TALKING ABOUT CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.
THIS MEANS THAT FOR BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS, MARRIAGE AND THE LOVE SHOWN BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE, IS THE DRAMATIC EXAMPLE OF THE LOVE SHOWN BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH. CHRIST OFTEN REFERS TO THE CHURCH AS HIS BRIDE.
EPHESIANS 5:25-27:
HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, JUST AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER 26 TO MAKE HER HOLY, CLEANSING HER BY THE WASHING WITH WATER THROUGH THE WORD, 27 AND TO PRESENT HER TO HIMSELF AS A RADIANT CHURCH, WITHOUT STAIN OR WRINKLE OR ANY OTHER BLEMISH, BUT HOLY AND BLAMELESS.
THE APOSTLE JOHN USES HIS BOOK TO SUPPORT THE DIETY OF CHRIST. IN IT HE USES SEVEN “SIGNS” AND “MIRACLES”, IN SUPPORT OF CHRIST’S CLAIM, OF WHICH OUR PASSAGE CONTAINS THE FIRST “SIGN.” JOHN REFERS TO THIS EVENT AS A “SIGN” AS IT IS LESS PERSONAL, AND INVOLVES AN INANIMATE OBJECT. THIS IS THE FIRST SIGN THAT INVOLVES THE PERSONAL ACTION OF JESUS.
THE QUESTION MUST BE ASKED, IF THIS WAS A “SIGN” THEN WHAT WAS IT A SIGN OF? WHY DID JOHN CHOOSE TO USE IT AND PLACE IT AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS BOOK? PERHAPS AS WE CONSIDER THE CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE WE CAN FIND SOME ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS.
CONTEXT:
SOME GENERAL STATEMENTS SHOULD BE MADE BEFORE WE GET INTO THE SPECIFIC CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE.
FIRST OF ALL, CHRIST DID NOT PERFORM “SIGNS” OR “MIRACLES” JUST TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF AND IMPRESS PEOPLE. CHRIST ALWAYS USED HIS MIRACLES TO SET UP HIS TEACHING MINISTRY. THIS “SIGN” WOULD BE USED BY JESUS AS A TOOL TO HELP THE DISCIPLES TO BELIEVE.
SECOND, THERE IS NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT THIS WEDDING. WE DO NOT EVEN KNOW THE NAME OF THE BRIDE. SOME THEOLOGIANS MAINTAIN THAT THIS FAMILY WAS RELATED TO MARY IN SOME WAY BUT THIS CANNOT BE SUPPORTED WITH EVIDENCE.
NOW LET’S LOOK AT THE TEXT.
CANA IS LOCATED CLOSE TO GALILEE, STRENGTHENING THE POSSIBILITY OF A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS AND MARY. MARY DOES SEEM TO KNOW MORE THAN THE AVERAGE GUEST AS SHE TELLS JESUS THAT THE WINE IS RUNNING LOW.
WE KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENS AFTER JESUS’ BAPTISM AND THE TEMPTATIONS. THE PASSAGE TELLS US “ON THE THIRD DAY”, BUT THE THIRD DAY OF WHAT. THE GRAMMAR WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT IS THE THIRD DAY AFTER THE CALLING OF THE FIRST DISCIPLES MENTIONED IN THE FIRST CHAPTER. THESE DISCIPLES WOULD COME TO THE WEDDING BANQUET WITH JESUS.
THERE ARE SOME WHO BELIEVE THAT JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES WERE LAST MINUTE “ADDITIONAL GUESTS”, AND THAT THIS WAS THE REASON FOR THE SHORTAGE OF WINE. THIS HAS LITTLE SUPPORT AS ONE WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION WHY THE INVITATION AT THE LAST MINUTE WAS EXTENDED AT ALL IF THE QUANTITIES WERE THAT TIGHT.
HOW MARY KNEW THE WERE RUNNING OUT OF WINE, IS NOT MADE KNOWN TO US. NOR ARE WE TOLD HOW MARY KNEW THAT JESUS COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE SITUATION. PERHAPS SHE THOUGHT HE WOULD JUST ARRANGE TO GET MORE WINE AND WAS NOT EXPECTING A SUPERNATURAL “SIGN” AT ALL. WE KNOW FROM HER STATEMENT TO THE SERVANTS, THAT SHE FELT THAT ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE.
WHY THEN DID MARY TURN TO JESUS TO HELP THIS FAMILY? THE PEOPLE I’VE STUDIED SHARE TWO REASONS:
1. MARY WAS ASKING JESUS TO LEAVE SO AS NOT TO EMBARRASS THE FAMILY.
THIS THEORY DOES NOT HAVE MUCH SUPPORT. EMBARRASSMENT WOULD COME FROM THE OTHER INVITED GUESTS. MOST LIKELY THIS COUPLE WAS POOR AND COULD NOT AFFORD MUCH WINE. TO RUN OUT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A GREAT INSULT TO THE FAMILY, AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. IT WAS LITERALLY CONSIDERED A CRIME TO RUN OUT OF FOOD AND DRINK AT A WEDDING BANQUET. YOU COULD BE OSTRACIZED FROM THE COMMUNITY AND EVEN SUED FOR THIS GREAT MISTAKE IN PREPARATION.
2. SHE WAS ASKING JESUS TO PERFORM A MIRACLE.
THIS IS A BETTER THEORY BUT IT DOES POSE ONE ISSUE. HOW DID MARY KNOW JESUS COULD PERFORM MIRACLES? SHE KNEW HE WAS THE MESSIAH, AND HAD ALL THE EVENTS OF CHRISTMAS TO SUPPORT THIS, BUT HOW DID SHE KNOW THE POWER THAT WAS AT HIS DISPOSAL AS THE MESSIAH. REMEMBER, UP TO THIS POINT JESUS HAD PERFORMED NO “SIGNS” OR “MIRACLES”. HOW DID SHE KNOW?
I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT DURING HIS FORMATIVE YEARS THAT MARY CAME TO TRUST JESUS. SHE KNEW SHE COULD DEPEND ON HIM, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, TO SOLVE THIS CRISIS. SHE JUST DIDN’T KNOW HOW.
JESUS’ RESPONSE CAN BE TAKEN A NUMBER OF WAYS, BUT THE KEY IS IN HIS LAST STATEMENT. HERE HE SAYS MY HOUR IS NOT COME. I BELIEVE THAT JESUS WANTED TO KEEP HIS IDENTITY AS THE MESSIAH A SECRET AT THIS POINT. HIS MINISTRY WAS JUST BEGINNING, AND HE DID NOT WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW HIS DIVINE NATURE. THE TIME IS COMING THOUGH WHEN HIS GLORIFICATION WILL BE KNOWN FULLY.
JOHN 17:1: AFTER JESUS SAID THIS, HE LOOKED TOWARD HEAVEN AND PRAYED: “FATHER, THE HOUR HAS COME. GLORIFY YOUR SON, THAT YOUR SON MAY GLORIFY YOU.
SOMETHING I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT IS THAT JESUS DIDN’T SAY HE WOULD NOT HELP. HE DIDN’T WANT HIS ASSISTANCE TO BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, AND WANTED THE RECEPTION TO CONTINUE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION OR EMBARASSMENT TO THE HOST.
MATTHEW 6:3-4:
BUT WHEN YOU GIVE TO THE NEEDY, DO NOT LET YOUR LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHT HAND IS DOING, 4 SO THAT YOUR GIVING MAY BE IN SECRET. THEN YOUR FATHER, WHO SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET, WILL REWARD YOU
POINT ONE: THE SIGN ITSELF
THE SERVANTS WERE INSTRUCTED TO FETCH WATER AND FILL SIX EARTHERN JARS EACH HOLDING 20-30 GALLONS. SIMPLE MATH WOULD TELL US THAT THIS IS BETWEEN 12O AND 180 GALLONS OF WATER.
THESE WERE HUGE EARTHEN POTS WHICH COULD NOT BE MOVED EASILY, SO THE WATER WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT TO THEM. THEY WERE USED FOR CEREMONIAL CLEANSING, THE KIND JESUS SPOKE OF IN JOHN 13.
JOHN 13:10: JESUS ANSWERED, “THOSE WHO HAVE HAD A BATH NEED ONLY TO WASH THEIR FEET; THEIR WHOLE BODY IS CLEAN. AND YOU ARE CLEAN, THOUGH NOT EVERY ONE OF YOU.”
PEOPLE WHO HAD VISITORS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING WATER TO WASH THE VISITORS FEET WITH WHEN THEY ENTERED A HOUSE. MOST TRAVEL WAS DONE BY FOOT, AND EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE WORE SANDALS, OFTEN THEIR FEET COULD BE CAKED WITH THE DIRT AND MANURE OF THE DAY, WITH SOME OF THE DIRT GOING BACK INTO THE JARS.
THIS WAS A POOR FAMILY AND SO THEIR EARTHEN JARS WERE NOT TOP OF THE LINE. THEY WERE PROBABLY CHIPPED AND HAD PIECES MISSING. A LOT OF SEDIMENT WOULD BE AT THE BOTTOM. I DON’T THINK IT’S SOMETHING YOU WOULD WANT TO DRINK FROM, LET ALONE SERVE WEDDING GUESTS FROM.
JESUS TELLS THEM TO FILL THE JARS TO THE BRIM, AND THEN TO TAKE SOME TO THE MASTER OF THE BANQUET. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW THESE SERVANTS MUST HAVE FELT. “WE JUST FILLED THOSE JARS ONCE AND NOW WE HAVE TO FILL THEM AGAIN, WHY?” WHATEVER THEY THOUGHT THEY KEPT IT TO THEMSELVES AND SET OUT TO DO THE TASK. THE JARS WERE FILLED, THE CLEAN WATER MIXING IN WITH THE DIRTY POLLUTED WATER IN THE JARS.
JUST WHEN THE WATER BECAME WINE WE DO NOT KNOW. SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT ANY WATER DRAWN FROM THOSE JARS WOULD BE WINE WHEN IT TOUCHED PEOPLES LIPS, AND NOT ONLY WINE, BUT THE BEST WINE.
SOME PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE MAJOR DEBATES OVER RELATIVELY MINOR ISSUES. WAS THE WINE ALCOHOLIC? I DON’T KNOW. DID ALL THE WATER IN THE JARS TURN TO WINE, OR ONLY THE WATER THAT WAS DRAWN OUT OF THEM? I DON’T KNOW, MOREOVER, IT IS NOT IMPORTANT. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WATER WENT INTO THOSE JARS AND WINE CAME OUT OF THEM BY SUPERNATURAL ACTION OF GOD THROUGH CHRIST.
POINT TWO: APPLICATION
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF POINTS WE CAN APPLY TO THIS “SIGN”.
1. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR ALL THINGS.
GOD HAS A PURPOSE AND PLAN FOR ALL THINGS UNDER HEAVEN. HE HAD A PLAN FOR WHEN AND HOW THE LORD WAS GOING TO FIRST APPEAR IN THIS WORLD. HE HAD A PLAN FOR HOW JESUS WOULD SHOW THE WORLD THAT HE WAS THE MESSIAH. HIS PLAN INCLUDED THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION.
GOD WANTS US TO DO THINGS IN HIS TIMING AND WHEN WE DO WE WILL FIND BLESSING. WHEN WE TRY TO DO THINGS IN OUR OWN POWER, OFTEN TIMES WE WORK AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD AND BLESSINGS THAT HE MEANT FOR US TO HAVE WILL NOT COME TO PASS.
ISAIAH 40:31: BUT THOSE WHO HOPE IN THE LORD WILL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH. THEY WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES; THEY WILL RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY, THEY WILL WALK AND NOT BE FAINT.
THIS SIGN ALLOWS US TO SEE WHO JESUS REALLY IS. HE IS GOD INCARNATE. HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE WINE BY NATURAL MEANS, HE COULD HAVE INSTANTLY FILLED THE JARS, HE COULD HAVE DONE IT WITH A GREAT SHOUT, ALL OF WHICH WOULD DRAW ATTENTION TO HIMSELF AND EMBARRASS THE HOST AND WEDDING FAMILY. HE CHOSE TO USE PEOPLE, AND SHOW COMPASSION TO ACCOMPLISH HIS GOAL.
2. THIS SIGN IS SYMBOLIC OF OUR CONVERSION:
ONE THING I HEARD IN THE TRIBUTES FOR BILLY GRAHAM WAS HIS ACUTE AWARENESS OF HIS SINFULLNESS. IT KEPT HIM DEPENDANT ON GOD. HE RECOGNIZED HIS CONSTANT NEED OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN HIS LIFE AND HIS EVERPRESENT NEED OF GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE.
IN THIS SIGN WE HAVE JESUS ORDERING SIX OLD, DIRTY, BROKEN JARS TO BE FILLED WITH WATER THAT WOULD BE DIRTY AND POLLUTED BY WHATEVER WAS IN THE JARS.
THIS IS AN AWESOME FORM OF NATURAL SYMBOLISM OF OUR LIFE BEFORE WE ACCEPT CHRIST. WITH WATER WE CAN CLEAN THE OUTSIDE, BUT NOT THE INNER MAN. THE WATER WE DRAW ON OUR OWN IS IMPURE AND CONTAMINATED. IT PROVIDES NO SUSTENANCE. IT NEEDS A TRANSFORMATION.
THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD CHRIST PROVIDES THAT TRANSFORMATION. HE TAKES THAT OLD DIRTY POLLUTED WATER AND TRANSFORMS IT INTO SOMETHING NEW, A GREAT TASTING WINE. JESUS CAN TRANSFORM OUR LIVES THE SAME WAY AND MAKE US NEW CREATURES IN HIM.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-20:
THEREFORE, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, THE NEW CREATION HAS COME: THE OLD HAS GONE, THE NEW IS HERE! 18 ALL THIS IS FROM GOD, WHO RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF THROUGH CHRIST AND GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION: 19 THAT GOD WAS RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF IN CHRIST, NOT COUNTING PEOPLE’S SINS AGAINST THEM. AND HE HAS COMMITTED TO US THE MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION. 20 WE ARE THEREFORE CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS, AS THOUGH GOD WERE MAKING HIS APPEAL THROUGH US. WE IMPLORE YOU ON CHRIST’S BEHALF: BE RECONCILED TO GOD.
3. JESUS WANTS TO BLESS US ABUNDANTLY
I CAN JUST HEAR THE GRUMBLING OF THE SERVANTS WHEN TOLD BY JESUS TO FILL THOSE JARS. WE NEED WINE NOT WATER!! THIS WILL TAKE US ALL DAY, AND FOR WHAT? SURELY HE IS NOT PLANNING TO SERVE WEDDING GUESTS FROM THESE DIRTY THINGS.”
NOT ONLY WAS THEIR QUANTITY BUT THERE WAS ALSO QUALITY. IT WAS THE BEST WINE.
THERE EYES MUST HAVE WIDENED WHEN THEY DIPPED THEIR LADELS INTO THE JARS AND PULLED OUT WINE. THE HOST MUST HAVE BEEN TAKEN ABACK AS WELL.
THE HOST DIDN’T REALIZE IT BUT HE WAS MAKING A GREAT STATEMENT ABOUT HEAVEN. THIS WORLD HAS MANY THINGS FOR US TO ENJOY, AND ENJOY THEM WE SHOULD, BUT THEY PALE IN SIGNIFICANCE WITH THE GLORY THAT AWAITS US IN HEAVEN.
A CHRISTIAN LADY WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A TERMINAL ILLNESS. WITH ONLY TWO OR THREE MONTHS TO LIVE, SHE CONTACTED HER PASTOR TO MAKE PLANS FOR THE FUNERAL. WHEN THEY WERE JUST ABOUT DONE SHE ADDED ONE FINAL THING.
“THERE’S JUST ONE MORE THING, AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I WANT TO BE BURIED WITH A FORK IN MY RIGHT HAND.” IT SEEMED LIKE A STRANGE REQUEST, BUT WHEN SHE EXPLAINED IT, THE PASTOR SMILED AND HAPPILY AGREED.
EVENTUALLY THE TIME OF HER DEATH CAME, AND WHILE SHE WAS AT THE FUNERAL HOME HE FULFILLED HER LAST REQUEST. FOR HER VISITATION HE PLACED A FORK IN HER RIGHT HAND.
MANY DID NOT UNDERSTAND, BUT THE PASTOR SOLVED THE MYSTERY AT THE FUNERAL.
“ I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE WONDERING WHY MARY ASKED TO BE BURIED WITH A FORK IN HER RIGHT HAND. THIS IN FACE WAS A MESSAGE SHE HAD FOR YOU.
SHE ALWAYS ENJOYED CHURCH FELLOWSHIP TIMES AND ONE THING THAT ALWAYS SEEM TO HAPPEN IS THAT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR THE DESSERT TO BE SERVED, SHE WAS ALWAYS TOLD TO KEEP HER FORK, FOR THE BEST IS YET TO BE. MARY WANTS YOU TO KNOW, THAT THE BEST IS YET TO BE IN HEAVEN.
CONCLUSION:
WEDDINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN SCRIPTURE, AND HAVE GREAT SYMBOLIC MEANING. THE CHURCH IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST, AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS WEDDING AT THE BEGINNING OF JESUS’ MINISTRY, I ALSO THINK ABOUT A WEDDING, YET TO COME, WHEN JESUS COMES IN ALL HIS GLORY TO CLAIM HIS BRIDE THE CHURCH.
REVELATION 19:6-10
THEN I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GREAT MULTITUDE, LIKE THE ROAR OF RUSHING WATERS AND LIKE LOUD PEALS OF THUNDER, SHOUTING: “HALLELUJAH! FOR OUR LORD GOD ALMIGHTY REIGNS.
7 LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD AND GIVE HIM GLORY! FOR THE WEDDING OF THE LAMB HAS COME, AND HIS BRIDE HAS MADE HERSELF READY. 8 FINE LINEN, BRIGHT AND CLEAN, WAS GIVEN HER TO WEAR.” (FINE LINEN STANDS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS ACTS OF GOD’S HOLY PEOPLE.) 9 THEN THE ANGEL SAID TO ME, “WRITE THIS: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE INVITED TO THE WEDDING SUPPER OF THE LAMB!” AND HE ADDED, “THESE ARE THE TRUE WORDS OF GOD.” 10 AT THIS I FELL AT HIS FEET TO WORSHIP HIM. BUT HE SAID TO ME, “DON’T DO THAT! I AM A FELLOW SERVANT WITH YOU AND WITH YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO HOLD TO THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS. WORSHIP GOD! FOR IT IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY WHO BEARS TESTIMONY TO JESUS.”
WHAT A GREAT CELEBRATION THIS WILL BE. CHRISTIANS FROM ALLL AGES WILL BE THERE. ON ONE SIDE OF YOU COULD BE DAVID AND THE OTHER THE APOSTLE PAUL.
BUT YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THIS. ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE BORN AGAIN CHRISTIANS WILL BE THERE. YOUR OPINION WILL HAVE NO WEIGHT, WHAT YOU DID FOR OTHERS IN THIS WORLD HAS NO BEARING, THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU ACCEPTED CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOUR.
I WANT TO SEE YOU AT THAT WEDDING BANQUET, WHERE THE BLESSINGS AND PRAISE TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL NEVER RUN OUT, AND WE WILL FOREVER CELEBRATE HIS GLORY. MAKE THAT DECISION TODAY.
GOD’S TIMING IS ALWAYS BEST, AND GOD’S TIMING FOR SALVATION IS NOW.
2 CORINTHIANS 6:2: AS GOD’S CO-WORKERS WE URGE YOU NOT TO RECEIVE GOD’S GRACE IN VAIN. 2 FOR HE SAYS, “IN THE TIME OF MY FAVOR I HEARD YOU, AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” I TELL YOU, NOW IS THE TIME OF GOD’S FAVOR, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.
