Good morning brothers and sisters, welcome to the Tues morning prayer meeting. Today I wish to share from John Chapter 2.
On one occasion, Jesus and his disciples were invited to a wedding feast at Cana. His mother Mary was also present. Apparently, Mary might be a family friend or relative related to the bridal couple. When the wine ran out, a servant informed her, and she felt the obligation to do something about it.
Wine was an important component of celebration for a Jewish wedding. The wedding feast would normally last for about a week. We can imagine how embarrassing it would be if there was no wine left for the guests a long in Israel and arrived halfway through the wedding feast.
*POINT 1*: SEEKING JESUS IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION
Some of us are facing very challenging situations. I have received several requests from LE members to pray jobs because they have been retrenched. A number of brothers and sisters are sick and need the healing touch of Jesus. What do we do in such situation, We can only turn to Jesus for help.
Mary approach Jesus to request for his help. Jesus basically replied in verse 4, "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come."
When we go to the Lord in prayer, we must accept that the Lord can give us an answer, that may be a “yes”, a “no” or “wait”.
*POINT 2*: DOING WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU
It was after Mary informed Jesus. Then she said to the servants to do what Jesus told them to do. Nearby were six jars for ceremonial washing. Jesus first told them to fill the six jars with water. After they did as they were told, Jesus told the servant to bring a cup of water from the newly filled jars and give it to the chief steward to drink.
The miracle of turning water into wine happened, because the chief steward exclaimed that the wine was very good wine.
We learn from the first point we must always turn to Jesus whenever we are in need. Second lesson is from the words of Mary, "Do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2:5).
When we continue reading the Gospel, we can observe repeatedly that this is key to the miracles that many have experienced.
a) Matt 14:29, Peter obeys the words of Jesus, COME and he walks on water.
b) Jn 5:8, the man who was crippled for 38 years, obeyed the to the Words “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” and was healed.
c) Lk 17:14 , ten lepers obeyed the words of Jesus "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
d) Matt 8:13 the centurion believed the words of Jesus and his dying servant was healed.
So, we must learn to obey the Word of Jesus in order to see the miracles of God.
*POINT 3*: THE REASON FOR MIRACLES
I wish to revisit the conversation between Jesus and Mary. When Mary asked Jesus to do something about the shortage of wine. Jesus replied that it was not his time yet. However, after that he still decided to perform the miracle of turning the water into wine.
I prayed and seek for an answer what was the reason for this change in Jesus.
I submit to you that Gospel writer John gives us a clue for the above question. In verse 11, John says “This is the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” Whatever the reason for Jesus from changing from an apparent “no” to a “yes”, it must fit into this condition in verse 11. In the Gospel of John, there are Seven Signs that Jesus performed to show to Israel that he is the Messiah, and this is the very first one. Ultimately, the miracle did not happen because of Mary, or the bridal couple or the praise from the chief steward about the good wine. But it is for the glory of God and to reveal Jesus to Israel his identity and the purpose he has come to do.
I wish to introduce a paradigm shift in our thinking about answered prayer. Very often our focus is on our prayer requests for ourselves or others. We know that God is a good Father and he loves us. But they are not the ultimate reason for God answering our prayer. Every miracle, every healing, every answered prayer is all for the glory of God. Jesus says, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (Jn14:13).
The story we read in John 2 started with a request of a mother to her son for more wine. Yet the ending of the story exceeds all expectation. The unexpected result was that the messiah whom Israel had waited for thousands of years was revealed. When the glory of God displayed on this occasion, the disciples saw and believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Holy One of Israel, the Savior of the world.
Brothers and sisters, this may be one of the times we can easily miss the key point in the gospel story. We often focus on Mary’s request, or we are caught up by how the servant filled up the water jars or the reaction of the chief steward when he tasted the wine and so on, that we missed the truth in this passage.
That this is the first occasion when Jesus revealing himself as the messiah, the Son of God. Instead of focusing on our problems, our needs, the healing, let us focus on Jesus. He is our Savior, and Redeemer. He died on cross and destroyed sin and death.
When the miracles and answered prayer come, ultimately it is to glorify the Father through his Son Jesus Christ. All that we need are found in him, he can help us and make us whole in every area of our lives. But we must always have our eyes focused on Jesus and Jesus alone.
Finally, we are reminded in Rom 8:28 that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Let us trust in the Lord to help us, deliver us and give us the grace that we need in every circumstances.
Let us pray.
