John Series Part 10 Sermon
Start of Division 2 of John
I. THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:1–51
Sermon Part 1 Jesus the Living Word: The First Witness of John the Apostle, 1:1–5
Sermon Part 2 Jesus the Light of the World: The Special Witness of John the Baptist, 1:6–8
Sermon Part 3 Jesus the Light of Men: The Second Witness of John the Apostle, 1:9–13
Sermon Part 4 Jesus the Word Made Flesh: The Third Witness of John the Apostle, 1:14–18
Sermon Part 5 Jesus the Messiah, the Lord: The Second Witness of John the Baptist, 1:19–28
Sermon Part 5 Jesus the Lamb of God, the Son of God: The Third Witness of John the Baptist, 1:29–34
Sermon Part 6 Jesus the Messiah, the Christ: The Witness of Andrew, 1:35–42
Sermon Part 7 Jesus the One Prophesied: The Witness of Philip, 1:43–45
Sermon Part 8 Jesus the Son of God, the King of Israel: The Witness of Nathanael, 1:46–49
Sermon Part 9 Jesus the Son of Man, God’s Mediator: The Witness of Jesus Himself, 1:50–51
II. THE REVELATION OF JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, 2:1–3:21
Sermon Part 10 Revelation 1: Creative Power, 2:1–11
Sermon Part 11 Revelation 2: Jesus Is Supreme Over God’s House, 2:12–22 (Matthew 21:12–16; Mark 11:15–19; Luke 19:34–46)
Sermon Part 12 Revelation 3: Jesus Knows All Men, 2:23–25
Sermon Part 13 Revelation 4: The New Birth, 3:1–15
Sermon Part 14 Revelation 5: God’s Great Love, 3:16–17
Sermon Part 15 Revelation 6: Man’s Condemnation, 3:18–21
10/24/2021
(2:1–11) Introduction: this was the first miracle Jesus performed. It demonstrated His very purpose for coming to earth: to reveal the creative power of God. He had the power to create and produce what was needed to meet man’s need.
1. The setting: a wedding in Cana of Galilee (vv.1–2).
2. The concern of Jesus’ creative power (vv.3–5).
3. The revelation of Jesus’ creative power (vv.6–8).
4. The results of Jesus’ creative power (vv.9–11).
1 (2:1–2) Jesus Christ, Family—Marriage: there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee.
a. The marriage took place on the third day after Jesus came into Galilee, or two days after Nathanael’s encounter with Jesus.
b. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there. Note that Joseph was not mentioned. It is thought by most commentators that he was already dead. In fact, most commentators think he had been dead for years, and that Jesus, being the older child, had stayed home to take care of the family until the other children were old enough to go out on their own.
Thought 1. Note the extreme sufferings of Christ. He had come to bear all the trials of the world for man. He suffered …
• the death of a parent (see note, pt.3—Mt. 13:53–58)
• being the child of a one-parent family
• having to go to work at an early age to provide for His mother and half-brothers and sisters
c. Jesus and His disciples attended the wedding. Marriage was a joyful, happy time—a festive occasion; and it was one of the largest social events in a community. This tells us two things about Jesus.
1) Jesus was a sociable person: He liked people and people liked Him. He enjoyed the company of people; He was not anti-social; He was people centered. His ministry was focused upon people, being with and helping them all He could. (see Mt. 11:19; Lu. 7:34. See note—Mt. 11:16–19.)
Thought 1. Man is a social being. Jesus was teaching us to be sociable and not to become too busy to be sociable. However, He expects us to balance our lives, and the truth about our day and time is this: most persons are not alone enough. Most persons are not working, producing, and making their God-called contribution to the world, not as diligently as they should. Most have the problem of socializing too much, whether in recreation, partying, or on the job.
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Ac. 2:42).
“Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality” (Ro. 12:13).
“If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake” (1 Co. 10:27).
“But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate” (Tit. 1:8).
“Use hospitality one to another without grudging” (1 Pe. 4:9).
“I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts” (Ps. 119:63).
“Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just” (Lu. 14:12–14).
2) Jesus honored marriage. He demonstrated His approval and honor in two ways: by attending the marriage feast and by meeting the urgent need of the bridegroom.
Thought 1. Jesus graced and blessed the marriage because He was “called … to the marriage.” He has to be genuinely invited into a marriage before He can bless it.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Re. 3:20).
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (Jn. 1:12).
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Ro. 10:13).
DEEPER STUDY
(2:1) Wedding—Marriage, Jewish Ceremony: a Jewish wedding ceremony included three major events. (See
1. There was a marriage feast and ceremony, which were held on the same evening.
2. There was the escort of the couple through the streets to their home. The procession usually took place at night. Flaming torches were used and the longest route to the home was taken to attract more attention and to allow the community to share in the joyful event.
3. There was the open house which lasted for a week. A Jewish wedding ceremony involved a large and long celebration. There was a happy, festive spirit that swept through the community and surrounded the couple. All week long the couple wore their wedding garments (gown and robe) and entertained guests. The whole community was expected to participate and celebrate with the couple in their new found happiness.
DEEPER STUDY
(2:1) Cana: a small, remote, obscure country village. It is thought to have been in the highlands of Galilee, for a person traveled from Cana down to Capernaum. It was close to Nazareth, and according to the early church father Jerome, the city could be seen from Nazareth. Little else is known about the village. Two miracles took place in Cana: this event of creative power where the water was turned into wine (Jn. 2:1–11), and the healing of the nobleman’s son (Jn. 4:46–54). Cana is mentioned only one other time in Scripture (Jn. 21:2), three times altogether, and only by John in his gospel.
2 (2:3–5) Jesus Christ, Hour of—Social Concerns—Needs: the concern of Jesus’ creative power. Note that everything points toward Mary as having a key part in the marriage. There was a steward overseeing the household affairs (v.9), but Mary was apparently helping in some manner. Note three things.
a. Mary’s social concern. The need that arose was extremely serious, for the wine was already gone and the celebration had just begun. There was a whole week of celebration yet to go. The couple was to have open house and to provide the wine and refreshments for the week. What were they to do? The importance of wine in the Middle East must always be remembered. Good, germ free water was scarce, and it was used only when necessary. Wine was used as a drinking substitute. There was a critical need, a predicament that was going to affect everyone involved.
? The joyful spirit of the guests was to be dampened.
? The couple was to be shamed and humiliated, becoming the object of jokes among some.
? Mary, the mother of Jesus, probably one of the hostesses, was to be embarrassed.
Mary, naturally, was concerned about the matter, but note the point. Mary’s concern was a social concern, a concern for seeing that the needs of a social group were met. She did what any mother would do. She brought the problem to her Son: “They have no wine.”
b. Jesus’ deeper concern: to meet man’s spiritual need for regeneration. In Mary’s concern, Jesus saw a unique opportunity to begin familiarizing His mother with the truth of who He was: the Son of God who had entered the world for a particular hour (the cross). Mary nor anyone else understood Jesus’ Person, true mission, or Messiahship—not yet (see note—Mk. 3:31–32). Therefore, at the very beginning of His ministry, Jesus began to teach everyone, and in particular the person who was so dear to His heart, His mother. He wanted to do all He could to prepare her and the others for the terrible pain that was to come during His hour. He was truly the Son of God; He had been born of God. He—His Person and mission—had to do with God and the things of the Spirit, not with Mary and her social and fleshly needs. He had nothing in common with her and the flesh. He was of God and of the Spirit. She must begin to understand and see this. The more she could hear the truth, the more she would see and understand, especially after His hour had come. Therefore, Jesus used every opportunity possible to familiarize all His loved ones with the phrase “My hour.” His hour was to become a constant symbol of His death (see Jn. 7:6, 8, 30; 8:20; 12:23–24, 27, 33; 13:1; 17:1; Mt. 26:18, 45; Mk. 14:41).
The point Jesus made was that His hour had not yet come …
• the hour when He could really meet man’s needs.
• the hour when He must die for man’s regeneration.
Thought 1. Jesus was always focused upon His purpose for coming to earth: to face His hour, to die for man’s salvation.
“And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.… Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.… And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die” (Jn. 12:23–24, 27, 32–33).
“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” (Jn. 13:1).
Thought 2. Mary’s concern pictures the social concern of man. Man has many social needs. Society—whether social workers or communities of individuals—is concerned with …
• social health
• social comfort
• social plenty
• social housing
• social peace
• social justice
Note two things.
(1) Christ met the social concern, the need, the predicament. He solved the problem.
(2) However, Christ does not stop there. Meeting the physical and material needs of society is not enough. Christ met the deeper concern of man:
? life
? assurance
? happiness
? fulfillment
? love
? security
? satisfaction
? completeness
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10).
“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (Jn. 15:11).
c. Mary’s confidence in her Son. It was night and wine could not be bought. It was unthinkable that Mary was asking Jesus to perform a miracle. So far as we know, He had performed no miracles yet. What she was doing was seeking His help, asking Him to take care of the matter. Of course, He could attempt to get a merchant to reopen his shop and meet the need, or He could try to secure wine from some neighbors. Mary had utter confidence in Him. But, again, that is not the point. Jesus saw the opportunity to demonstrate His creative power, the kind of power needed to meet man’s need for regeneration.
“Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (Jn. 4:34).
“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (Jn. 9:4).
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light” (Ro. 13:11–12).
“But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none” (1 Co. 7:29).
“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ep. 5:16).
“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Col. 4:5).
3 (2:6–8) Cleansing—Conversion: the revelation of Jesus’ creative power. Note three things.
a. The six waterpots were used both for drinking water and for the purifying and cleansing of the Jews, that is, the ceremonial and religious cleansing of the hands and utensils. When a Jew saw the waterpots, he knew they were there both for satisfying his thirst and for his religious cleansing. Jesus used the waterpots to show that He had the power …
• to purify, cleanse, and satisfy men
• to create and produce whatever was necessary to cleanse and satisfy men
“Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood” (Re. 1:5).
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Tit. 3:5).
“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (Js. 4:8).
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Co. 6:9–11).
b. Jesus had a deeper concern than just meeting the social need of the host. He had come to meet man’s need for spiritual purification and inner cleansing, and He was to do it through His hour (the cross). Therefore, He seized the opportunity to reveal His creative power, His power to create man anew. .)
Thought 1. We either believe Christ is the Messiah or not. We either believe He has the power to create anew or not, that He demonstrated such power in this miracle or not.
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (Jn. 20:31).
c. Note another significant point: Jesus simply instructed that preparations be made, and when He was obeyed, everyone experienced His creative power and was fully satisfied.
Thought 1. We have to obey Christ’s instructions if we wish to be cleansed and created spiritually.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Mt. 7:21).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (Jn. 5:24).
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (Jn. 14:21).
“Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” (1 Pe. 1:21).
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 Jn. 2:17).
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock” (Mt. 7:24–25).
4 (2:9–11) Jesus Christ, Power; Results: the results were threefold.
a. The bridegroom’s need was met. What he needed was provided.
b. Christ’s glory was revealed. His power to create anew was demonstrated.
c. The faith of the disciples was strengthened. They “believed on Him” even more. He had given evidence that He was the Messiah.
“The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (Jn. 3:2).
“And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?” (Jn. 7:31).
“Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me” (Jn. 10:25).
“Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him” (Jn. 10:36–38).
“And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (Jn. 20:30–31).
DEEPER STUDY
(2:9–10) Jesus Christ, Power; Results: the governor evidently nudged the host and jokingly teased him about holding out on the guests; that is, he had kept the best wine until last.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (2004). The Gospel according to John
