Help Wanted
Pt. 2 - Water Boys
I. Introduction
We are in the middle of a national worker shortage. According to the National Federation of Independent Business, 67% of business owners were trying to hire workers in May 2022, and 92% of those seeking to hire reported few or no qualified applicants. This left a record-high 51% of businesses reporting job openings that they were unable to fill.
However, this is not a new issue or dilemma. In fact, this has been an issue for over 2,000 years. Remember Jesus highlighted the same issue when He was looking out over a crowd of hurt and confused people and He said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few!" He then told us to pray that God would send harvest hands to intervene and secure the harvest before it was lost. So, we said we are called to be hole help. We are called to step into the gap and as saved folks we are supposed to help others be rescued as well.
I want us to examine another passage that shows us some things about being the kind of helpers Jesus needs.
Text: John 2:1-11 (NLT)
The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Not an unfamiliar passage. Jesus attends a wedding, and at the behest of His mother, He saves the groom's family the embarrassment of being unprepared for the celebration. There are a lot of interesting facets of this story, but I want to simply ask you a question - a hypothetical question I agree - but perhaps it will get us to stop and think.
What if the servants had refused to follow the instructions of Mary? What if the servants had refused to do what Jesus said? I mean it is towards the end of a long celebration. They have been working hard. They are tired. They had done their part. They had fulfilled their contract. They had gone above and beyond the expected actions. And now you want me to lift heavy buckets - just under 1,000 pounds or up to 1,500 pounds of water into these wash pots? What would have happened if they had walked off the job? Thrown their hands up in the air and quit.
Ever felt that way? After a long hard week at work Jesus, you want me to smile at the person who just cut me off in traffic? After the struggle I have faced this week, you want me to open a door at church and I have to get there early to do it? After my own kids walked all over my last nerve all week, now you want me to take care of someone else's kid so they can go enjoy worship and get their spirit fed? I have looked at a computer screen all week and now you want me to stare at another screen so others can participate in worship? I'm tired. I have done my part. I know it isn't recorded but I just wonder if these servants felt this way?
This is what I do know for sure . . .
Jesus turns water in wine because someone was willing to obey. Jesus performs a miracle because someone else was willing to do the heavy lifting. Stated plainly . . . the servant's help helped produce a miracle.
Simple obedience leads to the supernatural.
Why is serving so important and crucial? It is a critical part of the equation. I like formulas. I like recipes. Do this and it leads to this. I am going to give you the equation for the supernatural to be birthed in the lives of the people around you. Are you ready?
Get water. Carry water. Miracle. Get water. Carry water. Miracle. Get water. Carry water. Miracle.
See guest. Open door. Miracle. See tired parents. Minister to tired parent's kids. Miracle. See man trying to find hope. Lead Bible Study. Cook a dessert. Hug on Sunday. Miracle. See broken person setting three rows up. Smile. Pray. Miracle.
Your simple acts of service are the delivery system of the supernatural.
Hear me today . . .Water in your hands becomes wine in His.
Your help allows Jesus to produce miracles.
Your help turns water - ordinary/dirty into the sweetest wine. Your act of obedience produces miracles.
The truth is I just want you to help Jesus. If you help Jesus, then we don’t have to worry about help at the church. We don’t have to worry about people being ministered to. We don’t have to worry about people's needs being met. If you just help Jesus, then Jesus will use you to produce all of that sweet wine!
The help issue is resolved by simply obeying.
I also want you to notice that Mary wanted Jesus to help. Notice His help took place when He was helped. He is willing to help when helped! How many of us want His help without being willing to help Him? God helps those who help themselves is not in Bible but let me tell you what is in the Bible … God helps those who help Him! You unlock the supernatural in your life and in the lives of others as you simply serve.
Finally, I want you to notice something about this account. We know Jesus' mother's name. We know Jesus' name. We know the disciples' names. What we don't know is anything about these serving servants. No names. Unknown. No spotlight or stage. But these unknown, unheralded, uncelebrated, unapplauded water boys have a hand in the public announcement of Jesus' arrival on the scene. And I remind you of what verse 11 states as if it is almost an afterthought. "And his disciples believed in him." Wait a minute. You mean up to this point although they were following Him, they didn't believe in Him? Wait a minute you mean because some unknown person was willing to break their back filling a water pot disciples come to faith? You mean a servants simple obedience launches the faith journey of disciples that will eventually turn the world upside down? According to what I read to you today . . . Others believed in Jesus because of an act of service.
Your service has the potential to point people to a Savior!
We don't serve for awards. We don't serve for applause. We don't serve for accolades. We don't serve for attention. We serve so that people will be able to see Jesus! In fact, they don't even have to know what we know! We know that our service is opening the door to the miraculous in their life, but like the servants just smile and serve.
That is why in an angry world we smile. That is why in a hate filled society we love. That is why in a land where doors are closing in people's faces, we open them. That is why in an environment where everyone is looking out for themselves, we put others first. That is why in a harsh world we are gracious. That is why in a stingy world we are generous. Our help helps Jesus help others who need help! We may be unknown water boys, but we are serving living water!
