“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’ ‘Dear woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My time has not yet come.’
His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.’ This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” John 2:1-11
He was amazed. And he wasn’t the only one. It was better than he’d ever expected – maybe better than he’d ever tasted. As the wedding coordinator, he had been to many receptions and tasted many wine, but was unbelievable. Not only was this wine really good, it was better than the very first wine they had served at the beginning of the reception. This was such a surprise.
Remember, this is probably a long wedding reception. At least two or three, well… maybe more like four or five… at least five… days. Days, not hours. Today many of us think of two or three hours as a long wedding reception, especially if you’re the groom or bride. But in ancient Palestine, guests traveled far distances, like 90 miles, on foot. It days to get to receptions. And the entire village or town would be involved, not just your select list of guests. Common practice was to serve your good wine the first day or two. Then, after people had gotten their fill, and Uncle Paul and Aunt Sally were starting to dance on tables, you’d bring out cheaper and lower quality wine.
Standard Operating Procedure. But not what happened today.
So the wedding’s MC calls over the bridegroom and expressed his amazement. “This wine is incredible – better than anything else you’ve offered. I’m impressed.” So was the bridegroom. Because he remembers that no more than 20 or 30 minutes ago he discovered they were out. “There’s no more wine… what are we going to do?” he had been asked. And now, suddenly, someone’s patting him on the back about this special vintage that was being served.
How is this possible? I know Uncle Anton couldn’t have run down to Piggly-Wiggly – there not open on weekends. And this was a real problem. This family had run out of something you just couldn’t let yourself run out of. Why they ran out is a mystery. Maybe they hadn’t anticipated people being so thirsty. Perhaps more visitors came than they had expected. Or perhaps this was a family big on compassion and very low on funds. Maybe their poverty was as great their desire for hospitality. In any case, their pride and image was about to take a major hit. They were about to be seriously embaressed and humiliated in front family, friends and the entire town.
Maybe this is what Mary was talking about.
And I’m not entirely sure how or why Mary is connected here. Clearly she had some kind of inside knowledge or backstage pass to the ceremonies and events of this reception. Its likely she’s somehow related to the wedding party – maybe through her husband Joseph. We’re not told. But we do know Mary, or Aunt Mary, or cousin Mary somehow discovered that they were out of wine. So Mary does what any good mother does – she calls her oldest son and tells him to fix it.
We’re in John 2. Look at verse 3: “When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’”
Here’s the problem Jesus. Notice she doesn’t tell him how to solve it? I don’t know that she had idea how Jesus would address it. We don’t know that he’s done any miracles to this point. John seems to suggest that isn’t just the first miracle recorded in his book, but the first miracle of Jesus.
But not knowing how Jesus will work doesn’t stop Mary from asking him to get involved. Mary finds her son and asks him to get involved. There’s a powerful truth at play here. Jesus doesn’t expect us to always know how he will answer the challenges we run into, just to know that he will answer them.
Next, Mary gives a little instruction to the servants. “Do whatever he tells you.” Straight-forward enough. Don’t question, don’t think, just follow my son’s lead. Again, this is powerful truth hidden in a simple phrase. Do whatever he tells you. As well-educated, life-experienced people our tendency is to analyze and diagnose everything we’re told before we trust its truth or influence in our lives. We dissect every teaching, study every presentation, question every claim – long before we’ll act on what we’re told.
Not so with Jesus. His instructions can trusted – not because of our ability to know their depth, wisdom, insight or certainty – but because we know the source. We know Jesus. We know He can be trusted. And so in life, when Jesus speaks, we listen. When He instructs, we act.
Now, we hear from Jesus. He instructs the servants to take down off the shelf six stone water jars usually used for ceremonial washing. Don’t overlook the irony of this choice. Jesus chooses to use something that already has a very special, a very precious and a very ‘set-aside’ use. Ceremonial washings were a significant part of the ritual life of every Jew. A great deal of diagloue took place between the rabbis, scribes and different religious officers about when to wash, what to wash, and even what kind of vessel could hold the water to be used in the rite. Here Jesus chooses to use these ‘holy vessels’ for a simple act – an act completely outside their intended purpose. Clearly, many of the Jews present at this reception would have been greatly troubled if they had known of Jesus’ ‘misuse’ of these religious icons. Yet another reminder to us that Jesus always knew that the rites and practices of faith are created for the follower and not holy in and of themselves – that it is the presence and power of the Divine that makes a clay jar, a communion cup or a baptistery special and holy.
Next, Jesus instructs the servants to take a sample to the master of the banquet. He tastes the wine, having no idea where it came from, and is – as we said before – astounded.
Now, notice what scripture doesn’t tell us.
When does the actual miracle take place? Is when the servants fill the water jars? When the water hits the bottom of the jar? When its filled to the brim? When they draw some out for the taste test? When the MC puts the glass to his lips?
I don’t know. And I think that’s part of the point. Jesus never says “hocus-pocus” and John never tries to explain. It’s a miracle! And part of the miracle is that almost happens right under your nose without creating a spectacle or drawing attention.
Sometimes I think we put too much emphasis on discovering what miracle took place and arguing about how it was accomplished. Look at why the miracle happened. Jesus responded to the needs of a family. Simple, ordinary people with a common, ordinary problem. And he responds by creating the extraordinary wine the prevents embarrassment and honors the needs and dignity of the family.
And He is still in that business today. I’m afraid that we tend to underestimate what God is capable of doing in our lives by evaluating ourselves with these worldly standards of wealth, competition and capability. “Oh there’s nothing special about me…” or “I’m just not all that spiritual” or “I’ve made some choices in my past that I don’t think I’ll ever get past…” Somehow we’ve lost confidence that God can do anything worthwhile with our lives. And if someone in the church of the Lord Jesus has every left you believing that God could never do anything meaningful or wonderful in your life or with your life I am sorry. That is wrong – it is a lie straight from Hell.
Because God specializes in taking the ordinary, the simple, the almost mundane and astounding, amazing and baffling the wise of this world. You are a creation of God – hand made from His heart. You are born and made in His own image – you are created out of the ‘stuff’ of God. You are the most elementary of the building blocks of spiritual life. And he longs to work his miracles in your life today.
Jesus is still in the business of transforming the ordinary elements of our lives into extraordinary vessels and demonstrations of His power and love. He still transforms water to wine. He does it in our lives, in our homes and in our churches.
For instance, listen to these words. This is taken from a church in Montgomery, Alabama – coming out of a heritage of fundamental, conservative theology – yet listen to the hearts of elders who penned these words:
We once saw a church consumed with issues, that became a church whose only issue is Jesus on the cross.
We once saw a people embroiled in controversies, that became a people at peace with itself.
We once saw individuals imposing upon others a system of law, who now see each other through the eyes of Grace.
We once saw a community of believers divided, whose hearts are now united in a common purpose.
We once saw a people who were suspicious of each other, who now are confident in new-found trusting relationships.
We once saw a church who worshipped out of duty and fear, who became a church who worshipped out of love for God.
We once saw a church led by men, that became a church led by the Spirit.[i]
Can you hear the language of a church transformed by the presence and power of Jesus Christ? That’s not some church growth guru there – its Jesus. He changes the ordinary into extraordinary.
He works in our homes and in our marriages. I know a couple that when they lived in the Tulsa area their marriage was struck by difficulties most marriages would never have survived. Neither of them ever would have believed what God was about to do… Today, Jesus holds up their marriage as an example to other couples, young and old, of what he can do in the hearts and lives of two people. He has transformed their marriage into something extraordinary. And he can do the same in yours.
Jesus works in the lives of normal, real people with little or no claim to fame. This week I had the priviledge of standing next to Mike Snedden at a Memorial Service for His grandmother. As the gentleman who officiated the memorial began, he described a woman; a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend and a believer. But from the words of this heart, choked only by his own tears, and from the stories shared by those she touched – obviously this was not an ordinary person. Oh at one time she was ordinary – but not anymore. Not since Jesus had gotten hold of her. This was someone who was transformed by the work and name and love of Jesus. She had endured obvious, personal difficulties and yet continually the people whose lives she touched saw Jesus. He took the ordinary and transformed her into someone extraordinary.
I wonder if you’ve experienced this life-changing presence of Jesus? I wonder if you can recognize God’s transforming power in your life today? If not, could it be that you need to hear the lessons from Mary again? They’re rather simple – rather straight to the point. Begin by finding Jesus. Search everywhere in the house until you find him. And don’t go to Him with your pre-decided agenda of what results he should produce in your life. Maybe that’s the problem. Maybe you’ve already got everything figured out. Maybe you have some expectations that you’re just sure need to be met. Maybe because of your pride, your arrogance, your greed, your agenda Jesus is still waiting. Search for Jesus – and go to him willing to trust whatever he intends to produce in your life.
And when you find him, do whatever he tells you. Listen to his words as if your life depended on it… because it does. Whatever he says, do. Wherever he sends, go. Do whatever he tells you. Don’t question, don’t debate, don’t argue, don’t indulge yourself one more time… do what he tells you.
Jesus is still in the business of turning water to wine. He wants to make this happen in your life and mine. He is still looking for servants who will listen and obey. Maybe this is the time for you to trust and pray. Hand him your life – watch and see. And let Jesus transform you into the wonderful, incredible, extraordinary creation He’s always intended you to be.
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[i] Taken from the web page of the Landmark Church of Christ, Montgomery, Alabama. To learn more about the Landmark church visit their web page at: www.land-mark.org.
