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Weekly Message | July 1st, 2007
Passage: John 2:1-11
Key Verse(s): John 2:11
We just finished a study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians and Philemon. We learned many things. I especially want to remember that Christians demonstrate work by faith, labor by love and endurance by hope and that we should be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. This past week, we saw how God took a useless man and made him useful in the name of Jesus Christ.
Today we begin a series of Bible studies based on the holy love of God. God’s holy love is love that blesses, teaches obedience and mission-centered life, and shepherds or leads people into changed lives. Today we want to look at Jesus who blessed a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee. The holy love of God is that Jesus came from God and attended this wedding, blessing it with his presence. He then changed wash water into choice wine. Jesus revealed his glory to those who actively participated in this miracle, and their faith could grow. May the holy love of God bless us and change our lives, so the glory of Jesus may be revealed in us!
First, “’My time has not yet come’” (1-4). If we look at Jesus’ life as the Messiah, we see that, chronologically, he began in Judea by the Jordan River, near where John the Baptist was baptizing. There he was baptized by John the Baptist and there he called his first disciples: John, Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael. After calling the disciples, he left Judea for Galilee (1:43). He journeyed there, and his disciples followed. Look at verse one. “On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there.” Here, “On the third day” refers to the third day after Jesus called his first disciples. Jesus was just beginning his public ministry.
Cana was a city about 9 miles north of Nazareth. It must have also been the home of some of Mary’s relatives, since she was invited to the wedding there. Nowhere is it stated whose wedding it was; but John emphasizes that Mary was there so the wedding must have been the wedding someone close to her.
Look at verse two. “And Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.” Some might ask why Jesus and his disciples were invited. It is not likely that all of the disciples were related to the bride or the groom. According to Dr. Paul Hong, weddings in eastern countries are very different from our western weddings. A wedding feast was a community affair. Today, it is not unusual for couples in America to plan for their weddings for two or three years. They take great care to send invitations complete with RSVP envelopes to those whom they are inviting. Food is catered and drinks freely offered. So the guest list is limited to immediate family, close friends, and associates. Anyone who attends without receiving a written invitation is called a wedding crasher. Such people are considered to be rude and uncouth. But there was no wedding crasher movie made about Jesus and his disciples. They were not wedding crashers. They were invited guests. Jesus was probably invited because of his relationship to Mary. And the disciples were invited as associates of Jesus. The whole community was welcomed, and it was expected that the bride and groom would serve them.
Another question some may ask is why Jesus went to the wedding. There are many possible explanations. One is that he was most likely a relative, just as Mary was. But there was another reason. Jesus went to bless the wedding and reveal God’s love and his glory. From the beginning, marriage has been a gift of God. In Genesis 2, God said, “’It is not good for the man to be alone’” (18). And so God “…took one of the man’s ribs…” (21) and “…made a woman from the rib…” (22). “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (24). So marriage is a gift of God. It is a union between a man and woman for the purpose of being together to honor and please God in their lives. Men and women all need a faithful partner who can be a suitable coworker. They should love one another with God’s holy love and be close to one another’s hearts. Such love can only exist in the presence of God. Jesus attended the wedding to bless it and reveal God’s presence.
“When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine’” (3). Jewish weddings frequently lasted from several days to one week. To run out of wine before the feast was over was a serious breach of hospitality. The couple would always be remembered as “those who did not have enough wine to serve their guests.” They had no more wine, but the bride and groom did not know it. Mary, on the other hand, saw the problem and took it upon herself to do something about it. She brought the problem to Jesus. Her prayer topic was, “’They have no more wine.’” She prayed on behalf of the young couple. She brought their problem to Jesus, believing he could do something about it. In her prayer, she did not doubt that Jesus would do something wonderful. We can see God’s holy love in Mary’s prayer on the behalf of others and in her prayer of faith.
Look at verse 4. “’Dear woman, why do you involve me?’” Jesus replied. ‘My time has not yet come’” (4). This is Jesus’ initial response to Mary. When you consider that Jesus is speaking to his mother, it doesn’t sound very friendly, does it? But if we read it carefully, we find that Jesus first addressed his mother Mary as “Dear woman.” This is a term of endearment. It is the same way he later addressed her from the cross. John 19:26 reads, “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’” Jesus loved Mary and entrusted her care to John, his beloved disciple. This is the same love Jesus showed to Mary when she brought the “no wine” problem to him. “Dear woman” can be equated to “mother” or, in children’s talk, “Mommy” or “Ohma.” It also shows honor and God’s great love for Mary.
Then why did Jesus say, “’Why do you involve me?’” And “My time has not yet come”? Jesus dearly loved his mother, but Jesus was no longer under his mother’s rule or authority. When we are children, we talk like children, think like children, reason like children (1 Cor. 13:11). But Jesus was ready to begin his public ministry. He needed to begin his life of total devotion to God and His ministry. To modern men, “Time is money.” But Jesus moved according to God’s time.
God Almighty moves neither too quickly nor too late. God moves at the right time. Why? God is our Creator, Sovereign Ruler, and Ultimate Leader of the universe. Leaders at the top do not jump into others' problems every time people cry out. President George Bush would not respond to every cry of the people in this country. He has to discern the right time for his action in really important matters. Otherwise, he would be too intrusive, micro-managing, annoying, and ineffective. In a much more profound way, Jesus, the Son of God, who takes away the sin of the world, was waiting for the right moment. Jesus' time was according to God's will and his schedule.
To Jesus, time was much more valuable than money. Jesus is Eternal God incarnate. He has all of eternity to do what needs to be done, so he has no pressure. Yet, Jesus was not care-free about his time. A key phrase today is “multitasking.” This talent or ability originates with God, who controls all of creation. Jesus multitasked as he attended the wedding, blessed the prayer of Mary, and taught faith and obedience. When Jesus spoke of his time, he was usually referring to the time of his death on the cross and his resurrection (Jn 7:6-8, 8:20; 12:23; 17:1). For Jesus there was a right time for everything. At the right time, Jesus would take up his cross for the sins of the world, thus revealing his glory as the Savior of the world. Now the time for his first miracle was very near, but he would not do it while Mary stood there expectantly. Jesus wasn’t saying “No” to his mother. He would only get involved in the right time when he could reveal his glory (11). This, too, is Jesus’ love. Things that are done too soon or too quickly may not be done well. Those that are done too slowly or late may not be sufficient. But Jesus, in his holy love, does his work at the right time. He said, “’My time has not yet come’” (4). The good news is that his right time is coming. We must believe that God’s right time, even if it has not yet come, will come. Therefore, as we put our hope in God, we must know what to do to prepare for God’s right time.
Second, “’Fill the jars’” (5-9a). Look at verse five. His mother said to the servants, “’Do whatever he tells you.’” Here we see that Mary’s response to Jesus’ words was not anger, offense, or doubt. Mary was humble. She trusted Jesus. She didn’t try to use motherly persuasion to make Jesus do what she wanted. She accepted Jesus’ way by faith and told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do. Mary became a valuable environment-maker. Mary knew that she would not be the right person to bring miracles in all the details. As a prayer servant, she started this. Then, some other people had to carry on. So she said to the servants, “’Do whatever he tells you.’” She prepared them to obey Jesus. That was the most effective way she could participate in Jesus’ miracle.
Twenty years ago, the leaders of Toledo UBF were in their 20s and 30s. Now they are in their 40s and 50s. I am now in my 50s. Like Mary, these senior leaders have hearts for the people and wisdom of God. Yet, they are not the real doers of all the work. They must be prayer servants, environment makers, and, most of all, prepare a prayerful environment in which God works. Sometimes I pray for Jesus to do things my way and right now. I also like to pray for him to use me to do his will. Mary teaches me that I must accept Jesus’ word and then make an environment for him to work. Based on their deep relationships with young people, senior leaders can help young people to obey whatever Jesus wants them to do. Encouraging them to serve the Lord, obey Jesus, and give their passion for God is what senior leaders do. In the Friday welcoming, Dr. Paul Hong said, “Toledo UBF welcomes our guests with deep respect and love of God. Young leaders from Hanyang UBF will provide us energy, passion and discipline.” His point is that as we come together in love, Jesus can bring great miracles through us. My point is this: as one of the senior leaders in this ministry, I take my role as a prayer servant with joy and commitment.
The blessed life for senior leaders is to quietly work behind the scenes to make the environment where younger people can participate in God’s work. We must first learn obedience and prayer. We show the model of faithfulness to God all the days of our lives – to the end. In this way, the work of God is passed from one generation to the next. The work of God carries on from generation to generation. Then we should labor with the word of God. As we grow in faith and obedience, we can then teach others, so they also may grow in faith and obedience. I have liked being an environment-maker around the center. I like to do those things which I can do with my own ability, like gardening. But I must grow in prayerful environment-making. The holy love of God is revealed through praying environment makers.
Look at verses six and seven. “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.” These jars were large – each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. The official weight of a US gallon of water is 8.33 lbs. Twenty to thirty gallons of water would weigh between 167 and 250 lbs., and this is only the weight of the water, not counting the weight of the jars. These were big, heavy jars. Also, these jars were normally used for wash water, not drinking water or wine. Imagine the servants’ surprise when Jesus told the servants to fill these jars with water. They had to wonder what Jesus was thinking. How can wash water help with a problem of no wine? Jesus said, “’Fill the jars with water.’” What did they do? They obeyed Jesus. In fact, they went above and beyond, filling them to the brim. Jesus commanded and they obeyed 100%.
And their obedience did not end there. Look at verse eight. “Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so….” Now the servants’ wonder must have turned to fear. If they took wash water and offered it to their master as wine, they would be in big trouble. One taste and their master would spit it out and snarl, “What are you doing? Are you trying to poison me or make me sick?” Human reason would demand disobedience to Jesus. If they obeyed, they might be whipped or put to death. What were they to do? The last part of verse eight says, “They did so….” Again, they obeyed Jesus fully. What can we say about them? They were obedient servants. They did not question. They didn’t try to second-guess Jesus. They took some water out of the jars and took it to the master of the banquet.
Look at verses 8b-9a. “They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.” Here we see that when the servants obeyed Jesus, the water they drew out the jars and took to the banquet master had miraculously been changed into wine. Here we see the love of God in obedient servants. The changing of water into wine is also evidence of God’s holy love. Only our Holy and Almighty Heavenly Father can change dirty water into delicious wine. Last week Paul spoke of Onesimus as one who was useless but was made useful. God, in his love, changes useless water into delicious wine.
Third, you have saved the best till now” (9b-11). Look at verses nine and ten. “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.’” When the master of the banquet tasted the water that been turned into wine, he was amazed. He was not amazed by the miracle, because he knew nothing about it. He was amazed by the quality of the wine. It was the best wine he had tasted. Good wine should come from grape juice that is allowed to age and ferment over a long period of time. This wine was instantly made by the power of Jesus. What had once been water fit only for washing feet, was now choice wine.
If God can change dirty water into the best wine, how much more he can change sinners into first class disciples of Jesus! This is the love and grace of our Holy and Heavenly Father. The banquet master did not know where the wine came from. He gave credit to the wrong person – the bridegroom. And, apparently, the groom didn’t deny it. In ignorance, he falsely took credit for what Jesus had actually done.
We can say that there were two groups of people who attended the wedding in Cana of Galilee. The first group consisted of the bride, the groom, the banquet master, and most of the guests. These were the ones who did not participate in Jesus’ miracle. The bride and groom were the honored couple at the wedding. The banquet master had the honored position of master. They, along with the guests, enjoyed the blessing of the wine. Most of us, who are young (and even us who are not so young), have desired to be like these people. They did nothing but receive Jesus’ immediate blessing in their lives. They drank the wine, enjoyed its taste and never knew from where or from whom it came. For a while they lived in ignorant bliss. They were like the people of Noah’s time which Jesus described (Mt. 24:37-39 and Luke 17:26-27). Let’s look at Luke 17:26-27. “’Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.’” Matthew’s account was similar, but he added, “’And they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away’” (24:39a). People who are ignorant of Jesus or refuse to acknowledge him live like this. They eat, drink, and marry. They go about their lives not knowing God’s holy love, unaware of Jesus and his transforming power, and in the end they are taken away. They are destroyed because of their unbelief.
The second group consisted of Mary, the servants, and the disciples, all of whom participated in Jesus’ miracle and witnessed his power and glory. Mary was a prayer mother. Even when it sounded like Jesus would not answer her prayer, she kept praying and planted obedient faith in the servants. The obedient servants obeyed beyond human reason. They did all of the hard labor, and they were the first to know that Jesus had changed the water into wine. The disciples stayed close to Jesus and observed everything. They could, therefore, witness Jesus’ miracle and testify to his glory as the Son of God. This group tasted the blessing of Jesus. The love of God came to life in them.
Look at verse eleven. “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.” This first miracle also displays the love of God. First, with Jesus’ presence with us and his dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit, all the things we do have become sanctified. Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, all matters to God. They reveal God’s wonderful glory in our lives. Therefore, we rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks to God in all circumstances. This is the way we reveal and testify to the love of God in this world. Second, we become active participants of God’s miracles through prayer and hard work. In this way, we serve the Lord always—all the days of our lives—bringing miracles into our worlds at home, at work, in this ministry, and in this country. May God use us to bring God’s miracles into this world. May God reveal his glory through our lives.
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
