To this point, Jesus has shown up. John the Witness told us Jesus is the [Lamb of God and the Son of God], that he saw the [Holy Spirit descend on Jesus] when he baptized Him. Jesus has also been in the wilderness for 40 days w no food and tempted by the devil (not in John), and now He’s returned to Galilee, the region where He grew up [see a map?], AND a handful of guys are following Him. Right after He gets back, He (and His new friends) are invited to a wedding - in Cana. [1-2]. Where John says Jesus does His first sign [11].
Now, turning the water into wine, is kind of not the first sign/miracle from Jesus, that He is WAY more than just a normal person. WE saw that last week, when Jesus sees [Nathanael under the fig tree] and KNOWS what he’s thinking. But water-to-wine appears to be Jesus’ first PUBLIC miracle. As far as we know, till now He hasn’t done any “miracle” outside of the inner circle of his friends and family (He must have done some other things around the house where he grew up. Cuz Jesus’ MOTHER appears to have seen His ability to do the extra-ordinary, the supernatural. Her words to Him are brief and full of expectation. [3] “They have no wine.” [like my lovely wife saying to me, “I’m cold”, and she clearly is confident of my LESS-than-supernatural ability to do something about it!]). But turning water into wine is different than knowing what someone is thinking. [H2O --> C2H5OH - Jesus alters the very structure of water, introduces carbon OUT OF NOTHING!]. Here in Cana Jesus shows His power over the universe. Over the elements themselves. And this sign takes His disciples' faith to the next level. Let’s take a look…
[4] Note Jesus’ reluctance: What to me and to you, woman? There are multiple reasons why this sign maybe shouldn’t have happened. 1) [Cana] is out of the way. Nothing else ever takes place in Cana in the Gospels. 2) One might say, well this is “just a wedding”, nothing life or death here. 3) Wine is not even a need. They have “no wine”? So? Were they going to die of thirst? Of course not. Most of Jesus’ miracles address a point of need. People are sick. They’ve died. They’re in danger. They need food. But, they have no wine? [more of a potential social disgrace for the host] 4) There appears to be a lack of relationship. I think the relationship runs thru Jesus’ mom, the parents are close friends with Mary. The host family doesn’t appear to notice or even know Jesus? Mary really cares about the outcome of this reception. 5) But the biggest reason is, He says His hour is not yet come. His hour is not yet come. Which hour is that? The hour of going public? I think He knows that as soon as He DOES go public, His path proceeds straight to Calvary. [John 12:23 And Jesus answers them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”] In the end, He doesn’t actually get much publicity out of this sign. His disciples know. Mary knows. The servants know. But nobody else knows. So in a sense, Jesus is still mostly incognito.
A place out of time, out of the way: Why does Jesus go out of His way to this wedding, to help this party, these people who barely know Him, to meet a need that isn’t a need? Not the time or place for His “coming out party”? What to Me? On the surface, not much? But what to Mary? Why does Jesus get involved? Because Mary asks Him to. Jesus cares about Mary AND He cares about what Mary cares about. No matter how mundane. Or seemingly unimportant, Jesus cares about the little things, cuz Jesus cares about you and me. For her part, Mary knows to ask [Jn 16.24][Jam 4.2]. [5] “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Notice Mary’s faith. Her faith, AND her submission. Mary didn’t know exactly what Jesus was going to do - but she clearly had learned that Jesus could do anything. Jesus can do anything. Whatever He says to you, do it. The water becomes wine [6,7,9]. John tells it like it was no big deal. Yeah, nothing much here - these [150 gallons] of water became wine. But make no mistake, this was humanly impossible! We're talking like ~2400 8oz glasses!
There is both quantity and quality to this miracle. First, we see that Jesus’ power and provision are limitless. Inexhaustible. He has more power and provision in His little pinkie than there is in the entire universe. In fact He literally doesn’t even have to lift a finger. 2400 glasses of wine, no sweat. Nothing is too difficult for Him. [Jer. 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”] Um, no it is not. What do YOU need Him to do?
But along with the inexhaustible quantity of His provision, there’s also unsurpassed quality. [10] The steward of the dinner exclaims, the bridegroom has saved the best for last. This second wine they brought out, JESUS’ wine, was SO good, it made the good wine that was served first, seem bad in comparison. Jesus’ wine, His provision, is always better.
We get it in our heads that this other thing, something Jesus didn’t provide, this is pretty good. It tastes good enough. It gets the job done. It slakes my thirst. Really? Does it? Could it be that we’re settling for second best? Or worse? Settling for something far inferior? Jesus’ wine is way better, and often we don’t even realize it until we taste it. All these wedding guests, they had no idea. The headwaiter, had no clue how much better Jesus wine was going to be - until they tasted it. Yeah, this tastes just fine. It’s doing the trick. And they were missing out on the good stuff. Jesus offers the good stuff. You think you’re drinking the good stuff? If it’s not from Jesus, it is second rate. No WAY it’s the Good Stuff. Whatever it is you’re looking for IT to do, whatever need or desire you’re looking to fulfill, if IT isn’t from Jesus, it may as well be [“made in Wuhan”]. It is not as good, it is not going to last. And it MAY be harmful. So often we settle for second rate. It’s good enough. But sometimes the good is the enemy of the best. And we are missing out.
His provision is better - and His work is better. There’s nothing shoddy in the work that Jesus does. [He could have brought it in weak, but no!] Jesus works everything together for good, for sure. Let’s not forget the goal here [Phil 1.6]. Remember how everything started out? Back in the garden? “VERY good”? Yeah - in fact it was all perfect. He is perfect. His goal is perfection. Excellence. And note the servants fill the pots up to the brim - that's excellence [Col 1.29]. That's our goal too, in all we do - or should be...
Jesus goes “out of His way” here - but He WAS invited. Jesus does show up everywhere He’s invited [Matt. 18:20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”]. You invite Him? He’s there. You invite Him into your life, He’s there [Rev 3.20 - I will come]. He goes out of His way when we invite Him - cuz WE are why He came in the first place.
That’s another thing I see here: Jesus is a trend-buster. He’s not like everybody. He’s not like anybody. [10] Every man does this - but YOU… I.e. Everybody else does this. Everybody else thinks this. But Jesus is like nobody else. He doesn’t think that way. He’s not going along w the crowd. Not cutting corners, or settling for anything less than God’s best. And now, if you’ve trusted in Him, He lives inside you. And He wants to live thru you - if you’ll let Him.
In fact, let’s not miss what John says Jesus did here: He manifested His glory [11]. Shined a spotlight on it, made it clear and visible and front-and-center. His breathtaking greatness and goodness. This is what God’s been doing since the very creation of the universe, putting on a show of galactic greatness that we only need open our eyes to see. What is He wanting to do in us? [1Cor 10.31] Show off His glory. Shine a spotlight on it. In how many things to be glorified? All things. And sometimes, God Himself shines a HUGE spotlight on it. That’s what John says happened here. The Son of God revealed His glory. First sign. First glory. And His disciples believed. He is breathtakingly great! Do you believe?
Some background...
The wedding ceremony is considered a serious religious event, while the wedding feast is considered a fun, lively celebration for the couple. It is expected and required for the guests to bring joy and festivities to the couple on their wedding day. “One of the holiest days of a person’s life…”
Referenced verses:
John 16:24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
James 4:2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.
Phil. 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
1Cor. 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Col. 1:29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
1Cor. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
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