What is the big deal about Jesus changes water into wine?

16th May, 2010

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

John 2:1-12

Main Idea: Water is changed to wine revealed the glory of Jesus.

Objectives: a). To teach that miracle always reveals the glory of Jesus. b). To challenge the congregation to do the mission that Jesus has done on earth.

A. Introduction

- I believe we are all attracted by miracles. We believe in miracles, otherwise, we cannot be here praying to God in the name of Jesus and listening to sermons and worshipping God. We believe in the miracles of the resurrection of the dead, the resurrection of Jesus, for example.

- For us Christians, as disciples of Jesus, all miracles must lead us to believe in God in the person of Jesus and obey Him and He is glorified.

- By no means, miracle performers are glorified. If we do so, then, we face the danger of making a person God/ deify a person/ make a person deity. This is against the first and second commandments.

- Let us take a close look at the miracle of Jesus changes water into wine and how it glorifies Him.

B. The first powerful miracle of Jesus – Changes water into wine.

- The context was a Jewish wedding feast. It was a custom even among poor people because the guests brought gifts, including provisions. Jesus and his disciples would have been viewed as family for this purpose. However, they had no gifts to bring along. That would have caused Jesus’ mother, Mary to draw his attention to the situation. It was hardly a plea for a miracle, but he had some responsibility for it, and surely he could do something to meet it!

- Jesus’ reply was in verse 4, “Dear woman, why do you involve me?...”My time has not yet come.” This is probably Jesus also shares his mother’s concerns. And here, the hour refers to his task of bringing the kingdom of God, which will climax in his death and resurrection. The work of bringing God’s kingdom has been given by his Father, and the Father alone can determine when it begins, not his mother.

- The instrument used in meeting the need of wine is clearly significant in a Jewish setting. Jars of water originally designed for the purpose of ritual cleansing for people who come to the wedding feast, now, after Jesus prayed over them, they become jars of wine for the purpose of celebrating the mercies of God. Among the holy, pious Jews, wine was almost exclusively used for religious purposes.

- As I meditate on the passage, I asked the question, “What is the big deal about Jesus changes water into wine?” The answer is found in verse 11, “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.”

- What is the big deal? The miracle of changes water into is to manifest the glory of Jesus. This great account of the first display of glory of Jesus by miraculously providing enough wine in an embarrassing situation may point to the full salvation that Jesus come to bring. As people were distressed from the situation of embarrassment, from no wine, John, the author wanted to use the provision of wine to testify for Christ’s saving mission in the world. This, Jesus knew right from the beginning. And He focused on it and he even used this miracle to show it.

- Please take note that the result of the miracle, the wine, is for everybody, all the peoples who come to the wedding feast. The wine here symbolizes the kingdom of God, the eternal life, which Jesus offers is for everybody. Eventually, this eternal life is made known to Nicodemus in Chapter 3.

C. Applications

- Let us not just become amazed by this miracle, by all means, let it impacts our life.

- Firstly, you can see that miracles have their godly purpose. A miracle that is performed by God must glorify Him, not any other human being. This is our Christian theology. It must always draw people to God in the person of Jesus, especially salvation in Christ. In this wine miracle, verse 11 says, “…Jesus disciples put their faith in him.” Otherwise, all miracles will remain as mere satisfaction of our human desire for entertainment, not more than a cinema show!

- Secondly, the wine miracle shows that Jesus is glorified in order to show mission in this world. He showed the miracle to demonstrate God’s power in providing salvation. Right from the beginning, he had this mission in his mind. He is full of strong sense of mission. All his miracles recorded and not recorded point all human beings to salvation in God; get people to worship God; get people to become disciples of Jesus. Will the choir presentation; choir ministry which we want to begin again show people the path to God; salvation in God?

- The wine miracle must help us to be like Jesus to be full of strong sense of missions on earth. Do you live for Jesus sense of mission on earth? If you do, you will great transformation in life. If you live for yourself, and yourself only, you will have no answers for your problems of selfishness, greed, hatred, anger, etc.

- Thirdly, “your life can change water into wine.” I put this sentence in quote and unquote. What it means is this, our lives can impact others life as hold dear the mission of Jesus to your heart. As you sacrifice for Jesus, people will be impacted by your life, as you give yourself to others. As you give yourself to others, you become a miracle, you change water into wine.

D. Conclusion

- Can all that you achieve in life be attributed to Jesus? If so, you are a miracle.