JOHN CHAPTER 2, Part 1: MIRACLE MINISTRY BEGINS

Man’s Importunity becomes God’s Opportunity

New to this Inspititational Blog? Visit the Intro to understand what "God's Heart Beat" is about. https://his-heart-beats.blogspot.com/2019/11/what-makes-jesus-tick-in-spirational.html

As we study this chapter, remember that the intent is to learn what makes Jesus Tick, what motivates His actions and what He says, to understand why certain things are in God’s Holy Word. 

The first scene in this chapter is the wedding in Cana where Jesus turns water into wine. There are several thought provoking passages to understand and take to heart.

John 2:3   The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,

Paul MacDonald RN RMN MA Dipl

2   and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.

3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”

4   “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” [NLT]

Jesus uses this occasion to establish some basic principles, demonstrating who He is. Consider the following explanations:

•    Jesus’ ministry began in Chapter 1. His deity was proclaimed and people were watching Him. The responsibility for this ministry was solely on Him; He could not be a respecter of persons. Mary most probably was asking Him to do a miracle based on her concern for the reputation of the bridegroom who was responsible for the party. His ministry was about to unfold dramatically and Jesus wanted to make it clear that He took His direction from the Father alone. His meeting someone’s need could not be perceived to be due anything connected to his earthly family.
•    Matthew Henry explained, “The delays of mercy are not to be construed the denials of prayer. At the end it shall speak.” His hour had not come, possibly because there was still some wine. Until it was all gone the possibility of mixing the natural with the supernatural was there.
•    I think Jesus also wanted to demonstrate that Mary has no deity. He wanted to prevent that which the Roman church would later do that many consider as blasphemous idolatry. 

Obviously Mary recognized what Jesus was after and humbly responds,

 John 2:5   His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

The way that Jesus responds to the need is a great example of how man’s importunity becomes God’s opportunity to demonstrate His overly abundant love and provision.

 

Jesus’ first public miracle: Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

I’m sure this is a very familiar story to anyone reading this, but perhaps you never thought of it in this way.

John 2:6   Now there were set there six water pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.

7   Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.

8   And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.

9   When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.

10   “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!”

There were six pots, each holding about 25 gallons. That became 150 gallons of wine. The Bible doesn’t say how big a party this was but I suspect this is way more than necessary for the rest of the feast. It’s also important to note that Jesus didn’t make a big show of this miracle. He didn’t get everyone’s attention or say some fancy boisterous, hocus-pocus prayer. Only the servants that filled the pots with water and brought the transformed water to the wedding planner (the “master of the feast”) knew.

And more than that, verse 10 shows us that, as the saying goes, “God don’t make no junk.” This was fine wine, the good stuff. Jesus was demonstrating His love and power, but in a way that was directed to certain individuals with a specific goal:

John 2:11   This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

www.MDSASMA.BLOGSPOT.COM

PRAYER – Father, give us grace and opportunity to be channels for the manifestation of Your Glory; to see You do wonders and miracles through us with humility, taking no personal glory or fame. The goal is for people to believe in You, and to become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is irrelevant who You use to point the way. May we be as the wine in the water pots, good stuff, because You supernaturally transformed us from the ordinary to the extraordinary, from the carnal to the Spirit Filled, from the cast away to the called, chosen and faithful.