Water to Wine
John 2:1-12
John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
8 miles North of Nazareth
wedding (Jewish Wedding)
In Jesus’ day, Jewish wedding celebrations lasted for an entire week.
During which time relatives and close friends would stay in the home of the bride and groom …as sort of a family reunion / 7 day wedding party.
During this seven-day celebration, the bride would be pampered & tucked away in a secluded part of the house… the newly married couple were treated like a king and queen / like royalty for the entire week.
For most… this week was the only week of vacation in there entire life. It was to be the best week of there lives!
The bride would not be seen by anyone but her groom. Then at the end of the week, she would emerge with great fanfare and celebration.
John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
Jesus came with his disciples that we read about in John 1
3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”
To fail to provide wine like this… for your family & guests … at a wedding… would have been a social disgrace, a social DISASTER for this couple.
In the closely knit communities of Jesus’ day such an error would NEVER be forgotten, and would haunt this newly married couple for their entire lives.
4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”
NIV– Dear woman what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”
We’re concerned about different things!
Luke 1:28 “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
But for 30 years Mary was the subject of speculation and slander, raised eyebrows and wagging tongues.
Defending their own righteousness, the Pharisees smugly declared to Jesus, “We were not born of fornication” -John 8:41, the implication being that Jesus was.
For thirty years, Mary had lived with the knowledge that her character was being unjustly maligned.
If people could see who Jesus really was… then they would at last see the truth about who she really was as well!
4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”
This phrase appears (7 times in John) & refers to Jesus’ death and resurrection (7:30, 8:20, 12:23,27, 13:1, 17:1).
The Bible teaches that Jesus was on a divine schedule decreed by His Father.. before the foundation of the world.
5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.“
These are the last recorded words of Mary!
That’s significant!
6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.
six waterpots of stone
120 -180 gallons of water (150)
That’s a lot of wine!
Q. Why would Jesus provide 150 gallons of wine for this wedding ?
A. Remember this is not an (afternoon or evening) wedding but a week long celebration!
We need to understand… that there’s a bigger picture attached to this specific SIGN! (We read in verse 11 that this is the first SIGN that Jesus performed manifesting his Glory!)
7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
To refill these six stone water pots , each of which could hold 20 to 30 gallons would require the servants to make many, many trips to the town well and back, considering that their smaller water jars might hold a gallon or two.
When they finished, they would have reported back to Jesus that they were now filled.
8 And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.
Didn’t make sense… but they did it… an when they obeyed Jesus… something miraculous happened!!
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.
Notice – It’s the servants that witnessed this miracle!
10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, & manifested His glory; & His disciples believed in Him.
7 Signs
John 20:31 But these are written (recorded) in order that you may BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah), the Son of God, and that through BELIEVING and cleaving to and trusting and relying upon Him you may have life through (in) His name
12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
20 Miles to Capernaum
There is a Message in the Hebrew wedding….
It’s a PROPHETIC message!
There is a Message in Jesus attending this wedding in Cana.
- Jesus wasn’t too busy to spend time with friends & family.
- Jesus approved of a public Marriage Ceremony surrounded by friends and family…. first by His PRESENCE & secondly by His PROVISION.
- Wise is the couple who invites Jesus to there marriage. (Behind the scenes Jesus turned a disastrous situation into a SIGN.)
There is a Message in the servants that applies to all of us… as followers of Jesus we’re ALL called to serve
- Hard working
- Served with excellence
- One step at a time
- Faith
- Cooperated with the Lord
- Saw the miracle
There is a Message here in the water turned to wine.
Drinking wine is not a SIN.
Psalm 104:14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth, 15 and wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengthens man’s heart.
Biblically… Wine is a blessing from God
Drinking wine is not a sin! Drunkenness is SIN!
It’s when men abuse the the good gifts that God gives us that it becomes sin.
- Sex
- Work
- Children (Context of this miracle / water to wine!)
- Moses 1st sign- He turned water into blood (Death)
- Jesus 1st sign- He turned water into wine. (Life & Joy)
The fine wine was a SIGN that Kingdom of God had come!
Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine– the best of meats and the finest of wines.
There is a Message in the drab water in the 6 stone water pots being transformed into wine.
It’s a message of TRANSFORMATION!
It’s a SIGN of why Jesus came!
6 is the number of man
Jesus came to TRANSFORM our drab lives…giving us abundant, joyful lives! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Luke 22:17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me