Nate is exploring the countryside of Bulgaria

Water to Wine 

John 2:1-12 

“Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the water pots with water.’ So they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.’ So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘every man serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” 

We are about to explore Jesus’ first recorded miracle. There are some very cool insights here. But first, let’s be reminded of the writer’s purpose for writing the book of John. It is both apologetic (to provides “proofs” or evidence) and evangelistic, (to lead the readers to salvation). These purposes are provided in 20:31 which says,  

“but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, (apologetics) and that believing you may have life in His name,” (evangelistic).

By reading the gospel of John with our heart, our intellect, reason and historical context, we should conclude as the centurion did at the foot of the cross, “surely this is the Son of God.” But John doesn’t stop there. The goal isn’t simply to convince through evidence and proofs who Jesus is but to advance the reader to new life and belief that is anchored in saving faith. 

The story of Jesus at the wedding in Cana is the first of eight distinct miracles that John records with the purpose of providing evidence of Jesus’ identity as the Son of God. Three days before the wedding, Jesus called his first 5 disciples: Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael and John. Jesus, his mother and the disciples were invited to a wedding. This event transitions Jesus from his family life of 30 years into 3 years of ministry; the road to the cross. 

The wine runs out. Jesus’ mother asks him to help. He says “my hour has not yet come”. Perhaps this is also a transition of submission to his parents to absolute submission to God, the Father. This submission to the Father culminates on the cross in “not my will, but thine.”  

This is somewhat confusing to me in that Jesus says it’s not my time but then he soon after solves the problem. But perhaps He meant the time for everyone to see and know has not come.  Because the text makes it clear that He did it in such a way that only the servants and his disciples knew what happened. It wasn’t the kind of miracle that was evident to everyone. It was a narrowly focused miracle and the text indicates it was only intended for a few, including his disciples. 

He told the servant to fill the pots with water. The servants did it, the disciples heard Jesus tell them and everyone else said “where did this wine come from”? No spectacle, no fanfare, but a powerful sign of His Deity. Only the lowest class (the servants) were direct witnesses to the miracle. This is the beginning of the signs of Jesus validating who He really is, and it started among the lowest class of people and his disciples, who were common people as well.  

Jesus revealed himself first not to the kings and religious leaders but to the servants.  

Thank you, Lord, that you care for the lowest of the low. Help me to do the same, after all, who am I anyway to think I’m above anyone else? Thank you also that you have a heart to create something significant (rich wine of the highest quality) out of plain water. Like the servants, I am a witness of your creative power to do this in my life and others. Praise you!!! Thank you!!!