You can click HERE to read the passage.
Here are a few of my thoughts about this passage. I’d love to hear your thoughts – for those of you who are pondering along with me.
Jesus cares about people – Weddings were a BIG deal back in the day. Still are in fact. But even more so back then. In the small town of Cana this would have been THE social event of the year. People had been invited from all over the region. (Jesus and Mary were from Nazareth. His disciples were from Capernaum) Weddings lasted more than a few hours, as they do in our culture. The celebrations could go on for a week. And the bridegroom was responsible for the party, not the bride. It was his responsibility to make sure there was plenty of everything for all the guests to enjoy. It would be major embarrassment for the bridegroom if they ran out of wine to drink. But that is what happened here. Mary brings this to the attention of Jesus. And even though it is not His job to keep the wine stocked He does something about it anyway. Because He cared about the bridegroom and did not want him to look bad to his guests. In fact Jesus made him look really good.
Jesus took advantage of an opportunity that presented itself to “do something nice for someone” when he didn’t have to. And not only did it help the someone but it got people talking about Jesus. Sometimes when we do simple acts of kindness it will also get people talking about Jesus.
Jesus brings about radical transformation – There was a LOT of water at the wedding but no wine. The water was for ceremonial washings – which happened often. Why did Jesus tell the servants to “FILL the jars with water to the brim”? Because it was not unheard of for people to dilute the wine that they did have with water. So you ended up with watered down wine and served that as the party progressed. People did not notice so much because they were feeling the effects of the good wine served earlier. Jesus did not create a watered down version of wine. He created the real deal. He changed water to wine. He didn’t add wine to the water.
Jesus changes people. He takes a life and brings about LIFE. He is not an add on. And yet many people in our churches are confused about this. They believe that you can keep your old life and add Jesus to it. A little bit of Jesus makes you spiritually correct. NOT! Jesus doesn’t work that way. He wants your whole life. Hence, the hymn says “I surrender ALL,” not “I surrender some.” He doesn’t just make a person better, He makes them different. If your life is not different, if there has not been a change – then quite possibly you have not been changed.
Father, would you open my eyes today to the opportunities I will have to demonstrate kindness in Your name. And would You continue your work of transforming me more and more into the likeness of Your Son.
Next Week’s Passage: John 2:12-25
Jesus is the Lord of the believer’s banquet… He is our Bridegroom. He drank the cup of our salvation. He willingly gave all; as you point out, we owe Him nothing less.
Isaiah 25: 6 ff. NLT
In Jerusalem,* the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will spread a wonderful feast
for all the people of the world.
It will be a delicious banquet
with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.
7 There he will remove the cloud of gloom,
the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.
8 He will swallow up death forever!*
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.
He will remove forever all insults and mockery
against his land and people.
The Lord has spoken!
9 In that day the people will proclaim,
“This is our God!
We trusted in him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”