A Miraculous Opportunity: The Wedding at Cana

  

A Miraculous Opportunity: The Wedding at Cana

John 2:1-11 ESV

 

Today our message is from the book of John - Chapter Two. It is here that the first miracle of Jesus’ ministry takes place, at the wedding in Cana. 

 

While Jesus was in Galilee, He, His family, and His disciples attended a wedding in Cana, a Roman province. Let us read this together.

 

John 2:1-5 ESV

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

 

Before we go any further, it is important for us to understand the cultural norms during this time. 

 

• Weddings were a big celebration in the Jewish culture. The celebration spanned about 7 days, with lots of food and wine. The fathers of both the bride and the groom were responsible for providing food and wine for the wedding guests during the entire event. 

• It was a normal custom and expectation for there to be wine served every day. If the hosts could not provide wine for the entire wedding then they would be looked down upon. If one could not provide wine then you were looked at as poor or as holding back. Either way, it would bring great shame on the host families, along with the newly wedded couple. 

• Understanding this, it makes sense why Mary was so concerned when they had run out of wine. Considering the fact that she most likely knew one or both of the families getting married gives even more credence to why she called on her son, Jesus.

• It is also important to remember that Jesus and His family were from Nazareth. The city of Nazareth was a small, obscure, and most likely poor town. It would not be a stretch to imagine that the family or friends involved in this wedding, whether poor or not, were only able to afford the minimum provision.

 

This deepens our understanding of why Mary goes to Jesus for help. 

 

Even Mary, His mother, went to Jesus for help in a time of need. How much more should we? When we find ourselves in a time of need, it is an opportunity to go to Jesus for His help. His response may not be exactly what you were expecting. How He does it may not be the way you imagined. However, Jesus will help. That is what He did in Mary’s case. In fact, Mary expected for Jesus to help. She tells the servants at the wedding to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. You may not know how He is going to do it, but you can be confident that He will do it.

 

Let’s continue reading:

 

John 2:6-11 ESV

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

 

So, Jesus performs a wonderful miracle by turning water into wine. The master of the feast tries the new wine and it stuns him with how good it was. It ultimately saved the reputation of the host families involved, if not boosted their reputation as well. It was a miracle! Jesus literally turned water, regular old H-20, into fermented wine. This Is impossible for anyone to do, except for Jesus of course. 

 

However, in order to provide the wine, Jesus needed water (in this specific context). Jesus did not go and fetch the water Himself. So where did the water come from? It came from a group of ordinary servants. Jesus tells these servants to fill the jars with water. V7 - “Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.””

 

Now, Jesus could have gotten water from any source. He could have made the water just appear in the jars, He could have had a donkey fetch the water for Him, He could have made it rain, or He could have even created a modern day water hose with a spigot and water line and a full duct system, etc. I admit that the last option might be a little far fetched, but He could have done it if He wanted to. Nevertheless, that is not what He did. 

 

Instead, Jesus chose to use people. He chose to use people like you and me. He could have done it any other way, but He chose to use people. God chooses to use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary miracles.In fact, those servants were critical to the success of His plan. He needed water. It was the job of these servants to find some water and fill the 30 gallon jars with it. I wonder how long it took? Where did they find the water? How did they transport that water? I don’t know, but they did it. In fact, it says in verse 7 that, “they filled them up to the brim.” They got the job done and they did it without hesitation, without question, and in a timely manner.. 

 

This wouldn’t be the last time that Jesus would use people to accomplish His plan. Whether it was:

- The boy who had 5 loaves and 2 fish (John 6)

- Zacchaeus who was climbed in a sycamore tree (Luke 19)

- The disciples when Jesus told them to go into all the world (Matthew 28)

- Saul, later known as the apostle Paul, who was knocked off his horse on his way to persecute Christians (Acts 9)

 

There were many more who God used to accomplish His will.

 

In the same way, God uses people like you and me to accomplish miracles in the lives of others. He could accomplish His will on His own. He doesn’t need us, He could end it all today and take those of us who have placed our faith in Him to paradise. That is what we would do! It must be so difficult having to accomplish His plan with the people He has at His disposal. We are not always easy to deal with! However, He is more gracious than we are.

 

So, why? Why does God choose to use people like us? Why not just do it Himself? I believe it is because God wants to give us an opportunity to participate. You see, the servants in this account played a part in the miracle that day. While those servants had to fetch the water to fill the 30-gallon jars needed for Jesus to perform Hismiracle, that was not the only thing they had to do. They were also told: 

 

“8 Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it.” 

 

That required the servants to take a step of faith. They drew out some water to take to the master of the feast. They knew that what was in the cup was water. How was it going to be turned into wine? However, Jesus didn’t need them to worry about that, He just needed them to take the cup to the master of the feast. Just like that (snap), the water was now wine. When did it turn to wine? I have no idea. But, what I do know is that by playing their part, by doing what Jesus asked them to do, they were able to participate in a bonafide miracle.

 

When we do our part, God gives us a chance to participate in a miraculous opportunity. He gives us opportunities to be a part of His plan for someone else’s life. How is God going to do it? I have no idea. But I know that if we do our part, He is going to take care of the rest. Doing your part may be:

- Telling someone about Jesus

- Sharing your testimony

- Finding your place of service in church

- Going on a missions trip

- Partnering financially 

- Forgiving your spouse

- Showing grace to a friend

- Etc.

 

Whatever your part may be, do it knowing that God will follow through on His.

 

 

Takeaways:

 

1. Go to Jesus in your time of need

i) Mary went to Jesus when in a time of need.

ii) Like Mary, we too should go to Jesus when we are in need.

iii) Rather than stressing and complaining about your situation, take it to the Lord.

Hebrews 4:16 - “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

iv) Jesus will help you in your time of need. He does not want to leave you like those empty jars.

v) Jesus took those old, dry, and empty jars and filled them with water all the way to the brim. Jesus will do the same thing in your life. He wants to fill you up all the way to the brim. 

vi) And then Jesus wants to turn that water into wine. He wants to take what is ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary. He just needs you to seekHim.

vii) Go to Jesus in your time of need and He will do a miracle in your life.

2. Do whatever Jesus tells you to do

i) Mary told the servants to do whatever Jesus askedthem to do.

ii) Jesus uses people to help bring about miracles in other people’s lives

iii) Like the servants who fetched the water, we too must do our part by listening and obeying.

iv) Your obedience is necessary for God to fulfill His plan in someone else’s life

3. Trust Him by faith

i) The servants took a step of faith by drawing water from a jar and taking it to the master of the feast.

ii) That had to take some serious faith, but they did it.

iii) Like those servants, we too should trust Jesus and take a step of faith.