Don't Forget to Invite Jesus To Your Wedding! John 2:1-12

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine

2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

Now that Jesus has called some of his disciples, he begins his public ministry.  In John's gospel Jesus' miracles were called "signs".  Keeping with the theme that John's primary purpose was to prove that Jesus was the Son of God, the signs point to that reality. 

Jesus' first sign happens at a wedding in Cana.  The fact that Jesus and his disciples were invited to this wedding shows us something about how he was perceived by his fellow Jews.

"This is the first of many stories suggesting that Jesus was always welcome among those having a good time. Jesus didn’t spoil the good time, and in the Jewish culture of that day a wedding was the best party of all." (Guzik)

We also see that John notes that Jesus' mother is there and there is no mention of Jesus' father, Joseph.  Most conclude that Joseph had already died, which also gives credence to why Jesus spent 18 years in Nazareth, possibly supporting his mom.  It might have been that when Jesus' younger brothers and sisters were older that he could justify leaving home. (Barclay)

Mary informs Jesus that the family had run out of wine, which would have been a huge social "faux pas" in Jesus' culture. Though Jesus is not wanting to display his power yet, his mom insists and tells the servants that they should do whatever Jesus says.  Seemingly Mary had an idea and a confidence that Jesus could do this miracle, or she wouldn't have asked him.  This could lead us to believe Jesus had done some supernatural things before this occasion that his mom had witnessed.  

Another view was that Mary might have expected Jesus to do something like this, because she knew he was the Messiah.  This view would suggest that the sooner her son did something in alignment with what the Messiah would do, the sooner she could vindicate her birth out of wedlock.  She had heard John the Baptist's words about him and also had seen the Holy Spirit descend upon him at his baptism. Although Mary's recorded words in the bible are few, they always show her pointing to Jesus and pointing away from herself.  

The six ceremonial water jars were huge, holding 20 gallons each.  They were used for Jewish purification rituals.  Jesus gives the servants a role in this sign.  The servants obeyed Jesus and filled the ars to the brim which dismisses the idea the theory that Jesus had added wine to the water.  

Jesus asks the servants to draw some of the wine out and bring it to the master of the banquet.  To do this would have taken faith on their part, as the master of the banquet would have been quite upset if they had brought him only water.  The master confirms that not only is it wine, but it is wine of the highest quality.  Usually the expenisive wine was given out first and after the guests had their full the cheaper wine came out.

How did Jesus turn the water into wine?  Like any miracle the laws of nature can be suspended, or in this case they might have just been SPED UP.  

“In order for wine to be produced, we have the growth and ripening of the grape; the crushing of it in proper vessels; the fermentation; — but here all these are in a moment brought about by their results, by the same Power which made the laws of nature, and created and unfolded the capacities of man.” (Alford)

The whole event puts the bridegroom in a great position.  Running out of wine would have been a great embarrasment, but bringing out this large amount of wine of the highest quality made the groom look really good!  Jesus saved him his embarrasment.  

Then, we come to the key verse in the story when the master of the banquet says, "You have saved the best for last!"

"There is a principle behind these words; the principle that for the people of God, the best is always yet to come." (Guzik)

The ceremonial jars could be seen as representing the Law.  Yet, the water for cleansing did not last. It too would run out.  The water turning wine represents the Law being replaced by the gospel.  God saved the best for last when Jesus fulfilled all of the requirements of Law so by his once and for all sacrifice we would never need the water from the jars, but the sweet wine of the gospel.   

This was the first of the signs that revealed Jesus as the one and only Son of God but there were many more to come!

It what ways does Jesus represent the best that was yet to come? How did the servants play an important role in this first sign?  How can you be Jesus' servant today being part of the miracles he continues to do?  When  you run out of wine (or whatever that might mean for you) who do you turn to?  Like Jesus' mom do you "do whatever he tells you to do?"