The Glory in a Transformation

Since I am a guy, wedding days are not the days I look forward to the most in my ministry.  Don’t get me wrong, I have performed many wedding ceremonies and most of the ones I’ve performed have been good times, but men just aren’t into weddings as much as ladies are now.  Apparently, it was different in Jesus’ day.  Weddings were often the highlight of a community.  Family on both sides, including very extended family, joined together with friends and neighbors for a celebration which could last days.

Jesus and His mother went to a wedding feast and a few of Jesus’ new disciples came along.  It looks like, at this point in Jesus’ ministry, He only had five disciples.  Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip, Nathanael and John might have been the only disciples at this party with Jesus when He performed His first miracle.  Counting the servants present, there may have been as few as ten people aware of this great sign.

John 2:1-2 (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.

Because Cana was only about 8 miles away from Nazareth, the people getting married were probably friends of Jesus’ family or perhaps even relatives. Even so, these people did not know what power and glory would be on display in their home on that day.  Some probably were never aware at all.

John 2:3-5 (ESV) 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.”

Jesus’ mother, Mary, simply stated a fact.  She made an observation.  She spoke no question.  Yet, Jesus perceived the question in His mother’s heart.  His answer is surprising to us in these modern times.  It almost looks rude.  Yet, when you study the context closely, Jesus’ response was a term of endearment along with an acknowledgment that it was not yet time to reveal the glory of Who He was.  His mother knew.  She had no doubt.  She simply told the servants to get ready for something big.  If we will “do whatever He tells us”, we will also be preparing ourselves for Him to work in a big way in our lives.

John 2:6-7 (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.

Did the servants hear what dilemma was being addressed?  They’re running out of wine and the party isn’t even close to over.  This is going to be a huge embarrassment to this family and it would be horrifying to start your marriage out as a laughing stock among your friends.  So, Jesus’ answer is to fill up some water jars used for ceremonial cleansing.  The might have thought, “What?  Wine and washing.  How do these two things go together?” 

I wonder if they may have thought, “This Jesus, being a spiritual teacher, must believe the embarrassment coming their way is due to a sin they need to wash away.  He’s going to tell them they need to get right with God.  This curse is their own doing.”

John 2:8-10 (ESV) 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.”

“He wants us to… WHAT?”  Jesus was telling them to take some water from some dirty old washing pots and give it to the caterer, the man in charge of this party and in charge of all the refreshments.  This man was a professional wine taster and Jesus was telling these servants to give him water to taste in the place of wine.  Most servants would have feared a reprimand at the least.  Yet, They did just what Jesus said.  

How many times do you sense Jesus telling you to do something which makes no sense?  There are times in my ministry when I question what I thought I heard Him say.  The only question we should ask ourselves is, “Am I sure this is what Jesus wants me to do?”  If so, we should do it.

To their amazement, the master of the ceremony doesn’t curse them, but calls the bridegroom over to congratulate him on such good wine and such a wonderful plan to save the best until last.

John 2:11 (ESV) 11  This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Here we find out what all this means. Jesus transformed water into wine. The water in those jars and the ritual of purification it was used in was inadequate. The water was not what the people wanted to celebrate with. The purification ritual was not what it took to truly become spiritually clean.

These jars were set outside a house or a compound and people coming to the party would wash their hands not for the purpose of cleanliness.  They were washing their hands to show they were purifying themselves either from sin or from coming in contact with Gentiles or the things they touch.  No ritual truly cleanses the heart.  No person is clean spiritually based upon their bloodline.

Jesus transformed what was inadequate into what was glorious.  The wine tasted great and was great to be used at this time in the party.  Even more importantly, the wine would someday represent His blood.  What was used by men to cleanse themselves was inadequate, but Jesus’ blood would be used in the most glorious of ways to cleanse us of our sins.

This is not merely called a “miracle” here.  It is called a sign.  Signs point to something.  This sign revealed Jesus’ identity, the glory of Who He is.  Who can change the molecular structure of water and make it become wine?  Only the Creator.  Jesus’ glory existed before time.  And, here a few people got a glimpse of His glory at that wedding party.

The only hope we have is the transformation power of Jesus to change us from the inadequate (those who have fallen short) into the children of God (those who will see His glory in heaven).  Only the forever Son of the Living God can do this.

I watched a young lady discover Jesus’ transformational power just last night. She came to Him broken and ashamed, maybe even angry.  She met Jesus and walked away with peace, comfort and a new everlasting, abundant life.  There is nothing more glorious!

If you need this, feel free to contact me.  I would love to help you.

In Jesus’ grace,
Pastor Jerry Jeter