On Sunday
mornings we are taking a look at the life of Christ; His birth, His ministry,
His death, resurrection and ascension to Heaven. I will try to post weekly
notes from
Sunday's sermon in case you were unable to attend.
Sunday, February
16th A Wedding in Cana John 2:1-11
How foolish I am! I always thought this narrative was simply about a miracle,
water changed to wine. Guess I never took the time to look at what John was
saying. I've heard a million (or at least quite a few) sermons about this
wedding, but until I looked at it for myself I kept missing what the Lord
wanted me to see. Maybe that is a big enough lesson.
There is so much symbolism in this account. It even begins with the
first hint of a deeper meaning.
- John 2:1 starts, “On the third day..." Remind you of anything?
- There is meaning in the thirsty crowd at this wedding. Isn’t this
a picture of the lost world today? They are tasting the world’s pleasures but
finding no personal satisfaction, and any fulfillment they have eventually runs
out.
- What about the ceremonial stone jars that were used? Ceremonial jars
used for a new purpose. Empty waterpots like the human heart, hard and empty
until the message of Christ makes it new.
- Jars that are filled with simple water, water for washing. But as
the Bible states, water is an image of the Word of God. How are we saved? Ephesians 5:26 “…having cleansed her by the
washing of water with the word.”
- Look at what the servants did. All they had to do was fill the
empty waterpots with water. Like you and I, servants of God, He uses us to fill
the heart of the unbeliever with the Word. It’s not our job to save souls, but it is our job to give people the
Word and let Christ perform the miracle of salvation.
- And then the Messiah changes water to wine… law to grace, old
covenant to new covenant, and sinners to saints.
I've heard it taught that this story is about a simple miracle AND
it is about the endorsement of wine and alcohol, or the affirmation of marriage
since Christ was in attendance and even a discussion of how Jesus treated His
mother. Yes, all these things are in this passage, but I believe the message is
in the final verse...
John 2:11 This, the first of his signs,
Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples
believed in him.
What were the results of
this sign? Two things happened.
1.) Jesus revealed his glory and
2.) His
disciples put their faith in him.
I am sure the disciples
did not fully understand the sign at the moment. But I wonder, if when Jesus
held a cup of wine at the Last Supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in
my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20), if any of them
remembered the wedding in Cana where old covenant water became new covenant
wine, where the jars that were used for ceremony were used for something new.
The Lamb came to fulfill the Mosaic Law and exchange it for the law of grace.
He would fulfill ceremonial cleansing with complete, spiritual, and eternal
cleansing with his own blood on the cross.
And what a wonderful
sign this is for us. We do not need animal sacrifices and ceremonial cleansing
water because Jesus has poured out his blood as the final and perfect sacrifice
for our sins. We have complete forgiveness and cleansing because we’ve been
washed in the blood of the Lamb. This is no trivial miracle to satisfy the
thirst of partygoers but it is a clear magnificent message, which glorified the
Son to all who had eyes to see.
Don’t forget these signs, the symbols that are
here. John is presenting his case to you:
Just who is Jesus and why should I
believe on Him?
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