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Are you believing?

John 2:1-12

"On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 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 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.”

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.

After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days."

The miracle of Jesus turning water into wine here "was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory."

In John 1:18, we learn that God has been revealed.

In John 1:34, we learn that John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is God's Chosen One and that the Holy Spirit came upon him.

In John 1:48, we learn that Jesus is Omniscient by seeing Nathaniel under the fig tree before his brother called him.

In John 1:51, we learn that Jesus claims to be God and expects worship.

Now, in John 2:9, we learn that Jesus turns water into wine, showing his Omnipotence over matter.

The result of this miracle is belief in Jesus. Verse 11 says, "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."

Notice that this is the first of signs that Jesus through which Jesus revealed his glory AND his disciples believed in him.  This does not necessitate that this is the first mitacle that Jesus did in his lifetime.  Mary, the mother of Jesus seems to believe that Jesus can perform a miracle.  Perhaps Jesus had already performed miracles at home.  Mary certainly knew that the birth of Jesus was a miracle.  Notice that Mary puts Jesus on the spot.

Mary goes to Jesus right away and brings him the problem.  Jesus' reaction is two fold.  First he asks why she involves him in this problem.  Then Jesus states that his time has not yet come.  By saying that his time has not yet come, Jesus is saying to his mother, 'I know and you know that I can work a miracle, it is just not the time for me to do that yet.'

Then Mary puts Jesus on the spot.  Instead of arguing with him, she tells the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do.  Imagine being put on the spot like that.  First, you are just a guest at the wedding.  They run out of wine, and now you are standing there with all the waiters standing there waiting for you to tell them what to do to supply wine for the wedding reception.

Jesus figured out a way to do this without bringing a lot of attention to himself.  He told the servants to fill some stone containers with water.  By the way, it notes her that these containers held between 120 and 180 gallons of water.  The when some was drawn out and taken to the master of the banquet, it turned into wine.  And it wasn't the cheap stuff either.  It was the finest wine possible, and the banquet could have gone on for a week with that much wine.  

This is the first SIGN in the Book of John.  The signs were given so that you may believe as it says in John 20:30-31,

"Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

Jesus' disciples believed in him already. That is why they followed him.  This miracle helped them to continue believing in him.  

Are you believing in Jesus?

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