The Gospel of John
Chapter Two
The Wedding
Today as we continue our study of the Gospel of John,
we are going to consider the first miracle Jesus performed,
by turning water into wine at a wedding feast.
One thing I love about the way John wrote.
With most every event he records in his Gospel,
There are two layers of meaning.
The first layer we can call the surface layer.
The surface layer is where we can find meaning with usually just a
close reading.
The second layer we can call the significant layer.
The significant layer is where we dive into the cultural meaning to
what is occurring in a passage.
Both layers are full of truth.
We’ll look at both and then give you something to take home with
you.
John 2:1-11 Video
At first read there is an assumption that you can make.
John 2:3 (MSG)
When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus' mother told him, "They're just about out of wine."
As we read further we find out that Jesus meets the need.
Here’s the assumption,
If Jesus can turn water into wine to meet a need,
Certainly he can intervene in the circumstances of your life and
meet your need too.
Got it? Jesus can meet your need.
At first read there is a practical application in this passage.
John 2:5 (MSG)
She went ahead anyway, telling the servants, "Whatever he tells you, do it."
It’s a simple piece of advice.
Do whatever Jesus tells you.
Jesus has told his disciples how to live—
Do whatever it takes to live that way.
Jesus has told his disciples that there are things that are sin to them—
If Jesus says its sin, remove it from your life.
Jesus has told his disciples that there are things that produce
righteousness in their lives.
IF Jesus says it produces righteousness put it into practice.
Can it be any plainer?
At first read there is a profound truth that jumps out at us
John 2:11 (MSG)
This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
In our study of the Old Testament we came to understand that glory meant a
physical manifestation of the invisible God.
Here again we have a very similar meaning.
Glory is a physical sign of the presence of God.
John tells us that this is the first physical sign of the presence of God that Jesus
revealed to anyone who was looking.
What is this sign—Water turned into wine.
How do we interpret that sign?
There are several ways but I think that Jesus is revealing to us that He is the
Creator of all things.
In the normal course of things, water turns to wine—
Vineyards produce in growing season,
Grapes are harvested and processed
The result water from the sky has become wine.
What normally takes 3 months or more Jesus accomplished in a
spoken command.
The sign says see, Jesus as control over nature.
He has accomplished something only God could do.
The profound truth, Jesus is God.
We can close up shop and call it good right here.
Jesus can meet your need.
Do whatever he tells you.
And Why? Jesus is God.
Now lets dig a little deeper into this passage.
There are hidden meanings behind the stories that John tells us.
The meanings are hidden because we are so far removed from the time and
the culture of the original recipients of this gospel,
that things that were obvious for them are now obscure to us.
First Hidden message:
John 2:1-2 (MSG)
Three days later there was a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. Jesus and his disciples were guests also.
There was much more to a wedding than just “hitchin two youngins up”
The entire ceremony was full of both nationalistic and religious
expectations.
A wedding represented the continuance of the nation of Israel.
A new life would be born.
And with every union there was the hope this new life
might the Messiah.
So a wedding symbolized the continuance of the Jewish way of life.
Second Hidden message
John 2:3 (MSG)
When they started running low on wine at the wedding banquet, Jesus' mother told him, "They're just about out of wine."
Wine was more than just a beverage in Biblical times,
When life is at its best there is a harvest of fields full of grain,
And a harvest of grapes in the vineyard.
Wine represented the joy of a life filled with prosperity.
By telling us that the wine was running out is John’s way of telling us that
Life had gone out of Judaism.
At its religious best, it was no longer able to produce life.
Third Hidden message
John 2:6 (MSG)
Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings.
Ritual washing was a ceremony to make one clean.
To be clean in Jewish thought was to be righteous,
To be right with God.
They had a hand washing ritual that when performed made
them ceremonially clean.
There was a bathing ritual that made a person ceremonially
clean.
When we study the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ,
We are going to consider the symbolism of numbers.
The number I want to draw to your attention today is 7.
By the way do you know why 6 is afraid of 7?
6 is afraid of 7 because 7 ate(8) 9.
7 is a number that represents completion.
7 represents a completed work.
John gives us this detail—there are only 6 jars present for purification.
This is a statement that says Jewish ceremonial purification
is incomplete.
Judaism lacked something.
There is still a need for a savior.
Fourth Hidden message
John 2:6-7 (MSG)
Six stoneware water pots were there, used by the Jews for ritual washings. Each held twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus ordered the servants, "Fill the pots with water." And they filled them to the brim.
With knowing what is going to happen the pots being filled to the brim tell us that
something new was going to happen.
The old system had dried up, it had run its course,
It had accomplished everything it could.
The time had come for a new order that would bring life.
Also about this new order—6 pots, 20-30 gallons, that’s a lot of wine.
What it says is in this new order there will be enough for everyone.
A glorious superabundance of grace that results in life.
Fifth Hidden message
John 2:10 (MSG)
"Everybody I know begins with their finest wines and after the guests have had their fill brings in the cheap stuff. But you've saved the best till now!"
John is telling us that in Jesus the Old way can not even compare to the new way,
The wine we started with was good,
But now an even better vintage is being served.
A vintage of grace that leads to establishing right relationships.
The hidden message to John’s Jewish readers is
“Jesus has come to turn the imperfection of the Law into the perfection of
grace.”
John 2:11 (MSG)
This act in Cana of Galilee was the first sign Jesus gave, the first glimpse of his glory.
For those who looked only at the surface,
And for those who looked deeper,
One can see a physical manifestation of the presence of God.
Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.
The Word become flesh and blood,
And we beheld his glory.
The encounter brings with it a message,
And the message is the old way of life has run its course,
It can no longer deliver on its promises of
Fulfillment.
A new way of life has come, and if you follow,
You will live your life to the full.
There is no sense in hearing this message unless you are going to put it into
practice.
You are well aware of the difference between knowing the scripture
and doing the scripture.
Whatever your life is running low on,
At the wedding the wine was running out.
Joy was just about gone out of the party.
Whatever your life is running out of,
Jesus can replace it with something better.
In order for that to take place,
You will have to be one of his disciples.
And you become one of his disciples by
“Doing whatever he tells you to do.”
Doing whatever he tells you to do is a full on commitment.
It can’t be pick and choose obedience.
It’s all or failure.
Luke 9:62 (NIV)
No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."