WEBVTT 00:00:00.110 --> 00:00:04.330 Well, we take some time now to go to God's Word. 00:00:05.450 --> 00:00:08.929 And so I invite you to open up to the Gospel 00:00:08.929 --> 00:00:17.109 according to John, John chapter 2. We are starting 00:00:17.109 --> 00:00:21.010 a new sermon series today on the miracles of 00:00:21.010 --> 00:00:27.769 Jesus. And as we're going to see, as we look 00:00:27.769 --> 00:00:32.399 at this, we're going to see a great purpose behind 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:36.060 these miracles that Jesus performs. They are 00:00:36.060 --> 00:00:39.079 really intended, yes, they're intended to help 00:00:39.079 --> 00:00:43.039 people who need healing. And yes, Jesus performed 00:00:43.039 --> 00:00:47.920 these incredible signs to help drive out evil 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:51.320 spirits. And yes, as we see in our text, this 00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:55.960 changing of the water to wine. But behind, underneath 00:00:55.960 --> 00:01:00.500 all of the miracles that Jesus does, is the purpose 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:04.060 that people would see and recognize and know 00:01:04.060 --> 00:01:08.000 that Jesus is the Christ. I think it's very telling 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:11.159 that within the gospel, according to John, the 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:13.739 word that is commonly used here is not the word 00:01:13.739 --> 00:01:20.019 miracle, but it's sign. Jesus' signs are significant. 00:01:20.819 --> 00:01:24.920 They were significant then, and they're significant 00:01:24.920 --> 00:01:29.209 now. And so let's give attention to this first 00:01:29.209 --> 00:01:33.670 one here, John chapter two, verses one through 00:01:33.670 --> 00:01:40.269 12. On the third day, there was a wedding at 00:01:40.269 --> 00:01:44.549 Cana in Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. 00:01:45.510 --> 00:01:48.549 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his 00:01:48.549 --> 00:01:51.549 disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother 00:01:51.549 --> 00:01:56.430 of Jesus said to him, they have no wine. And 00:01:56.430 --> 00:02:00.450 Jesus said to her, woman, what does this have 00:02:00.450 --> 00:02:05.769 to do with me? My hour has not yet come. His 00:02:05.769 --> 00:02:09.110 mother said to the servants, do whatever he tells 00:02:09.110 --> 00:02:14.650 you. Now, there were six stone water jars there 00:02:14.650 --> 00:02:17.990 for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding 00:02:17.990 --> 00:02:21.370 20 or 30 gallons. Jesus said to the servants, 00:02:21.569 --> 00:02:24.750 fill the jars with water. And they filled them 00:02:24.750 --> 00:02:28.110 up to the brim. And he said to them, now draw 00:02:28.110 --> 00:02:31.050 some out and take it to the master of the feast. 00:02:31.310 --> 00:02:34.150 So they took it. When the master of the feast 00:02:34.150 --> 00:02:37.310 tasted the water now become wine and did not 00:02:37.310 --> 00:02:39.189 know where it came from, though the servants 00:02:39.189 --> 00:02:42.189 who had drawn the water knew, the master of the 00:02:42.189 --> 00:02:45.330 feast called the bridegroom and said to him, 00:02:46.409 --> 00:02:50.030 everyone serves the good wine first. And when 00:02:50.030 --> 00:02:53.169 people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. 00:02:53.530 --> 00:02:58.370 but you have kept the good wine until now. This, 00:02:58.469 --> 00:03:02.849 the first of his signs Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, 00:03:03.030 --> 00:03:07.469 and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed 00:03:07.469 --> 00:03:11.490 in him. After this, he went down to Capernaum 00:03:11.490 --> 00:03:14.270 with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, 00:03:14.830 --> 00:03:17.949 and they stayed there for a few days. The grass 00:03:17.949 --> 00:03:20.310 withers and the flower fades, but God's word 00:03:20.310 --> 00:03:25.770 stands forever. Let's pray. Father, we thank 00:03:25.770 --> 00:03:31.150 you for your word. We thank you for this perfect, 00:03:31.669 --> 00:03:35.150 inerrant, and infallible, and life -giving word, 00:03:35.169 --> 00:03:39.669 and we ask that as we study this today, Lord, 00:03:39.969 --> 00:03:42.509 that you would be at work, that you would open 00:03:42.509 --> 00:03:45.729 up our hearts and our minds, Lord, to hear from 00:03:45.729 --> 00:03:50.349 you, to know that Jesus is the Christ, and to 00:03:50.349 --> 00:03:53.289 live for him always. These things we pray in 00:03:53.289 --> 00:04:04.000 his name. Amen. In the 1910s, liberalism was 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:08.580 on the rise in this country. Liberalism within 00:04:08.580 --> 00:04:14.939 churches. And so to combat that, some ministers 00:04:14.939 --> 00:04:19.399 of the gospel got together in the Northern Presbyterian 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:22.319 Church and they came up with what was called 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:27.379 the essential and necessary doctrines. They needed 00:04:27.379 --> 00:04:31.079 a safeguard against unbelief. For Christians, 00:04:31.139 --> 00:04:33.000 we're saying, I don't have to affirm what the 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:35.100 Bible says on this. I don't have to affirm what 00:04:35.100 --> 00:04:37.579 the Bible says on that. And so they said, no, 00:04:37.980 --> 00:04:42.300 we need some way to safeguard from that. And 00:04:42.300 --> 00:04:44.540 so they came up with these essential and necessary 00:04:44.540 --> 00:04:46.319 doctrines. And I'll tell you what those are in 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:53.399 just a second. But 14 years later, in 1924, a 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:58.860 group of supposed ministers of the gospel, in 00:04:58.860 --> 00:05:03.199 great number, 1 ,200 men said no to those things. 00:05:03.620 --> 00:05:08.339 They said, no, we don't need to affirm the inspiration 00:05:08.339 --> 00:05:10.800 and inerrancy of Scripture. No, we don't need 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:15.180 to affirm the virgin birth. No, we don't need 00:05:15.180 --> 00:05:17.959 to affirm substitutionary atonement. No, we don't 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:21.019 need to affirm the historical resurrection of 00:05:21.019 --> 00:05:23.959 Jesus, and those people said, we do not need 00:05:23.959 --> 00:05:31.579 to affirm the miracles of Jesus. Can you imagine 00:05:31.579 --> 00:05:35.879 denying those things and calling yourself a Christian? 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:43.699 I cannot. And yet, just as it happened in 1924, 00:05:44.589 --> 00:05:48.529 So it happens in our day that people deny these 00:05:48.529 --> 00:05:51.189 things, but this is clearly what the scriptures 00:05:51.189 --> 00:05:57.009 teach. And so we affirm them. We say that Jesus 00:05:57.009 --> 00:05:59.790 really performed the miracles that we're going 00:05:59.790 --> 00:06:04.329 to look out for the next ten or so Sundays, Lord 00:06:04.329 --> 00:06:09.410 willing. The miracles of Jesus showcased for 00:06:09.410 --> 00:06:15.019 us the power of God, the mercy of God. The signs 00:06:15.019 --> 00:06:20.660 of Jesus affirm to us who Jesus is as the Son 00:06:20.660 --> 00:06:25.100 of God and the Savior of sinners. The miracles 00:06:25.100 --> 00:06:32.819 of Jesus authenticate who he is. So this is what 00:06:32.819 --> 00:06:37.139 we're looking at. And you can see in John chapter 00:06:37.139 --> 00:06:41.259 two, this is the first of Jesus's signs. Looking 00:06:41.259 --> 00:06:44.759 into the context of this, Jesus in the prior 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:48.360 chapter had just chosen some of his disciples 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:51.560 there in chapter one. Now what's the first thing 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:55.120 you do with your disciples? Apparently you take 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:58.439 them to a wedding. Call it team building or something. 00:06:58.899 --> 00:07:01.319 And so they go to this wedding. It's in the city 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:04.360 of Cana in Galilee. And they don't crash the 00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:07.360 wedding, don't worry. It clearly says Jesus was 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.759 invited to this along with his mother. But let 00:07:10.759 --> 00:07:14.759 me tell you, I don't think that you've ever been 00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:18.839 to a wedding like this one. Now, that doesn't 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:21.259 mean that there was anything extremely special 00:07:21.259 --> 00:07:23.220 about this wedding, you know, except for the 00:07:23.220 --> 00:07:25.959 wine to water thing. But what I mean by that 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:30.259 is that weddings in Jesus' day in this place, 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:34.959 these celebrations would oftentimes go for as 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:39.600 long as a week. Can you imagine celebrating? 00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:45.560 a wedding for a week, not your wedding, but celebrating 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:47.759 the weddings of other people for a week, and 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:50.139 you thought it took a long time for the bridal 00:07:50.139 --> 00:07:55.639 party to take pictures. Here, we have this ongoing 00:07:55.639 --> 00:08:00.379 celebration, but the ongoing celebration takes 00:08:00.379 --> 00:08:06.980 a turn for the worse. Look in verse three. The 00:08:06.980 --> 00:08:14.120 wine runs out. the wine runs out. Friends, in 00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:17.339 Jesus' day at this time and this place, for the 00:08:17.339 --> 00:08:22.019 wine to run out, this was a big deal. This is 00:08:22.019 --> 00:08:26.220 a no -no. This would have brought extreme embarrassment 00:08:26.220 --> 00:08:31.600 upon the married couple, the couple to be married. 00:08:32.179 --> 00:08:34.759 This would have brought shame upon them. There 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:37.279 is even some evidence that there could have been 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:41.399 legal ramifications for not providing wine to 00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:44.220 last for the duration of the celebration. This 00:08:44.220 --> 00:08:48.620 is bad for this couple and especially bad for 00:08:48.620 --> 00:08:53.139 the groom. You see, hospitality was such a big 00:08:53.139 --> 00:08:56.179 deal. Hospitality in our day, I think it goes 00:08:56.179 --> 00:08:58.980 by the wayside. It's something we need to reclaim. 00:08:59.740 --> 00:09:04.519 But in Jesus' day, this was a big deal. Now you 00:09:04.519 --> 00:09:07.480 might say, well, a celebration that went on for 00:09:07.480 --> 00:09:12.740 a week with a lot of wine, you can see how that 00:09:12.740 --> 00:09:16.039 could be a problem. But in Jesus' day, wine was 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:18.860 often diluted because you can't imagine what 00:09:18.860 --> 00:09:22.340 celebration for a week would do to a person drinking. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:26.039 So it was diluted. But the purpose here then 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:29.080 of this scripture is not to promote drinking. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:34.100 That's not the main point. We know that drunkenness 00:09:34.100 --> 00:09:37.139 is sinful. Scripture speaks to that in many places. 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:40.080 But also see this, Scripture does not outlaw 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:44.580 alcohol. It does not. It does not hear, right? 00:09:45.340 --> 00:09:48.899 Wine actually within the Bible typically symbolizes 00:09:48.899 --> 00:09:53.960 joy. And a wedding is a joyous occasion. But 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:57.779 there's this problem. Where's the wine? And so 00:09:57.779 --> 00:10:01.960 Mary says this to Jesus. They're out of wine. 00:10:03.019 --> 00:10:06.159 There's urgency to this and so look in verse 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:09.480 4 for Jesus's response Jesus said her woman. 00:10:09.980 --> 00:10:13.899 What does this have to do with me now when we 00:10:13.899 --> 00:10:17.159 read that I don't know about you, but I'm wondering 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:20.559 something is Jesus being kind here is he being 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:25.139 polite Absolutely, we need to read this not just 00:10:25.139 --> 00:10:27.600 the way it comes through in the English We should 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:30.779 understand that when Jesus says this woman. This 00:10:30.779 --> 00:10:34.549 is a sign of respect This is a sign of being 00:10:34.549 --> 00:10:38.049 polite. This is a common expression. Matter of 00:10:38.049 --> 00:10:40.970 fact, do you remember Jesus on the cross when 00:10:40.970 --> 00:10:49.889 Jesus said, woman, behold thy son? We might say 00:10:49.889 --> 00:10:53.309 this is kind of like using the term ma 'am here. 00:10:53.350 --> 00:10:56.629 Or if you're using the NIV, I think it says dear 00:10:56.629 --> 00:11:01.389 woman to this effect. And so Jesus addresses 00:11:01.389 --> 00:11:05.470 his mother and then he says, what does this have 00:11:05.470 --> 00:11:11.110 to do with me? Now, again, this is Jesus's first 00:11:11.110 --> 00:11:14.450 sign. So it's not like Jesus grew up performing 00:11:14.450 --> 00:11:16.769 signs in the living room or something. Hey, mom, 00:11:16.769 --> 00:11:20.470 check this out. By no means. And so have you 00:11:20.470 --> 00:11:26.070 ever thought, what did Mary expect her son to 00:11:26.070 --> 00:11:32.659 do here? Did she expect a sign? I don't know. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:36.860 But I do think that Mary, we can say this, Mary 00:11:36.860 --> 00:11:42.059 has not forgotten who her son is. You remember 00:11:42.059 --> 00:11:45.299 the birth. You remember the announcement of the 00:11:45.299 --> 00:11:48.720 angels, right? You remember perhaps being in 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:51.919 the temple with Simeon, right? Mary, I believe, 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:57.509 is recalling who her son is here. Luke chapter 00:11:57.509 --> 00:12:01.110 2 says she treasured these things in her heart. 00:12:01.590 --> 00:12:04.789 And so she has not forgotten who Jesus is even 00:12:04.789 --> 00:12:09.590 if he has yet to show his glory. But the next 00:12:09.590 --> 00:12:12.490 part of what Jesus says I think is often misunderstood. 00:12:13.929 --> 00:12:20.490 My hour has not yet come. Here is the incorrect 00:12:20.490 --> 00:12:25.509 interpretation of that. That we think Jesus is 00:12:25.509 --> 00:12:29.840 saying Mom, I'm not doing anything about this. 00:12:30.259 --> 00:12:34.899 My time is not now to perform signs. That's not 00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:38.179 the correct view. The correct view is Jesus, 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:41.840 when he says that, he's not talking about the 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:46.620 miracles. He's talking about his death. He's 00:12:46.620 --> 00:12:51.679 saying, it is not my hour to suffer. It is not 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:55.279 my hour to give up my blood. for my blood to 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:59.139 be shed on the cross. It is not time for that 00:12:59.139 --> 00:13:04.519 yet. And I think I can prove this to you by looking 00:13:04.519 --> 00:13:07.399 at some other scripture in John. If you would 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:19.379 like to flip over to John 12, 23. Considering 00:13:19.379 --> 00:13:24.700 the words the hour. John 12 23 and Jesus answered 00:13:24.700 --> 00:13:29.980 them the hour has come for the Son of Man to 00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:34.820 be glorified and then jumped down to verse 27 00:13:34.820 --> 00:13:38.039 now is my soul troubled and what shall I say 00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:42.240 father save me from this hour but for this purpose 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:45.159 I have come to this hour jumped down to chapter 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:49.519 13 verse 1 now before the feast of the Passover 00:13:49.769 --> 00:13:53.629 When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart 00:13:53.629 --> 00:13:56.309 out of this world to the Father, having loved 00:13:56.309 --> 00:13:58.409 his own who were in the world, he loved them 00:13:58.409 --> 00:14:01.970 to the end. Again, the hour jumped to 17, chapter 00:14:01.970 --> 00:14:10.610 17, verse one. When Jesus had spoken these words, 00:14:10.929 --> 00:14:14.769 he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, 00:14:15.309 --> 00:14:20.460 the hour has come. Glorify your son. that the 00:14:20.460 --> 00:14:25.860 sun may glorify you. Friends, the hour is his 00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:32.440 crucifixion, and the wine is his blood. We know 00:14:32.440 --> 00:14:37.159 this from John chapter 6. Let me read this, John 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:44.480 6, 53 through 54. So Jesus said to them, truly, 00:14:44.600 --> 00:14:48.710 truly, I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh 00:14:48.710 --> 00:14:52.210 of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have 00:14:52.210 --> 00:14:56.269 no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and 00:14:56.269 --> 00:14:59.570 drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will 00:14:59.570 --> 00:15:06.309 raise him up on the last day. Jesus is talking 00:15:06.309 --> 00:15:11.129 about his passion. Jesus is talking about giving 00:15:11.129 --> 00:15:14.649 himself up on the cross. One commentator says 00:15:14.649 --> 00:15:19.370 here, Jesus is saying in John 2 that though his 00:15:19.370 --> 00:15:21.830 hour was not yet at hand during the wedding at 00:15:21.830 --> 00:15:26.690 Cana in Galilee, it would eventually be at hand. 00:15:27.669 --> 00:15:31.149 And when it is at hand, it will become appropriate 00:15:31.149 --> 00:15:35.690 to ask him to provide wine for the feast, the 00:15:35.690 --> 00:15:40.019 feast of the kingdom of God. And so as we look 00:15:40.019 --> 00:15:43.360 at this wedding, as we look at the wine running 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:47.519 out, friends, look to the Lord's Supper and what 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:52.240 that pictures. When Jesus' blood was poured out 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:56.799 for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus again is saying, 00:15:57.580 --> 00:16:01.980 it's not my time to shed my blood, but it is 00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:05.919 my time to begin these signs. And so we should 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:08.620 be reminded here of the ultimate purpose for 00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:13.360 this miracle. Yes, Jesus is helping the groom 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:16.519 avoid embarrassment. Yes, Jesus will perform 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:20.320 miracles to help the suffering. Yes, Jesus is 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:24.259 going to drive out demons. But ultimately, the 00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:28.340 miracles are designed to show that Jesus is the 00:16:28.340 --> 00:16:32.720 Savior, that Jesus is the Redeemer, that Jesus 00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:37.600 is the promised and powerful Messiah. Friends, 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:42.340 particularly, let me speak to children today. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:47.740 Do you believe this to be true? Do you believe 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:52.860 that Jesus died for your sins? Do you believe 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:58.299 that Jesus performed these signs? You must see 00:16:58.299 --> 00:17:01.980 the evidence here. It is overwhelming. Jesus 00:17:01.980 --> 00:17:07.619 really did come. live and die for you and Jesus 00:17:07.619 --> 00:17:11.900 is really coming again and so all of you do not 00:17:11.900 --> 00:17:16.980 deny the miracles of Jesus do not deny the resurrection 00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:23.920 don't be the liberals of 1924 or 2025 it still 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:27.960 works for if we believe that he died for our 00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:30.740 sins do we not also believe in the signs that 00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:35.180 he performed John 14 believe in me that I am 00:17:35.180 --> 00:17:39.000 in the father and the father is in me or else 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:43.279 believe on account of the signs themselves the 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:48.759 signs had a purpose for Jesus's mother the signs 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:53.619 had a purpose for the disciples and this purpose 00:17:53.619 --> 00:17:57.539 is still hold true today and so you see what 00:17:57.539 --> 00:18:01.279 Mary does here she believes Jesus And she gives 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:04.720 the best instruction of all time in verse five. 00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:08.079 This is the best thing you could say. Do whatever 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:14.880 Jesus tells you to do. Listen to him. And so 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:17.880 you see what these servants do. Jesus directs 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:21.279 them in verse six to these six stone water jars 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:23.619 there for the Jewish rights of purification. 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:29.799 They hold 20 or 30 gallons here. When it says 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:32.640 for purification, we must remember that the Jewish 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:37.559 people, they are a people of cleanliness. This 00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:40.460 purification, they were at the very least washing 00:18:40.460 --> 00:18:43.039 their hands and their feet before they came into 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:46.779 such a celebration. Cleanliness is a good thing, 00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:51.420 but what they really needed, and what we also 00:18:51.420 --> 00:18:56.339 really need, is to be cleansed from within, right? 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.880 when we believe in Christ the Holy Spirit and 00:18:59.880 --> 00:19:03.000 dwells in our hearts and pardons us of our sins 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:07.279 and and cleans us from sin and we get the righteousness 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:12.240 of Jesus So you see there is there is great symbolism 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:17.319 here within this Jesus is not performing a haphazard 00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:20.519 Miracle Jesus is not performing magic tricks 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:23.759 matter of fact this sign that Jesus does is actually 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:27.940 done very quietly, isn't it? Jesus doesn't have 00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:31.500 special words over the sign. He doesn't wave 00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:36.359 his hands about. Matter of fact, the credit here 00:19:36.359 --> 00:19:39.160 actually goes to the groom, not the one who performed 00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:41.720 the sign. And so Jesus gives this direction. 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:47.339 Fill the jars and draw some of it out and give 00:19:47.339 --> 00:19:51.660 it to the master, the master of the feast, some 00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:55.890 sort. of official overseeing this celebration. 00:19:56.269 --> 00:19:59.789 And so this official, this master, he tastes 00:19:59.789 --> 00:20:03.069 this wine. And what does he say? He says, hey, 00:20:03.130 --> 00:20:08.349 this is good. This is good. Now, if you know 00:20:08.349 --> 00:20:10.450 anything about wine, you know this shouldn't 00:20:10.450 --> 00:20:15.509 be so because the best wine is aged wine, right? 00:20:16.789 --> 00:20:21.789 But Jesus is the son of God. Jesus was active 00:20:21.789 --> 00:20:24.450 in the creation of the heavens and the earth, 00:20:24.869 --> 00:20:27.369 along with the Father and the Spirit. And so 00:20:27.369 --> 00:20:29.970 turning water to wine shouldn't surprise us. 00:20:30.130 --> 00:20:33.230 It's miraculous because we can't do it, but nothing 00:20:33.230 --> 00:20:38.049 is impossible with God. But still, perhaps you're 00:20:38.049 --> 00:20:40.369 like me and you wonder, all right, these servants, 00:20:40.569 --> 00:20:44.910 they do what Jesus says, but what are they thinking? 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:49.000 What are they thinking as they draw out some 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:52.960 of this water changed to wine? Are they thinking, 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:57.160 Jesus, this man must be out of his mind here. 00:20:57.420 --> 00:21:03.619 I'm about to serve water to the master. I cannot 00:21:03.619 --> 00:21:10.019 wait to speak to these servants. I believe they 00:21:10.019 --> 00:21:13.039 must be with Jesus. I would love to ask them, 00:21:13.079 --> 00:21:16.140 what were you thinking in this moment? but you 00:21:16.140 --> 00:21:20.779 see their obedience they just do it and the master 00:21:20.779 --> 00:21:24.319 gives praise you have kept the good wine till 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:29.119 now if only he knew of the crisis that was averted 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:32.500 if he only knew how jesus changed the water to 00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:36.720 wine but you see jesus is so humble right jesus 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:40.279 doesn't point at the big water jars and say look 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:45.390 what i did that's probably what i would do That's 00:21:45.390 --> 00:21:49.029 not what Jesus does. He doesn't have to. Jesus 00:21:49.029 --> 00:21:52.329 quietly goes about his work, and he saves the 00:21:52.329 --> 00:21:56.210 bridegroom from shame. At the same time, he reminds 00:21:56.210 --> 00:21:59.069 his mother that he has work to do, and the servants 00:21:59.069 --> 00:22:01.609 observe all of this. But I think the greatest 00:22:01.609 --> 00:22:08.410 benefit of this sign is for the disciples, because 00:22:08.410 --> 00:22:15.150 look in verse 11. And his disciples believed 00:22:15.150 --> 00:22:22.329 in him. This is for their benefit. This is for 00:22:22.329 --> 00:22:28.470 their benefit. And it is for our benefit. It 00:22:28.470 --> 00:22:32.490 is for you to see and to know that Jesus is that 00:22:32.490 --> 00:22:36.049 promised and powerful Messiah. But let's say 00:22:36.049 --> 00:22:38.289 that you have believed in Jesus for a long time. 00:22:38.329 --> 00:22:40.390 Let's say that you've grown up in this church. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:44.400 You have followed Jesus closely for decades even. 00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:47.480 You might say, what's the application for me? 00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:50.799 What do I do with this passage? Is Jesus simply 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:56.400 keeping the party alive? How can I apply this? 00:22:56.779 --> 00:22:59.240 Perhaps four points of application. Remember 00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:04.039 the setting of this is a wedding. And you see 00:23:04.039 --> 00:23:08.349 those servants obey Jesus. And so as Christians, 00:23:08.529 --> 00:23:12.750 are we obedient to the scriptures? Are we obedient 00:23:12.750 --> 00:23:17.450 to Christ? Are we living after the instruction 00:23:17.450 --> 00:23:23.009 of God's perfect word? You've perhaps been in 00:23:23.009 --> 00:23:27.650 a wedding, maybe you've even been wed. You ever 00:23:27.650 --> 00:23:31.190 had a wedding planner? You gotta do what the 00:23:31.190 --> 00:23:34.950 wedding planner says. Jesus is so much greater 00:23:34.950 --> 00:23:38.190 than any wedding planner. But we recognize as 00:23:38.190 --> 00:23:42.329 Christians that we must live obediently to the 00:23:42.329 --> 00:23:45.329 Scriptures, which tells us something else. We 00:23:45.329 --> 00:23:48.509 must know the Scriptures. We cannot be obedient 00:23:48.509 --> 00:23:51.869 to the Scriptures if we are not in them. And 00:23:51.869 --> 00:23:56.910 so friends, get alone with God. Get alone with 00:23:56.910 --> 00:24:01.289 God in His Word. Get alone each day for time 00:24:01.289 --> 00:24:04.890 in the Word, even if it's just a verse. Get alone 00:24:04.890 --> 00:24:08.660 with God for time of... Prayer. Praying over 00:24:08.660 --> 00:24:13.759 the Scriptures. Be in Sunday school. Come to 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:15.960 the other ministries of this church or other 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:20.859 good churches. Be studying the Word so you can 00:24:20.859 --> 00:24:24.019 be obedient to the Word. Secondly, this also 00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:28.299 shows the importance of the changed heart. The 00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:31.160 Jewish leaders and the people, they were very 00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:34.559 good at kind of the externals of religion. But 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:38.740 inside, they needed to be changed. It's only 00:24:38.740 --> 00:24:42.799 with changed hearts that we can rightly worship 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:49.559 God. And so pray for God, for the Spirit to sanctify 00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:53.240 you to be more and more like Jesus, that you 00:24:53.240 --> 00:24:57.259 may rightly worship him. Thirdly, the emotion 00:24:57.259 --> 00:25:01.359 of a wedding. There is great joy at weddings. 00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:05.200 There should be God uniting man to woman. There 00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:09.519 is great joy there. Imagine having Jesus on your 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:13.940 guest list. Jesus here doesn't say, you know 00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:17.759 what, I got better things to do than go to this 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:21.799 wedding. I've got people to heal. I've got classes 00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:26.359 to teach. Jesus doesn't do that. He goes to the 00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:30.119 wedding. We as Christians should be growing in 00:25:30.119 --> 00:25:34.880 joy. That's in that great list of the fruit of 00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:39.700 the Spirit. Friends today, if you are lacking 00:25:39.700 --> 00:25:44.740 in joy, go to a wedding. Now make sure you're 00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:49.339 invited, but go to a wedding and celebrate the 00:25:49.339 --> 00:25:53.000 good gifts of God. Celebrate the good things 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:56.079 in your life. and celebrate the things in the 00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:58.480 lives of other people. If you find that you're 00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:02.839 lacking in joy, pray and celebrate the good things. 00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:11.240 Fourthly, hope. The analogy of the wedding used 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:14.440 throughout scripture, that Jesus is the bridegroom 00:26:14.440 --> 00:26:18.339 who laid down his life for his bride. Jesus is 00:26:18.339 --> 00:26:21.660 committed to the church. All this is pictured, 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:23.880 as I said, within the Lord's Supper. It's also 00:26:23.880 --> 00:26:26.700 pictured in our baptism, right? And it's also 00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:30.859 pictured in something that we have to hope for, 00:26:32.380 --> 00:26:36.640 the marriage supper of the Lamb. Isaiah 25 pictures 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:39.559 this, predicts this, on this mountain the Lord 00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:42.859 of Hosts will make for all people a feast of 00:26:42.859 --> 00:26:46.650 rich food, a feast of well -aged wine. of rich 00:26:46.650 --> 00:26:50.450 food, full of marrow, of aged wine, well refined. 00:26:50.589 --> 00:26:54.890 This sign should have us looking to eternity. 00:26:57.009 --> 00:27:01.450 Consider Revelation 19, 9. Blessed is the one 00:27:01.450 --> 00:27:06.349 who is invited to the marriage supper of the 00:27:06.349 --> 00:27:12.250 lamb. Will you be there? Will you be at the marriage 00:27:12.250 --> 00:27:16.940 supper of the lamb with Christ? The wedding invitations 00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:20.140 have gone out. They have. They go out through 00:27:20.140 --> 00:27:22.259 the proclamation of the word. And so you have 00:27:22.259 --> 00:27:26.599 heard the word. Your seat at the marriage supper 00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:29.799 of the Lamb is only reserved through faith in 00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:32.880 Jesus Christ. And so if you are lacking in that, 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:35.200 if you don't have assurance of salvation today, 00:27:35.400 --> 00:27:38.099 if you're not sure what to make of Jesus, pray 00:27:38.099 --> 00:27:42.819 today. Pray now. And ask God to grant you the 00:27:42.819 --> 00:27:46.809 gift of faith that you will be. there because 00:27:46.809 --> 00:27:50.910 Jesus is committed to the church. His hour came. 00:27:51.470 --> 00:27:54.890 He answered the call. Jesus laid down his life 00:27:54.890 --> 00:27:58.930 for you to wash you clean of sin. Jesus is the 00:27:58.930 --> 00:28:03.390 groom and he loves you very, very much. Let's 00:28:03.390 --> 00:28:03.630 pray.