And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and His disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto them, They have no wine.” John 2:1-3
The first recorded miracle Jesus performed was at a wedding. The wine had run out, and the Lord Jesus Christ, at the request of His mother, moved in to take care of the embarrassing situation. He told the servants to fill six available water pots with water. Then, He turned the water into wine — but not ordinary wine, the very best.
But this was not just a miracle. It was a miracle with a message. You see, Jesus was the Messiah of Israel, but they didn’t recognize Him. In John 1:26 John the Baptist said about Jesus, “... There standeth One among you, Whom ye know not.” They should have known Him, could have known Him, ought to have known Him: but they didn’t. And because they didn’t know Him, they didn’t understand this miracle. We’ll look at three lessons from this first miracle.
I believe there is as prophetic message dealing with the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It looks forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb when He Himself is the heavenly Bridegroom and we are the bride, and we eat the marriage feast. This earthly wedding is but a fore gleam of what He will do for His saints throughout all the ages.
There is also a practical lesson in this miracle. In John 2:5, Jesus’ mother wisely instructs the servants, “… Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.” Are you a servant of Jesus? Let me give you the same advice: do what He tells you.” There is a practical lesson concerning service. There are three reasons to serve God:
Serve the Lord for your good.
When the ruler of the feast had tasted the new wine, he didn’t know where it came from (verse 9). But the servants knew. Obeying the Lord brings intimacy with Him. Those servants knew things that the big shots at the head table didn’t know. Even the bride and the groom didn’t know what the servants knew. It’s amazing what you can learn if you’re willing to be a servant. God reveals His secrets to His servants (see Amos 3:7). What a blessing!Serve the Lord for their gladness.
The party was getting dull. The refreshments had worn out. But when the servants began to obey the Lord, everyone was blessed. When I obey God, I’ll be a blessing to you. When you obey God, you’ll be a blessing to me. You cannot obey God without your obedience spilling out in a blessing to all those around you.Serve the Lord for His glory.
According to verse eleven, He “manifested forth His glory.” When people obey the Lord Jesus Christ — when they do what Jesus tells them to do, He is glorified. When you obey Him, then He works in your heart and life, and the result is glory to God.
Finally, there’s a personal lesson concerning salvation in this miracle. I believe the Bible gives us a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ transforming and saving lives. And just as Jesus turned worthless water into sparkling wine, the Lord Jesus Christ can transform and change your life and save you today.
Notice the symbolism. There were six water pots of stone (verse 6). Six is the number of a man. Stone could be more aptly translated clay. These clay pots symbolize man made of the dust of the earth. They were dry, hard, brittle, and empty.
These old, hard, empty vessels were filled with water. Water is used as a symbol of the Word of God and the Spirit of God throughout the Old Testament. And when the vessels were filled and then touched by the omnipotent finger of God, a transforming miracle took place.
This miracle points to a greater one — the miracle of salvation. Jesus turned water into wine with a touch. But when He saved me; He had to hang on a cross.
Oh what a miracle — that Jesus can transform you! The same Jesus Who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. He is still in the miracle-working business, and His business is the business of transformation.
