(This message may be used as an individual sermon or as part of the series.)
JOHN 2:1-11 – INTERACTIVE MINISTRY
LIFE OF CHRIST #9 of 61
This morning we want to look at the first miracle that the Lord performed and we find that He had an interactive ministry between Himself, guests at a wedding, his mother, and the servants at the wedding. This miracle of turning the water into wine is also a reminder that Jesus interacts in our lives still today. This is an interaction that we greatly need.
This morning we resume our study of the Life of Christ. Jesus had been baptized and then spent forty days in the wilderness being tempted by the Devil and successfully refusing that temptation. After that he returned and was identified by John the Baptist as “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World.” Jesus was followed by Andrew and John, who became disciples. Andrew and probably John as well, brought their brothers to Jesus, Peter and James.
Jesus recruited Phillip. Phillip brought Nathaniel to Jesus, who is probably the man called Bartholomew in the other Gospels.
With six disciples in tow, Jesus interacts at a wedding.
There are three things that I want you to understand about the interactive ministry of the Lord Jesus then and now.
HE WAS INTERESTED – Vss. 1-5
Vs. 1 – This would have been two days after the calling of Nathaniel. There was a marriage in Cana, of Galilee. The exact location of Cana is not known, but it was probably just a few miles from Nazareth.
Mary, the mother of Jesus was there, but in his Gospel John never calls her by name. From her intimate understanding of the wine supply and the willingness of the servants to listen to her, it is possible that Mary was involved with the managing of the festivities in some way.
Weddings in those days were big deals, and the celebration usually went on for about a week. It was an important social event in a community and the bride and groom were treated like royalty.
Vs. 2 – Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. The significant thing to note here is that Jesus went. Jesus’ ministry was an interactive ministry. He went to where the people were so He could interact with them.
He was interested in what they were doing.
You might think that for all the important things that the Lord Jesus had to do, that He might not have time to attend weddings or to accept invitations to people’s houses for meals.
Why was Jesus so interested in spending time with people?
When He was criticized for eating at Matthew’s house with tax collectors and sinners, he responded by saying in Luke 5:31-32 …They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. [32] I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
And it wasn’t just at meals that Jesus was interested in people and their needs.
- A little girl, a widow’s son and Lazarus all died and Jesus was interested.
- Parents brought little children to Jesus and Jesus was interested.
- A Gentile woman came begging that Jesus heal her sick daughter, Jesus was interested.
- A prominent religious teacher came to Jesus at night, and Jesus was interested.
And on and on we could go.
The most important way Jesus showed His interest was leaving the splendors of Heaven to come to earth. Why did He come?
Luke 19:10 – For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Jesus was interested in the eternal and spiritual wellbeing of all mankind, so He came to die for their sins.
- Jesus is interested in you.
He died for your sins and rose again.
- Jesus is interested in you. He wants to be your Savior, if He isn’t already. He wants you to trust Him by faith. John 3:16
- Jesus is interested in you.
He promises to always be with you. Matthew 28:20
- Jesus is interested in you.
He hears and answers prayer. John 14:13-14
Vs. 3-4 – Jesus was interested even though it may not seem so here.
They were out of wine. No big tragedy by our standards. But it would have been a social disgrace that would have been remembered by friends and families all the days of that marriage.
Wine was the staple drink of the day, often diluted so that it was not as strong as the wines today.
The way that Mary told Jesus they were out of wine seems to indicate that she was trying to tell Jesus what to do, as a parent would a child. To me, it also seems that Mary may have thought this a good time for him to show who He really was.
Jesus’ response was not disrespectful. The word woman was a respectable way to address His mother. He was telling her that she could no longer tell Him what to do. He had come to do the will of His Heavenly Father. It was not yet His hour to reveal himself.
Vs. 5 – Jesus was interested in something as mundane as a lack of wine. Wine in the Old Testament is a symbol of joy.
I would love to have been there to hear Jesus’ tone of voice and see his facial expression. He left his mother confident that He would do something, probably not in the way she wanted, or because she thought He should help. He acted because his Heavenly Father wanted Him to act.
Mary gives great advice in this verse, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” We should follow that same advice.
When Jesus tells us to do something, we need to do it.
He is God. He knows what is best.
Jesus has and has had an interactive ministry.
HE WAS INVOLVED – Vss. 6-9
With the Lord Jesus interest is always followed with involvement.
- Jesus was interested in the salvation of your soul. He involved Himself by dying for your sins.
- Jesus is interested in your everyday problems. That’s why He said to pray in his name. He’ll do something about it. He also said to come boldly to the throne of grace and he will involve Himself in helping. Hebrews 4:15-16
- Jesus is interested in world evangelism. That’s why He promises to be with us as we fulfill the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20.
Vs. 6 – The Jews involved themselves in a lot of ceremonial washings. Therefore the water pots were there. These six water pots of stone held the equivalent of 20-30 gallons.
Vss. 7-8 – Jesus told the servants to fill the water pots with water and then to take the water to the governor of the feast. The governor was the equivalent of a head waiter.
Vs. 9 – Somewhere along the line, the water was made wine by the Lord Jesus. His involvement was the key to this miracle.
HE MADE IMPROVEMENTS – Vss. 10-11
Vs. 9b-10 – I venture to say that the wine was the best that the governor of the feast ever tasted.
It was the best because it was made by the one who created the grapes in the first place!
When Jesus involves himself in something, the results are always an improvement. When Jesus was on earth He involved himself and there was improvement.
- The sick were healed.
- The dead were raised.
- The possessed were set free.
- The ignorant were taught.
- Lives were changed.
- Sin and death were defeated on the cross.
Today, when Jesus involves Himself in a life, there is improvement.
- The spiritually dead are given eternal life. Ephesians 2:1
- Those who trust Christ are given a new life now. 2 Corinthians 5:17
- Those who are given abundant life. John 10:10
- Those who filled with His Spirit bear fruit. Galatians 5:22-23
Vs. 11 – This was the first “sign” that Jesus gave. That’s what the word “miracle” means here. The end result was that Jesus showed His glory and it strengthened the belief of His disciples. These things were also improvements.
Jesus’ ministry was and is an interactive ministry.
HE WAS INTERESTED – Vss. 1-5
HE WAS INVOLVED – Vss. 6-9
HE MADE IMPROVEMENTS – Vss. 10-11