I had a cool time learning more about John 2 this morning as I spent time with Dad and wanted to share that. (These are just my open thoughts.)

John 2:1-11:

“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.”

“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time 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 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.”

This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.”

The note in my study Bible says: “John probably was testifying that Christ’s saving mission would culminate in the redemption of the creation from all its distresses so that the wine of joy would flow fully, as the prophets had announced.”

First, I find it super cool that this is the first miracle Jesus did in his ministry, and this is the one of the first things (the first thing??) we’ll do as a complete body in Heaven – the wedding feast of the lamb.

In my QT (quiet time) this morning I saw how this passage proclaims and demonstrates Christ’s ministry on earth as well as points to the future Feast.

1. “...on the third day” - From what I can tell from my Text, this was the third day after he was baptized. That’s pretty sweet. (Probably has so much more meaning than I even have an idea of. haha)

2. “Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding” – I just think it’s sweet how just like this feast, at the next Feast it will be Jesus and all his disciples who are invited. J

3. “They have no more wine.” – This hit me today for our own work here in south Asia. (First, the wine – represents joy and life.) We recognize here in this city that the people are really lacking this ‘wine’.  We desperately want to bring it to them!! But I had to ask myself, am I acting like Mary who saw the lack, and went straight to Jesus and asked him to do something? She recognized him as the only one able to do something about it. [Note: to fail in hospitality in that culture was a serious offense.] Or do I see the lack and automatically assume that I can/should work in my own strength to bring wine to the party?

4. “Do whatever he tells you.”  - Furthermore, when I do ask Him to work, am I surrendered with enough faith to do what he then asks of me?

5. “…stone water jars” – I just found it a sweet analogy that we are also called jars in the Text (“jars of clay”, vessels, etc). Here He uses jars, in life He uses us… And à

6. “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.” – also interesting how it’s Jesus, and only Jesus, who can fill us with the ‘wine’ – true life and true joy. And when He does, we are filled to the brim, and even to overflowing.  But à

7. “Now draw some out and take it to the master of banquet.” – We are not given this life and joy to keep to ourselves. We are given it TO share! But the amazing thing is that this wine is free flowing and will never run out. So we should share! à

8. “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.”  - Our joy and this life is okay, but in life with God we really experience true, satisfying joy. Because of the gospel that has been poured into us by Jesus, we can experience a perfect, never-ending life with overflowing joy. Truly, the best is yet to come!