The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-12) - Pastor Kenneth Collins Maple

Well, we take some time now to go to God's Word.

And so I invite you to open up to the Gospel

according to John, John chapter 2. We are starting

John 2 · chapter mention

a new sermon series today on the miracles of

Jesus. And as we're going to see, as we look

at this, we're going to see a great purpose behind

these miracles that Jesus performs. They are

really intended, yes, they're intended to help

people who need healing. And yes, Jesus performed

these incredible signs to help drive out evil

spirits. And yes, as we see in our text, this

changing of the water to wine. But behind, underneath

all of the miracles that Jesus does, is the purpose

that people would see and recognize and know

that Jesus is the Christ. I think it's very telling

that within the gospel, according to John, the

word that is commonly used here is not the word

miracle, but it's sign. Jesus' signs are significant.

They were significant then, and they're significant

now. And so let's give attention to this first

one here, John chapter two, verses one through

12. On the third day, there was a wedding at

Cana in Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there.

Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his

disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother

of Jesus said to him, they have no wine. And

Jesus said to her, woman, what does this have

to do with me? My hour has not yet come. His

mother said to the servants, do whatever he tells

you. Now, there were six stone water jars there

for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding

20 or 30 gallons. Jesus said to the servants,

fill the jars with water. And they filled them

up to the brim. And he said to them, now draw

some out and take it to the master of the feast.

So they took it. When the master of the feast

tasted the water now become wine and did not

know where it came from, though the servants

who had drawn the water knew, the master of the

feast called the bridegroom and said to him,

everyone serves the good wine first. And when

people have drunk freely, then the poor wine.

but you have kept the good wine until now. This,

the first of his signs Jesus did at Cana in Galilee,

and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed

in him. After this, he went down to Capernaum

with his mother and his brothers and his disciples,

and they stayed there for a few days. The grass

withers and the flower fades, but God's word

stands forever. Let's pray. Father, we thank

you for your word. We thank you for this perfect,

inerrant, and infallible, and life -giving word,

and we ask that as we study this today, Lord,

that you would be at work, that you would open

up our hearts and our minds, Lord, to hear from

you, to know that Jesus is the Christ, and to

live for him always. These things we pray in

his name. Amen. In the 1910s, liberalism was

on the rise in this country. Liberalism within

churches. And so to combat that, some ministers

of the gospel got together in the Northern Presbyterian

Church and they came up with what was called

the essential and necessary doctrines. They needed

a safeguard against unbelief. For Christians,

we're saying, I don't have to affirm what the

Bible says on this. I don't have to affirm what

the Bible says on that. And so they said, no,

we need some way to safeguard from that. And

so they came up with these essential and necessary

doctrines. And I'll tell you what those are in

just a second. But 14 years later, in 1924, a

group of supposed ministers of the gospel, in

great number, 1 ,200 men said no to those things.

They said, no, we don't need to affirm the inspiration

and inerrancy of Scripture. No, we don't need

to affirm the virgin birth. No, we don't need

to affirm substitutionary atonement. No, we don't

need to affirm the historical resurrection of

Jesus, and those people said, we do not need

to affirm the miracles of Jesus. Can you imagine

denying those things and calling yourself a Christian?

I cannot. And yet, just as it happened in 1924,

So it happens in our day that people deny these

things, but this is clearly what the scriptures

teach. And so we affirm them. We say that Jesus

really performed the miracles that we're going

to look out for the next ten or so Sundays, Lord

willing. The miracles of Jesus showcased for

us the power of God, the mercy of God. The signs

of Jesus affirm to us who Jesus is as the Son

of God and the Savior of sinners. The miracles

of Jesus authenticate who he is. So this is what

we're looking at. And you can see in John chapter

two, this is the first of Jesus's signs. Looking

into the context of this, Jesus in the prior

chapter had just chosen some of his disciples

there in chapter one. Now what's the first thing

you do with your disciples? Apparently you take

them to a wedding. Call it team building or something.

And so they go to this wedding. It's in the city

of Cana in Galilee. And they don't crash the

wedding, don't worry. It clearly says Jesus was

invited to this along with his mother. But let

me tell you, I don't think that you've ever been

to a wedding like this one. Now, that doesn't

mean that there was anything extremely special

about this wedding, you know, except for the

wine to water thing. But what I mean by that

is that weddings in Jesus' day in this place,

these celebrations would oftentimes go for as

long as a week. Can you imagine celebrating?

a wedding for a week, not your wedding, but celebrating

the weddings of other people for a week, and

you thought it took a long time for the bridal

party to take pictures. Here, we have this ongoing

celebration, but the ongoing celebration takes

a turn for the worse. Look in verse three. The

wine runs out. the wine runs out. Friends, in

Jesus' day at this time and this place, for the

wine to run out, this was a big deal. This is

a no -no. This would have brought extreme embarrassment

upon the married couple, the couple to be married.

This would have brought shame upon them. There

is even some evidence that there could have been

legal ramifications for not providing wine to

last for the duration of the celebration. This

is bad for this couple and especially bad for

the groom. You see, hospitality was such a big

deal. Hospitality in our day, I think it goes

by the wayside. It's something we need to reclaim.

But in Jesus' day, this was a big deal. Now you

might say, well, a celebration that went on for

a week with a lot of wine, you can see how that

could be a problem. But in Jesus' day, wine was

often diluted because you can't imagine what

celebration for a week would do to a person drinking.

So it was diluted. But the purpose here then

of this scripture is not to promote drinking.

That's not the main point. We know that drunkenness

is sinful. Scripture speaks to that in many places.

But also see this, Scripture does not outlaw

alcohol. It does not. It does not hear, right?

Wine actually within the Bible typically symbolizes

joy. And a wedding is a joyous occasion. But

there's this problem. Where's the wine? And so

Mary says this to Jesus. They're out of wine.

There's urgency to this and so look in verse

4 for Jesus's response Jesus said her woman.

What does this have to do with me now when we

read that I don't know about you, but I'm wondering

something is Jesus being kind here is he being

polite Absolutely, we need to read this not just

the way it comes through in the English We should

understand that when Jesus says this woman. This

is a sign of respect This is a sign of being

polite. This is a common expression. Matter of

fact, do you remember Jesus on the cross when

Jesus said, woman, behold thy son? We might say

this is kind of like using the term ma 'am here.

Or if you're using the NIV, I think it says dear

woman to this effect. And so Jesus addresses

his mother and then he says, what does this have

to do with me? Now, again, this is Jesus's first

sign. So it's not like Jesus grew up performing

signs in the living room or something. Hey, mom,

check this out. By no means. And so have you

ever thought, what did Mary expect her son to

do here? Did she expect a sign? I don't know.

But I do think that Mary, we can say this, Mary

has not forgotten who her son is. You remember

the birth. You remember the announcement of the

angels, right? You remember perhaps being in

the temple with Simeon, right? Mary, I believe,

is recalling who her son is here. Luke chapter

Luke 2 · chapter mention

2 says she treasured these things in her heart.

And so she has not forgotten who Jesus is even

if he has yet to show his glory. But the next

part of what Jesus says I think is often misunderstood.

My hour has not yet come. Here is the incorrect

interpretation of that. That we think Jesus is

saying Mom, I'm not doing anything about this.

My time is not now to perform signs. That's not

the correct view. The correct view is Jesus,

when he says that, he's not talking about the

miracles. He's talking about his death. He's

saying, it is not my hour to suffer. It is not

my hour to give up my blood. for my blood to

be shed on the cross. It is not time for that

yet. And I think I can prove this to you by looking

at some other scripture in John. If you would

like to flip over to John 12, 23. Considering

the words the hour. John 12 23 and Jesus answered

them the hour has come for the Son of Man to

be glorified and then jumped down to verse 27

now is my soul troubled and what shall I say

father save me from this hour but for this purpose

I have come to this hour jumped down to chapter

13 verse 1 now before the feast of the Passover

When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart

out of this world to the Father, having loved

his own who were in the world, he loved them

to the end. Again, the hour jumped to 17, chapter

17, verse one. When Jesus had spoken these words,

he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father,

the hour has come. Glorify your son. that the

sun may glorify you. Friends, the hour is his

crucifixion, and the wine is his blood. We know

this from John chapter 6. Let me read this, John

John 6 · chapter mention

6, 53 through 54. So Jesus said to them, truly,

truly, I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh

of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have

no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and

drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will

raise him up on the last day. Jesus is talking

about his passion. Jesus is talking about giving

himself up on the cross. One commentator says

here, Jesus is saying in John 2 that though his

hour was not yet at hand during the wedding at

Cana in Galilee, it would eventually be at hand.

And when it is at hand, it will become appropriate

to ask him to provide wine for the feast, the

feast of the kingdom of God. And so as we look

at this wedding, as we look at the wine running

out, friends, look to the Lord's Supper and what

that pictures. When Jesus' blood was poured out

for the forgiveness of sins, Jesus again is saying,

it's not my time to shed my blood, but it is

my time to begin these signs. And so we should

be reminded here of the ultimate purpose for

this miracle. Yes, Jesus is helping the groom

avoid embarrassment. Yes, Jesus will perform

miracles to help the suffering. Yes, Jesus is

going to drive out demons. But ultimately, the

miracles are designed to show that Jesus is the

Savior, that Jesus is the Redeemer, that Jesus

is the promised and powerful Messiah. Friends,

particularly, let me speak to children today.

Do you believe this to be true? Do you believe

that Jesus died for your sins? Do you believe

that Jesus performed these signs? You must see

the evidence here. It is overwhelming. Jesus

really did come. live and die for you and Jesus

is really coming again and so all of you do not

deny the miracles of Jesus do not deny the resurrection

don't be the liberals of 1924 or 2025 it still

works for if we believe that he died for our

sins do we not also believe in the signs that

he performed John 14 believe in me that I am

in the father and the father is in me or else

believe on account of the signs themselves the

signs had a purpose for Jesus's mother the signs

had a purpose for the disciples and this purpose

is still hold true today and so you see what

Mary does here she believes Jesus And she gives

the best instruction of all time in verse five.

This is the best thing you could say. Do whatever

Jesus tells you to do. Listen to him. And so

you see what these servants do. Jesus directs

them in verse six to these six stone water jars

there for the Jewish rights of purification.

They hold 20 or 30 gallons here. When it says

for purification, we must remember that the Jewish

people, they are a people of cleanliness. This

purification, they were at the very least washing

their hands and their feet before they came into

such a celebration. Cleanliness is a good thing,

but what they really needed, and what we also

really need, is to be cleansed from within, right?

when we believe in Christ the Holy Spirit and

dwells in our hearts and pardons us of our sins

and and cleans us from sin and we get the righteousness

of Jesus So you see there is there is great symbolism

here within this Jesus is not performing a haphazard

Miracle Jesus is not performing magic tricks

matter of fact this sign that Jesus does is actually

done very quietly, isn't it? Jesus doesn't have

special words over the sign. He doesn't wave

his hands about. Matter of fact, the credit here

actually goes to the groom, not the one who performed

the sign. And so Jesus gives this direction.

Fill the jars and draw some of it out and give

it to the master, the master of the feast, some

sort. of official overseeing this celebration.

And so this official, this master, he tastes

this wine. And what does he say? He says, hey,

this is good. This is good. Now, if you know

anything about wine, you know this shouldn't

be so because the best wine is aged wine, right?

But Jesus is the son of God. Jesus was active

in the creation of the heavens and the earth,

along with the Father and the Spirit. And so

turning water to wine shouldn't surprise us.

It's miraculous because we can't do it, but nothing

is impossible with God. But still, perhaps you're

like me and you wonder, all right, these servants,

they do what Jesus says, but what are they thinking?

What are they thinking as they draw out some

of this water changed to wine? Are they thinking,

Jesus, this man must be out of his mind here.

I'm about to serve water to the master. I cannot

wait to speak to these servants. I believe they

must be with Jesus. I would love to ask them,

what were you thinking in this moment? but you

see their obedience they just do it and the master

gives praise you have kept the good wine till

now if only he knew of the crisis that was averted

if he only knew how jesus changed the water to

wine but you see jesus is so humble right jesus

doesn't point at the big water jars and say look

what i did that's probably what i would do That's

not what Jesus does. He doesn't have to. Jesus

quietly goes about his work, and he saves the

bridegroom from shame. At the same time, he reminds

his mother that he has work to do, and the servants

observe all of this. But I think the greatest

benefit of this sign is for the disciples, because

look in verse 11. And his disciples believed

in him. This is for their benefit. This is for

their benefit. And it is for our benefit. It

is for you to see and to know that Jesus is that

promised and powerful Messiah. But let's say

that you have believed in Jesus for a long time.

Let's say that you've grown up in this church.

You have followed Jesus closely for decades even.

You might say, what's the application for me?

What do I do with this passage? Is Jesus simply

keeping the party alive? How can I apply this?

Perhaps four points of application. Remember

the setting of this is a wedding. And you see

those servants obey Jesus. And so as Christians,

are we obedient to the scriptures? Are we obedient

to Christ? Are we living after the instruction

of God's perfect word? You've perhaps been in

a wedding, maybe you've even been wed. You ever

had a wedding planner? You gotta do what the

wedding planner says. Jesus is so much greater

than any wedding planner. But we recognize as

Christians that we must live obediently to the

Scriptures, which tells us something else. We

must know the Scriptures. We cannot be obedient

to the Scriptures if we are not in them. And

so friends, get alone with God. Get alone with

God in His Word. Get alone each day for time

in the Word, even if it's just a verse. Get alone

with God for time of... Prayer. Praying over

the Scriptures. Be in Sunday school. Come to

the other ministries of this church or other

good churches. Be studying the Word so you can

be obedient to the Word. Secondly, this also

shows the importance of the changed heart. The

Jewish leaders and the people, they were very

good at kind of the externals of religion. But

inside, they needed to be changed. It's only

with changed hearts that we can rightly worship

God. And so pray for God, for the Spirit to sanctify

you to be more and more like Jesus, that you

may rightly worship him. Thirdly, the emotion

of a wedding. There is great joy at weddings.

There should be God uniting man to woman. There

is great joy there. Imagine having Jesus on your

guest list. Jesus here doesn't say, you know

what, I got better things to do than go to this

wedding. I've got people to heal. I've got classes

to teach. Jesus doesn't do that. He goes to the

wedding. We as Christians should be growing in

joy. That's in that great list of the fruit of

the Spirit. Friends today, if you are lacking

in joy, go to a wedding. Now make sure you're

invited, but go to a wedding and celebrate the

good gifts of God. Celebrate the good things

in your life. and celebrate the things in the

lives of other people. If you find that you're

lacking in joy, pray and celebrate the good things.

Fourthly, hope. The analogy of the wedding used

throughout scripture, that Jesus is the bridegroom

who laid down his life for his bride. Jesus is

committed to the church. All this is pictured,

as I said, within the Lord's Supper. It's also

pictured in our baptism, right? And it's also

pictured in something that we have to hope for,

the marriage supper of the Lamb. Isaiah 25 pictures

this, predicts this, on this mountain the Lord

of Hosts will make for all people a feast of

rich food, a feast of well -aged wine. of rich

food, full of marrow, of aged wine, well refined.

This sign should have us looking to eternity.

Consider Revelation 19, 9. Blessed is the one

who is invited to the marriage supper of the

lamb. Will you be there? Will you be at the marriage

supper of the lamb with Christ? The wedding invitations

have gone out. They have. They go out through

the proclamation of the word. And so you have

heard the word. Your seat at the marriage supper

of the Lamb is only reserved through faith in

Jesus Christ. And so if you are lacking in that,

if you don't have assurance of salvation today,

if you're not sure what to make of Jesus, pray

today. Pray now. And ask God to grant you the

gift of faith that you will be. there because

Jesus is committed to the church. His hour came.

He answered the call. Jesus laid down his life

for you to wash you clean of sin. Jesus is the

groom and he loves you very, very much. Let's

pray.