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John 2:1-11
Jesus washes away our sins and makes us welcome to His family.
There is going to be a wedding here soon at Penuel. We read of a wedding here in John chapter two. Why is this event recorded? Here, Jesus is turning water into wine. John finishes his gospel by saying, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.” (John 21:25). Jesus performed so many miracles that you may believe. That is why these miracles are recorded and you are here this morning – to say, ‘Yes, I believe He is Christ, the Son of the living God, to have life in His name.’
We have a glimpse here of new life the Lord Jesus has given us. Here we read of a wedding. Who was invited first? Maybe Mary, the mother of Jesus (v1). She may have had some role in hosting (v.3,5). During the wedding they ran out of wine. In this culture of 1st century Galilee, it would have been a big deal. Mary turns to Jesus for help. Jesus’ response is, “My hour has not yet come.” This is a strange response, but Mary’s response shows such faith. She goes to the servants and says, ‘Whatever He says, just do it.’
We then have this miracle of Jesus turning water into wine. The disciples believed in Jesus. Just before this event, Jesus had been tempted by Satan in the wilderness. He is committing Himself to a ministry, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, salvation from hell. The biggest ministry in the world! Jesus takes time to go to this wedding. He is no kill joy at all. Far from being opposed to these things, He facilitates them. He produces something like 800 bottles of wine for this party. We can talk about how Jesus has miraculous power over all creation, or how He protects the honour of the ashamed, how He redeems hopeless situations.
All those things are good and right to say, but in all of those the miracle goes uninterpreted. It is notoriously difficult to interpret; there are no big, long explanations as in other chapters in the gospel of John. We have to work it out ourselves. We find the purpose of the miracle in verse 11, “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”
What does the miracle mean? How does it reveal Jesus? What does it reveal of His glory? Why does He facilitate a party? Why not heal people? Although there is no explanatory discourse, there are some clues. We are going to explore three clues:
- On the third day.
The third day is significant. It is a time stamp. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John rarely give time stamps and when they do it is significant. Timing is important. Throughout the whole Bible, the third day stands for new life (Genesis 22), even life from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus took place on the third day. (1 Corinthians 15). Expect this clue to be about new life, Jesus’ resurrection.
- Jesus’ hour (v4).
His hour has not come refers to His death. There are many verses all through the gospels about this. Why does Jesus hear a request about more wine and think of His death? It is a strange conversation. Why does He draw that connection – His death and more wine? Jesus said, “ I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29). Jesus knows that in His Father’s house there is wine. We go there to drink it with Him through His death. He knows that His crucifixion means wine of celebration for everyone. It means freedom from sin, everlasting life, reconciliation with the Father, an open door into His Father’s house, a party between Him and His people. The Bible describes this as a wedding feast in heaven.
This is what is happening in John 2. At this wedding in Galilee, the Lord Jesus is thinking about that wedding feast in glory, when He and the Church get married. As He sees this wine being poured, drunk and enjoyed, He is thinking about that wine He will pour, drink and enjoy with us one day in glory. He is thinking about His hour, His death, which will win all of that. He is thinking about when it will all be ultimately fulfilled, and what it will cost to bring it about.
He knows it is not time for that hour yet, but here is an opportunity to practice, as it were, before He has to do it for real. It is an opportunity to show what Christ crucified will do for the world. It is showing the significance of His death and what it will do for us – bring us new life, celebration and wine for all of His people who are welcomed into His Father’s house.
- Water Pots.
In your home, where is your sink? By the front door? Unlikely! When the guests arrive at this marriage feast, the first thing they come across are massive pots of water. They would wash before sitting down and drinking (v.6). Purification of Jews was not just hygiene, it was also a spiritual thing. Moses, through the Old Testament, is teaching how sin makes us unclean. Do you have a squeaky clean past, a squeaky clean mind? Are your priorities right? Do you have scars because of your sin or the sins of others? Guilt, sin and filth sticks to us. We are filthy. These water jars reminded people that they are dirty. The Jews here in the story were constantly reminded of their sinfulness and the need to wash themselves (Psalm 51:5-7).
We need to be washed by God to be clean. On seeing the water pots, people may have wondered if Jesus would baptise people now. Why doesn’t He? Jesus is greater than John the Baptist. In verse four He is thinking of His death, when He is going to wash us with His blood. Through His death He is going to take away our sins, our guilt. On the third day he will rise. He is thinking about His death in which He is going to make us clean of sin and guilt forever. He is thinking of His death when He well wash us once and for all. Jesus did not come to fill washing jars but to fulfil washing jars – to bring them to an end.
Put the clues together. The third day brings new life. Through His death and new life, Jesus replaces for us all the old washings with a new cleanness and rejoicing in Him.
The law came through Moses, grace and truth came from Jesus Christ. This is the theme of chapter 2 through chapter chapter 4 as well. Jesus is replacing the old with the new. No more constant washings. He has come to wash us clean once and for all. Forever. The death of Jesus on the cross finishes ceremonial washing forever. If we believe in Him, He makes us clean for good and washes our sins away forever.
His hour, His death, the third day resurrection, means the end of guilt, the end of sin, the end of washing. Praise His name! The water of purification gives way to the wine of celebration. Constant guilt and scrubbing gives way to rejoicing on the third day.
The guests come to this party. They expect, when they see the big jars of water, another attempt to make themselves clean by washing away the dirt. Another temporary fix. The beginning of another cycle of failure. Before the party is over they will have sinned again and need to be cleansed again. But instead of that, they find the Son of God comes to them and presses into their hands a cup of wine and invites them to sit at His table.
This miracle means that Jesus ends our constant state of guilt before God and replaces it with a happy welcome to a heavenly wedding party through His own death and resurrection. This miracle is pointing us to Jesus, who can take away sin and guilt through His death. He can bury them deep in the grave. He’ll come and show you how to live a new life. The Lord Jesus takes away the water of purification and gives us the wine of celebration.
How much do you think the disciples understood at the time of this event? How much do you understand . . . that He is fully God and fully man? The point of this miracle is not about the disciples and is not about your understanding. “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:11). That’s it! They believed in Him. That is what it is for – to see the sign and believe in Jesus. Trust in Jesus, believe in Him, He will make you clean. Through His death and on the third day, the Lord Jesus ends washings. He ends sin and brings us into the wedding feast of heaven.
If you prefer, you can go on sinning, you can go on scrubbing, you can go on failing. Always water, never wine. Always dirty, never clean. But John 2 compels us in a much better direction – to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ because He can clean up your life now and He can save you a glass of wine in heaven.
Penuel Baptist Chapel, Roch 