February 14, 2023
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Reading along with us as we take a quick break in Ezekiel for a few chapters of John? Here’s today’s reading:
John 2 (NIV)
Jesus Changes Water Into Wine
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
John 1
He makes wine for a wedding that his mother attended. He tells her that his time has not come yet.
He clears the temple saying it was turned into a market place. for what was being done there. Jesus tells them if destroyed he could rebuild the temple in 3 days what took them 46 yrs to build.
John is very refreshing study after Ezekiel.
John 2
One does wonder about the nature of Jesus’ relationship with His parents and what is revealed in this little interaction. First there must have been an understanding of who Jesus is and what His mission was. Second, they must have observed Jesus do miraculous things and so best to just do what He says. And third, when you are the mother of the son of God, you might wonder what your influence was and should be. And so here we see her making her suggestion, as parents often do with children. And yet Jesus is the one making the call, which you would expect the son of God to do. And of course His wine is the best. How could it not be? The one who created the dynamic of fermentation and what would be in a grape to release it’s potential compresses it all in a moment, by the words He speaks and the thoughts He thinks. I look forward to drinking that wine in heaven if that is what will be served at the marriage supper of the lamb.
And there is a bit of a discussion about just what this cleansing of the temple is. It is not set In the time frame that we most associate with this event. The other gospel writers place it in the last week of Jesus’ life. So is John placing it here for whatever emphasis he is trying to make? Or the better answer to me is that Jesus did this twice, near the beginning of His ministry and at the end. It wouldn’t be surprising to me that the jews did not get the point. So after Jesus corrected this, then went back to doing it again..at least three Passover’s later.
And I really love how the chapter ends. Jesus did not trust Himself to people because He knew what was in a man. What a good pattern for us to live by. I present myself to others as a servant and one who loves all and seeks to influence them in the ways of God. But then I don’t look to others to provide anything substantial in terms of interpersonal or emotional needs and am careful of the influence they have on me. It allows me to be who God wants me to be to them while freeing others to be what they choose to be. The more godly the better, but it doesn’t need to effect what I know about myself under God and how godly I then choose to be…
Signs and miracles. It seemed everywhere He went there was an opportunity to show the people the true power and might of God even if for something as simple as making wine for a wedding. I love how casually He performed many of these miracles, always calm, never frazzled or flashy, just simply an extension of His father with the ability to solve any problem big or small. From making wine to raising the dead His time on earth was marked with power and grace, authority and humility, love and correction as we saw in the temple. A true example of a leader and discipler!
John 2:4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” Everything that God does is done in its perfect timing. That’s why we need not fret when the Lord does not answer our prayers right away. John 2:11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. From the beginning of Jesus ministry, his disciples believed in him. John 2:24 – But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. Jesus entrusted himself to no man because he knew their hearts. He put his trust in God the Father. I liked Pastor’s comment about being a representation of a servant who loves all and seeks to be a godly influence while being careful of the influence they have on us. Looking to God and what he wants us to be, not to others.