John 2: 1 On the third day, there was a wedding banquet in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus' mother was.
John 2:2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the banquet.
John 2:3 When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no wine."
John 2:4 Jesus said, "Woman, what have I to do with you? My time has not arrived yet. "
John 2:5 His mother said to her servants, "Do what he tells you."
John 2:6 According to the Jewish custom of cleanliness, there are six stone jars, each of which can hold two or three buckets of water.
John 2:7 Jesus said to his servant, "Fill the jars with water." They filled it up.
John 2:8 Jesus also said, "Now take it out and give it to the banquet manager." So they sent it.
John 2:9 The caterer tasted the changed wine, but he did not know where it came from, only the servant who scooped water knew. The caterer called the groom,
At about 2: 10, he said to him, "people always put good wine first, and then put the last glass after the guests have had enough;" You saved the good wine until now! "
Introduction:
Everyone attended the wedding reception. What impressed you most at the party? Maybe nothing special happened. But in today's reading, at the wedding banquet in Canaan, an embarrassing thing happened-when relatives and friends were eating and drinking happily, there was no wine.
It is wine that adds to the fun at the wedding banquet, which improves the festive atmosphere of the wedding banquet and enhances the friendship between relatives and friends. Toasting the couple is the center of the happy event. "Cherish the master's heart, and the wine is deep." The couple retaliated with wine, but in a good mood, the wine was gone. "They have no wine."
At that time, people made their own wine. They finished drinking, but there was nothing they could do. Fortunately, the Lord Jesus was present at the wedding banquet, and the Lord Jesus turned water into wine. It did not make the joyful wedding atmosphere come to an abrupt end, and even left a lifelong regret. Today's topic is "changing water into wine"
I. Jesus attended the banquet (about 2: 1-2)
John 2: 1 On the third day, there was a wedding banquet in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus' mother was.
John 2:2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the banquet.
The Bible tells us: "On the third day, there was a wedding banquet in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus' mother was, and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the banquet." (Gospel of John 2: 1-2) It can be seen that this family has a good impression on Jesus, close relationship and great love. Because they accepted Jesus, they didn't feel sorry for life without wine.
Everything in life can be compared to zero. Everything Solomon says in Ecclesiastes is "empty". 0+0=0, no matter how many zeros add up to zero. However, if you believe in Jesus, put a 1 before zero. Three zeros are preceded by 1, that is, 1000. The more zeros, the bigger the number. With Jesus, your life will be satisfied and you will have a rich life.
It is better to rely on the prince and the king (Ps. 1 18: 9), but because princes and kings are more specific than God, people often rely on them. So I suffered a lot in vain.
Seven fishermen's senior engineers, including Peter, spent a night working hard, and the result was not as good as what the Lord Jesus said lightly (about 21:);
John 2 1:6 Jesus said, "cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find it." So they cast a net, but they couldn't pull it up because there were too many fish.
The bleeding woman spent all her money on many doctors, and another twelve years passed. Why not gently touch Jesus' clothes? Take some time (Road 8:).
Luke 8:44 She came behind Jesus and touched his clothes? Son, the bleeding stopped immediately.
Brothers and sisters, we should rely entirely on God instead of thinking that Jesus' help is dispensable and insignificant.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, not in your own understanding.
We can compare two people in the Old Testament to see the difference between relying entirely on God and relying on other help besides God.
Sam 14:47 Wherever he (Saul) went, he defeated his enemies.
Sam 8:6 The Lord has given David victory wherever he went.
Although Saul and David can win wherever they go, the difference is that David's victory is the victory of the Lord, and Saul can also win by relying on other forces, but what is the final outcome? Saul and David are two different worlds.
The difference between Saul and David is that Saul depends on himself and David depends on God in everything.
King Saul is a very capable man. He was tall, rich and clever, and later recruited many talented people. He can always defeat his enemies without relying on God. He sometimes prays to the Lord, in front of everyone, in order to win people's hearts, but in his heart, he doesn't think it's really that important to rely on God. Once, Jonathan and his armed men killed some Philistines and disturbed the enemy camp. When Saul knew this, he immediately asked the priest to bring the ark, so that he could call on God to fight the enemy. Just then, the shouts of the enemy camp became louder, and Saul immediately said, "Stop it!" " "Don't pray, so as not to delay the aircraft.
David obeyed God and prayed to him for everything. In chapter 23 of 1 Samuel, 1-4, "David was told that the Philistines attacked Gera and robbed the threshing floor. And David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and fight against the Philistines? And the Lord said to David, Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah. And David's men said to him, We are afraid in the land of Judah, how much less go to Keilah to attack the army of the Philistines? David inquired of the Lord again. The Lord answered, "Get up and go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand. In 1 Samuel 30: 8, "David inquired of the Lord and said, shall I catch up with the enemy?" The Lord said, "If you can pursue it, you must pursue it and save it." . In 1 Samuel, chapter 5, sections 19 and 23, "David inquired of the Lord, saying, shall I go up and attack the Philistines?" Will you give them to me? And the Lord said, Go up, and I will give the Philistines into your hand. ... and David inquired of the Lord. Don't go straight up, says the Lord, but turn behind them and attack them from opposite the mulberry trees. "
When David did everything not only by praying, but also by waiting for God, he said, "Wait for God. Take courage and strengthen your heart. I repeat, I will wait for the Lord "(Ps. 27: 14).
Saul rebelled against God, and it is recorded in Chapter 15 of Samuel that God ordered Saul to destroy all Amaleks through Samuel. As a result, Saul disobeyed God's command and left Agag, an Amalekite, and fat cattle and sheep. Samuel said, "Does the Lord like burnt offerings and peace offerings, as a man listens to his voice?"? Obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience is better than ram fat. The crime of disobedience is equivalent to the crime of witchcraft. The sin of stubbornness is the same as the sin of worshipping false gods and idols. Since you have rejected the command of the Lord, the Lord has also rejected you as king. "Secondly, without waiting for God, in Chapter 13 of 1 Samuel, it is recorded that the Philistines attacked Israel, and Saul waited for seven days according to the date set by Samuel in the crisis. Before Samuel came to Gilgal, the people left Saul and dispersed. And Saul said, Bring me burnt offerings and peace offerings. So Saul offered a burnt offering. Just after the burnt offering, Samuel arrived "(8- 10).
Although Saul often wins by himself, he finally fails. David relied on God in everything, which finally brought him back to life.
Brothers and sisters, let us invite Jesus to be the feast of our lives, look to the Lord entrusted to us in everything and enjoy the richness in him.
2. Three bottles of wine have been finished.
John 2:3 When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no wine."
"Drinks Out" can bring us more thoughts.
1: "The wine is used up", indicating that happiness in the world is short-lived.
Here, "wine" symbolizes happiness in the world, which will make people happy and excited. "Running out of wine" means that all happiness is short-lived and everything will pass.
At present, you may feel that you are very capable, healthy and everything is going well. But sooner or later, our lives will be drunk to death. When the person you love leaves, when your career fails, when you lose your health, everything that once made people proud will go with the wind.
Four great pleasures in ancient life: long drought meets rain, and old friends meet in other places. Wedding night, for the first time. In fact, if you think about it carefully, no happiness lasts long.
Let's think back, when you received the college admission notice, when you were promoted, when you were a new parent, when you just bought a new house and a new car, how did you feel? Must be ecstatic and extremely excited! Think again, how long did this happiness last?
The fifth chapter of Kings records a character named Naaman. What kind of person is he? He used to be a marshal of Aram's army. He was regarded as a great man and a mighty warrior before the king of Aram. From these descriptions, we can know that Naaman is a very capable and successful person, enjoys a high social status, has a healthy and strong body and is envied by countless people. It's really promising, and he must be very proud himself. Unfortunately, he contracted leprosy, which was incurable at that time. At this point, everything Naiman once owned was like a flash in the pan.
The wine in his life has run out. Look at yourself, he is so powerless. Finally, Naaman had to ask God for help. Man's life is limited, but people often seek God only when there is no way out.
Reception fatigue is a true portrayal of life. Life is a finite number. One day, people will lose their strength, wealth and health.
Brothers and sisters, everyone is weak. As human beings, we have nothing to boast about. The prophet Jeremiah said, Lord, I know that man's way is not his own, and those who walk on it cannot set their own steps. (Jeremiah 10:23)
2. "Running out of wine" means that people are limited.
If this person is just drinking alone at home, he suddenly runs out of alcohol when drinking, at most, he won't drink, or he will drink next meal. But now there is no wine at the wedding banquet, which is related to all relatives, friends and neighbors. Marriage is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and everyone hopes to complete it smoothly and happily. If this happens suddenly, it will leave regret for life.
According to Jewish tradition, wedding banquets usually last for seven days. They should plan, arrange and prepare in advance, for example, they should estimate in advance how many days the wedding reception will last, how many guests will come and how much wine will be needed. They must have made full preparations, but to their surprise, they ran out of wine. You can imagine how embarrassing it would be to have no wine at the wedding reception! If there is not enough meat, you can kill cattle and sheep on the spot, and there is not enough wine, but there is really no way, because brewing takes time and people can't create time.
Why is there no wine when planning? The Bible doesn't tell us why, but something unexpected must have happened. It can be seen how limited people are!
The wine suddenly disappeared and there was no solution. Isn't something similar happening in our lives?
Third, mistress asks for help, (about 2: 3-4)
John 2:3 When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no wine."
John 2:4 Jesus said, "Woman, what have I to do with you? My time has not arrived yet. "
What should I do if I run out of wine?
In this case, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no wine." Jesus answered, "Woman, what have I to do with you? My time hasn't come yet. "Don't tell me what to do, my time hasn't come yet.
Many people think that Jesus should not talk to his mother like this. Let's think about a question: Why did Mary tell Jesus this urgent problem? Why didn't she tell anyone? Because Mary knows who Jesus is, she believes that only Jesus has the ability to solve this thorny problem. She didn't forget the scene when the angel appeared in front of her. How did she get pregnant when she knew she was a virgin? She clearly remembers what the angel said to her at that time: "If you want to get pregnant and have a baby, you can name him Jesus. He will be great and be called the son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will rule Jacob forever. His country has no end. " (Luke 1:3 1-33)
Therefore, at that time, Mary was not just talking to her son, she was telling God this urgent problem. Jesus' answer shows that in fulfilling his sacred mission, he listened to his father, not his mother. "My time" refers to the time when he was crucified and glorified.
"They have no wine." Jesus' mother told Jesus. Tell Jesus that Jesus saved all the audience. There was no wine at the wedding reception. Why did Jesus' mother want it? Because Jesus' mother is the most familiar with Jesus, the relationship with Jesus is very important, and people close to Jesus have the ability to pray.
Jesus did not restrict his closeness to his mother. Jesus' mother and his brothers came, and they couldn't go in because of the crowd. Someone told him that your mother and your brother were standing outside and wanted to see you. Jesus answered and said to them, it is my mother and my brothers who listen to the word of God and walk. (No.8: 19-2 1)
When we cling to Jesus, get close to Jesus, listen to God's words and do what God says, Jesus regards us as his mother, his brothers and his relatives!
Why did God listen to David's prayer instead of Saul's? Saul often goes against God's will, so God won't listen to him. David drew near to God, and God heard his prayer. The Lord Jesus said, "If you abide in me, my words will abide in you, and everything you ask will be granted to you." (about 15:7)
Jesus' mother only said to him, "They have no wine." The mother could have told her son what to do, but Jesus' mother just told Jesus. When we are as close to Jesus as Jesus' mother, we will know Jesus and will not be smart before God. When we don't ask God to draw us a gourd as we think, and tell him without asking God to make a plan, he will give us more than we think and ask for, so that our blessing cup will overflow.
Just tell God, "Don't worry about anything, just tell God what you want through prayer, pleading and thanks. God's unexpected peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. " (Philippians 4:6)
We always have a lot of worries about "ending". How can we tell God what we want without worrying? Tell Jesus that he makes us carefree and what a wonderful life Jesus has given us!
When there is wine and joy, I don't think of Jesus. When there is a shortage, I tell Jesus. In any case, when we tell Jesus that he gave us good wine, it will exceed human thoughts and desires. Whether the embarrassment without wine can be turned into new joy and whether the anxiety can be turned into peace depends on whether you tell Jesus.
Mary seemed to understand what Jesus meant, so she didn't say anything more, but told her servant, "Do whatever he tells you to do."
Although Jesus had no intention of doing this miracle, he did the miracle of turning water into wine because of his love and compassion. The servant did as Jesus said, a miracle happened, the urgent problem was solved in time, and the embarrassing scene was avoided.
In Mary, we can see that she cares about the needs of others and is willing to intercede for others. Although Jesus has not performed miracles in the past 30 years, Maria knows that Jesus is God and he can open a new path where there is no road. Someone once said: Even if all roads are blocked, the road to heaven is always open for us, and no one or anything can block this road. When you are desperate, please remember to look to God, because God will never close one door, he will open another.
Four. Obedience of servants 5-8
John 2:5 His mother said to her servants, "Do what he tells you."
John 2:6 According to the Jewish custom of cleanliness, there are six stone jars, each of which can hold two or three buckets of water.
John 2:7 Jesus said to his servant, "Fill the jars with water." They filled it up.
John 2:8 Jesus also said, "Now take it out and give it to the banquet manager." So they sent it.
1. completely obey-until the cylinder mouth
People tend to be a little obedient, but few people can be completely obedient. Complete obedience means complete obedience, and obedience does not go out of shape. Samuel told Saul to wait for him for seven days and let him sacrifice. In the end, Saul was unwilling to sacrifice himself for fear of the enemy and offended God. We cannot say that Saul did not obey. He really obeyed, even well, because he had been waiting for six and a half days! Isn't it obedience? However, God decided to replace Saul with someone after his own heart.
2. Pay the price of obedience-six stone jars
Obedience comes at a price. If obedience doesn't need to be paid first, who else will not obey? These servants really paid a great price. It was very hard to draw water in the Middle East at that time. Not only is there no running water, but even there are few wells. Often a village or even several villages use a well and have no means of transportation. It is conceivable that they must take water bottles to fetch water and fill six stone jars.
3. Silent obedience-the servant didn't speak
There was no wine at the banquet, but it didn't matter that the Lord Jesus let them drink clean water. It seems that it is useless to do it. In fact, they won't ask for or be lazy in such a hard process of fetching water, because they always remember their identity-servants. Obviously, they brought their own water, but the Lord Jesus asked them to take it to the banquet manager to drink. Maybe they will be scolded by the banquet manager, and they won't ask because they remember that they are servants.
Verb (abbreviation of verb) turns water into wine 9- 10
John 2:9 The caterer tasted the changed wine, but he did not know where it came from, only the servant who scooped water knew. The caterer called the groom,
At about 2: 10, he said to him, "people always put good wine first, and then put the last glass after the guests have had enough;" You saved the good wine until now! "
Do you know what the first miracle Moses performed in the Old Testament was? Water turns into blood! It is the same as the first miracle of Jesus in the New Testament: water turns into wine! Strange! They have one thing in common: they are all changes in water-what is the spiritual significance? In the Old Testament, the change from water to blood shows God's justice: where there is sin and resistance to God, there is God's justice and punishment; Jesus showed God's love by turning water into wine. He walked into families and individuals in need. He brought joy and help to people and turned sadness and despair into joy and hope.
In this miracle, Jesus turned water into wine. We all know that water is an odorless liquid. Before we became Christians, our life was as plain as water. Sometimes we feel empty, and our life is meaningless and directionless. The wine that Jesus bought with water is called good wine, which tells us that Jesus can change people's lives, he can bring people new life, he can make people live with hope and make people's lives different. Jesus gave us new wine and good wine, because he himself is good wine!
How does the housekeeper know this is good wine? Because he has tasted it. The poet said: if you want to taste the grace of the Lord, you will know that he is good. Blessed are those who take refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8) The housekeeper tasted the wine, and he marveled that it was good wine! Therefore, a person can only feel the goodness of the Lord if he is willing to taste the grace of the Lord himself.
This miracle shows the glory of God, and also shows that Jesus is God and the master of all things. Why did John record these things? John 20:3 1 tells us the purpose of recording miracles: "But write these things so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. And that you may believe in him and have life in his name. "
What kind of life is this? Jesus himself told us, "I have come to give life to sheep (or people) and have it more abundantly." (Gospel of John 10: 10) This new life brings people satisfaction, this new life brings blessings to others, and this new life is enviable!
Let's pay attention to what the housekeeper said to the groom. He said: "People always put good wine first. Wait until the guests have drunk enough, and then put the last one. You have kept good wine until now. "
There is a reproach in the housekeeper's words, from which we can know that before Jesus changed water into wine, the guests had drunk inferior wine many times, but never tasted such good wine!
Brothers and sisters, when Jesus is king in our life, you will experience unprecedented glory in life, and every day in your life is like a cup of mellow wine!