Who is Jesus? John 2:1-12

Who Is Jesus? • Sermon • Submitted 3 months ago • Presented 4 months ago

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Epiphany is about discovery. It is a sudden breakthrough of realization about something. During the season of Epiphany, our subject of discover is the identity of Jesus. This baby whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, was no ordinary child. He was human, but He was also God. This season we will look behind Jesus childhood and the beginning of His ministry looking for the gems that reveal that He was more than an ordinary person. He was in fact, God incarnate.

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Opening Scripture Revelation 19:1-10

Revelation 19:1–10 NIV

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.” The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!” Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”

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Who Is Jesus?

Weddings are always events that seem to come with unexpected surprises. No matter how hard you try, it seems that something always falls through the cracks or some unforeseen trial presents itself. In the moment, these can be frustrating or disappointing, but often lend themselves for good natured stories in the future. As a pastor, I have experienced some as well as heard of many.

There are two short ones I always enjoy sharing. One was about a bride who was so nervous, she was shaking terribly. In her wedding, they had planned a traditional unity candle ceremony. If you are not familiar with this, it is where the bride and groom each take a lit candle and together light one candle together, then blow out their two candles. This is symbolic of two becoming one, or you can say the three candles together represent the bride, groom, and God and when they two candles light the candle in the middle, it is a signal of the two being united as one with God.

On this occasion, when the bride took her candle, she was shaking so bad that the candle bumped against the veil that covered her face. The veil lit and smoldered. In a panic, she began blowing on it, which just caused it to brighten and spread out. She kept blowing and it kept spreading. I do not know if I ever heard of what occurred to put the flame out, but it turned out okay.

Another story was about a woman who saw something that needed fixed on the platform after the wedding had began. She thought she would surreptitiously fix it without being seen by crawling behind the altar. What she didn’t realize was that the candles in the darkened room were casting her enlarged shadow across the whole platform.

These stories are too funny to make up. However, not all unforeseen problems are so easily cast aside with laughter. Some can be devastating, such as a time a Nazarene friend of mine married a Catholic. The Catholic priest performed the wedding and preceded to give an hour long sermon against protestants before conducting the marriage ceremony.

In today’s passage, a couple faces this kind of humiliation until Jesus steps up to save the day. However, there is much more to this story than the salvation of a wedding.

John 2:1–12 NIV

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.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour 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 the 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.” 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. After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!

Father, please bless this Word which you have provided and which we now receive. Amen!

I. Jesus’ First Sign is a Prelude to What is to Come John 2:1-12

Last week when we left off, Jesus had just overcome a series of intense testing from Satan. This is not something uncommon. Whenever someone has received a call from God, they often find themselves faced with a period of intense testing as well. Satan does all he can to side track us from the call God has give.

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As Jesus leaves the wilderness, He begins to pick up followers. First, it is Andrew. Andrew was a follower of John the Baptist. John is in Bethany and he sees Jesus walking down the street. The last time John had seen Jesus, he had baptized Him and John witnessed God’s voice and the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus. Forty plus days have passed and now he spots Jesus. You can bet he He had a double take response. John then points Jesus out to Andrew and another man and says Jesus is the Messiah. Andrew and his companion swiftly go to Jesus to talk to him. Shortly after, Andrew goes and finds his brother Simon, who we know as Peter. It must have been the following morning when Jesus finds Simon and Andrew along with their partners, James and John along the shore preparing their fishing nets and he calls for them to follow him. They immediately do. Jesus then proceeds to Philip and Nathanael and directs them to follow Him as well.

Now, these men weren’t strangers to each other. They all lived fairly close. We are told that Simon and Andrew, as well as Philip were from Bethsaida. We know that James and John were fishermen from the Sea of Galilee, partners with Simon and Andrew, so they either also lived there or nearby. Nathanael was from Cana of Galilee. We are not told the profession of Philip and Nathanael, though we know that Philip was a follower of John.

Now, what do you do when you make new friends and you want to get to know each other better? You invite them home for dinner. Or at least, that was the way things used to be. With our crazy busy culture, we tend to ask them out to dinner. :-)

It quickly becomes apparent that when Jesus said, “Follow me,” He was on the way home. It is here that He will get to know these men better. On the way, Jesus detours by way of Cana as a family friend is getting married. It must be someone they are close to because evidently Jesus’ mother Mary, has been asked to help with the refreshments. Who knows, perhaps Mary was one of the wedding coordinators. There is no telling. However, she is behind the scenes and seems to be in charge.

Now Mary does what any woman does. She comes to her husband, or if her husband has passed and her oldest son is around, she goes to Him and says, “Oh dear! They have run out of wine. You know the disgrace that will come down upon them. What should we do?” To which the son usually replies, “Mom, what do you want me to do about it?” usually with a chuckle. Well, when we put it in our language, it really is a common story.

We often clinch at Jesus use of the word “woman,” more so in our woke culture. However, the term was a common endearment in those days. We typically hear the word “woman” used with a different inflection. I was in a public restroom once when a mother came and hollered at her young son to hurry up so they could leave. The boy replied, “Woman, hold your horses! I’ll be done when I’m done!” Of course, I could guess where this young boy had heard such a reply.

However, that was not the attitude of Jesus. He was actually being respectful. And then he responds with, “My time has not yet come,” which we will get to in a moment. Despite Jesus’ response, Mary seems to understand that Jesus will fix things in this moment. It is difficult to know how she knows because John makes it clear that this is the first of His “miraculous signs,” yet she quickly tells the servants to do whatever He says.

Without further ado, Jesus instructs them to fill some nearby 20-30 gallon stone jugs with water and to fill a glass for the host of the banquet. You know the rest of the story. What came out was the very best of wine. Most people served their good wine first and as the seven day wedding feast continued, the less expensive wine was served as the party continued.

I chose this event as our next epiphany account for a very good reason. You may think it is because it was Jesus first miracle, but it is so much more than that. To fully understand it, we need to understand John and his intention when he wrote his gospel.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called synoptic gospels. They share many of the same stories. Their gospels are accounts of what has taken place and what Jesus was teaching. However, John’s gospel is more introspective. John wants us to see what is not so easily seen with the eye, but with the heart and the mind. Some say John’s gospel is the “spiritual” gospel.

Who can forget its beginning. Instead of the birth of Jesus and baptism account as shared in the other three, John begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John does not say that Jesus performed miracles, but that Jesus provided signs. The reason is that it is not about the miracle performed, but about what the miracle is demonstrating about Jesus. In this account, John uses it somewhat as a parable. There are details John provides for the sake of symbols to draw our minds to who Jesus is and His purpose for coming to earth. That is why John chose this event to share when the others didn’t. He saw greater significance in this account.

So, lets look at some of these details as they speak into the...

A. Epiphany Moments in the Wedding at Cana. John 2:1-12

This account is not a new chapter but a continuation of the previous chapter. The first day was John noticing Jesus and pointing Him out to Andrew and his companion. The next day, Jesus collects Peter, Andrew, James and John, and heads out for Galilee collecting Philip and Andrew as they go.

Now on the third day, a wedding is taking place. Jesus is obviously invited, and he takes his new friends as well. Nathanael probably had some acquaintance as well since he was from Cana. But here is where I want you to see...

1. Spiritual Symbolism in a Current Event.

Jesus is about to perform His first miraculous sign and it occurs at an event that will correlate with a future event for us.

a. The Wedding Feast Mirrors the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. Revelation 19:1-10

Think about this a moment. The first major gathering with Jesus and His disciples is at a wedding feast. In this moment, they have no idea how significant this is, but Jesus knows. Do you think it is an accident that Jesus begins His ministry in this way? I do not believe there are coincidences or accidents with God. He does everything with a purpose. It is at this wedding feast that Jesus is getting acquainted with those who will be His closest friends. They are all now waiting for the moment when this will be repeated in heaven, only this time the feast will include us.

Now, notice how John begins this event...

John 2:1 NIV

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,

b. The Third Day Alludes to Resurrection Day.

Numbers in the Bible are very significant. It is believed that John was specifically making note of the third day to open this account, knowing by doing so it would draw his readers to remember the significance of what occurred on a third day, that being Christ’s resurrection. We will be part of that final wedding feast, because Jesus died and He conquered death by rising on the third day, which brings me to my next point.

c. Jesus Has Come to Provide Salvation.

In this account, the family was facing disgrace and humiliation to which Jesus came and saved them. Jesus comment about, “My time has not yet come,” is a reference to the salvation that He is coming to provide us all. Perhaps Jesus said this with a chuckle teasing his mother who understood some of this, though probably not fully. Can you not see Him saying this to His mother with a twinkle in his eye and a chuckle as He spoke? However, Jesus knew that this occasion is a much easier situation to fix.

Next, there is...

d. The symbolism of wine.

There are two very significant meanings to wine as can be applied to this account.

i. Wine as a symbol of covenant. Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-39

In the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus shared a parable about putting new wine into new wineskins. The wine was a symbol used for the covenant. When Jesus came, He brought the institution of a new covenant. In the parable, wine was a symbol of the covenant and the wineskins were the religious notions that people had. The Pharisees were unable to see what Jesus offered them because they could not abort their old false notions (old wine skins). Jesus said they needed to leave their old wine skins and accept new ones (what Jesus offered, which was freedom from the Law).

When we apply this spiritual application we find...

a. The New Covenant is better than the first covenant, just as the better wine was brought out last.

The Old Covenant was an order of Law and we are never able to complete satisfy it. We will always fail no matter how hard we try. However, the New Covenant offered us through Jesus is that of relationship. Through our relationship with Christ, His ability to to fulfill the Law is credited to our account. We are set free from the Law. This does not mean that we have free license to do anything we wish. The Law is valid. It just means that when we truly make our best effort, Christ’s sacrifice covers our short-term offenses.

This of course brings us to the next symbol of wine.

ii. Wine as a symbol of the blood of Christ. Luke 22:20; I Cor 11:25

We all can make the connection of this due to our practice of Communion. The practice of Communion was instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper. He took the cup of wine and said, this is my blood shed for you.

When we think of all those gallons of water turned to wine, our minds are drawn to the practice of Communion.

There is one final note I wish for you to see in this account, and each account where Jesus provided a sign.

B. Jesus Always Combines His Miracles with Human Cooperation.

There is always a role we are to play. The servants were instructed to get water. Then they were to pour some out for the Master of ceremonies first.

In the feeding of the multitudes, the disciples were sent to collect what food they could first.

The blind man was to go wash his eyes in the spring.

When we take part and participate, we get a better view. We become a part of what is taking place. We see first hand. We feel first hand. We experience first hand. God does not want us to be spectators. He wants us to be participants in what He is doing.

I recently asked you, have you had a first-hand experience with God or a second-hand experience? I hope to ask you this, throughout this year. A first-hand experience is one that you have participated in. You have experienced it for yourself and your life and knowledge of God were changed through the experience. A second-hand experience is when all you know is what someone else has told you. You only know the Bible per what others have told you. You only know of miracles that others have told you they experienced. You are only doing something for God because others have told you should do it.

God wants something more for you. He wants everyone to have a first-hand experience. When we do, we are participants with God. We work in cooperation with His efforts and we get to see the full show from the front row.

Conclusion

For Jesus’ first six disciples, this was a front row experience. He called them to follow Him and they did. They are now watching and learning and experiencing the revelation of the Word become flesh. Jesus is confirming to them who He is and confirming their call to follow Him. God does not call us to blind faith. However, we have to be in the front participating to see the truth first hand. I hope to give you opportunities this year to do just that. The first opportunity is a small step in that direction. Faith Promise offers you the opportunity to ask God to speak to you and share the amount He would have you pledge. If you seriously want to hear from Him, you will need to take time to do so. Take baby steps. Sit and be quiet asking to hear from Him for just 10 minutes a day. As this gets a little easier, increase it. When a moment occurs whether in those silent moments are throughout your day when you feel you hear God impress and amount upon you. Ask God to give you confirmation. Then wait and be watching and listening for some kind of confirmation. This is a good first step. As the year continues, I hope to find other means to offer you opportunities to grow in your first-hand experiences with God. Our Ash Wednesday service will provide another opportunity. It is coming March 7 and I hope you make an effort to come and participate, as you will interact in it as a participant.

This event in Cana was not just a single revelation Christ. It was packed with significant symbolism that only those in attendance would see by later looking back. John is allowing us this “look back” experience. Jesus is also calling each of us to come and be participants with Him. When we accept His invitation, we automatically receive a door pass to get into the final wedding feast at His wedding table.

How appropriate that the beginning of His ministry starts with a Wedding Feast. It was not coincidental. It was planned and is a fantastic epiphany moment.

Allow me to close with this poem by Malcom Guite.

Here’s an epiphany to have and hold, A truth that you can taste upon the tongue, No distant shrines and canopies of gold Or ladders to be clambered rung by rung, But here and now, amidst your daily living Where you can taste and touch and feel and see, The spring of love, the fount of all forgiving, Flows when you need it, rich, abundant, free.

Better than waters of some outer weeping, That leave you still with all your hidden sin, Here is a vintage richer for the keeping That works its transformation from within. ‘What price?’ you ask me, as we raise the glass, ‘It cost our Saviour everything he has.’

--Malcom Guite

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