Before I jump into this story of Jesus performing His first miracle on record, I want to look at this verse. What I have come to appreciate and love about the Bible is how everything flows together. Check this out!
“On the third day, there was a wedding..“, what is so significant about the third day? Well, first Jesus was resurrected on the third day. Resurrection after three days of death proved to Jesus’ opponents that He truly rose from the dead. Why? According to Jewish tradition, a person’s soul/spirit remained with his/her dead body for three days. After three days, the soul/spirit departed. If Jesus’ resurrection had occurred on the same day or even the next day, it would have been easier for His enemies to argue He had never truly died.
Secondly, it was important for Jesus to be dead for three days to fulfill biblical prophecy. Jesus personally claimed He would be dead three days. Look at Matthew 12:40; 16:21; 27:63; John 2:19.
Now to the wedding. Here’s the really cool part, Jesus’s first miracle is at a wedding, and when He comes back during the rapture, the church will be united with the Bridegroom and the official “wedding ceremony” will take place and, with it, the eternal union of Christ and His bride will be complete.
Revelation 19:7-9 (NKJV)
7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”
If I’m being honest I have always read through this story and kept reading. I never took the time to understand and study what God was doing here. But what stood out to me in this beautiful passage is Jesus’s response to His mother Mary here.
John 2:3-5 (NKJV)
“And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
Now let me clear the air for everyone, Jesus wasn’t getting an attitude here with Mary calling her woman, it was a sign of respect, that’s who Jesus is.
But I think what I like about His response is Him saying, “What does your concern have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” Did you ever go to a friends birthday party growing up and your mom happened to be the only mom who said she would help with the party and while you were roller skating with your friends and enjoying your time comes to you and says, “let’s help them clean up.” You probably looked at your mom and said, “Mom, why did you sign up for this and why do I need to be apart of it? I’m not ready to start cleaning up?” And your mom then looks at your friends and tells them to start helping you when you’re ready. Why would she tell them that? Because she knows you, she knows you’re going to start cleaning up because you are obedient and a good person who loves to help others.
Mary knew this about Jesus. She knew who He was, the Son of God, the Messiah. She knew He had been baptized by John the Baptist, that He had already dealt with the temptation in the wilderness. We see a mother who knows her son. Now we don’t know, the Bible doesn’t tell us, but I think the Holy Spirit spoke to Jesus, I think Jesus went away and prayed and the Holy Spirit told Him it was His time, it was His hour.
John 2:9-10 (NKJV)
Jesus ends up performing the miracle and not only does He perform this beautiful miracle by turning water into wine, but He makes the best wine. Which, according to those customs of that day, the best wine is to be served first. Look at what the master of the feast said when he tried this wine, “When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
We get the absolute best of the best when Jesus is around!
Look at what Spurgeon says about satan and the wine he brings.
“I shall bid you look within the doors of the devil’s house, and you will find he is true to this rule; he brings forth first the good wine, and when men have well drunk, and their brains are muddled therewith, then he bringeth forth that which is worse.” (Spurgeon)
The best is yet to come. Our Pastor has said since day one, our next days are our best days. The good wine is coming. Jesus is coming back soon. Are you ready, are you thirsty, because the good stuff is on its way.
In conclusion, Jesus starts with a miracle and ends with a miracle! I want to tell you that no matter what miracle you are looking for today, continue to put your faith in Jesus, listen to the Holy Spirit, and be prepared for when Jesus comes back to be with His bride, the church.
