JOHN'S MAJESTIC GOSPEL SERVES AS A MAGNIFICENT GALLERY WHICH DISPLAY THE GLORY OF JESUS AS NO OTHER LITERATURE ON EARTH CAN. AS YOU ENTER IN CHAPTER 1, JOHN GIVES CONVINCING EVIDENCE OF THE DEITY OF JESUS AND PROVES HIM TO BE THE GOD\ MAN. JESUS IS SHOWN IN ALL THE MAJESTY OF HIS PLACE IN THE GODHEAD. CHAPTER 2 GIVE US 2 SNAPSHOTS FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS. IM VERSES 1-11, HE IS SHOWN AT A WEDDING AND IN VERSES 12-25, JESUS IS SHOWN AT THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP. IN THE LATTER SCENE JESUS EXERTED HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO CLEANSE THE FILTH FROM HIS FATHER'S HOUSE! BY THE WAY, GOD HAS NOT CHANGED HIS MIND! HIS HOUSE IS STILL TO BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER, PRAISE AND WORSHIP. MANY IN OUR DAY HAVE TRIED TO MAKE GOD'S HOUSE A PLACE OF MERCHANDISE, POWER AND POLITICS. JESUS STILL STANDS OPPOSED TO SUCH PRACTICES. HERE WE LOOK AT A WEDDING JESUS IS TO ATTEND, BEING CONCERNED WITH AND GETS INVOLVED IN, THE PROBLEMS AND SITUATIONS OF ORDINARY, EVERYDAY LIFE. IN THIS PASSAGE, WE ENCOUNTER A CHRIST WHO CARES, WHO CAN AND ONE WHO CARRY'S THROUGH ON HIS OWN! NOW LET'S DROP IN ON THIS LITTLE SCENE IN CANA OF GALILEE AND WITNESS JOHN'S PORTRAIT OF JESUS. THE CIRCUMSTANCES A WEDDING IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE, WHICH IS ALWAYS A HUGE SOCIAL EVENT THOSE DAYS. THE CELEBRATION COULD LAST FOR AS LONG AS A WEEK.. WE ARE NOT TOLD WHO IS GETTING MARRIED, BUT IT IS A CLOSE KINSMAN TO JESUS. IT MAY BE A BROTHER, A SISTER A COUSIN, ETC. I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SOMEONE OF CLOSE RELATION BECAUSE MARY IS INVOLVED IN THE FESTIVITIES,V.1,3,5. IF THIS SCENE
TEACHES US ANYTHING, IT TELLS US THAT JESUS CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMON, ROUTINE, EVERYDAY EVENT. JESUS ISN'T JUST FOR SUNDAY! HE DESIRES AND DESERVES TO BE INCLUDED IN ALL LIFE! YOU SEE, HE IS EITHER LORD OF ALL,
OR HE ISN'T LORD AT ALL IN YOUR LIFE-ACTS 10:36). JESUS IS HERE BY INVITATION!
SOMEONE POSSESSED THE FORETHOUGHT AND THOUGHTFULNESS TO CALL JESUS TO THIS EVENT. NEVER BE GUILTY OF ATTEMPTING TO EXCLUDE JESUS FROM ANY AREAS OF YOUR LIFE. BY VIRTUE OF HIS SACRIFICE FOR US AT CALVARY, HE DESERVES INCLUSION IN ALL WE ARE. AND IN ALL WE DO.). REMEMBER [ 1COR. 6: 19-20]- WHAT? KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST WHICH IS IN YOU, WHICH YE HAVE OF GOD, AND YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN. FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY, AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD'S. FOR JESUS AT THE WEDDING IN OUR TEXT, A PROBLEM, SOMETIME, DURING THESE FESTIVITIES , THEY RAN OUT OF WINE. DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH OF A PROBLEM TO US, BUT TO THE JEWS, IT COULD BE RUINOUS! FIRST, IT WAS A MANNER OF HONOR. THE BRIDEGROOM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPLIES. IF SOMETHING RAN OUT BEFORE THE PARTY WAS CONCLUDED, IT SIMPLY MEANT THAT HE HADN'T PLANNED WELL. IT SIMPLY MEANT HE HADN'T PROVIDED FOR ALL HIS GUESTS. SECONDLY TO RUN OUT OF WINE WOULD CAUSE PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT, AND THE OFFENDING FAMILY COULD BE FINED, THEREFORE THIS WAS A PROBLEM OF CONSIDERABLE SIZE TO THESE PEOPLE. LIFE DOESN'T ALWAYS GO AS WE PLANNED IT! THERE ARE TIMES WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE AND TROUBLES COME OUR WAY. THIS IS A COMMON THING- [ JOB 14:1; JOHN 16:33' ECCL.2: 23, 'FOR ALL HIS DAYS ARE SORROWS, AND TRAVAIL, GRIEF; YEA, HIS HEART TAKETH NOT REST IN THE NIGHT". THIS IS ALSO VANITY. IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT WHEN OUR"ALL" BELIEVED ON HIM. " YOUR FAITH IN JESUS IS NEVER MISPLACED! IF YOU DISPLAY, "MUSTARD SEED" FAITH IN YOUR HOUR OF TRIAL, JESUS WILL ENTER INTO THAT NEED AND REMOVE THAT MOUNTAIN. HE WILL NEVER FAIL HIS CHILDREN. TWO DAYS LATER, JESUS MOTHER, WAS A GUEST AT A WEDDING IN THE VILLAGE OF CANA IN GALILEE., AND JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES WERE INVITED TOO. THE WINE SUPPLY RAN OUT. DURING THEIR FESTIVITIES AND JESUS MOTHER CAME TO HIM WITH THE PROBLEM. "I CAN'T HELP YOU NOW" HE SAID. REMEMBER, THE MIRACLES IN THE FOURTH GOSPEL ARE ALWAYS "SIGNS" RATHER THAN 'ACTS OF POWER OR WORKS. THEY ARE RELATED TO JESUS MANIFESTING FORTH HIS GLORY AS THE MESSIAH HAD NOT YET COME. " MY HOUR" HAS ALSO A DEEPER MEANING OF HIS DEATH AND GLORFICIATION. [cf 8:20; 7:30.] MARY IS PERSISTENT IN HER FAITH AND DOES NOT GIVE UP HER HOPE. JESUS THEN COMMANDS THE SERVANTS TO FILL TO THE BRIM WITH WATER THE SIX LARGE STONE JARS WHICH WERE STANDING BY. THE JARS WHEN FULL WOULD CONTAIN OVER 1OO GALLONS, A CHANGE TAKES PLACE IN THE WATER, THE GOVERNOR OF THE FEAST i.e. the steward OR HEAD WAITER, TASTES THE WINE, AND CALLING THE BRIDEGROOM, EXPRESSES SURPRISE AT ITS EXCELLENT QUALITY AND ASSERTS THAT THE NEW WINE IS BETTER THAN THE OLD. " THIS WAS THE FIRST OF THE MIRACLES; "SIGNS." THAT JESUS DID. THE MIRACLES OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL ARE ALWAYS "SIGNS." RATHER THAN ACTS OF POWER. JESUS HAD MANIFESTED HIS GLORY AND BORNE WITNESS TO THE NEW MESSIANIC AGE,
AND HE APPEARED IN THE FLESH WILL INTRODUCE A NEW ORDER INTO THE WORLD
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