Read John 2:1-12
What do you think about miracles? Do you believe they exist? Are they even possible? Just what is a miracle? Dictionary.com defines it as, "an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God." Hmm… sounds Biblical. So, okay…
How did Moses define a miracle? Was it in the parting of the Sea? How about Lazarus, how did he define a miracle? Was it in his supernatural new life brought to 4-day-old death? And what about Mary, the mother of Jesus? Would she define a miracle as a Holy touch to a virgin womb, producing not only new life in her but new life for her? Probably. And while that’s all well and good for Bible times, what about today?
In a study conducted by Princeton’s Religious Research Center, when asked if even today miracles are performed by the power of God, 82% of adults said yes. Fascinating. An overwhelming majority of people believe that miracles are still happening today – a statement the disciples of Jesus would’ve absolutely agreed with. Because to spend any time at all with Jesus meant to witness miracles first-hand. And in today’s reading, we find the first of many.
There was a wedding going on in the village of Cana, where the mother of Jesus was an invited guest, as well as Jesus and His disciples. In verse 3 we're told that during the wedding festivities, the supply of wine ran out. There's been much speculation about this, and many scholars believe that the family involved in the wedding may have been a poor one, thus accounting for the short supply of wine. When this potential embarrassment was discovered, the mother of Jesus asked Him to intervene. Starting in verse six, let's hear the unusual plan of Jesus.
Six stone water pots were standing there; they were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and held twenty to thirty gallons each. Jesus told the servants, "Fill the jars with water." When the jars had been filled to the brim, He said, "Dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies." So they followed His instructions. John 2:6-8
I can just imagine the looks of these servants as they were listening to the instructions of Jesus. The work it would've taken to fill one thirty gallon pot was incredible, but to fill six of them ... with water ... and then serve that water to the most vocal guest in the room. I imagine they must've just nodded their heads in obedience, and then shook them in disbelief.
And another thing, if this family was indeed a needy one, then these water pots would've been in poor condition ... probably chipped and dirty ... definitely not up to wedding standards. Yet, these were the very vessels through which Jesus chose to perform His first miracle. And we know what that miracle was. When the master of ceremonies was presented with the ladle of well water, what he tasted was heavenly wine. An act or happening attributed to a supernatural power. A miracle. Not a "magnificent" one, but a miracle. Maybe what makes this miracle magnificent is its beautiful reflection of God's greatest miracle of all ... To take an ordinary, scarred and dirty life, fill it with the water of His Word, and then pour out the essence of His new wine ... for the whole world to taste.
