John 2

Introduction

The greatest question anyone can ask is the question, who is Jesus? How we answer, and how we respond to this question will affect not only how we live this life but also how we will spend eternity.

The apostle John writes his gospel with a very clear purpose:

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name 

– Jn 20:31

Review

Last week I believe you looked at John chapter 1.

In this first chapter Jesus is introduced as:

  • The Word – Word became flesh. He dwelt among us. He was characterised by grace & truth.
  • The Creator – all things were made by Him…
  • The life – the source of life
  • John Baptist – called Him the Lamb of God. He will baptize with Holy Spirit, and He is Son of God

In this second chapter I want us to look at: 

Three demonstrations of Jesus greatness 

JESUS GLORY (1-12); JESUS ZEAL (13-22); JESUS KNOWLEDGE (23-25)

  1. JESUS GLORY (1-12)

In the first 12 verses we have the account of Jesus turning water to wine. 

So, let’s read these verses:

1On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

  1. The Party
  • There was a wedding

In every culture, a wedding is usually a big event. In Jesus day wedding celebrations could last as long as a week.

John tells us that on the third day there was a wedding. The third day probably means three days after the calling of Philip and Nathanael recorded at the end of Chapter 1.

This wedding took place in the town of Cana. We don’t know for sure where Cana was, but the best evidence seems to be that it was about 15 km north of Nazareth, where Jesus grew up.

So, the first thing we see in this account is that there was a party.

  • Jesus was invited

John tells us that the mother of Jesus was invited. Notice that he does not give her name. Apart from Jesus, John does not give the name of any of his relatives in his gospel. Mary the mother of Jesus was John’s aunt. John never even gives his own name in his gospel. 

Jesus was also invited to this wedding party. 

An important lesson for us is to invite Jesus to all our plans and events. Are you happy to invite Jesus to every function you attend? Or are there places you prefer to go without Him?  

We notice also that Jesus accepted the invite to this social event.

Again, another very imp lesson. Jesus attended social events, so He could be a light. 

We are to be in the world, but not of the world. To be salt & light wherever we go. We are to reflect the light and the love of God. 

  1. The Problem
  • The wine ran out

At this party John quickly lets us know that there was a problem. 

The wine had run out.

This was as serious problem. Why? Because it was an embarrassment for the groom. The father of the bride wants to know that this fellow can provide for his precious daughter! (like most fathers do).  

  • Mary approaches Jesus

Mary, the mother of Jesus may have had a prominent role at the wedding. She responds and says to Jesus, they have no wine.

Why did she tell Jesus? Some bible scholars think she was hoping that Jesus would do a miracle. But Jesus had not done any miracles yet.

Probably she approached Jesus because she had learned that He could deal with any problem. There is no problem He could not fix.

Lessons for us keep coming. We can take every problem to Jesus. Casting all our cares upon Him. What a privilege to carry everything to Him in prayer. Nothing too big, nothing too small. We can take it to Him.

Notice Mary just reports the problem to Jesus. She does not tell Him what to do, nor how to fix the problem. Lord here is my problem, and this is what you must do. No, just leave it with Him!

  • Jesus response

Jesus response may be confusing to us:

Woman, what does this have to do with me? 

Woman sounds cold and impolite in our ears. But it was a term of respect in Jesus day, more like lady or ma’am. Jesus used the same word on the cross when he said to his mother, woman behold your son (John).

what does this have to do with me? 

This tells us that Jesus schedule was no longer subject to Mary, but to His Father in heaven. His schedule was decreed by God, not Mary. He must obey the Father’s will. As it turned out on this occasion His Fathers will would coincide with Mary’s will.

My hour has not yet come

Mary may have wanted Jesus to be fully glorified now.

But His full glory would come later, “His hour” generally referred to His going the cross. 

Php 2:8-9 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name

  1. The Provision

We have seen there was a party and there was a problem. Next comes the provision.

Mary says to the servants: 

  • Do whatever He says

She had learned to submit to Him and that whatever Jesus said could be trusted. That is what we are starting to see in John’s gospel. Whatever Jesus says, can be trusted. May we all learn this lesson!

  • Jesus turns water to wine

Now there were 6 stone pots nearby. They were used for Jewish ceremonial cleansing. Jesus fills them with water. Draw from it and them and take it to the master of the wedding.

They did this, and the master was so surprised with the quality of this wine (originally water). He wondered why this better wine had only been brought out now.

  1. The Purpose

A remarkable miracle had taken place! The fermentation of wine is a long process and certainly can’t be chemically made from water. This was a miracle of creation. The work of a Creator God!

  • To reveal His glory

Why did Jesus do this miracle? What was the purpose?

v11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. 

Jesus is beginning to reveal His glory. His works will support His words. He claims to be God and is authenticated through the signs which He did. 

John in his gospel records eight signs recorded which Jesus did, for example, multiplying the bread (ch6), opening blind eyes (9), Raising Laz (11) etc 

There are many unanswered questions, some want to know, whose wedding was this? Why did the wine run out?  Marys role? These things are not revealed and therefore not that important. But the light shines upon Jesus Christ and His identity. All other details fade into the background. What is important – is Jesus identity. 

John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

  • To believe in Jesus Christ

The result was - “And his disciples believed in him.” 

God’s desire for all - believe in Jesus Christ, glorious Son of God (You?).

TRANSITION

After the wedding Jesus and His family and disciples go to Capernaum for a few days and then they make the journey to Jerusalem for the Passover. This leads us to our next point about Jesus – His zeal

  1. JESUS ZEAL (13-22)

Cleansing the temple

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

  1. Polluted Worship

The occasion was the Passover feast. Josephus tells us that there were ¼ million sacrifices at the time of Christ, and about 1 million people would attend. It was a busy time!

People could bring their own animals for sacrifice, but they had to be inspected, and corrupt priests would often reject them, because more money was made in selling them. Further profit was made because foreign money had to be traded for local currency. This was being done in the temple grounds. The temple area had become a place of corrupt commerce, instead of the focus being on worship.

  1. Righteous Anger

Jesus response was a righteous anger. He made a whip of cords, drove out the people and their animals, turned over the tables and said, don’t make my Father’s house a house of trade.

His anger was a righteous anger because His Father was being offended.

For us there is a righteous anger, but let’s be honest, most of our anger is because we or our family or friends are being mistreated. A righteous anger is an unadulterated concern for the character of God. 

All the corruption in the world should bother us, not so much because it affects our comfort, but because God is grieved by these things.  

Psalm 69:9 speaks of Christ: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Jesus passion was for:

His Father’s house, pure worship.

That is still His passion or zeal for us

Heart worship, not cold formalism, in spirit & truth.

Biblical worship includes:

Preaching the Word – not own experiences & opinions

Praying – from the heart, not vain repetitions

Remembering the Lord – as He asked us to

Christ focused – gospel & Word oriented, 

Not programs, activities or rituals. 

Col 1:27 Paul says Christ dwells in us

Jesus Christ is zealous 

For us, God children, Bride of Christ, 

For our hearts to love Him

How would you describe your heart? Worship? 

Would Christ have reason to turn over the tables?

Or is there wholehearted devotion to Christ?

  1. JESUS KNOWLEDGE (18-25)

What sign do you do?

The Jews challenged Jesus actions. They said give us sign speaking truth.

Jesus answered Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up 

He was referring to His body; death & res

Jesus Response:

Three kinds of people referred to in this section:

Doubters – those just looking for something spectacular. No interest in following Jesus. Today rep - vast majority

   “Unsaving faith”

Others had some kind of shallow belief. 

Joh 2:23-25 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.

Jesus sees our hearts and knows if our faith is sincere.

Ps 139:1-6 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in-- behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 

Joh 1:47 -49 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

Jn 4:29 Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ? (Samaritan woman at the well)

Jesus has xray knowledge of us!

Unsaving faith described:

Intellec faith – believe facts about Jesus in your mind only (Jms - devil believes)

Sensational faith – enamoured with miracles, 

Churches with big numbers, glamour, loud music, dramatic & emotional preaching.

Physical blessings faith – Health and wealth gospel

If God is nice to me materially I will follow Him.

Saving faith

Others, e.g., Disciples believed, true saving faith, “died for me” faith

Believes from the heart, trusts Him despite circumstances

Thou He slay me yet will I praise Him

Blessed are those who believe even though they don’t see, faith

I want to love and obey Him. I want to serve Christ.

I want to get baptised to publicly show my faith

I want tell people, share gospel, be salt and light

I want to deny self, take up my cross and follow Him.

We are all in one of these three groups. Which one is it for you?