Water in to wine

1. Water to Wine – 1st
February 2016
“His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”(John 2: 5).
We can learn of an incident when Jesus took time out to attend a wedding feast in the village of
Cana, with his mother, Mary, and his first few disciples. Jewish weddings are steeped in
tradition and rituals. One of the customs was providing an extravagant feast for guests. But at
this particular wedding something went wrong because they ran out of wine earlier than
expected. In the Jewis culture, such a miscalculation would have been a great humiliation for
the bride and groom.
When Mary, Jesus’ mother realized this she turned to Jesus. Although Jesus had not begun His
ministry, we can know for certain that Mary being the mother knew that Jesus was different to
others…She knew that her conception was different: We can learn this in Matthew 1:18 “His
mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was
found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit” She would have also remembered an important
occurrence at the time of His conception when an Angel visited her: “But the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to
a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most
High” (Luke 1:30 -32). Although she may have not known for certain because Jesus had not
begun His ministry, but as His mother she knew that Jesus was different and that He can do
what was needed…
We can read in John 2:3-5, that it so happened 2 that while both Jesus and His mother were
present at this wedding, it somehow came to Mary’s notice that they had run out of wine.
According to Jewish tradition this debacle would have caused a great humiliation for the host.
When she came to know what had happened Mary came to Jesus: "When the wine was gone,
Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine!.” When we read this passage Jesus’
response was a question from His mother: “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied.
“My hour has not yet come.”Jesus states that the time for my ministry has not begun and this
situation was unexpected…
But we need to note Mary’s response in verse 5: “His mother said to the servants, “Do
whatever he tells you.” Being His mother she knew that He was different and thus she
instructed the servants: ‘do whatever he tells you’. Why would she have said this otherwise?
We can learn what Jesus did in verses 6 - 8: “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.8 Then he told them, “Now
draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” Jesus told the servants to fill the jars
with water and ordered them to draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet, who
was in charge of food and drink. The master was unaware of Jesus' turning the water in the jars
into wine.
We can also learn as stated in verse 9 – 10 “They did so, 9 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

2. the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 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.”The steward was so astounded that he
took the bride and groom aside and complimented them. Most couples served the best wine
first, he said, then brought out cheaper wine after the guests had too much to drink and would
not notice. The steward told them "You have saved the best till now…!"
By this miraculous sign, Jesus revealed his glory as the Son of God. His amazed disciples who
were there and others put their faith in him. The exact location of Cana is still debated by Bible
scholars. In the present day village of Kafr Cana in Israel stands the Greek Orthodox church of
St. George, built in 1886. In that church are two stone jars which locals claimare two of the jars
used in Jesus' first miracle.
“His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever
he tells you.”(John 2: 5).