I AM: Revolutionary
Speaker: Pastor Neil Lindwall
Additional Resources: Extra readings are available on this page and appear indented like this. Additional study resources can be found here.
NIV John 2:1-3 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
John Wesley taught 3 aspects of grace: Prevenient Grace (God's grace working before we are aware of it); Justifying Grace (God's grace that restores us to God -- as we become aware of His love for us); & Sanctifying Grace (grace that brings us closer to God's way throughout our lives).
Historical/Cultural Background:
- Weddings Were a Very Big Deal, Lasted Days to a Week.
- The Bridegroom Spent a Year Preparing a Place for His Bride & Planning the Wedding Banquet Which Should Provide Proof He Was Capable of Caring for His Bride.
- This was a colossal social embarrassment. The bridegroom had spent a year proving he could care for his bride, building a house, and preparing for this moment. Running out of wine would have raised doubts about his ability to provide for his new wife. – Water to Wine, unknown.
- To Run Out of Supplies Would Be Embarrassing for the Whole Family, Reputation Damaging in Their Community, & Could Be Expensive
- “In the ancient Near East there was a strong element of reciprocity about weddings, and that, for example, it was possible to take legal action in certain circumstances against a man who had failed to provide the appropriate wedding gift…it means that when the supply of wine failed more than social embarrassment was involved. The bridegroom as his family may well have become involved in a heavy pecuniary liability.” (Morris)
- In Very Tough Times, (Economic & Political), Weddings Were a Very Great Treat
Jesus Displayed Godly Priorities.
"They have no more wine”.
John 2:4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
Oh, by the way, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that you don’t want to go to Jesus if you need something, you want to go to Mary to ask Jesus. The whole idea that you go Mary to plead with Jesus because Jesus can’t resist Mary comes from this passage. Can you believe that? Oh by the way, never mind that she was rebuked by Him for asking. This is the only time in the New Testament that Mary ever made any request to Jesus. And He responded by saying, “None of your business.” But this is where the Catholic Church finds the fountain of its Mariolatry, going to Mary to get things from Jesus. – Macarthur.
John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Mary Displayed Trust.
John 2:6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
John 2:7-10 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.” 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 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 Servants Displayed Total Obedience.
Jesus Displayed Divine Power.
John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Revelation 21:5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
John 2:11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
Signs = 4592 sÄ“meĂon – a sign (typically miraculous) which confirms or corroborates (authenticates). ("sign") then looks to the end-purpose of the one giving it – used dozens of times in the NT for what authenticates the Lord's eternal purpose. That is, pointing to what mere man can not replicate or take credit for. – HELPS Lexicon.
The Disciples Displayed Right Response.
Put Jesus On Display!
Believe, Trust, Obey & Let Jesus Revolutionize You.
Jesus the Creator & the Creation Week, = Jesus Begins New Creation
- John 1:1–19. Jesus Is The Logos, & the Light. Day 1 of creation in Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
- John 1:20–34. John the Baptist Testified Jesus will baptize with water and fire. Day 2 of creation the waters were divided.
- John 1:35–42. Disciples following Jesus corresponds with Day 3 of creation where seed bearing plants were created. On that day, the church, in seed form was coming into existence.
- John 1:43–50. Philip and Nathanael correspond with Day 4 of creation where the sun, moon, and stars are set in the heavens. Jesus tells Nathanael that he will see the heavens opened and the angels (also called stars in Job 38:7, and Revelation 1:20) will ascend and descend on the Son of Man.
- John 2:1–12. The Wedding at Cana, and basins filled with water being changed into wine corresponds with Day 5 of creation where God filled the waters.
- John 2:13–25. The cleansing of the Temple of moneychangers and land animals (sheep, cattle, and doves) corresponds with Day 6 of creation where God filled the earth with land animals and created man.
- John 3:1–21. Jesus invites Nicodemus to come share in the New Creation by finding rest through being born again. This corresponds with Day 7 of creation where God rested from the work of creation.
