The Miracle At The Wedding At Cana

Temple Baptist Church - 1-31-2010

John 2:1-11

Introduction:

A. Over the next few months, I will be preaching on the subject “The Miracles of Jesus.” In His public ministry, our Lord performed various kinds of miracles for various reasons. He did nothing without purpose and each miracle that He performed had a timely message for both His disciples and those who followed Him. We often read of the things that Jesus did and casually pass over them.

B. We will not study all that He did at this time because He did so much. John said:
John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

C. A definition of a miracle is necessary as we begin this study.

1. Miracles are sometimes improperly defined. Many times phenomena in nature and events in history are labeled as “miracles”. If a friend escapes death in a car accident, we often say, “It was a miracle he was not killed.” We sometimes refer to the ordinary course of nature as a miracle. Such as when a tornado, coming straight toward our city or home, jumps back up into the air and passes over leaving us unharmed.

2. A miracle is defined as “An event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin or an act of God.”

a) They defy natural law. There can be no other explanation in natural law.

b) They defy human comprehension. A miracle is an event that could only have been done through divine intervention.

c) The miracle at the wedding at Cana was, as far as can be discerned, the first miracle performed by our Lord after His baptism. Verse 1 says, “And the third day.” Our Lord was baptized on the first day (1:29), called disciples on the following day (1:43), and was at the marriage in Cana on the third.

d) Thus, we see the importance of this first of miracles. There are several things in these verses that stand out as to the “Where” He did the miracle, “why” He did the miracle, and the “what” He did during the miracle.

1. The “Where” of the miracle shows us the Lord’s concern for our daily lives. He attended the wedding. His mother was there and His disciples were there. God cares about the smallest details of our lives. What we care for, He cares for! Everything that touches us touches Him.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (“Nothing…in every thing” means just that. What concerns you concerns God.)
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (The key word is “all.” Not just the large cares we cast upon Him and then work out all of the details of life ourselves. We are to “pray without ceasing.”)

2. The “Why” of the miracle shows us several things.

a. Because Mary asked!

1) It wasn’t just because she was His earthly mother that He worked the miracle. Verse 4 explains that. He was not abrupt with Mary but let her know that He was her Lord in this instance, not her son! She did not “intercede” for the people at the wedding, she simply saw a need and asked the One who could meet that need.

2) It was because what concerned her concerned Him! As a child of God, she saw a need and asked the Lord for His help and He gave it. Nothing is too small to be prayed over. “You have not because you ask not” does not just pertain to the “larger concerns” of life. These words pertain to every aspect of our lives.

Psalms 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God. (“Yet!” In spite of who we are. That, my friends, is grace!)

b. To show His glory!

1) They knew who He was and yet, they did not know who He was. We are the same most of the time. We know that He is Almighty Jehovah God” in the flesh and, yet, we have a hard time comprehending Him. Moses, the man who talked to God face to face, said, “Show me thy glory!”

2) There will be times in our life when we need to know Him and who He is! We need to get a “handle” on just who He is in the less difficult times in order to believe on Him during the difficult ones. In difficult times when man cannot help and only an omnipotent God can intervene on our behalf.

3. The “What” of the miracle.

a. He did what only God could do! No earthly power could have changed that water into wine without adding some substance to it. Water to wine was of no difficulty to our Lord. When our circumstances require a miracle, we have a miracle working God who is both able and willing to intervene on our behalf.

b. He did it immediately! I know about the “silence” of God. Sometimes, God—in His omniscience—knows what and what time is best in our circumstances and allows us to wait upon Him.

1) But, there are times in our lives when we need an immediate answer to our prayers and needs. There have been times in my Christian experience when God has made me wait before the answer came. I will probably forget this tomorrow when I am in trouble, but He was always on time!

2) There have been times when He almost answered before I asked. Suddenly, gloriously, powerfully, and perfectly He answered.

Conclusion: The “Where” of the miracle was to show us His concern. The “Why” was to show us His glory. The “What” was to show us His power.