When the Wine Failed

Bible Reading

John 2: 1-11

The mother of Jesus said to Him, " They have no wine." Jesus said to her, " Woman, what have I to do with you? My hour is not yet come.".... Jesus said to them, "Fill the water pots with water."

And they filled them to the brim . . . When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine. . .

he said . . ., "You have kept the good wine until now."

When Jesus was on earth, as it is today, a wedding was a wonderful day of joy and celebration. Among the many guests at the wedding in Cana were Jesus and his new disciples. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was also there helping the other women with the meals and the entertainment. Everyone was enjoying themselves until Mary noticed the supply of wine was running dangerously low. It would be a disgrace for the family to run out of wine for their guests before the end of the celebration. Mary, seeking her Son's help, asked if He was able to help in any way.

When Jesus answers her as He does, He is stressing to her the old days, when she as His mother directed His doing, were coming to an end. Jesus had begun His public ministry beginning with His Baptism and now He is doing the work of His Heavenly Father. Mary was beginning to realize this, but Jesus words must have seemed to contain a promise, so she told the servants to do whatever Jesus might command.

Jesus commanded them to take six stone jars, which held about 20 gallons each, and fill them to the brim with water. After doing so, Jesus then directed them to take some of the water and give it to the toastmaster as a sample of what was going to be served next. Now, no one but the servants knew that what was in the stone jars was water, however when the toastmaster tasted this water now turned into wine, he commented on the fact that this was the best wine he had ever tasted.

This act is what we call a miracle, something we can not understand or explain by the ordinary laws of nature. But here in Cana, a divine power had acted and a miracle happened. This was to become the first of many such miracles performed by Jesus throughout the next three years. Though each of the miracles would be different, they all had one thing in common. They point to the fact that Jesus was God's Son who was acting on behalf of man and our salvation.

What was the result of this first miracle? For those at the wedding feast we are told their faith in Jesus was strengthened by this outward sign of Jesus' power and love. For us today we hear about this first miracle and we too should find our faith strengthened as well. This miracle of changing water into wine shows us Jesus did not frown upon our humble earthly celebrations. Rather, He takes it and, through His own presence, lifts it up using it to point toward a day when through Him all believers will celebrate the Great Wedding Feast in Heaven.

What joy it is to know that through faith Jesus is our guest at our weddings, birthdays, family dinners, and other special occasions. Blessing our time together here on earth with the sweetness of His love and the hope of future glory with Him and all believers in heaven.

Prayer

Help us, O Jesus, to believe in You as the true Son of God and the Savior of our Souls. May this, your first miracle, strengthen our faith today as we invite you to be a guest in our own homes. Bless us with your presence and your grace this day and in the days to come. Amen.

The Lamb of God

Bible Reading: John 1: 29-34

The next day John saw Jesus coming to him , and said,

" Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world." (v.29)

Today, John begin his day like any other day, preaching to the people and baptizing those who heard his message and believed. That is until John saw something out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly everything halted. For the first time the prophet was silent as his eyes became transfixed on a young man approaching from the distance. Pointing to Him, John called out with all the more vigor, " Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world." Every head turned to see who the Baptist was pointing out and all eyes landed on Jesus.

Why did John call Jesus " the Lamb"? To modern ears this title does not have much meaning, but to those who heard it first that day images of the Passover lamb would have come to mind. You see it was the Passover lamb on that long never to be forgotten night when God sent the last plague on Egypt that was killed to redeem God's people from their years of slavery. Did John mean that Jesus would be killed, and thereby God's people once more redeemed from bondage? Was Jesus a spiritual " Passover Lamb" of whom the first lamb was but a shadow of a great one yet to come?

Or was John referring to the lamb that was offered up as the daily sacrifice in the temple. As most Jews understood at the time this lamb was sacrificed as an atonement sacrifice for the sins of the people every night and day. Did John mean that Jesus would be sacrificed like those lambs for the sins of the people?

Those in the crowd who knew their Bible, would have also recalled the word's of Isaiah in chapter 53 which tells how God's Servant would submit to suffering and death as meekly as a lamb on account of the sins of the people so that through its shed blood healing and peace would be given to God's chosen people. Did John mean that Jesus was the one would be, " brought like a lamb to the slaughter," and "wound for our transgressions", because, " the Lord has laid on Him the sins of us all"?

My friends, the answer to all these questions is yes! John meant all of those things when he called Jesus the Lamb of God. As God's children we have heard and sung many times John's words during Lent or a Communion service. We have in faith look upon Jesus just as those who beheld him that day so long ago as the Lamb of God, who borne our sins and the sins of the whole world suffering on the cross so that through his shed blood our sins could be forgiven and the angel of Death will pass over us on the last day.

Today we thank God that He has sent that Lamb for us so that we may too look upon Jesus in faith and behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world. Who takes away my sins and gives me life. May we love Him for His great love for us!

Prayer Hymn

Not all the blood of beasts

On Jewish altars slain

Could give the guilty conscience peace

Or was away the stain.

But Christ, the heav'nly Lamb,

Takes all our sins away;

A sacrifice of nobler name

And richer blood then they.

My soul looks back to see

The burden Thou didst bear

When hanging on the cursed tree;

I know my guilt was there.

Believing we rejoice

To see the curse remove;

We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice

And sing His bleeding love. Amen

Not all the Blood of Beast. Lutheran Service Book