April 7 - Successful Wedding Reception!

April 7 – Successful Wedding Reception!

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 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. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 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 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.”

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. (John 2:1-11)

There are some unspoken assumptions that can be made here.  First of all, Jesus’ mother expected that He would be able to perform some type of miracle when she told him about the wine situation.  I doubt that she was complaining to Him or just making a comment … there was expectation in her words.  That makes a person wonder what type of life they had with Him as a child and young man.  However, since none of that is written in the gospels, we can only imagine.

She had such confidence in her son, that she didn’t let Him get away with trying to duck out of the situation.  When He protested, she ignored Him (like any good mother would do) and told the servants to do whatever it was that He told them to do.

More than likely, they were at the wedding of a friend.  Someone who was close enough to Mary and Jesus that she felt comfortable ordering the servants around.  Jesus was there with His mother as well as His disciples.  Now, in that day – a wedding was a community event and no one in the community would be excluded. However, some of the disciples were from different communities and would have been known as Jesus disciples … not just friends.  These men were there to be taught by Jesus and to live as He led them.  They had given up their livelihoods to spend time learning with Him.

This family having the wedding was close enough to Mary and Jesus that they simply accepted His disciples as part of the family.

Did you notice the first sentence of this passage?  “On the third day …” If you look back at John 1:35, you see “The next day…”  This happens immediately after John baptized Jesus.  Then, in John 1:45, the words happen again, “The next day …” 

The writer of this Gospel is trying to put the beginning of Jesus’ ministry into context.  He was baptized.  The next day He began calling His disciples. On day two He called Philip and Nathanael.  The third day, He performed His first public miracle.  It didn’t take long for His ministry to get up and running.

Jesus was a man of action.  As soon as God anointed Him through the Baptism, He began His ministry.  There was no sitting around praying about what would come next or making a plan and hoping to set it into motion … He went into motion as quickly as possible.  The kingdom of God was at hand!  And now … the Kingdom of God IS at hand.