John 2:1-10

Water Turned to Wine

2 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. ³ And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

⁴ Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

⁶ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. ⁷ Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. ¹⁰ And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

There are two ways to think of obedience:

One is to obey out of love, much the way a child does who wants to please their parents, or a student to please their teacher.

Jesus was constrained to obedience in this way, not only in doing the Father’s will, but in honoring His earthly parents as well.

The other way is how we more often think of it: as being under threat, something we must comply with in order to avoid harsh consequences, which are heavier to bear.

Yet with the story of Jesus we are told He was obedient to the Father’s command to come to us ‘…because He loved us first.’ (John 4:19); and that He was ‘obedient even to death on a cross.’ (Philippians 2:8)

But here, as Mary makes her ‘request’ Jesus portentously says to her:

“My hour has not yet come.”

Yet if a mother knows her child, how much more does the one whom all generations call blessed?

By now, Mary has observed Him with people, and surely the event of Him as a boy sitting among the learned rabbis remained a strong memory.

By now, she’s seen His heart of compassion, and yet while His mission is the salvation of the world, the judgment of all nations, and reconciling the hearts of the sinful to the heart of G-d through establishing an eternal Kingdom, His mother is feeling compassion for such a simple thing as running out of wine at a wedding feast.

The beauty of this story lies in the fact that we’re not told why they ran out:

Were there drunkards?

Was there not enough money?

Was this a mistake regarding the number of guests attending?

We are left to figure this out, but this is no mystery to Mary, nor is there uncertainty on her part about what He will do; though she has no way to know the specifics her faith in her Son is such that she considers the matter settled:

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Indeed, she walks away in faith and doesn’t address Him again.

We are told this is Jesus’ first miracle. How then did she know He was able to do anything?

How could Emmanuel, G-d with us, not?

It doesn’t matter why you come to Jesus; it only matters that You come, but if you do,

Be ready to obey whatever He says to you.

Therefore I pray:

Lord Jesus

I thank You for interceding in the small, finite details of my earthly life.

I thank You for granting me peace past earthly understanding.

I thank You for the people I’ve loved, and the family You’ve redeemed to the Father who no longer dwell here on earth with me.

I thank You for taking my deserved condemnation on Yourself, that I may be in the presence of my Creator’s glory for all eternity as spotless, blameless, and guiltless by the power of Your blood.

I thank You for imparting the Holy Spirit to me, that the truth my be revealed to scaly eyes and a heart of stone softened by the harsh, loving words of the King of Heaven.

Help me also in this: that I lay up treasure in Heaven even as I walk the extra mile in the hot sun, or endure the chill of the evening as I give my coat also, or ignore the offense of personal assault as the pain of life’s slaps and punches mark my cheeks.

In this, I would obey in love and reverent fear of the Lord my G-d, and ask it in Your Name.

Amen.