The story of the Wedding at Cana often made no sense to me, I wondered why Jesus would make tonnes of wine so people would get drunk, a thing He says we shouldn't do.
I recently heard a preacher say that the water into wine episode is about a lot more than a fancy party trick, but it is about how we, in the 21st century, know we can trust Jesus completely.
One of the first things we need to note about this story is Mary's role. She hears that the wedding party has run out of wine. In Jewish society if you ran out of wine at a wedding it brought shame on you, your new wife, your parents, your in-laws, your extended family and sometimes even your whole village. This shame effected your life, business and possibly freedom (you could apparently be arrested for running out of wine).
Mary comes to Jesus, knowing the wine was almost gone and that this shame would soon befall her friend. She also knew that Jesus could do something about it.
Notice Jesus' interesting response. "Woman, why do you involve me?" This seems a little harsh of Jesus. It is like He is angry at her for coming to Him. In actuality this could be seen as a statement of inclusivity. Jesus was saying that Mary does not have exclusive rights to Jesus and God's power, but He is there for everyone. He goes on to say, "my time has not yet come," I wonder if Mary ever got sick of Jesus' profound statements.
I think what Mary does next is really interesting. The words recorded don't make it sound like Jesus was particularly willing to help but Mary goes to the servants at the wedding and says, "Do whatever He tells you."
Interestingly that's the same advice I would give you today. It's the same advice any godly Christian leader would give you today, "Do whatever He tells you." That is really the best advice. It's life-giving. Jesus is life and the way to abide in Him and have His life is to be the person He designed you to be, to live the life He wants you to live. The best way to have abundant life, life to the full, as mentioned in John 10:10, is to do whatever He tells you.
The servants do as Jesus tells them but I wonder what they are thinking as they do. There were no taps in those days so they probably had to take the massive jars and fill them from a little bucket lowered into a well. They must of been thinking they were mad listening to Jesus, who told them to fetch water, when they needed wine. Sometimes, more often than not, when Jesus tells you to do something it will seem like a crazy and senseless task. This is because of the way God works. He does things the way that will bring you and I the least glory and Hum the most, lest no man should boast.
Another interesting thing here is that Jesus provides abundantly. He makes gallons of wine that, when tasted, is declared better than any of the wine that came before it. Jesus is a giving God, He is kind and generous and will constantly give us more than we can fathom or imagine. That's the God we serve and His abundant blessings are the results of us listening to Him and doing whatever He says to us to do.
Imagine how that groom felt? He was worried that he would be ostracised by his community over his lack of wine but now; now the best wine was available and normally people gave the best firs and the worst when people were a little tipsy. This meant the guy had a better reputation for the wine. He saved the best tip last. He gave the best when it might not have been noticed.
Jesus removed this guys shame... Jesus is like the shame whisperer. He takes our shame and transforms into something glorious, that brings God glory. Andy has a theory, and I completely agree, that the things that are worst about you, when you aren't a Christian, are the things that God transforms to being the best things about you when you live a life for Him...
That is our God. That is what Jesus does. He makes our worst into our best. He transforms us into His image. Water into wine is a little picture of that, a small picture of how Jesus does Inga strangely when we do whatever He says. Then He turns our shame into His glory!
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