← Back to sermon library

You can turn with me in your 
Bibles to the gospel of John. John chapter two, we'll be looking 
at verses one to 12, the wedding at Cana of Galilee. Remember that we've considered 
chapter one. Thus far, the prologue is in 
chapter one, verses one to 18, where the apostle goes behind 
the scenes, as it were, before he deals with redemption, before 
he deals with the economy of salvation, he deals with theology. He gives us the relations between 
the son and the father in terms of the triune God. Here we now 
embark on the public ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. It 
begins in chapter one properly at verse 19 and goes to about 
chapter 12 at verse 50. So I'll read beginning in chapter 
two at verse one. On the third day, there was a 
wedding in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. 
Now both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. 
And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, 
they have no wine. Jesus said to her, woman, what 
does your concern have to do with me? My hour has not yet 
come. His mother said to the servants, 
whatever he says to you, do it. Now there were set there six 
waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification 
of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus 
said to them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them 
up to the brim. And he said to them, Draw some 
out now, and take it to the master of the feast. And they took it. 
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. 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. This beginning of signs Jesus 
did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples 
believed in Him. After this, He went down to Capernaum, 
He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples, and they did 
not stay there many days. Now the Passover of the Jews 
was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem and he found in 
the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves and the money 
changers doing business. When he had made a whip of cords, 
he drove them all out of the temple with the sheep and the 
oxen and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. 
And he said to those who sold doves, take these things away. 
Do not make my father's house a house of merchandise. Then 
his disciples remembered that it was written, zeal for your 
house has eaten me up. So the Jews answered and said 
to him, what sign do you show to us since you do these things? 
Jesus answered and said to them, destroy this temple, and in three 
days I will raise it up. Then the Jews said, it has taken 
46 years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three 
days? But he was speaking of the temple of his body. Therefore, 
when he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that 
he had said this to them, and they believed the scripture and 
the word which Jesus had said. Now when he was in Jerusalem 
at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in his name when 
they saw the signs which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself 
to them, because he knew all men, and had no need that anyone 
should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. Amen. Let us pray. Our Father, thank 
you for the written word of the true and living God. Thank you 
for the gospel of our salvation. Thank you for these written records 
concerning our Lord Jesus and His life, death, and resurrection. 
We pray now the Spirit would guide and lead us and direct 
us, that we would appreciate what we find in Holy Scripture, 
that our hearts would be thrilled at the blessedness and the glory 
of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And again, Father, we ask that 
you would be merciful to save sinners, and we ask that you 
would forgive all of us of all of our sin and wash us in that 
precious blood of the Lord Jesus. And we pray in His name. Amen. Well, as I said, after a lengthy 
introduction in terms of the prologue and then a bit of introduction 
by John the Baptist and then the early disciples of our Lord, 
we now embark on the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. One 
man says above, the evangelist showed the dignity of the incarnate 
word and gave various evidence for it. Now he begins to relate 
the effects and actions by which the divinity of the incarnate 
word was made known to the world. So in other words, John goes 
behind the scenes, as I've said, he shows the relationship between 
the son and the father, and now he's going to shine the light 
upon the son in terms of the work given to him by the father 
to accomplish. Now, as we come to this wedding 
at Cana of Galilee, we'll notice three things. First, the setting 
in verses 1 to 5. Secondly, the sign in verses 
6 to 10. And then finally, the summary 
in verses 11 and 12. Let's look first at the setting. 
Notice the occasion in verses 1 and 2. On the third day there 
was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. So this Lord Jesus Christ, the 
one by whom all things were made, John 1, 3, is also the one who 
made marriage. Marriage is not only made by 
Christ, but it's approved by Christ because Christ comes to 
this particular feast. So there is this wedding in Cana 
of Galilee. Now a wedding feast, kids, you've 
probably been to weddings and you've probably rolled your eyes 
at times because they go a bit long-ish. You go through a service 
and you're perhaps thinking, is it going to end anytime soon? 
And then you go off to the reception and then you think, is it going 
to end anytime soon? Well, if you lived in the first 
century, they could last typically seven days. So, if you started 
rolling your eyes in day one, you'd be rolling them out of 
your head by the time this actual feast came to a conclusion. So 
it was a time of great celebration. It was a time of great rejoicing. 
And it wasn't just about the bride and the groom, but it was 
about the bride's family and the groom's family as well. And 
there was a lot of protocol in place in terms of what was honorable 
and what was dishonorable. As we move through this particular 
scene, we'll see there's a problem. We'll see that there's a tension. 
We'll see that there's a particular issue that needs to be dealt 
with. So for them, it wasn't a matter of, oh, we have no wine, 
just run down to the local liquor store and pick some up. No, it 
could potentially cause great dishonor to the family that was 
giving this particular celebration. So there is this wedding in Cana 
of Galilee. Notice that the mother of Jesus 
is there, according to verse 1b. Now the fact that she does 
take an active interest in the absence of wine seems to indicate 
that it was perhaps her family or her relatives that were having 
this wedding. And then notice as well that 
the Lord and his disciples are present. Verse 2, now both Jesus 
and his disciples were invited to the wedding. So the Lord, 
again, the one who makes marriage honors marriage. Marriage is 
good. In the history of the church, 
there have been those that have seen it as perhaps a lesser form 
of existence, but that's not true at all. The apostle dignifies 
marriage there in Ephesians 5, 22 to 33. He celebrates the reality. He points back to the background 
in terms of Genesis. And so there ought not to be 
any of us that look bad, look askew at marriage. But then in 
terms of the disciples, it's probably Andrew, Simon, Peter, 
Philip, Nathaniel, and the one that wasn't named in chapter 
1, most likely the Apostle John. Now that brings us to the problem. 
Look at verse 3. And when they ran out of wine, 
the mother of Jesus said to him, they have no wine. Again, it's 
not just the two people, but it's the two families. Status, 
honor, rank, all those things come to play. And so this was 
a real live issue that they needed to deal with. Now, the fact that 
Mary says this to Jesus, again, indicates that perhaps Joseph 
was already dead. And Jesus, as the eldest brother 
in the family, would be the go-to one for her to indicate what 
the particular problem was. Now that brings us to the response 
in verses 4 and 5. Notice in the first place the 
words of Jesus. Now, it's here that we should 
slow down just a little bit because Jesus gets a bit of bad press 
here. It's almost as if he's speaking 
uncourteously to his mother. He doesn't call her mother, rather 
he calls her woman. He does this as well when he's 
on the cross in chapter 19 at verse 26. That's not derogatory. I think what he is doing is a 
bit of simple disengagement from her. We've already seen his dignity 
in terms of the word from the father. No one has seen God at 
any time, but the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the 
father, he has declared him. So Jesus lives in submission 
to his earthly parents until the time of his public ministry. 
So again, a bit of disengagement from her is not untoward. And 
as well, this is not discourteous. One man suggests that it probably 
is kind of like a ma'am. And then notice what he says 
in verse four, what does your concern have to do with me? Now, 
as I pondered this, I wondered what commentators and what Bible 
readers are thinking Jesus did. Did he scowl? Did he say, woman, 
why are you bothering me with such things? Could he possibly 
had a smile on his face? Could he possibly have been speaking 
kindly and courteously? Why do we go automatically to 
associate this particular response with something untoward in the 
person of our Lord Jesus? He was holy, harmless, and undefiled. Simple disengagement from one's 
mother is not an abandonment of one's mother. It is rather 
to suggest that now he's embarked on his public ministry. Now he 
is the one that is about to fulfill all that the father has given 
him. Could he have perhaps said, this isn't really my concern, 
ma'am. It could have been so gentle 
and so kind and most likely was. And then notice as well, he says, 
your concern have to do with me. My hour has not yet come. Now, oftentimes in John's gospel, 
the hour refers to his death. So I think it's best to understand 
it's not just the death, but all of the events associated 
with it, his life, his death, his resurrection. In other words, 
his exaltation. My hour has not yet come. But that doesn't keep him from 
doing the right thing or the good thing in this particular 
context. So he responds to her in a gracious 
way, identifies to her that it's really not his concern and that 
his hour had not yet come. Now notice her response. She 
wasn't offended. She didn't say, how dare you 
answer me that way, son? How dare you not give me the 
term of love and approval, mother? How dare you try to distance? 
No, she doesn't do that. In fact, as many have observed, 
the only command that Mary ever gives in the entirety of God's 
word is found right here in John 2, 5. Listen to what Mary says 
to you. Whatever he says, Jesus, Do it. That's her only command in all 
of the Bible. Whatever Jesus says to you, do 
it. Now we can obviously extrapolate 
from that, that when Jesus says, come to me, all you who labor 
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Mary would say, 
do that. When Jesus stands up on that 
last great day of the feast and says, if any man thirsts, let 
him come to me, Mary would say, do that. In other words, don't 
reject, don't resist, and don't think lightly of those blessed 
offers of our Savior that come from his mouth. Again, come to 
me, all you who labor and are heavy laden. Now when Jesus speaks 
those words in Matthew's gospel in chapter 11, the heavy labor 
isn't a tough week at work. You were schlepping whatever 
it was and now your back hurts. That's not what's in view. The 
rest that he is giving there is not physical rest, it is soul 
rest. The labor, the heavy ladenness 
has to do with your sin. It has to do with your rebellion. 
It has to do with your transgression and your lack of conformity under 
God's law. So what does Jesus say that you're 
supposed to do when you're conscious of that? Are you supposed to 
try to fix it yourself? Are you supposed to engage in 
self-help? Are you supposed to go get therapy? Now I'm not suggesting 
all of those things are necessarily wrong, but in the context of 
a gospel invitation, they are wrong. Jesus says, come to me 
and I will give you rest. Come to me and take my yoke upon 
you and learn from me. So this is the one abiding command 
that Mary gives. And I wish that everybody in 
the Roman church would listen to her and would respond favorably, 
that they would do what Jesus has said. Now notice secondly, 
in terms of the sign, Jesus gives instruction. He's going to deal 
with this issue. Now if you think about this particular 
story, who are the two most important persons at a wedding feast? It's 
the master, he comes up later, and it's the bridegroom. But 
they're really not, it's Jesus. Jesus is the star of the show, 
if you will. Now notice the instructions that 
Jesus gives concerning the water pots. Verse six, now there were 
set there six water pots of stone according to the manner of purification 
of the Jews containing 20 or 30 gallons apiece. Now brethren, 
I'm going to do a little spiritualizing and then later you're going to 
see that it's legit. The Old Covenant, water of purification, 
gives way to the blood of the New Covenant that ushers in the 
celebratory wine that God has promised to His church in the 
days of Messiah. Again, you're gonna say, how 
did he get that from this? I hope to show you as we move 
along, but there's something more going on than just the satisfaction 
of persons at a wedding and their desire for wine. Remember, we 
haven't left the arena of the prologue. Remember what John 
says in John 1 16, of his fullness, we have all received. The law 
was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through 
our Lord Jesus Christ. So could it possibly be that 
John the Apostle, in giving us the book of signs, the public 
ministry of our Lord, starts with this comment concerning 
new covenant blessing? In Jesus, there is celebratory 
wine. In Jesus, there is profusion. In Jesus, there is abundance. 
In Jesus, there is bounty. So the use, or rather the instructions 
here, again, don't necessarily underscore that, but what they 
do specifically is indicate that when he changes this water into 
wine, it won't be mistaken. Notice he doesn't say, bring 
me the empty wine vats. Fill those with water, because 
then persons will say, oh, it just took on the flavor of the 
vat, or perhaps the vats weren't absolutely empty, and so the 
water tasted like wine. Nothing to see here, no big deal, 
no miracle. That's not what happens. There 
were set there six water pots of stone, according to the manner 
of purification of the Jews, containing 20 or 30 gallons apiece." 
Some commentators say that would have been about 150 persons would 
have been able to drink wine based on that sort of amount. I think it was Calvin. that made 
that reference. I didn't do the math. I didn't 
think through it. I didn't wonder. I think that was what Calvin 
says. So notice what Jesus says to them in verse 7. Again, Very cut and dry. We've all read 
this. We've all pondered it. We all 
have hopefully said, wow, that's amazing. Christ is Lord of nature. Not only can he still the wind 
and the sea, not only can he raise the dead, not only can 
he cure the blind, but he can take something that is water 
and turn it into wine. And not just wine, but as the 
master of the ceremonies indicates, it was good wine. Very, very 
excellent wine. So notice, after having received 
those instructions, they took it. The servants here are very 
obedient to the Lord. They're obedient to Mary. Because 
Mary said, whatever he says to you, do it. Fill up the water 
pots. They did it. They filled it to 
the brim. Take some of this to the master. They did it. They 
just obey. It's a good lesson there for 
each and every one of us. When God tells us or when Christ 
tells us something, we're supposed to do it. We're supposed to walk 
in love. We're supposed to walk in light. 
We're supposed to walk in wisdom. If you're not a believer, you're 
supposed to believe the gospel. You're supposed to look and live. 
You're supposed to understand God is a holy God. You're a sinful 
man, woman, boy or girl. And that if you don't repent, 
you don't believe, you will end up in hell. And so God in his 
gospel has called sinners to believe on his son that they 
may have everlasting life. Where in the world did we think 
as the creature it was okay to disobey the Creator? See, none 
of us live that way if we have children. Do we ever say to our 
children, I'm going to give you a command, but you really don't 
need to obey. I'm going to give you a command 
to not eat the cookies out of the cookie jar, but if you do, 
that's up to you. No, that's not the way we govern 
our homes. That's not the way we conduct our lives. That's 
not the way we function if we're in business. If you're a master 
or an employer in business, you don't give commands to your, 
I was gonna call them servants, but I don't want everybody triggered. 
You give commands to your employees that they're supposed to carry 
out. You don't tell them, I want you to put this over there, but 
don't do it if you don't want to. How in the world have we 
as creature ever thought that it was acceptable to disobey 
the Creator? He made us, He governs us, He 
feeds us, He gives us water, He gives us oxygen, everything 
necessary for life and being. God supplies to us. And yet in 
our sin and in our rebellion and in our transgression, we 
say, nah, I'm not gonna do what you command. I'm not gonna do 
what you say, even though what you command and say leads to 
blessedness and provision and kindness and love abounding. So when we go back to this passage, 
the servants set forth a good example. They actually obey. 
Notice that the master tastes the wine, verse 9a. he knew that 
there was no more wine. And this master was probably 
the chief of the guests, the master of ceremonies. We have 
those sorts of people at weddings today, especially in the reception. He usually goes up, he tells 
a few jokes and that sort of thing. But in this particular 
instance, he was most likely the most dignified or the most 
honored among the family that was giving this particular feast. 
And so the master does taste the wine and he doesn't know 
where it had come from. But the servants do. The servants 
are sort of our keyhole into the divine sort of commentary 
on what's happening here. The servants knew precisely what 
had happened. And then notice at the end of 
verse nine, the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 
And he said to him, every man at the beginning sets out the 
good wine. And when the guests have well drunk, Now brethren, 
it means well drunk. And I know that for most of us, 
we want to make sure we add the ethical qualifications. John 
doesn't, but most of his commentators and all of his preachers do. 
They always stop here and they say, make sure you understand 
that drunkenness is a sin. We just read that in Ephesians 
chapter five. Do not be drunk with wine in 
which is dissipation. But we cannot conclude from that, 
that all drinking of alcohol is necessarily sin. Especially 
when the Bible portrays it in a positive light. There are the 
negative comments to be sure. The negative prohibitions against, 
or the prohibitions rather, against drunkenness. You find them in 
Proverbs. You find them there in Ephesians. You find them throughout 
scripture. But in terms of a moderate use 
of alcohol, that is not condemned by the Bible. And this is a classic 
passage or a classic text to tell us that. So the normal practice 
is that the good wine comes first and the guests have well drunk. 
But then notice what he says to the bridegroom. He says, you 
have kept the good wine until now. You have done what is not 
common. You have done what is not normal. 
You have done what is not symptomatic of the age. You have provided 
good wine to begin with. The guests have well drunk and 
then now comes out round two and you've made even better or 
have provided even better wine in the absence of the other wine. 
So this was a practice that did exceed the master in this particular 
instance. Now here I want to show you the 
spiritualizing of the text and its legitimacy. In the first 
place, Christ is the bridegroom. Christ will be identified by 
John the Baptist in John 3 as the bridegroom. Not necessarily 
of this historical account. It was a different person altogether. 
But there is spiritual reality going on in the wedding at Cana 
of Galilee. Christ is the bridegroom. Christ 
brings the better wine. Christ brings profusion. From 
of His fullness we have all received and grace for grace. The law 
was given through Moses, but the grace and truth came through 
our Lord Jesus Christ. So Christ is the bridegroom that 
ushers in the new covenant era, that excels or exceeds rather 
the water of purification and water pots, and it comes down 
to the blood of Jesus Christ, which inaugurates that new covenant, 
therein the fullness of Christ is received. It will ultimately 
redound at the marriage supper of the Lamb, according to Revelation 
chapter 19. And there certainly we will see 
him as the bridegroom, as he becomes the one who has married 
his bride, The church. Paul speaks of that in Ephesians 
5.32. I speak a great mystery. In other words, human marriage 
typifies, shadows forth, or demonstrates the greater marriage between 
Christ and his church. This is the purpose for the book, 
The Song of Solomon. It's not simply to describe the 
beauty of conjugal relations in the marriage relationship. 
It is to show God and Israel. It is to show Christ and His 
Church. And it shines forth in this particular 
miracle that He has kept the good wine until now. The wine 
of the old covenant was good, but the wine of the new covenant 
is better. Hebrews 7 and 8 underscore that. The new covenant is built on 
better promises, it affords a better hope, and it is in fact a better 
covenant. Again, reflecting what the prologue 
indicates, and of His fullness we have all received, and grace 
for grace. Now turn back to the prophet 
Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah, there is 
an expectation that in association with the Messianic reign, there 
would be wine flowing in abundance. Isaiah chapter 25 at verse 4. For you have been a strength 
to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge 
from the storm, a shade from the heat, for the blast of the 
terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. You'll reduce the noise 
of aliens as heat in a dry place, as heat in the shadow of a cloud. 
The song of the terrible ones will be diminished. And in this 
mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of 
choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full 
of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees. Just to give you 
a bit of an overview of the prophet Isaiah. He is living at the time 
of great destruction. He's living at the time of great 
judgment from God upon both the Northern and the Southern kingdoms 
of Israel. But in the midst of that declaration 
of judgment, there are these announcements of blessing. There 
are these announcements of the new covenant in an era that would 
be ushered in by Messiah. Notice in verse nine, and it 
will be said, in that day, behold, this is our God. We have waited 
for him and he will save us. This is the Lord. We have waited 
for him. We will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. Turn 
over to Jeremiah 31. Most of you know that the end 
of Jeremiah 31 celebrates the new covenant. Behold, I will 
make a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah in 
those days. Not like the covenant I made 
before, which they broke. But in this covenant, the new 
covenant, these essential features will be present. They will be 
forgiven of their sins. They will have the law of God 
internalized. They will be those who have a saving knowledge of 
the Lord. But even prior to that, notice 
the announcement concerning new covenant blessing in 3110. Hear 
the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the isles afar 
off, and say, he who scattered Israel will gather him and keep 
him as a shepherd does his flock. For the Lord has redeemed Jacob 
and ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he. Therefore 
they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to 
the goodness of the Lord, for wheat and new wine and oil, for 
the young of the flock and the herd. Their souls shall be like 
a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all. Turn to the prophet Joel. You 
go to the minor prophets. You've got Hosea and then Joel. Hosea, the first of the minors, 
and then you've got Joel. and know that they're not called 
minor because their prophecies are insignificant. They're called 
minor because they didn't write as long of books as did Isaiah, 
Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. That's why they're the minor 
prophets. Not that, oh, we don't have to pay attention to Amos 
or Obadiah or Jonah. No, their word is in fact the 
word of God. But notice in chapter two verse 
18 in Joel, Then the Lord will be zealous 
for his land and pity his people. The Lord will answer and say 
to his people, behold, I will send you grain and new wine and 
oil, and you will be satisfied by them. I will no longer make 
you approach among the nations. Now Brethren, look at how verse 
one starts, then. Go back in the context just a 
little bit to verse 12. Look at the flow. Verse 12, Now 
therefore says the Lord, Turn to me with all your heart, with 
fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. So rend your heart 
and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, 
for He is gracious and merciful. slow to anger and of great kindness, 
and he relents from doing harm. Who knows if he will turn and 
relent and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink 
offering for the Lord your God." So essentially what you have 
in verses 12 to 17 is a call to repentance. And then what 
you have in verse 18 is the evidence of repentance. When they return 
to the Lord, what will they receive? They will receive abundance. 
They will receive a profusion of blessing from the hand of 
God Almighty. And that's another thing we all 
need to consider as we look at this particular passage. God 
does not pour out, or God rather does not give out blessings like 
a miser. He's not Ebenezer Scrooge from 
the Christmas Carol. He's not the guy that is always 
so stingy and just gives out a little bit. The prophet Isaiah 
says elsewhere, look to me all ye ends of the earth and be ye 
saved for I am God and there is no other. We've accepted the 
lie that God is like us. that he is a miser when it comes 
to the giving out of his grace, that he is stingy, that he is 
hard-hearted, that he is not willing. That's not what you 
get from reading the scripture. We saw Isaiah the prophet, 55 
verse 1, ho, everyone who thirsts, let him come. You who have no 
money, come buy and eat. Delight yourself in the nourishing 
milk of the gospel, the refreshing water of the gospel, and the 
exhilarating wine of the gospel. God is profuse in his blessings 
to his people. Turn to the prophet Amos. So 
after Hosea, Joel, Amos. Amos comes after Joel. I was 
thinking of something else there, but notice in Amos chapter three, 
again, a promise of, I'm sorry, Amos nine, a promise of new covenant 
blessing. We know that because of verse 
11. Look at verse 11 in Amos nine. On that day, I will raise up 
the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down and repair its 
damages. I will raise up its ruins and 
rebuild it as in the days of old." We should know that passage. That passage is in the Jerusalem 
Council in Acts chapter 15. As they're discussing Gentile 
inclusion in the promises of God, the apostle, calls to mind 
or calls out this particular passage. He interprets it with 
reference to the inclusion of Gentiles in the covenant promises 
of God under Messiah. Now back up just a little bit 
in chapter nine at verse 11. I'm sorry, go on in chapter nine 
at verse 13. Behold, the days are coming, 
says the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and 
the treader of grapes, him who sows seed. The mountain shall 
drip with sweet wine and all the hills shall flow with it. 
I will bring back the captives of my people, Israel. They shall 
build the way cities and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards 
and drink wine from them. They shall also make gardens 
and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land 
and no longer shall they be pulled up. from the land I have given 
them, says the Lord your God." Zechariah chapter 10, Zechariah 
chapter 10, same sort of an emphasis in terms of new covenant blessing. 
At 10.6, I will strengthen the house of Judah and I will save 
the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because 
I have mercy on them. They shall be as though I had 
not cast them aside, for I am the Lord their God, and I will 
hear them. Those of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their 
hearts shall rejoice as if with wine. Yes, their children shall 
see it and be glad. Their hearts shall rejoice in 
the Lord. I will whistle for them and gather them, for I will 
redeem them, and they shall increase as they once increased. So going 
back to John's gospel at chapter 2, there was a promise made through 
several prophets concerning the blessed profusion of God's grace 
in New Covenant times. And that is represented by the 
wine. So that when we get to this wedding 
at Cana of Galilee, yes, be amazed! that Jesus turned water into 
wine. It is a most wonderful expression 
of his lordship over nature. But don't forget the prophetic 
testimony, especially in light of the prologue at John 1, 16 
to 17. The law was given through Moses. but grace and truth came through 
Jesus Christ, our Lord. It is a most wonderful sort of 
emphasis at this point in the gospel of John, because it tells 
us that when Jesus goes about, when Jesus ministers, when Jesus 
ultimately dies, when Jesus is raised from the dead, when Jesus 
ascends to the right hand of the Father, the church of Jesus 
preaches the profuseness of his grace. They preach the celebratory 
wine of new covenant blessing, that there is forgiveness in 
Him, there is mercy to be had, there is a righteousness that 
avails with God that comes through our Lord Jesus Christ. Listen 
to John Gill. He says, the Gospel, which may 
be compared to wine for its purity, pleasant taste, and generous 
effects in reviving drooping spirits, refreshing weary persons, 
and comforting distressed minds, as also for its antiquity, was 
published before the coming of Christ, in the times of Adam, 
Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets, but in a lower 
and weaker way. at sundry times, here a little 
and there a little, by piecemeals, as it were, and in divers manners, 
by promises, prophecies, types, shadows, and sacrifices, and 
was attended with much darkness and bondage. But under the gospel 
dispensation, which is compared to a marriage feast, it is more 
fully dispensed, more clearly published, and more freely ministered." 
So again, it may seem like a stretch, oh he's spiritualizing what went 
into the water pots and what comes out of the water pots. 
But there's warrant in light of the prologue, in light of 
the prophets, in light of what we find everywhere concerning 
the grace and the mercy and the kindness of God. In short, I 
want to tell you this, that if you want Christ, If you want 
salvation, if you believe in Him, He will receive you. That's a promise. Later in John 
6, 37, He says, all that the Father gives me will come to 
me. And the one who comes to me, what? I will certainly not 
cast out. Again, we've adopted and embraced 
this mindset that God is up there, and that He's a miser, and that 
only a little bit of grace is ever being poured out. Turn to 
the book of Revelation sometime. Look at the great multitude that 
no man can number. Hear the prophecy concerning 
Gentile inclusion in the covenant of grace, not just with Isaiah, 
but it goes all the way back to Noah. Noah was told that Japheth 
would come and find safety in the tents of Shem. That is Gentile 
inclusion in the covenant promises of God. It's always been God's 
purpose. Genesis chapter 12, he tells 
Abraham that in him, all the nations of the earth would be 
blessed. All the families of the earth would be blessed. Genesis 
13, he tells Abraham to look up into the sky, count the stars 
if you can. What's God's lesson? That you 
can actually count the stars? No, the lesson is that your descendants 
will far exceed the stars in heaven. Abraham's also told to 
look at the seashore, look at the sands, the grains of sands. God says there will be more descendants 
to Abraham because of the seed of Abraham, who is Jesus Christ, 
than there is grains of sand at the seashore. In other words, 
the gospel brings blessing. Jesus Christ ushers in an age 
of grace and truth. Jesus Christ is the one who inaugurates 
the new covenant through his blood and has promised to receive 
all those who come to him in faith. Do not resist, do not 
reject, do not neglect, and do not try to argue yourself out 
of inclusion in the covenant promises of God. You can't do 
it because the word of God goes forth and the gospel promises, 
sure, he who believes will be saved. Now notice the summary 
of the feast in verses 11 and 12. John tells us that in the 
first place this was the beginning of his signs. Verse 11a, this 
beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee. Where have 
we heard that word beginning so far? In John 1.1, in the beginning 
was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. 
That underscores the dignity, the divinity, and the glory of 
our Lord Jesus. But so does this in verse 11. This is the beginning of the 
signs that Jesus did. There will be several others 
that follow on the heels of this, and John the Apostle knows this. 
Notice as well, in reference to these signs, it was a manifestation 
of the glory of Christ. This beginning of signs Jesus 
did in Cana of Galilee and manifested his glory. In other words, brethren, 
as we would have been there, we would have said, wow, this 
is incredible. We would have imitated the master 
of the feast. We would have said, when we've 
gone to weddings in the past, they serve decent wine, but when 
it comes to the latter hours, they pour out the swill. They give you the rot gut because 
everybody is well drunk and they don't have a discerning palate 
anymore. But this bridegroom has put out the best. It was 
a manifestation of His glory. Again, power over nature, turning 
water into wine. But the inaugurator of the new 
covenant, which affords a better hope, built on better promises, 
and it is in fact a better covenant, according to Hebrews 7 and 8. 
And then notice the faith of his disciples is underscored 
here. This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee 
and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in 
him. I don't think it means they hadn't 
before, but this helped them, this confirmed them, this further 
authenticated for them that he was Messiah. Remember, we have 
available to us the entirety of John's gospel. These men didn't. These men had Jesus say, come 
and see. So they came and they saw and 
they believed. And now in the manifestation 
of his glory, as the Lord over nature, turning water into wine, 
it strengthens their faith. It confirms their faith. It functions 
in such a way as to build them up in a way that is most wonderful. Calvin said these words point 
out likewise the advantage of miracles, namely that they ought 
to be viewed as intended for the confirmation and progress 
of faith. And incidentally, that's John's 
purpose throughout the gospel, isn't it? I'm not trying to pick 
on you if you're not a Christian here this morning, I really am 
not. But I'm trying to encourage you that Christ is a willing 
Savior for willing sinners. Christ is a willing Savior, I 
messed that up, a willing Savior for needy sinners. Christ has 
abundance. Notice what John's purpose is 
in the gospel. And truly Jesus did many other 
signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written 
in this book, but these. What do you think he means? These 
signs are written that you, you in Chilliwack in 2021, you in 
Naftali's church in Eldoret, Kenya in 2021, you in the underground 
church, that covenant church, the latter reign covenant church 
in China, that you may believe. When we go out and testify concerning 
the gospel of our Lord Jesus, when we undertake in terms of 
evangelism, let's remind people of John the Apostle's purpose 
under the inspiration of the Spirit that you, the person to 
whom we are speaking, believe. that Jesus is the Christ, the 
Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name." 
Again, John isn't writing in some esoteric way. It's not just 
writing for informational purposes. He tells us in underscores that 
these signs are written that you may believe that Jesus is 
the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have 
life in His name. What's the alternative if you 
don't believe? You don't have life in His name. 
John speaks to that in John 3.36. You can turn there and you see 
what he says. There's not three options. There's 
not four options. It's not the case that all religions 
ultimately lead to the same place. Notice in John 3.36, He who believes 
in the Son has everlasting life. He who does not believe the Son 
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Right now, 
presently, currently, Just imagine if you would, we had a can of 
green paint, and we could spray the wrath of God that was biting 
over you. We would see it. It would be 
tangible. It would be something that was quantitative, qualitative, 
something that we could sink our teeth into empirically. That means by way of evidence. 
We can't do that. We can't spray green paint to 
see who's under the wrath of God. But that doesn't change 
the reality. He who believes the Son has everlasting 
life. The one who does not believe 
the Son does not have life. And that's bad in and of itself, 
but the wrath of God abides on him. So please listen and please 
understand the profuseness, the blessedness, the goodness of 
God in the gospel of our Savior. That's where John begins in the 
public ministry of our Lord, so that nobody will ever conclude, 
well, there's just no mercy to be had for me. There's just no 
grace to be had for me. Once those first century Jews 
and those few Gentiles use it up, there'll be no more for the 
21st century. Oh, no, that's not it. Jesus can take that water. He can turn it into wine. And 
that wine far exceeds what was even given in the previous sort 
of distribution of wine. The Lord Christ does not waver. The Lord Christ does not lose 
his efficiency. The Lord Christ does not lose 
his sufficiency. So believe on him and you will 
be saved. Well, in conclusion, just a couple 
of thoughts and then we'll go. In the first place, We should 
appreciate the goodness of marriage. We should appreciate, again, 
what the Lord has created, the Lord dignifies by his presence. He actually went to a wedding. 
We see in this the true humanity of Jesus Christ. We learn that 
Jesus assumed our humanity with all the essential properties 
and the common infirmities thereof and yet without sin. What does 
true humanity do? It goes to weddings. What does 
true humanity do? It dignifies things like weddings. 
What does true humanity do? It goes and it celebrates various 
feasts and occasions. And that leads me to the second 
one, the legitimacy of feasting. Now brethren, the Bible does 
command fasting. We saw that in Joel 2. Humble 
yourself, rend your garments fast. There are seasons and occasions 
to be sure for that, but as well there are seasons and occasions 
for feasting. In the first place, there's a 
popular perception that piety should be miserable. You've perhaps 
seen those people. They look like they carry lemons 
around in their pockets and every now and then they take a chomp 
out of it and they just look, you know. I mean, it's funny 
when we do it to our babies. You all do that, right? When 
your baby's just getting to that point where they eat lemons and, 
well, they don't, but we give them a little taste just to see 
sort of their response to the lemon or to the lime. Well, they 
grimace, don't they? They have a sour face consistent 
with lemon eating. Well, there are some in the Christian 
life that seem to associate piety with that approach. Well, I've 
got to look like I've been eating lemons. I've got to look miserable. 
Brethren, the threefold sort of breakdown in the Heidelberg 
is guilt, grace, gratitude. Guilt and misery sort of go together, 
right? Grace produces gratitude. It 
produces happiness. It produces joy. It produces 
feasting in the presence of our great God. In Deuteronomy chapter 
14, there is laws with reference to the tithe. And laws with reference 
to the tithes suggest that if persons couldn't make the journey 
with all of their tithes, they could sell stuff, take that money, 
and buy for themselves items to feast with. In Deuteronomy 
chapter 28, one of the prophesied reasons for ejection from the 
land would be that Israel would taste all of the blessed benefits 
that God gives them in the land, but they wouldn't be thankful. 
They wouldn't rejoice. They wouldn't be happy. Well, 
as a result, they, along with many other reasons, they would 
be ejected from the land and would go into exile. When you 
look at the Psalms, the Psalms are very clear as well. And again, 
I'm not advocating excess. I'm not promoting drunkenness. 
We give the qualification. The Bible prohibits drunkenness, 
but it doesn't prohibit feasting. In Psalm 104, verse 14, he causes 
the grass to grow for the cattle and vegetation for the service 
of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine 
that makes glad the heart of man. oil to make his face shine, 
and bread which strengthens man's heart. The trees of the Lord 
are full of sap, the cedars of Lebanon which he planted, where 
the birds make their nests. The stork has her home in the 
fir trees. The high hills are for the wild goats. The cliffs 
are a refuge for the rock badgers. He appointed the moon for seasons, 
the sun knows it's going down. You make darkness and it is night, 
in which all the beasts of the forest creep about. The young 
lions roar after their prey and seek their food from God. When 
the sun rises, they gather together and lie down in their dens. Man 
goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. Brethren, 
in sum, the Christian is not a Gnostic. It's not that the 
world is icky. It's not that the created order 
is bad. It's not that we revile steaks 
or wine or good gifts that God has given. Now, if we have a 
problem with the ingestion of certain things, then don't do 
it. By all means, but don't think it's a mark of piety to be miserable. I suggest that misery is associated 
with the devil and his minions. In John 10, Jesus says, I came 
that they might have life and that they might have it abundantly. In the book of Proverbs, Jesus 
speaking his wisdom makes this observation. He who sits or sins 
against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death. There's a great and vivid illustration 
of this in the past week in Texas. You mean we can't kill babies 
if we hear their heartbeat? No, ghoul, you can't. That is 
absolutely reprehensible. You see how people are just going 
nuts over this new law in Texas, which, by the way, doesn't go 
nearly far enough. Just because we can't detect 
the heartbeat doesn't mean it isn't a baby. Psalm 139 tells 
us God's the divine weaver who puts us together in the womb. 
Scripture is clear at this particular point. But the people that are 
pro-abortion are just incensed with the idea that we can't kill 
little ones if their hearts are beating. This is Proverbs 8, 
36. He who sins against me wrongs 
his own soul. All those who hate me love death. 
So misery, pain, destruction, horribleness, typically it's 
associated with the devil, not God. God is good. God is merciful. God is beneficent. God provides. God gives grace. God does so 
profusely. And God, in his grace and in 
his mercy, not only blesses us with every spiritual blessing 
in the heavenly places in Christ, he gives us good stakes. He gives 
us mangoes, He gives us lemons, not for the grimace, but for 
lemonade. He's good and He's kind. Paul 
says this is a doctrine of demons in 1 Timothy 4, to forbid marriage 
and the eating of meats that God made to be enjoyed by His 
creatures. The doctrine of Christian fasting 
needs to be recovered, but so does the doctrine of Christian 
feasting. Again, not to excess, not to 
gluttony, not to drunkenness, not to revelry and the like, 
but it's not a sin to enjoy the good things that God in his grace 
has given us. Again, we don't function this 
way in our homes. We give a gift to our child for 
their birthday and they just look miserable. No, we want them 
to be happy. That's why we gave them a good 
gift. We want them to rejoice in it. We want them to celebrate 
and delight in it. Again, Israel's ejected from 
their tenure in the land because they received the benefit from 
God and they don't give him praise or thanksgiving. And then finally, 
in terms of this passage, we see the glory of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. The word became flesh and dwelt 
among us. They could say this at this wedding 
of Cana in Galilee in a very real way. The word became flesh 
and he dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the 
glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace 
and truth. How did you behold it? Because he made water into 
wine. And by doing that, he signified 
for us that the prophetic message concerning the profuseness of 
God's grace and blessing had arrived. The new covenant has 
come. The blessed promises of God are 
yea and amen in our Lord Jesus Christ. They witnessed with their 
own eyes, they witnessed with their own palates, the glory 
of Christ manifested in the changing of water into wine. And then 
finally, listen to the command of Mary. Whatever he says, do 
it. I'm gonna leave that with you 
today. Whatever he says, do it. Think of Matthew 11, come to 
me, and think of John 7. All you who thirst, let him come 
to me. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for the sufficiency, 
the excellence, and the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank 
You for the prophetic testimony to the days of Messiah, and thank 
You for that inauguration in the fullness of the times when 
God sent forth His Son. born of a woman and born under 
the law to redeem those under the law. And God, as this gospel 
goes forth today, we pray that it would run swiftly and be glorified 
and that a great multitude by grace would believe on him and 
know the joy of being found in him. And we ask this in Jesus' 
name, amen. We'll take your hymn books and 
turn to 568. 568, we'll close our service by singing the doxology. so ♪ All blessings flow ♪ ♪ Praise 
Him, all creatures, here we go ♪ ♪ Praise Him, our God, in every 
hope ♪ Raise waters of heavenly host. Amen. O Israel, hope in the Lord, for 
with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is abundant redemption. 
And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. God, we thank 
you for that blessedness that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. And again, our desire is that 
sinners everywhere today would believe on him. and know that 
wonder, that glory of being transferred from the kingdom of darkness 
into the kingdom of the son of God's love. Go with us now, watch 
over us, bring us back together tonight that we may worship you 
in spirit and in truth. And we pray through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord, amen. Well, please be seated for a 
brief time of meditation.