John 2 Water to Wine

On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding as well. When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother told Him, “They don’t have any wine.” “What has this concern of yours to do with Me, woman? ” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.” “Do whatever He tells you,” His mother told the servants. Now six stone water jars had been set there for Jewish purification. Each contained 20 or 30 gallons. “Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told them. So they filled them to the brim. Then He said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the chief servant.” And they did. When the chief servant tasted the water (after it had become wine), he did not know where it came from — though the servants who had drawn the water knew. He called the groom and told him, “Everyone sets out the fine wine first, then, after people have drunk freely, the inferior. But you have kept the fine wine until now.” Jesus performed this first sign in Cana of Galilee. He displayed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. After this, He went down to Capernaum, together with His mother, His brothers, and His disciples, and they stayed there only a few days. (John 2:1-12 HCSB)

Whose wedding was this?

We don't know, but we can assume that it was some pretty good friend of the family because of Mary & Jesus's involvement. Mary knows about the wine problem before there is a riot and Jesus and his disciples were all invited to the wedding.  So they have to be buddies, if not relatives.   

Why doesn't Jesus think this problem is any of his business? "What is this to you an me?"

Why is Mary smart?

Jesus just kinda talked back to her. She could have gotten bossy: "I brought you into this world, now I'm going to take you out if you don't obey your mother!" Or she could well have answered in a nagging tone - "Mrs. Smith had you over to birthday parties every year and she patched you up when you fell off the donkey, we owe her a favor." But Mary wasn't the sort to boss or nag. . .she just asked and expected it to happen.

What can we learn about prayer from this story?

1. When we need something, ask God. . .do not pass go, do not collect $200, take the request straight to God. 

 If you are like me, you tend to exhaust every human possibility first before praying. If I were Mary, I would have asked a few friends for money and made a Chevron run to buy some more. . .or asked uncle Joe who always has a full cellar. Only if all other options are exhausted would I go to God. And that's not a good thing.

Example, I'm self-employed and work comes in spurts. There are so many times when I think that we don't have enough work, so we'll update the website or do some marketing. And after wasting several days of work I realize that I haven't prayed about it. How much time and worry could I have saved if I just put things in God's hands?

In Prince Caspian, Peter and Caspian lead the Narnian army into a surprise attack without waiting on Aslan to fight with them and are thoroughly defeated, losing many Narnians.  Lucy wanted them to wait for Aslan, but they rejected her advice and suffered.  Seek God first!!  

A very similar thing happens in 1 Samuel 13, and is the very reason that Saul loses his throne over Israel.  Samuel, the priest, must offer a sacrifice before the Israelites go into battle - basically seeking God's blessing and approval.  But when he is late showing up, Saul decides to offer the sacrifice himself without waiting.  Samuel is not fooled, Saul does not receive the blessing - moreover, he is rejected as king of Israel.  Seek God first, and patiently!

2. Nothing is too unimportant for God.

Mary didn't ask Jesus to solve the crisis of Roman oppression or to feed the hungry children in Africa. She asked her son, who happens to be God, to meet the mundane need that she had in that moment.

Lord, can you help me find my car keys? Can you help me focus so I can do well on this test? Can you help me stop obsessing over Tommy Thighpen so I can enjoy this semester? The things to pray about are not what are most important, but what we need - right here, right now.

Look at the Lord's Prayer - give us our daily bread - Lord, please give me what I need today. . .which happens to be five barrels full of wine. Tomorrow I may need something different; like a clean-up crew for this party.

For me personally, I am bad about asking. I'm bad about realizing that I need anything. And one way to combat this is to pray for very specific, tangible things. Please let the pain in my foot go away. Please provide me two weddings so that we have enough money to eat. Something I have done is to create a checklist of things/people I'm praying for, and to make a note when one of those prayers is answered.

3. God gives us better than we can give ourselves.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NIV)

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11 NIV)

According to these verses, God wants to, and does give us more and better than we could ask for or even dream.

Now, this doesn't mean that you can game the system, praying for a 1998 Corolla so that God will upgrade you to a 2011 Lamborghini. Or that you can pray and study for a C so that God will give you an A. But it is like the boy with the loaves and fish, when we give what little we have to serve God, he will do amazing things with our tiny offering.