City Life Starter

Written by Scott Fiddler

The Word

1 On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. 3 When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

John 2:1-11

Commentary

I’m not a theologian, so I’m going to hedge and disclaim throughout this post, and as I read the story of the wedding at Cana, I couldn’t get past the first four words. So, I got to thinking.

If one accepts that John was inspired by the Holy Spirit when he wrote his gospel, nothing he wrote should be quickly discarded as insignificant.

John writes that Jesus’ first miracle occurred “on the third day” (John 2:1). On the third day, Jesus turned water poured into pots for purification into great wine. We should ask then, “Why is the day this miracle occurred even worth mentioning?”

I’m thinking that to the Jewish readers of John’s gospel who knew the book of Genesis as well as we know the lyrics to Taylor Swift’s greatest hits, Jesus’ wine-making at Cana was not merely a bar trick on steroids; It was a signpost.

The Book of Genesis states it was “on the third day” that Abraham came to the place where the Lord had called him to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22:4). The Lord stopped Abraham before he made the sacrifice, and instead provided a ram as a substitute. 

Then God orchestrated history in such a way that Jesus, God’s Son and the only and ultimate sacrifice for our sins, would be raised from the dead “on the third day” (Luke 9:22; Acts 10:40). That sacrifice made it possible for the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead to transform the dirty water of our lives into the finest of wine.

Jesus’ first earthly miracle and His resurrection stand as bookends to an earthly ministry intended to identify Himself as the Savior of the world and the One who could transform our lives.

Application

Miracles are not merely for our entertainment or amazement; they are one of God’s tools to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus. So, I’m thinking the miracle at the wedding at Cana was pointing to something more significant than a good glass of wine. I’m thinking it was the first miraculous signpost directing people to the Person who would be the sacrifice Abraham couldn’t provide and who, “on the third day,” would rise from the dead, paving the way to transform us into the image of Christ.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, please use me as a signpost to declare that You are the Savior of the world. Amen.