Seven Miracles - Pt 4

When the master 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 master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:9-11 ESV).

The third revelation in this first miracle is the glory of an All-Providing Bridegroom. Look at our reading again. This is the last of the recording of the miracle. If we go to the end of the gospel we would see the last thing that John says about Jesus is that he is the bridegroom who has the bride, his growing band of disciples. And, the first miracle Jesus does is to complete what the bridegroom at a wedding could not do. We should remember that the groom was finally responsible for the wine as his wedding. Which means it was his shortcoming that let the wedding run out of wine. Isn’t it interesting that John includes this little side note found in verse 9: “When the master of the feast [not the groom but the head waiter] tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom [now you see who is really in charge of the wine] and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.’” And of course, the point is: No, he didn’t. He let the wine run out. That’s the way it is with grooms on this earth. All husbands fail to be all that we ought to be. But quietly, omnipotently, Jesus plays the role of the perfect, all-providing Bridegroom. Out of water comes wine, better than any husband could provide. It is a clear example of glory overflowing with grace. In each of these three manifestations of glory that we have seen over the past few days — obedient Son, ultimate Purifier, all-providing Bridegroom — We also see this overflowing with grace. From his fullness, we receive grace upon grace. As the obedient Son of God, he is not swayed by family ties, not Mary’s and not ours. He is swayed by those who shun their “pedigrees” and trust his grace. As the ultimate Purifier, he is not moved by religious ritual. He replaced all Old Testament ritual once for all with his own blood. There is one way to be pure before God, the hardest way for him and the easiest way for us. It is the washing of our robes in the blood of the Lamb. And we simply come by faith. And as the all-providing Bridegroom, he never, never, never fails to give us what we need. The life-giving wine of his death in our place never runs out. He is the perfect, all-providing husband to his church. Just WOW! And this is only the first of the seven signs!