God Speaks
Two days later Jesus’ mother was a guest at a wedding in the village of Cana in Galilee, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were invited too. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, and Jesus’ mother came to him with the problem.
4 “I can’t help you now,” he said. “It isn’t yet my time for miracles.”
5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to.”
6 Six stone waterpots were standing there; they were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and held perhaps twenty to thirty gallons each. 7-8 Then Jesus told the servants to fill them to the brim with water. When this was done he said, “Dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies.”
9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants did), he called the bridegroom over.
10 “This is wonderful stuff!” he said. “You’re different from most. Usually a host uses the best wine first, and afterwards, when everyone is full and doesn’t care, then he brings out the less expensive brands. But you have kept the best for the last!”
11 This miracle at Cana in Galilee was Jesus’ first public demonstration of his heaven-sent power. And his disciples believed that he really was the Messiah.
12 After the wedding he left for Capernaum for a few days with his mother, brothers, and disciples.
13 Then it was time for the annual Jewish Passover celebration, and Jesus went to Jerusalem.
14 In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices, and moneychangers behind their counters. 15 Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out, and drove out the sheep and oxen, scattering the moneychangers’ coins over the floor and turning over their tables! 16 Then, going over to the men selling doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Don’t turn my Father’s House into a market!”
17 Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Concern for God’s House will be my undoing.”
18 “What right have you to order them out?” the Jewish leaders demanded. “If you have this authority from God, show us a miracle to prove it.”
19 “All right,” Jesus replied, “this is the miracle I will do for you: Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up!”
20 “What!” they exclaimed. “It took forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can do it in three days?” 21 But by “this sanctuary” he meant his body. 22 After he came back to life again, the disciples remembered his saying this and realized that what he had quoted from the Scriptures really did refer to him, and had all come true!
23 Because of the miracles he did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many people were convinced that he was indeed the Messiah. 24-25 But Jesus didn’t trust them, for he knew mankind to the core. No one needed to tell him how changeable human nature is!
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: This chapter relates that Jesus attended and performed His first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. During the Jewish Passover celebration Jesus cleansed the Temple. Instead of arresting Jesus for “insurrection” or at least “disturbing the peace,” the leaders asked Him what authority He had to do so. He quoted Psalm 69:9. Later, after He had risen from the dead, His disciples realized what He meant and believed both the Scriptures and what He had said. After that many people began to trust in Jesus, but Jesus didn’t entrust himself to people because He knew how untrustworthy we are.
Prayer: Dear gracious God, who loves people and their celebrations, thank You that Jesus performed His first miracle at a wedding. Jesus, may I bring all my problems (big or small) to You just like Your mother Mary did at the wedding in Cana. Help me do whatever You say just like Your mother told the wedding servants to do. May whatever You do in my life manifest Your glory and cause people to believe in You. Jesus, as You cleansed the Temple, cleanse me, too. Please give me a zeal for Your “house” the church, not the physical building but the individual people in which You dwell. May many people come to believe the Old Testament Scriptures and the words Jesus has spoken as recorded in the New Testament. Jesus, thank You that You know whatever is within me and died for me anyway. Thank You for loving me so much, AMEN
Action (Ask the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will daily bring my problems (big or small) to Jesus just like His mother Mary did.
- I will do whatever Jesus says just like His mother told the wedding servants to do.
- I will examine my attitude toward God the Father’s house and change if necessary.
- I will remember that Jesus knows everything about me and then act according to that knowledge.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.