THE MIRACLE OF THE WINE

 

THE WEDDING AND MIRACLE OF THE WINE - JOHN 2:1-11

A) Wine - The Symbol of Joy - Psalms 104:15

“wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine,
  and bread that sustains their hearts.”

a)   The Joy of the Lord

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

b)   Jesus is Your Joy

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. ~ Romans 15:13

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ~ Philippians 4:4

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 14:17

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. ~ John 15:11

B ) Wine A Symbol of Transformation

The message of turning the water into wine is not only the transformation of nature but also lives.

1. What is Spiritual Transformation?

Transformation entails the meaningful, deep changes within individuals as they are touched by the Holy and as they mature in their experience of and expression given to their faith.

The Spiritual Transformation - Spiritual Transformation takes place at two stages in a person’s life:

Stage 1: Moving from Death to Life by salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the Cross of Calvary.                                            (John 3:16-18; Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 10:9,10)

Stage 2: Growing from spiritual immaturity toward spiritual maturity through life-long discipleship.  (Ephesians 4:13, 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Peter 3:17-18)

C) Water to Wine – A Symbol of Celebration

‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk,’ he said. ‘You have kept the good wine until now!’ - John 2:10

"You have saved the Best for the last" This is I called it  "The Wine of God’s Outpouring Spirit" saved for the last days.

D) Wine is the symbol of the Holy Spirit

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.’ (John 2:7-9a, NIV)

Matt. 9:17 “Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.”

1.The Bible Associates New Wine with the Holy Spirit.

Wine is symbolic of the Holy Spirit and Jesus spoke of it in association with the move of God (Matt 9:17)

The Holy Spirit cannot work in old ways or system sometimes.  We need to put new wine into new bottles. New bottles are change by the Spirit. And our Christian faith and life are preserved for better use. 

In the last days outpouring of the Spirit will be so powerful that it will blow our minds if we try to understand it.

2, The New Wine of the Spirit means

i. New Wine mean it’s Time for the Harvest.

The Bible associates new wine with the harvest.
‘Then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.’ (Deuteronomy 11:14. NIV)

A harvest from God is abundant. And He has promised a day of overflow; one in which the harvest and new wine will be plentiful. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills…” Amos 9:13 NIV

ii. New Wine Means the New Move of God is Coming,

Wine is symbolic of the Holy Spirit and Jesus spoke of it in association with the move of God (Matt 9:17).

In the New Testament, observers and writers compare and contrast the infilling of the Spirit to drinking wine.

‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit’ (Eph 5:18 KJVS, see also Acts 2:13)

What God has for us is distinctive for right now; it is a particular anointing for this new era. A new wine from Heaven! But let’s be aware—that which is ‘new’ tastes different.

iii. New Wine Speaks of Renewed Love and Intimacy with God.

“Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine. How right they are to adore you!’ (Song of Songs 1:4 NIV)

There are frequent references to ‘love like wine’ in the Song of Songs.

In the new wine season, the Spirit is wooing you. Hear God say, ‘I am calling you to intimacy with Me. And in that place, I will be your greatest delight’. I believe the Lord is saying, “There is a new wine—a move of My Spirit—that has reserved for this hour that is coming.”

E) What do we learn from this miracle?

If we take a close look at the biblical account of the wedding feast at Cana, we can learn three important lessons:

1. Marriage is a sacrament,

2. God wants to pour abundant favour upon your marriage, and.

3. Obedience is the key to receiving your blessing.

The Servants Obeyed …

Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, ‘Fill the water jars with water.’

So they filled them up to the very top. Then He told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the head steward,’ and they did.

Obedience is the key:  Fill the water pots – Your life needs to fill up with His wine. We drink the Holy Communion cup represent His wine. Your life needs to fill up with Living Water. We are all dry pots used up by the world too much that we forget God to be used by Him. God wants to use us and fill us.

F) What Do We See Here?

1) We See Honor

Some say Jesus did this miracle simply to appease his mother. Or, as some have put it, he obeyed her to honour her.

2) We See Authority

In changing the water into wine, Jesus demonstrated his authority over all things down to the molecular level.

3) We See Power

Changing water into wine requires demonstrating power over time and space. Wine requires many processes that cover a long period of time. Jesus has power over quality and quantity.

4. We See More

We can see more by diving deeper into these:

·         Jesus is a bridegroom and the marriage supper of the lamb. Jesus is the vine.

·    At the last supper, the wine represents the blood of Jesus that cleanses us inside and the wine of Holy Spirit that satisfy us.

·         Jesus was told “you have saved the best till now” the new covenant is a better covenant based on better promises. God will always give the best to us. God’s best wine is coming! We can never under estimate God’s power and blessings. God is never short of fun and funds

Prayer: “Heavenly Father, help us, O God, to shed the old wineskins of things that no longer serve us or our ministry to our new members or to your Church. Break us out of brittleness that keeps us resistant or complacent. May we instead be renewed and expanded by the joy of your presence surprising us in new ways.   Lastly, O God, may this blending be a blessing to your people and your creation. May the wine of our lives outpoured be your love as gift to all.In Jesus Name, Amen! ”

Benediction

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. -  Romans 15:13