by Trish Thompson, Ministry Pastor of Groups
The first miracle, changing water to wine, teaches three important lessons about change.
The first point is that
change can be positive. This miracle is the start of Jesus' ministry. He was an invited guest at a
wedding feast and His mother is asking Him to help at a crucial point in the
party. Jesus wasn’t planning to reveal any
supernatural abilities; He was here with friends for a feast. He says in verse
4 “My hour has not come.” The change in plans was beneficial. The disciples began to believe in Him (verse 11). Although the text doesn't state it, the servants witnessing the miracle must have been astonished as well. Change can be good!
Second point, even when we
try to do everything right we sometimes fall short. The family spent countless days preparing for this special feast. Despite all the plans for perfect party, a major faux pas occurred. They ran out of wine before the evening is
over. The intervention of Jesus resulted in an
amazing memory for the guests. Humans fell short; Jesus was
necessary to change the course of the event.
Final point, what Jesus can
give us is better than anything we can do alone. The wine planned and prepared by the family may have been good, but the wine created
by Jesus was superior (verse
10). The change occurred
very subtly, with minimal effort on His part. Mary requested Jesus to correct the issue; Jesus asked the servants to fill water jars. Servants told to bring glass to bride's father. Neither Jesus nor Mary had
any authority over the servants. A
simple request was made. The result was awesome and better than the family prepared.
When the Holy Spirit takes up residence in you; you are transformed or changed into a new being. The change may be difficult. However, the rewards of opening your heart to God's change is amazing and awesome!