Water to Wine
October 19, 2012



 

Remember that each of the four Gospel writers write their stories not as a modern journalist with objective distance.  Instead they write with lots of symbolism, meaning and purpose behind each thing they record.   Here there are 6 stone water jars.  The number six symbolizes imperfection.  Also the amount of wine that would have amounted to was far more than anyone could drink.  John is saying in this first miracle that Jesus can take any imperfection turn it into something far more wonderful than we can imagine.   

The Greeks had stories and legends like this written about their gods.  It is as if John is saying, the reality to which your legends have pointed is actually here!  Jesus is actually doing the things that you only dreamed that your gods could do.    Stop majoring on the things that point to God.  Instead you can now meet God himself.   He’s come to you.  You need not aspire to him.  

If you do put your trust and faith in Jesus, you’ll be amazing beyond anything you can imagine. You life will be like the water.  Over time it will be turned into the best wine.  But it will take time.   

It occurs to me that this miracle tells us exactly what Jesus wants to do with each of us.   But the way he does it in each of us is over time, including a lot of trampling of the grapes!  

Can you tell stories about how Jesus has turned you, an imperfect creation, in some way shape or form into a little bit of wine?  

Lord, far too often I focus on the trampling of the “grapes of my life”.   They feel more like grapes of wrath rather than the production of good wine.   Help me Lord to know that everything that happens to me in this life is being used by you create out of me “good
wine” which can be used for the sake of others.  Amen”