Listen To What He Says

I was in a Bible study once where our assignment was to read a passage of scripture over and over again, refining it each time. Whittling it down to see if we could discern the basic message God wanted us to hear.

The text I chose was Jesus at the wedding in Cana. Let's read it together.

"On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 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 10 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.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him." - John 2:1-11

The things that popped out at me from this text are these:

"On the third day . . ." - Jesus in the New Testament and God in the Old Testament did many things on "the third day," most notably of which was when Jesus was raised from the dead. And speaking or miracles . . .

"My hour has not yet come." - Jesus was speaking of His crucifixion and overcoming death - the REAL miracle! Not this silly water-into-wine stuff.

The part of this text that really spoke to me though was not actually spoken by Jesus. It was said by his mother, Mary.

“Do whatever he tells you.”

Yes, Jesus performed a miracle that day. Yes, it was a foreshadowing of when Jesus' blood would be poured out for the master of the feast. But what really caught my att3ention that particular day was "Do whatever He says."

If you follow the commands of Jesus we will demonstrate our love for Him. We might have particular ideas and thoughts of our own, but if they do not match those of our Savior, they are simply not worth our time. If we follow the commands of Jesus He will work yet another miracle . . in us! Jesus can take a lowly sin-filled human being and turn that person into a holy and righteous individual. We become sinless in the eyes of God simply by our faith in His Son. Have YOU been turned into wine yet?

To close, I found this piece of Old Testament scripture in my reading the other day. Interesting foretaste of things to come.

"20 “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

22 “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries." - Exodus 23:20-22
Our God - Chris Tomlin