Whatever he says to you, do it. I don’t know what he’s going to do, but I’ll tell you this, he’s in charge and he just let me know. Whatever he says to you, do it.
Hey, you don’t need anything more to have your life changed. Whatever comes up this week, whatever he says to you.
This is Hope for Today with David Hocking. In John chapter 2 verses 1 through 12, Jesus performs his first miracle, turning water into wine at a wedding. You know something, this is more than just a miracle.
It is a revelation of his glory and the start of something profound. This moment sets the stage for everything to come, showing that when Jesus is involved, nothing is ever ordinary. We will witness this powerful beginning in just a moment.
First, Matt, let’s take a moment just before we begin our teaching to share a note from a listener. This one really touched my heart.
Go ahead and read that. Yeah, it says, David’s blessing of teaching has always been a great blessing to me. His Jewish perspective has increased my awareness and love for all of God’s people.
Diving deeper into the Jewish roots as a Gentile has been a wonderful gift of knowledge he has passed on.
The Jewish roots of our Christian faith. You know, I’ve asked people on occasion, where do we first see the Gospel mentioned? And it’s in the Old Testament, and your dad teaches that.
Amen.
Well, that and more, we could talk a lot about the heart your dad has for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teaching of God’s Word, but let’s just say this. We appreciate your notes of encouragement to the Hope for Today team. It lifts our hearts, it encourages us into work, and if you have a note for us, a testimonial, or maybe even a prayer request, we’ll share just a bit later how you can get in touch.
All right, here’s David with day one of his message called Water to Wine.
And the first miracle that Jesus Christ performed in his public ministry is our subject today. Turn to John chapter 2, the changing of water to wine. John chapter 2.
And beginning at verse 1 and reading down to verse 12. John 2, verses 1 to 12, the changing of water to wine. On the third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
Now, both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, When they have no wine, Jesus said to her, Woman, what does your concern have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.
His mother said to the servants, Whatever he says to you, do it. Now, there were set there six water pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing 20 or 30 gallons of peace. Jesus said to them, Fill the water pots with water.
And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast. And they took it.
When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew, the master of the feast called the bridegroom, and he said to him, Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then that which is inferior. But you have kept the good wine until now. This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, his mother, his brothers, and his disciples, and they did not stay there many days. Five things were revealed in this story of changing water to wine. It seems to me that most of the interests that American Christians have in this passage is whether or not it condones taking a snort every now and then.
It’s a little foolish at times, but I believe we do need to speak about that matter. And we’ll try to help you understand some things in this particular story and this miracle of Jesus Christ. But five things were revealed.
Number one of which might surprise you a little bit, but cannot be gone unnoticed in verse one and two. The marriage in Cana revealed the strong commitment of our Lord to public weddings. Let me repeat that again.
The marriage at Cana, very insignificant town, five miles from Nazareth, not worth much. Poor people live there. The marriage in Cana revealed the strong commitment of our Lord to public weddings.
The Bible says it was the third day, third day after perhaps the interview and statements to Nathaniel. Cana is only mentioned in this passage, chapter 2 verse 1 and chapter 21 verse 2, where it tells us that Nathaniel was from Cana of Galilee. Was perhaps this wedding in his home?
A lot of conjecture about that. We are told the mother of Jesus was there, yet Jesus and his disciples were invited. That means the mother of Jesus was not invited.
As a matter of fact, she was a part of those who were serving the wedding. It is the mother of Jesus who speaks to the servants. The mother of Jesus is involved in the wedding preparations, which means that she is a friend of the family.
She lived only five miles away. And we don’t know who the family is. The Bible doesn’t give us the names.
The marriage feast, by the way, could continue for seven days. It was an expense item. It was a major item that any family had to take care of.
The Bible says Jesus and his disciples were invited, possibly because Mary is a friend of the family and was serving in the wedding. And this would, of course, be a great test to the patience and financial resources of that family, because you know what fishermen can put down. But Jesus and his disciples were invited.
And there’s always a lot of guests. Did you know it was Jewish law that if your neighbor was invited to your wedding and you provided a wonderful feast, then the neighbor, when their son was married, had to invite you? Did you know that was a legal requirement?
And they also had to give you an equal amount of stuff that you might have got at the other wedding. So it’s kind of like keeping up with the Joneses or the Bernsteins, whatever you want.
But I wonder if there isn’t something more intended by the Bible, because I guess we could just simply ask ourselves, did you invite Jesus into your marriage? We know his spiritual presence is important. In a world of insufficient commitment and weak vows, may God help us to understand the importance of public ceremony, of people seeing what we’re doing, and understanding our accountability to others for the commitments that we have made before God.
Now, number two, in terms of what this story reveals, it also reveals the mother of Jesus. The mother of Jesus revealed her simple confidence in the ability of her son. One of the most wonderful stories about Mary in the Bible.
The mother of Jesus revealed her simple confidence in the ability of her son. Now, it’s hard to understand this. Look, please, at verse three.
When they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, they have no wine. Jesus said to her, woman, what does your concern have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.
His mother said to the servants, whatever he says to you, do it. I’d like you to see several things here in these three verses. One is the reasoning of Mary.
When she said, they have no wine, well, she has been helping with the wedding. She’s embarrassed. And something needs to be done.
And she feels very sensitive about the family. And as all Jewish mothers do, they come to their sons. Do something!
They don’t have any more wine. You guys could go in the next village or something. And Jesus, by the way, you’ve told me all this.
I’ve kept these things in my heart. The Bible says Mary pondered things in her heart that the Lord told her about Jesus. I know you’re the son of God.
I know you’re the Messiah. You’re 30 years old. You’ve got these guys now running around with you.
You call your disciples. This is it, Jesus. Go for it.
This is the opportunity. Do something now. That’s my translation, but you figure it out.
Secondly, look at the relationship of Jesus to his mother. A lot of people get mixed up here. He said woman.
It’s not a term of disrespect. It’s not derogatory, as some commentators have taught. That’s not at all.
Jesus never was that way with his mother. It’s a respectful term, but it certainly is unusual. What he is saying, I believe, is that he is responding as the son of God, not as the son of Mary.
The issue is quite important. The literal Greek statement is, what to me and to thee? That’s all it says.
There’s no identifying other remarks. What to me and to you? Now, that’s a technical expression for a divergence of thought.
What Jesus says to her is, first of all, he doesn’t call her mother. He said, woman, which would immediately startled her. Woman, we have a difference of thought here.
You’re not thinking straight. You’re not thinking with my timing and my plan. You’re thinking in terms of your own.
I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but it is not my timing. Have you ever noticed that God does things on his own time schedule? Mary was just trying to help the Lord out a little bit.
You would have done the same, especially if you were the mother. She was just trying to help, and Jesus said, woman, we have a divergence of thought here. We’re not on the same wavelength we would save in English.
Well, we’re not together on this. You don’t understand the timing. And then we have a reference to the fact of his hour had not yet come.
He said in verse 4, my hour has not yet come. Turn please to chapter 7. Chapter 7, and look at verse 6.
Jesus frequently said that my time, my hour has not yet come. In John 7, verse 6, he said, my time has not yet come. He said this to his brothers, who didn’t believe in him.
Jesus had brothers and sisters. They were half brothers and sisters. Joseph married Mary after Jesus was born.
And they had children. They had brothers and sisters. They are named in Mark 6.3.
And it says his brothers didn’t believe in him. And he says to them, my time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it that its works are evil.
You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come. Look at verse 30 of the same chapter.
Then they sought to take him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Look at chapter 8, please, verse 20. Jesus said, it’s not time yet.
In John 8 20, these words Jesus spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple, and no one laid hands on him, for his hour had not yet come. Look, please, at chapter 12, verse 23, and all of a sudden things change. In chapter 12, we’re now at the Passover season, the final week where Jesus is going to die, over three years since the issue in John 2.
And in John 12 23, we read, Jesus answered them saying, the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified. Look at verse 27. My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?
Father, save me from this hour. But for this purpose, I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.
Chapter 13 verse 1, he’s with his disciples in the upper room, the Last Supper. It says, now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come, that he should depart from this world to the Father. His hour dealing with his death, his resurrection, and his ascension back to the Father.
Chapter 16, please, verse 32. Jesus said to his disciples, indeed, the hour is coming, yes, and has now come. Look at Chapter 17 verse 1.
Jesus spoke these words as he’s praying to his heavenly father, and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son, that your son also may glorify you. The hour has come, it says.
For a long time, he said, the hour has not yet come. Interesting, the first reference to this statement was given to his mother. The last reference was given to his heavenly father.
Kind of interesting. To his mother, he said, my hour has not yet come. To his heavenly father, he said, the hour has come.
It was a matter of timing. Go back to John 2 again. So let’s take a look at the response of Mary to this.
She obviously realizes her son is dealing with her differently. The Bible says that Mary was blessed among women. Blessed are you among women, Luke 1, 28.
But the Bible never said, blessed are you above women. It never said that. It said, blessed are you among women.
And here, Jesus said, as though to help us throughout all time, to don’t exalt Jesus’ mother above Jesus. Jesus is God. Mary is not.
Should we honor Mary? You bet. Is Mary a testimony to all of us of humility and honor and praise to her Lord?
Yes. Did Mary rejoice in God her Savior? Yes.
Was Mary immaculately conceived? No. The Bible doesn’t teach that at all.
Was her mother immaculately conceived? No. The Bible doesn’t teach that.
Be careful what you do about Mary. Should we pray to Mary? Never.
The Bible never tells you to do that. Mary’s name is even mentioned by John. He calls her always the mother of Jesus.
It’s almost as though in this story, we learned the real issue. Turn back to Luke chapter 2, please, and let’s examine it in the Bible carefully. Don’t listen to what other people tell you or religious leaders.
You read the Bible. In Luke 2, what do we read? Luke 2 verse 41, what does it say?
Jesus is now 12 years old. It says his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. Luke 2, 42, when he was 12 years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
When they had finished the days as they returned, the boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother did not know it. But supposing him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey. That was easy to do.
Big Jewish caravan, everybody going back to Galilee, easy to get lost. They think the kids would catch up. Verse 45 said, When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem seeking him.
Now, so it was that after three days, the parents are panicking. They’re going crazy. Where’s the boy?
Three days. They found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
So, when they saw him, they were amazed. And his mother said to him, Son, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously.
And he said to them, Why is it that you sought me? Do you not know that I must be about my father’s business? Imagine a 12-year-old boy saying that to his mother.
What did Mary do? Says, they did not understand the statement which she spoke to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them.
But his mother kept all these things in her heart. At 12 years old, she got the message. Jesus said, one day, I must be about my father’s business.
I’ve started it already, Mary. You know all about it. And now at age 30, beginning his public ministry, back in John 2, she again hears from her son, and he says, there’s a divergence of thought here between you and me.
Woman, my hour has not yet come. Thank you for what you’re trying to do, but it isn’t the right time. And how does Mary respond?
Does she say, why, I have never been talked like that before. I’m going to tell your father, we’re going to get this straightened out soon. No, she doesn’t do that at all.
What does she do? I love what she does. And may every person in this audience do what Mary did.
She said to the servants, whatever he says to you, do it. I know who he is. Whatever he says to you, do it.
I don’t know what he’s going to do, but I’ll tell you this, he’s in charge, and he just let me know. Whatever he says to you, do it. Hey, you don’t need anything more than to have your life changed.
Whatever comes up, whatever he says to you, do it.
That’s David Hocking, and you’re listening to Hope for Today. We’ll have more from David in just a moment to close out today’s Time in the Word. First, though, Matt’s coming to the mic, and we have a wonderful tool that’s going to help people get the most out of the series.
What do we have?
Yeah, this is awesome. It’s my dad’s original sermon notes for the Gospel of John series.
Okay, 50 messages in this series. It’s going to take us a few months to get through this. And there is a set of sermon notes for each and every one of those messages.
That’s right, and they’re just $10.
And you can get that if you want. Print and form, if you call us at 1-800-75-Bible. In Canada, call 1-888-75-Bible.
Or if you want it right now, right online, www.davidhocking.org. And you can download the PDF file. Again, the sermon notes for our series in the Gospel of John.
Get them now at davidhocking.org. By the way, if you want to intensify your study time in our current series in the Gospel of John, you may wish to add it to your home library. We have the whole series available on mp3cd or by mp3download, and the entire series is just $30.
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Well here’s David to close out our time with some additional teaching including some biblical clarification on the subject of adult beverages in the life of the believer.
You know folks, this passage in John 2 of our Lord Yeshua changing water into wine is so important. And as it relates to side issues like alcoholism and drug abuse, some people try to use this to indicate that it’s okay to drink alcoholic beverages and so forth because that’s what the Lord did. And you know, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Paul even recommended to Timothy a little wine for his stomach sake. Apparently, he had stomach problems. But it’s not talking about alcoholic beverages.
The fact of the matter is, the whole process of fermentation is a process of decay, and the grape juice is definitely losing its vitamins and minerals, which are still recommended today. Pure grape juice is excellent for settling one’s stomach down. But here, we have just an enormous miracle.
And some of you may know that not too long ago, water pots of this size were discovered in Israel. It’s not a fantasy. It’s not a made-up story.
These are not small little glasses. These are huge. And to understand the miracle is to understand the power of the Messiah Himself.
Because we’re told in verse 11 of chapter 2 that this is the beginning of miracles. That Yeshua did it in Cana of Galilee. Now, there is a Cana in Galilee today, but that’s not the original one.
A little bit north of that present city is where there is Tell Cana. It hasn’t been uncovered or dug up yet. Only God knows what’s under there that might be of a blessing in terms of confirmation of the biblical story.
But this is a fundamental story to understand who the Messiah is and His power even over all the processes of nature and agriculture. Hope you can be with us. God bless you.
And just before we go, did you miss any part of today’s Bible study? No worries. Just head over to davidhocking.org, click on the radio tab in our drop down menu right there on the home page, and you’ll find today’s broadcast along with our most recent messages ready for you to listen again.
And we keep the programs up there for a few weeks. And while you’re there, take a look at the vast collection of Bible study tools available to you. There are books and booklets by David, as well as video and audio studies along with a ton of free resources.
That’s davidhocking.org. And share that link with your friends and family. That’d be great.
Well, next time, we’ll be picking up right where we left off in the Gospel of John, chapter 2, verses 1 through 12, exploring Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into wine. Join us for even more on how this incredible event reveals deeper truths and sets the stage for Jesus’ ministry. We’ll see you then, right here, on Hope for Today.
