New Wine – Drink Freely
Hello Saints,
Sorry for the delay, but I have been wrestling with releasing this for obvious reasons. But, I have been called to preach the truth. I am tired of false teachers and lack of discernment in the church. (Warning...your sacred cow may be attacked)
My good friend’s daughter got married this weekend. Of course, I spent a lot of time studying and meditating on John 2, where Jesus attends the marriage at Cana with His disciples, and His mother. This passage has always bothered me for some reason, mainly because those who believe that Mary is intercessor between God and man use this text to justify her role as co-mediator (Mediatrix of all graces) and co-Redemptrix – as the “Mother of God”, she can tell her Son what to do. Oh! Let me just say it…blasphemous! Jesus don’t need no help from anyone – He’s the perfect Lamb of God! His mother needed a Savior as much as we all do! She’s not doing anything now but laying in a grave awaiting the resurrection of the body, or the rapture. I digress. By the way, The Chosen series does a terrible job of this scene, changing the word “woman” to “mother”, softening the rebuke He gives His mother “what has this to do with me, my hour has not yet come”, making it look like Jesus takes His orders from His mother, underscoring the heavy Catholic influence in the making of this film. Changing the words of scripture to appease an audience is dangerous territory; definitely compromise and borderline heresy.
What is the purpose of the Wedding at Cana narrative? The text tells us: “This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him” (2:11). John’s gospel begins with presenting Jesus as God – Lord of all creation (1:1-3). It is steeped in Old Testament fulfillment whereby Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us, in the flesh. It is a testimony to the aforementioned truth, and gives eye-witness evidence that, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (1:14). John reveals the glory of God in the person of Jesus the Christ. That is the purpose of setting up his gospel around seven signs, culminating with the death and resurrection of the “King of the Jews”. The purpose of his gospel is “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). The wedding at Cana is the first sign of Jesus’s glory, and proof that when we see Him as glorious God, His chosen believe in Him (2:11). Let me be clear, Jesus does not take orders from His mother, but He only does what He sees His Father doing (John 5:19). His earthly relations serve only to accomplish the Father’s will and are subservient to Him. Jesus did not call His mother “mother”, but “woman”. He was clearly setting the boundaries of their relationship – “I answer to my Father, not you; if I am to do anything it is what my Father wants”. His next words are literally, “what to me and to thee” are the exact same words the demons cried out when they saw Jesus (Matt. 8:29; Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28). It’s pretty clear that Jesus has a totally different agenda than the ones with whom He is speaking – he will not allow people, close family members, nor demons to influence His decisions. Maybe we can learn something from this? God simply uses Mary as a pawn to begin the revelation of His Son to the Jewish celebrants and the world. “Do whatever He tells you” is a confession to the lordship of Jesus; i.e. “He’s in charge”.
If we allow the word of God to interpret itself, we come back to the purpose of John’s gospel – to reveal Jesus as God so that people might believe in Him. We see John setting up his gospel in chapter one by twice alluding to Moses: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (1:17); "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (1:45). In chapter 1 Jesus is: The Word, God, Creator, Light, Life, Son of God, Messiah, Lamb of God, King of Israel, and Son of Man to name a few. He is omniscient and omnipresent knowing Nathanael’s intimate thoughts. Jesus is God! In fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, He comes on the scene as the new Moses. Moses turned water into blood (Exo. 7:14-25) as a sign of impending Judgment, under the covenant of the law of God. Jesus comes on the scene and turns water into wine as a sign of grace and blessing, under the new covenant of grace. All of the depth of the revelation of Jesus given by John to us in chapter one culminates in the first miracle at the wedding of Cana. Jesus is the new Moses come to fulfill the law in grace and truth. He is the one the prophets spoke about, the bringer of new wine (Amos 9:13-15). In blatant symbolism, the empty Jewish ceremonial washing basins are filled with new, sweet, pleasing wine. True Life and Grace has come to replace the old worn out and obsolete religious ceremonies (read Hebrews). New wine requires a new wineskin (Matt. 9:15-17). The best has been saved for last – a new dispensation of grace demands that each one takes and drinks of the offering for himself (Isaiah 55:1). John’s “signs” are truly remarkable, defying the laws of nature, and even scientific reasoning (by-passing the fermentation process). They are all chosen strategically to show the deity of Christ, one of the major themes of John’s gospel. Yet, with all this evidence, the Jews to which He was revealing Himself refused to believe, “although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him” (John 12:37). John states at the outset, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (1:11-12).
I could keep going for hours here with all that this text offers us to reveal Jesus. Suffice it to say that all who read this passage need to look to Jesus as the one who came to bring life to a people whose party was about to end "for lack of wine". Religion and religious things kill – it’s all empty water pots to those who are thirsty. True life is found in Christ! Christ is in the midst of human activity and desires to manifest His glory so people will put their trust in Him. Ultimately, since He chooses His disciples (chapter 1), it is His desire to deepen their faith in Him, as He reveals more of His glory to us. Choose Jesus; follow Him; love Him; and drink deeply of the revelatory wine He offers. It’s all about Him! And if you truly know Him, look forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb and His Bride to which this passage points.
Be Blessed!
"Advancing the Kingdom of God by releasing Spirit-filled followers to serve Jesus in freedom and joy."
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