Has your wine run out???

This message was preached by Terry Virgo on the 2nd of November at Gateway Church.  

John 2

This story is about panic, potential shame and embarrassment. In those days when there was a wedding, it was a village event- so the whole village got involved in what was happening. And now the bridal parties have run out of wine!

 This could get to be known as the wedding “where the wine ran out”! You may be in a situation where the wine has run out- maybe a business, maybe a relationship, you are in a problem that no one knows about yet – it’s still under the surface. That is why these stories are here in the bible. John calls them ‘signs”. Signs point to something. There are 7 signs in the gospel of john. John20:31 says that these things were written so that we might know that he is the Christ and have life in his name.

In those days weddings lasted 7 days and they were now running out of wine. Jesus is at this wedding. One may think what an extraordinary place to do your first miracle! Satan thought that a good place to start was something more dramatic like Jesus throwing himself down the temple dome. But Jesus thought otherwise. He was happy to be at a party and be a part of normal life. He did not say “I have come to have meetings and have them more abundantly”

Jesus likes to be involved in our lives, at work, our family etc. He was not the focal point at this wedding- he was just there and happy. It’s a sign, so what’s it saying. Jesus is for marriage, for covenant and for commitment. Today marriage is under threat – people prefer to just move in with one another and its not working. The bible finishes with a marriage – the wedding supper of the Lamb!

God requires 3 things from us : To do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God. Sometimes a marriage goes through tensions but God loves covenant love. The Lord wants us to have covenant love in this area. Has the wine run out in this area of your life?

Jesus had a strange conversation with his mother. He addresses his mother as “women”. He said the same thing to the woman at the well. Yet at the cross he did care for her. The phrase he uses “woman, what do I have to do with you?” is literally translated as “what to me to you?”  You hear this phrase several time eg) to the women at the well, the legions to Jesus.

Remember, Jesus was a perfect child. At 12 it says he was obedient to them. Jesus probably was the rock of his family because probably Joseph died young. You don’t hear about Joseph.

Jesus starts his ministry at the age of 30. He is already gathering disciples. There is an overlap between his family life and his ministry. Mary turns to him as she always did at home and this is the moment when Jesus draws a line in the sand saying the old days at home have drawn to a close – it’s over. He is now declaring his freedom from human advice, manipulation or agenda. Why is this important? We often feel Jesus is there for us like a Jinni who can get to do what we want. “Jesus please get me a taxi, Jesus please let the shop have ….”  He is there for us but we can miss the point.

Jesus answers by taking total charge. He gives instructions that are specific, unreasonable and that require faith and obedience. This is what He is inviting us to - to another dimension of living.

We often invite Jesus into our hearts to be a part of everything else that is going in our hearts. We say “Jesus comes in to my heart” and we make him reside with all our other idols etc and we expect him to be there for us.

Jesus asks them for water- they must have been confused. It’s Jesus taking control and giving instructions. We have to surrender our thinking to his lordship.

We see that Mary did very well. Her response was “Whatever He says to you do it”

This disciple got used to doing what Jesus asked of them like putting the nets on the other side even though they had fished all night; then getting the donkey, fishing to pay their taxes etc. This is what Christian life is like. Will you do what he tells you to do? Jesus is not your Jinni but the king of Kings. Jesus comes to save with incredible extravagance and when he comes we ought to say “yes Lord”!

Word of Grace Church is a spirit filled (charismatic), evangelical  ( Born- again) English speaking church that preaches from the Bible as God's inspired Word of life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to  put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service.