John 2:1-12

Jesus Changes Water into Wine ~

One the third day from the time Andrew became a disciple, Jesus was present at a wedding.  I love John because he gives us a pretty easy to follow timeline & I like details. 

It is at this wedding that Jesus performs His first miracle - He changes 120 - 180 gallons of water into choice wine.  Why was this an important event?  Well, it was His first miracle and it affirmed His glory & power to His disciples.  But, why wine?  Well first you need to understand the culture.  Weddings were a big deal in Jesus' time, they could last a week.  A man's reputation could be injured if he failed to provide a good time for his guests.  Mary was probably close to the family since she was aware of the issue, but the Master of the Banquet was not.  Wine was not a choice, but what everyone would be drinking.  As there was no refrigeration in Jesus' time, the options we have today would not have been available.  Milk and juice would go bad, especially in the quantities needed to supply the guests.  Water was not purified.  So, wine was the safest drink available.  This does not mean that the alcohol content was as high as it is today.  In fact, when you read the Scripture, the master of the banquet was impressed with the quality of the wine.  Usually, the new wine (wine with a low rate of fermentation; therefore, low alcohol content) is served first and the older wine (which tasted more like vinegar & had a higher alcohol content) was served last.

So, why is this an important miracle?  You need to remember that it's not about the miracle, but about the sign.  What Jesus did isn't as important as what the sign means.  Jesus turning water into wine revealed his authority & power to His disciples.  It also shows us that God cares about your well-being.  He doesn't just give you something, He gives you His best.  And finally, notice who was aware of the miracle - the disciples and the servants.  Jesus didn't jump up & make a big spectacle about it.  He showed His humility.  He didn't come for earthly power and praise, He came to help us.  Pretty cool.