The Gospel of John: John 2.1-12

Read and meditate on John 2.5-7.
Now try to think of Mary not rebuked, but perhaps invited to share in whatever Jesus might do. Does she have a bit of a twinkle in her eye as she turns to those servants? And how like Mary it is tell them to do whatever the Lord says (cf. Lk. 1.38)! Mary cannot know what’s about to happen – just as we can’t know how the Lord might show His glory through us – but she seems excited to get on with it. How about us?

       ⁵She, turning to the servants, said,
“Whatever He instructs you, do.” ⁶Nearby,
six large stone vessels, used to purify
with water, as the rite required, were found.
Now each of these, when filled, could hold around
two dozen gallons. Jesus said unto
the servants, “Fill these six stone vessels to
their brims with water.” So they did.

- John 2.5-7

Reflect
1.  If you only memorize one verse out of the Gospel of John, memorize John 2.5. Why? Complete this prayer: Lord, today, whatever You say to me…

2.  We note that the water pots which were used for purification were either empty or only partly full. How much water would they hold all together? How many half-gallons of milk is that? Mmm (hands rubbing together)…this celebration is just getting started! You are the Lord of abundance, Jesus! Abound in me today by…

3.  OK, now Jesus is about to manifest His glory. Got it. Only Jesus can do that. However, He engages nameless servants for the set-up. Meditate on 1 Corinthians 10.31. Relate this, and you, to Jesus’ determination to glorify Himself today. Lord, use me as Your servant today to…

4.  Why “to the brim”? Did Jesus want to make sure that everyone could see that all that was in those stone jars was water? Or did He have something else in mind? Fill me to the brim, Lord, with Your Spirit, and I…

5. Do you get the feeling something really fun is about to happen? John can be very dramatic, and he knows how to engage not just our minds but our affections as well. WE JUST CAN’T WAIT for what we know Jesus is about to do! What role do affections (like anticipation, joy, delight) play in following Jesus? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you wrote for questions 1-4.

Summary
“There was a reason why the Evangelist says, ‘After the manner of the purifying of the Jews.’ [He said this] so that none of the unbelievers might suspect that lees had been left in the vessel and then water was poured upon them and mixed with them in order to make a very weak wine. Therefore he says, ‘After the manner of the purifying of the Jews,’ to show that those vessels were never receptacles for wine. Palestine is an arid country with few fountains or wells. They used to fill water pots with water so that they would not always have to go to the rivers if they became defiled, but rather could have the means of purification readily at hand.” John Chrysostom (344-407 AD)

God manifests His glory in various ways, but most pointedly in our Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever we serve Jesus according to His command, we are in a position to be docents of the glory of God, earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4.7) through whom God can bring the glory of Jesus to light in even the most ordinary of situations. How does the prospect of this affect you?

Closing Prayer
Listen, O daughter,
Consider and incline your ear;
Forget your own people also, and your father’s house;
So the King will greatly desire your beauty;
Because He is your Lord, worship Him.
And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
The rich among the people will seek your favor.
The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace;
Her clothing is woven with gold.
She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors;
The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought;
They shall enter the King's palace.
Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons,
Whom You shall make princes in all the earth.
I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations;
Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.

Psalm 45.10-17

Psalm 45.10-15 (Manoah: When All Your Mercies, O My God)
Let none keep us from hearing You; desire our beauty, Lord!
We bow, submitting humbly to Your ever-faithful Word.

The Church in robes of woven gold assembles to the King.
With joy complete and gladness bold, His praise she e’er shall sing.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.