The Gospel of John: John 2.1-12.

Read and meditate on John 2.11, 12.
The purpose of Jesus showing His glory was not to impress people or merely provide a good time for unwitting beneficiaries. He showed His glory so that His disciples would believe in Him. Ultimately, the glory of God has its intended impact when this is the result.

                      ¹¹Jesus thus the first of all
His many signs performed there in that small
town, manifesting first in Galilee 
His glory, and His followers believed
in Him.
              ¹²And after this He went down to
Capernaum, His mother with Him, too,
and His disciples and His brothers. And 
they tarried for a few days in that land.
- John 2.11, 12

Reflect
1.  There is something so lackadaisical in John’s comment, as he bridges out of Jesus first miracle into an entirely different kind of story. It’s like, “Yeah, this is just the first; stay with me, there’s more to come.” Imagine you’re reading this for the first time, and then you read, “This beginning of His signs…” As a reader, what does that make you want to do? Is there any advice here for sharing the Gospel with others? Complete the following brief prayer: Lord, give me grace, and let all my words draw others forward to…

2.  Jesus manifested His glory in this “sign.” A sign is something which points to something else, or clarifies something we may be seeking (“Where’s my exit!”). What did this incident “sign”? Meditate on Psalm 19.1-4 and Colossians 1.27. Does Jesus still “sign” Himself in the world today? How? Lord, make me a sign today, showing others that…

3.  Jesus glorified Himself in this sign. OK, but how? Complete the following: The water being turned into wine manifested the glory of Jesus by… And will You manifest Your glory in me today, Lord? Believing that You can (1 Cor. 10.31), I’m getting ready to be Your set-up person by…

4.  The disciples believed in Jesus as a result of this. But wait: Didn’t they already believe in Him? Isn’t that what we mean by saying they were disciples? Are there gradations or stages of believing in Jesus? Lord, I believe in You; help my…

5.  We note again the mention of Jesus’ mother and siblings (“brothers” NKJV, probably means brothers and sisters, cf. Mk. 6.1-3). This will not be the last we hear of His siblings or His mother. The mention of them here is curious, but significant, in that it helps lend historicity to John’s account. Jesus did not stay many days in Capernaum, and this signals that His public ministry has begun. We will find Him next in Jerusalem. Why didn’t Jesus stay in Capernaum, set up a church, and let the world find its way to Him? Isn’t this the way we try to bring the news of Jesus to our neighbors? Have we missed something? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you composed from questions 1-4.

Summary
“By this sign he made manifest that he was the King of glory, and so the church’s bridegroom. He came to the marriage as a common human being, but as Lord of heaven and earth he could convert the elements as he wished. How beautifully appropriate it is that when he began the signs that he would show to mortals while he was still mortal he turned water into wine. [But] when he had become immortal through his resurrection, he began the signs that he would show only to those who were pursuing the goal of immortal life.… Therefore, let us love with our whole mind, dearly beloved, the marriage of Christ and the church, which was prefigured then in one city and is now celebrated over the whole earth.” The Venerable Bede (ca. 672-735 AD)

Jesus ministry on earth began with a miracle bringing joy to multitudes and faith to a few. There’s a pattern here that we will see repeated throughout the course of history. Christ has come, bringing joy to the world, but only those who believe in Him see and enter His glory, and join in His mission with Him. How does this pattern speak to your life as a follower of Jesus?

Closing Prayer
Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
Sing out the honor of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
Say to God,
“How awesome are Your works!
Through the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
All the earth shall worship You
And sing praises to You;
They shall sing praises to Your name.”
Selah
Come and see the works of God;
He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.

Psalm 66.1-5

Psalm 66.1-9 (Regent Square: Angels from the Realms of Glory)
Shout for joy to God, all people, sing the glory of His Name!
Give Him glorious praise and say, “How great Your pow’r and great Your fame!
All the earth shall worship gladly as they praise Your glorious Name!”

Great and awesome is our Savior in the works which He has done.
He the sea and river dried to let His people pass as one.
Then our joy was great to worship Him our mighty, sovereign One.

He the nations watches ever – all you rebels, humbled be;
Bless our God, all men and nations, praise His Name eternally!
He preserves our souls, and He will keep His paths beneath our feet.

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.