Pastor Jeff Strong, Grindstone Bible Church

Last weekend, I performed my first wedding ceremony. I chose the story of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11) to frame the events of the day.

I encourage you to take a moment to read the account (it’s short), and then let me offer a few reflections.

I noted that on the most important day of their lives, the couple runs out of wine. The social embarrassment of being unable to extend proper hospitality during such a celebration would have been a devastating blow to the couple and their families – bringing with it deep shame as well as a reputation that may have been hard to shake.

In light of that fact, think about what Jesus is communicating through his actions. In changing the water into wine, Jesus is saying to this couple whose day was about to be ruined: “I’ve got this! It’s all right! I won’t let you stumble – not when it matters most!”

All of us need to hear those words quite often, especially in a world where we find ourselves at the end of our rope more often than we’d like.

The water inside the six stone jars John mentions would amount to about 150 gallons. That means that once Jesus was done with them, they collectively held about 800 bottles’ worth of wine. So it appears Jesus wanted to make sure there would be more than enough wine for everyone. This miracle and sign reveals God’s generous, overflowing love – the glory of heaven filling the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

The water in the stone jars was ceremonial water that was used to bring people back from the debt of uncleanness to a zero balance. In turning the water into wine, Jesus goes beyond mere purification; He instead offers transformation: a new life altogether.

That transformation is made possible by Jesus’ resurrection. Sin and death aren’t the end of the story; Jesus conquers both and offers forgiveness, love, hope, and eternal life to anyone who has grown tired from the world’s “water” and is thirsty for the “wine” of the gospel (“good news”).

What are we thirsty for? Will we continue to drink water when Jesus offers us wine?

What Jesus did for that couple in Cana, he offers to do for you and me. He can take the ordinary elements that make up our lives and do something extraordinary through them. It’s what he delights in doing. But, like the couple in Cana, we first need to invite him to the party.

The great thing about Jesus is that he’ll never decline such an invitation. And once he arrives, get ready to be surprised and overjoyed by what happens next.