Belonging (S2) : WK 3 - TUE
(John 2:1-5 NLT) The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, [2] and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. [3] The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother told him, "They have no more wine." [4] "Dear woman, that's not our problem," Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." [5] But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you.""
Our text starts by saying, “The next day . . . “ In the immediate days leading up to this day, according to John 1, John the Baptist had been testifying of Jesus and had baptized Jesus. Jesus was calling people to follow Him as His disciples, and many were responding to His call. Can you imagine the excitement of these new disciples of Jesus as they are just beginning to spend time with Jesus and having no clue what would happen from day to day? They likely had preconceived notions about what life would be like after following and learning from a rabbi, based on their upbringing and what they had heard from others growing up. But when you read the Gospels and see and hear the things Jesus did and taught, we are quickly reminded that Jesus was not an ordinary rabbi, but the very Son of God, Immanuel—God with us, tabernacling with us in the flesh. As John said at the beginning of his gospel, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. I can imagine them thinking, “Wow, being Jesus’s disciple is very cool. We begin by attending a wedding celebration for the first week as His apprentices. Talk about living the dream!”
However, right in the middle of feasting and celebrating, a serious problem arises. “The wine supply ran out.” Now, for a Jewish wedding celebration in Jesus’s day, this was a serious problem. This would cause the host of the wedding incredible shame and embarrassment. The parents and family of the bridal party would be so ashamed. So, Jesus’s mother, who could be feeling concern and empathy for these parents, comes to her son believing He can take care of this situation. I love the interaction between Jesus and His mother.
It is in this brief and simple interaction that I believe we gain a deeper understanding of bringing our situations to Jesus in prayerful communion with Him. She shares the problem with Jesus, and He answers her. But it doesn’t stop there. She trusts that Jesus knows what He is doing and surrenders the situation to Him. We see this in what she says to the servants when she says, “Do whatever He tells you.” She surrenders the situation to Jesus and trusts Him in whatever He decides to do. His will be done.
Our text starts by saying, “The next day . . . “ In the immediate days leading up to this day, according to John 1, John the Baptist had been testifying of Jesus and had baptized Jesus. Jesus was calling people to follow Him as His disciples, and many were responding to His call. Can you imagine the excitement of these new disciples of Jesus as they are just beginning to spend time with Jesus and having no clue what would happen from day to day? They likely had preconceived notions about what life would be like after following and learning from a rabbi, based on their upbringing and what they had heard from others growing up. But when you read the Gospels and see and hear the things Jesus did and taught, we are quickly reminded that Jesus was not an ordinary rabbi, but the very Son of God, Immanuel—God with us, tabernacling with us in the flesh. As John said at the beginning of his gospel, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. I can imagine them thinking, “Wow, being Jesus’s disciple is very cool. We begin by attending a wedding celebration for the first week as His apprentices. Talk about living the dream!”
However, right in the middle of feasting and celebrating, a serious problem arises. “The wine supply ran out.” Now, for a Jewish wedding celebration in Jesus’s day, this was a serious problem. This would cause the host of the wedding incredible shame and embarrassment. The parents and family of the bridal party would be so ashamed. So, Jesus’s mother, who could be feeling concern and empathy for these parents, comes to her son believing He can take care of this situation. I love the interaction between Jesus and His mother.
It is in this brief and simple interaction that I believe we gain a deeper understanding of bringing our situations to Jesus in prayerful communion with Him. She shares the problem with Jesus, and He answers her. But it doesn’t stop there. She trusts that Jesus knows what He is doing and surrenders the situation to Him. We see this in what she says to the servants when she says, “Do whatever He tells you.” She surrenders the situation to Jesus and trusts Him in whatever He decides to do. His will be done.
- When has there been a time you faced a dire situation? What did you think, feel, and do at that time?
- Is there a situation you are facing today that you would like to trust Jesus with? If so, what and/or who?
- What might it be like to trust The One you belong to?
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