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Jesus to you: Where do you lack?

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If Jesus came and sat down next to you right now and asked, ‘So you have been on my mind today and I was just wondering: do you need anything?’ Would you have a reply? Stop just a moment and think of your response.

No, don’t keep reading - pause and consider your answer.

Now you’re ready to see yourself in this setting with Jesus.

Where were we? After 40 days in the wilderness, Jesus chose his disciples - the men who would be with him most all of the time, except when he sought out some quiet to talk to his Father. On the third day - presumably of his ministry - Jesus was at a wedding feast in the little town of Cana. John tells us: “Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. [Note: This word woman was used six times in the gospel of John and was purely a word of respect] “My hour has not yet come.”His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. John 2.1-11

Only Jesus. Only Jesus would choose to turn water into wine, to do his first miracle before the watching eyes of who? Servants and the banquet wait staff at a wedding. And why? Jesus cared about the shame and embarrassment of the bridegroom and his family, whose very serious responsibility in this small Jewish town was to provide food and enough wine for their guests for the long wedding feast.

Second, at this wedding, Jesus demonstrated his miraculous power over matter by providing abundantly more than enough, turning anywhere from 120 to 180 gallons of water into the finest of wines. Why, there was probably enough excess for the young couple to sell and have a tidy little sum! Nice. Note - this is the same power Jesus had just restrained while very hungry and alone in the wilderness for 40 days, tempted by the evil one to use his power.

And then, having just recruited his disciples, it was critical they saw Jesus’ power to do what no one else could--turn water into wine. And do not miss this - Jesus chose to do this miracle at a wedding. The rabbis have a saying, ‘without wine, there is no joy!’ So in a real sense, Jesus brought joy to the wedding, also bearing in mind the psalmist wrote that it is God who makes the wine that gladdens human hearts. Psalm 104.15

The gospels tell of some 37 miracles of Jesus, John’s gospel covering just eight. Isn’t it just like Jesus to do his first miracle at a wedding in a tiny obscure town, Cana, which still today is on the way from here to there, some nine miles from Nazareth. Hmmm.

Your attention? The wedding family ran out of wine - that was their need.

And how about you . . . where do you lack? Are you fresh out of hope? Joy? Laughter? Please tell God your need and open your hands to receive from him. O but perhaps you first need to empty your hands of pain or bitterness you have clenched tight in them. Go ahead ... those clenched fists of yours keep you closed off from so much. Then invite God - you know, just as Mary said ‘do whatever he tells you--’ Then you will be able to receive from the One who is so good. There is nothing too big, and gratefully, with Jesus, there is nothing too small either.

Sometimes it is hard to believe Jesus has me on his mind! Where do you lack?

Matthew West’s new song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sNbahy6UCc

Christine

PastorWoman.net

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