Our Security for Eternity - the Gospel of John Sample

Read: John 2:1–11

SOAP: John 2:11

Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

Throughout the Gospel of John, the author presents seven miraculous signs that Jesus performs. These signs were meant for John’s readers to witness powerful acts that reveal the reality of who Jesus is. If we understand these signs and interpret them correctly, we find a clear picture of how Jesus is the Son of God and the only way to eternal life.

The first sign is found in the miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus attended a wedding with His disciples. Cana was a town near Nazareth, where Jesus lived before His public ministry. His mother was also in attendance, indicating some family connections to the wedding as well. When the wine ran out, Jesus performed the first miracle recorded in this Gospel, and He turned six jars of water into choice wine. This was the first of these miraculous signs John recorded. Doing so revealed to His disciples that He was the Son of God, and it began His public ministry.

This story may be familiar to many of us. As much as we are trying to study the Gospel of John with fresh eyes, it is difficult to approach the text without any biases. There are interpretations of this passage that claim the wine was non-alcoholic grape juice. Or, you may find an interpretation that says Jesus turning the water into wine meant He approved the consumption of wine and other alcohol. It can be easy to get caught up in the weeds, to focus on the details rather than the big picture. When we interpret this passage by making it about what we as Christians should think about wine, we miss the miracle Jesus performed.

Jesus performed His first miraculous sign by turning water into wine. John used this miracle in His telling of Jesus’ ministry to show us that Jesus is the Son of God and the only way to eternal life. Jesus turned one thing into another. He changed the properties of water into a completely new substance: wine. Only the One who created both water and wine would be able to do such a thing. Jesus shows His power over creation, proving what John said in chapter 1, that all things were indeed created by Him (1:3). We are meant to see His greatness, His power, and His creativity in this sign. We are meant to see His glory and believe in Him.