WHEN JESUS TURNED NO INTO YES

For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:7-16

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Psalm 34:10


"Wanna go with me to a wedding reception?" It's in Cana of Galilee. "C'mon, let's go!"

"C'mom, let's hurry! The guests are already moving through the buffet line and helping themselves to good food and wine. The music is lively; the decorations are festive; the parents are pleased; the bride and groom are happy ... everything's set for a memorable day so let's get in line before they run out of something ..."

... and then something unforeseeable happens ... before everyone is served, they run out of wine.

"Oh look, there's Jesus ... and His disciples ... and His mother!  Did you see Mary nudging Jesus just now? Let's move in closer so we can overhear their conversation ..."

MARY: "Jesus, there's an uncomfortable situation taking place right now: they've run out of wine before everyone has been served!"

JESUS: "So?" He replies a little irritated. "That's not our business or my problem, and besides, my hour has not come.

Mary is beside herself. She cares that a dream-come-true wedding should be perfect in every way. Mary is thinking that her son is thirty years of age. Thirty, and still living at home. Thirty years she's been waiting for the day He would show forth His glory and still no sign of a miracle from the Son of God!  But today there is something different in the air. Today it isn't about miracles; it's about a helpless situation.

The servers are in a quandary. They can't perform their job. Mary feels their helplessness and quickly looks to Jesus, saying,

"Whatever He says to you, do it!"

Now there were six earthen water pots that held twenty or thirty gallons each. They were just waiting there ... empty ... as if they had readied themselves for the Lord's use, even though they were meant for the ceremonial washing of the Jews who were obviously ignoring their purification ritual (a type of baptism) before entering the synagogue.

I find it interesting that when John questioned Jesus about who should baptize who, Jesus explained, "Permit it to be so that you baptize me for it is fitting we carry out all that God requires to fulfill all righteousness." Matthew 3:15. I mean, if God required Jesus to be baptized that all righteousness be fulfilled, what does that say about the unrighteousness of the Jews?  So the Lord, who wastes nothing wasted no time in putting those water pots to good use.

Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the water pots with water," and they filled them to the brim. "Now fill your pitchers and take them to the host," and they did.

While in route, the water turned to wine. Now the host of the wedding didn't know what just happened but the servants knew exactly ... that mere water didn't just turn into wine but Jesus turned the water into the finest wine possible.

Now why would Jesus begin His public ministry with something as trivial as wine at a wedding? Why not raise the dead or open the eyes of the blind ... or did He do exactly that?

There are so so many needs in the lives of people everywhere. People suffer everyday with not
enough to make ends meet; not enough to go around, and not enough to get by.

In 1 Kings 17:7-16, we read that the brook dried up because there wasn't enough rain. The widow didn't have enough flour to bake Elijah one little cake of bread and her child was deathly ill.

In 1 Samuel 21 we read that David didn't have enough bread to feed his men. Another time a neighbor didn't have bread for his company. In Matthew, Mark and Luke we read about the disciples not having enough bread to feed the 5,000. Another time there wasn't enough to feed 4,000. Even after that, the disciples worried about not having enough food for themselves, and in John we learn there wasn't enough wine for the wedding guests. Story after story and situation after situation we find people hurting when there isn't enough.

No doubt Mary and Jesus were invited to the wedding at Cana because they were close friends with the wedding party. Mary cared when there wasn't enough to go around. It really didn't matter whether it was wine or food or whatever. She was moved to concern -- concern that weighed heavy on her heart -- a heart that was burdened over her friend, and because she CARED, she moved Jesus into His hour. I believe she turned His NO into YES because it mattered to Mary and therefore it mattered to Jesus, fulfilling the promise found in Psalm 55:22: Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. 1 Peter 5:7 is likened unto it: Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you.   

In the natural realm, lack says, "NO", but in the Spirit, need says, "YES"!

And God will generously give you all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 2 Corinthians 9:8 

Oh yes, I would say that in a way the dead were raised back to life again and the blind eyes were opened that day in Galilee. The ministry of Jesus isn't about meeting the need for a miracle, it's about the miracle of meeting the need.

There was nothing small about the miracle of turning water into wine. It was the Lord's debut and He planted a seed of hope for what matters most and that is what matters most to you!