God's Word for Me Today
Friday, December 14, 2001
Unwrapping a Christ-Centered Christmas!
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your great grace and salvation given through Your Son, Jesus! This day as I read about the first of many miraculous sings He performed to demonstrate that He was, indeed, Your Messiah, I pray for miracle-working faith in my own life. I pray that by Your Holy Spirit active in me that You will do all that You desire to do. Whatever it is that You want me to say, or do or be today, empower me to do it Lord, and give me the faith to obey You. I offer this day to You. I praise You for redeeming the time, and for redeeming me by the shed blood of Jesus! Amen.
God's Word for Me Today: John 2:1-12
1 The next day Jesus' mother was a guest at a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. 2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother spoke to him about the problem. "They have no more wine," she told him. 4 "How does that concern you and me?" Jesus asked. "My time has not yet come." 5 But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Six stone waterpots were standing there; they were used for Jewish ceremonial purposes and held twenty to thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus told the servants, "Fill the jars with water." When the jars had been filled to the brim, 8 he said, "Dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies." So they followed his instructions. 9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 "Usually a host serves the best wine first," he said. "Then, when everyone is full and doesn't care, he brings out the less expensive wines. But you have kept the best until now!" 11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was Jesus' first display of his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
12 After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.
Questions for Reflection
What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you at a party? How did you overcome the situation?
What is the one thing you remember your parents asking you to do, that you didn’t want to do at the time, but afterwards you were glad you did?
Questions for Exploration
What is the problem in the situation we just read about? (1:1-3)
How do Mary and Jesus get involved in the situation and what is the final outcome? (1:4-11)
Questions for Understanding
Why do you suppose that Jesus carried out his mother’s desire, even though He told her at first that his time had not yet come?
What impact did this miracle have on Jesus’ disciples?
Questions for Application
What one act of simple obedience do you need to carry out today, in order to be more fully in God’s will?
What situation is beyond your ability to solve? Take time to turn it over to Jesus and let Him bring the solution.
Do Whatever He Tells You!
Mary, Jesus and Jesus’ followers were the guests at a wedding in Cana. The host had seriously underestimated the need for wine at the reception, and had run out early on. Somehow this came to Mary’s attention, and she brought it to Jesus’ attention, “They have no more wine.” Simple. Straightforward. But Mary must have given Jesus some kind of a look that said more than the words John recorded, for Jesus responded, “How does this concern you and me? My time has not yet come.” Somehow, Jesus knew that Mary wanted Him to do something about the situation. Jesus resisted. He didn’t see this as the time or place to start demonstrating who He was or what God had empowered Him to do.
Mary was undaunted. She turned to the servants and said, “Do whatever He tells you.” Isn’t that an interesting statement coming from a mother? She didn’t say, “Listen to me.” She didn’t tell Jesus, “You need to do what I tell you.” She said to the servants, “You do what HE tells you.” Mary believed that her Son would help. She believed that the situation was beyond her control, but not His.
So, Jesus had the servants draw some water and He turned it into wine. This was not just wine, but it was the best wine the wine steward had tasted that day—probably in his life. We’re told that this “miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was Jesus’ first display of his glory. And his disciples believed in Him.” One act of obedience on the part of Jesus—to His mother, resulted in the first of many miraculous signs from Jesus, AND in His disciples believing in Him. Sometimes all it takes is a simple act of obedience, and everything changes! Mary knew her son. She knew that He was the Messiah. She may have been eager for Jesus to let others know that, but more than anything she knew that He would not stand by and let an embarrassing situation ruin a day of joy and celebration. She knew that her son would act, even if He said that His time had not yet come. Because she trusted in His goodness and compassion, she could turn to the servants and say, “Do whatever He tells You!” We can have the same confidence in our lives. Jesus calls us to trust in Him and to greater things than He did—in His name and in His will. As we go about this day, may we be bold enough in Jesus, to participate in His miracles and believe more deeply in Him!
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