The Miracles of Jesus
Lent – February 15, 2024
“Do whatever He tells you.”
(Jesus turns water into wine)
John 2:1-11
Have you ever played the game “Simon Says?” I’ve used the game several times during youth nights and as a children’s message.
It’s pretty easy to play. One person is the leader or Simon. Then, the rest of the group stands in front of Simon, and He or She begins to give instructions.
The group only follows Simon’s instructions when he or she prefaces their request with the words “Simon Says.” So, if Simon says, “Simon says touch your nose,” the group is supposed to touch their nose. If Simon does not preface their instruction with Simon’s words, then the children or youth in the group shouldn’t follow their instruction. So, if Simon says, “Put your arms in the air,” the group shouldn’t do that. But if they perform the command without Simon saying, “Simon Says,” first, then the people in the group who do are out of the game.
This brings us to today’s devotion.
**********************The Point********************
Let’s take a look at Jesus’ first miracle, when He turned water into wine.
“On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
There were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So, they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”
John 2:1-11
Whenever I read the passages above, I think about the servants putting the water in the stone jars. I imagine more than a few jaws dropped that day when they realized what Jesus had done.
Here’s the part that always makes me smile. Mary goes to her son and tells him the wedding party is almost out of wine. Why go to her son? Because Mary has confidence, He can do something about it. It makes you wonder if she had already seen Him perform a miracle or two that is not recorded in the book of John.
Even though Jesus rebukes His mother for a moment,
“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
What does Jesus mean by this? “Mom, it’s not time for me to make myself known as the Son of God yet!”
Mary seems to patiently listen to Him, and even though Jesus’ reply appears to be a negative answer, she still tells the servants,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
In the end, Jesus listens to His mother, performs a miracle, and saves the bride and groom from embarrassment in the process.
Those words Mary spoke to the servants are just as important today as they were then. “Do whatever He tells you.”
If you read my devotion yesterday, you saw how Jesus instructed us by telling us what not to do. Don’t help others for glory, don’t draw attention to yourself when you pray, and don’t make money (and possessions) more important than God. And in Matthew 6:25, Jesus says,
“Do not worry.” (which is a devotion in itself.)
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus gives instructions to do certain things and not do certain things. The point is we need to not just read His words but also follow them.
It’s not a game like Simon Says. We don’t listen just when He (Jesus) states His name. We should hear and follow every word that comes from His mouth. We must listen and follow the statements of His apostles and followers who wrote the New Testament.
When calling His first disciples along the Lake of Gennesaret, Jesus looked at them and simply said, “Follow me,” and they did. May we always follow the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, and do whatever He asks of us.
Dear Jesus. Thank you for the many instructions you gave us before leaving this earth. You gave us direction and left us with an excellent moral compass to use in this world. May we always listen to and follow your words. Amen.
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