JESUS REVEALS HIS GLORY AT THE WEDDING (Outline)

January 19, 2020 - Epiphany 2 - JOHN 2:1-11

INTRO.: During the Epiphany season the Son of Man reveals his glory as the Son of God. Even at
his humble birth in Bethlehem the Lord’s glory was seen and proclaimed. Angels proclaimed the
miraculous birth to the shepherds. “Glory to God in the highest…” The shepherds left their flocks in
order to see the newborn Savior. Now the declaring of God’s glory passed from divine beings to hu-
man beings. "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard
and seen, which were just as they had been told” (LUKE 2:20). During Jesus’ public ministry he revealed
his glory for others to see and proclaim. JESUS REVEALS HIS GLORY AT THE WEDDING.
I. Mary makes a request. II. Jesus’ disciples believed.

I. MARY MAKES A REQUEST.

A. Verse 1. “Three days later” are the days following Jesus’ baptism (cf. Gospel – JOHN 1:29-41).
1. Jesus’ mother, Mary, was at the wedding in Cana. Cana was four miles from Nazareth.
2. Verse 2. Jesus along with his disciples were also invited and attended this wedding.
B. Verse 3. No wine was a disastrous, social blunder. The host was to provide for all the guests.
1. Verse 4. Jesus told his mother they were guests. Not the hosts. Not their concern.
2. “My time had not come yet”. The proper time was very near to reveal his glory.
C. Verse 5. There was no disrespect in Jesus’ response to his mother.
1. Mary understood that Jesus could and would do what he wanted. When he wanted.
2. Mary put the servants on notice. “Do whatever he tells you.” Mary knew glory coming.

D. When the wine ran out Mary informed her son, Jesus. She was seeking help from the Savior.
Her request was a prayer for a solution. This is a good time for us to quickly review the importance
of prayer in our lives. Our loving, heavenly Father invites us to pray. The Lord God of Armies also
always answers. Always. Yes is the easiest answer to understand. No is harder to figure out. The
third answer is hardest to recognize. “Wait, not now.” Rest assured the Lord’s answers to our pray-
ers are also the best answers. They are perfect. Perfectly good for the believer’s benefit. In our pray-
ing we want to ask for divine wisdom to know the answer the Lord gives. The strength to accept his
perfect will. “I waited and waited for the LORD. Then he turned to me and heard my cry" (PSALM 40:1).

E. What a comfort for us to know the Creator of the heavens and the earth is the One to whom we
pray. The Lord God of Armies who created everything is also able to answer. Help. Strengthen.
What a joy for to us to know the Lord invites us to pray. We pray with much more than just “a one
and done” attitude. Our loving, heavenly Father encourages to come to him in prayer. Again and
again and again. "For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it
will be opened" (MATTHEW 7:8). Jesus wants us to Ask - Seek - Knock. Prayer is A-S-K-ing.

F. Our prayers are a direct connection with the Lord. We can come to him anywhere, anytime
with anything. How blessed we are to have One who is willing to listen – always – about all things.
We do not need an appointment. Although it is a good idea to have a set, daily time reserved for a
serious talk with our Savior, Jesus Christ. Ever wake up at night? Maybe stay awake for a while? It
is a great time to talk with God. Pray. Pray for others. You may even find yourself falling asleep in
the middle of prayer. Prayer brings a certain comfort to our souls. Spiritual refreshing. “Do not
worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made
known to God" (PHILIPPIANS 4:6). Be thankful for the opportunity to pray. For God who listens.

TAKING CARE OF OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS means doing the Father’s good, pleasing will.
II. JESUS DISCIPLES BELIEVED.
A. Mary, Jesus and his disciples attended a wedding. The wine ran out. Social blunder.
1. Verse 6. 20 or 30 gallon water jars are very large jars. Used for cleansing for guests.
2. Verse 7. Jesus tells servants to fill the jars. They fill them. Hard work. Long process.
B. Verse 8. Jesus tells servants to take some to the master of the banquet. Again, listen and did.
1. Verse 9a. Master of banquet amazed. No wine. Now wine. Did not know source.
2. Verses 9b, 10. Not just cheap wine but the good wine. Usually cheaper saved for later.
C. Verse 11. Jesus visibly reveals his glory at this wedding in Cana of Galilee. People amazed.
1. “He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.” Did Jesus’ disciples not believe?
2. Some disciples may have had some doubts. May have wondered about Jesus’ divinity.
3. Jesus’ miracle confirmed / strengthened faith of disciples. He was Messiah, the Christ.

D. Changing water into wine was an obvious display of the glory of Jesus. People were amazed.
Disciples believed even more than ever before. This, too, is the glory of Jesus. People believe. Faith
may not be physically noticeable. For anyone to have faith is possible only by the powerful working
of the Lord God of Armies. All people are born as God’s enemies. It is not too often that enemies
become friends. Much less becoming family members. God’s grace does this. Only the Lord’s
power is able to change our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. “For the God who said, ‘Light will shine
out of darkness,’ is the same one who made light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ" (2 CORINTHIANS 4:6). Light shines in us. Jesus’ glory.

E. Jesus reveal his glory in many different ways. While on earth many people saw the countless
miracles that Jesus did. Jesus’ greatest glory revealing miracle did not seem so glorious. Jesus died
on the cross. Many people mocked Jesus. In his death Jesus paid the price for all of our sins. And
the sins of the world. Jesus revealed glory in his death. On the third day Jesus rose again. Death
was conquered. More glory revealed. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of the
divine nature. He sustains all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he took his
seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (HEBREWS 1:3). God’s powerful Word, Christ in flesh,
sustains us. Our sins are forgiven. Freely. Fully. Glory revealed. Our faith is strengthened.

F. Each day we are able to see God’s glory revealed all around us. The beauty of nature. Stars.
Life itself. This is the glory of God all around us. Only by God’s grace through faith can we know,
believe, and confess with wonder and awe the glory of God’s Son, Jesus our Savior. God’s glory
lives in us. God has done glorious things for our lives of faith. On earth. For eternity. “So whether
you eat or drink, or do anything else, do everything to the glory of God” (1 CORINTHIANS 10:31). This is
an easy help for our hard decisions. Should we do this or that? Or not? Will it give glory to God?

CONC.: Jesus reveals his glory with miracles easily seen and understood. Jesus reveals his glory in
hearts made believing by grace. In faith we come to the Lord God of Armies with our requests. We
pray to our loving, heavenly Father with thankful hearts. We agree with the angels and hosts of
heaven. "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor
and glory and blessing” (REVELATION 5:12b). Jesus is worthy of our “honor and glory and blessing.”
JESUS REVEALED HIS GLORY AT THE WEDDING. We proclaim Jesus’ glory with our
lives. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer

EPIPHANY 2 rdgs.: ISAIAH 49:1-6; 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-9; JOHN 1:29-41; (PSALM 89)
SERVICES: 7:45am @ McCook (SUN) / 10:00am @ Redeemer (SUN) / NCF 1:00 Min. (SAT) & 12:00 Med. (SUN)
BIBLE STUDIES: 11:15am @ Redeemer (SUN) / 5:45pm (Med) + 7:30pm (Min) @ NCF (TUES.)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:00am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM