This week I want to look at the second Chapter of John and the miracle where Jesus turned water into wine. It was a wedding and the wine run out. Mary, Jesus’ mother tells them to do just what Jesus tells them. There were six water pots that could hold 20 gallons of water each. After they fill it up, Jesus commands them to serve it to the master of the wedding ceremony. He was surprised because what was water is now wine, and better wine than they had before. What a great story.
John 2: 11 This beginning of miracles Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and he manifested forth his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
This miracle was not just to show the fathers ability to do a miracle through Jesus, but to also show forth his glory. The miracle power of God always reveals God’s glory and in turn, His glory reveals his character.
It is God’s glory to meet a need. It is God’s glory to change the current circumstances and show man that He is able and willing to do something about their needs. But there are so much more to this story:
Water is a type of the Holy Spirit.
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried with a loud voice saying: If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believe on me, as the scripture have said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. This he spoke of the Holy Spirit, that they that believed on him should receive.
One of the symbols for the Holy Spirit is water. Living water. Jesus said that all those that believe on him would receive this Holy Spirit and that same spirit will be like a river of living water inside of them. Everyone that accepts Jesus receives the Holy Spirit as an indwelling river. Water has so many great qualities. It quenches our thirst and it is one of the things nobody can live without. You can stay without food for 40 days or longer but not without water. We cannot survive without the Holy Spirit.
How do we know that he gives us his Holy Spirit? In John 20:22 it states that:
And Jesus blew on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit.
From here on they had the Holy Spirit. This was their born again experience as you cannot take the Holy Spirit out of the born again experience. He now dwells in them as their guide and teacher. The children of God are led by the Spirit of God.
Before we go any further we have to see that not only did he give them the Spirit but he asked them to do something very specific.
Luke 24:49 Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry in Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.
Look at this again. He imparts the Holy Spirit, the river of living water, but then ask them to wait until they receive the impartation of power by the same Spirit. We know that Jesus appeared unto them for 40 days before he ascended into heaven. They had to go and wait in Jerusalem for ten more days in prayer until the day of Pentecost (50 days after his death). What happened in the Upper room when they waited? What happened when the Holy Spirit was poured out in power.
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
They were praying and waiting on the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2:1-4 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
As you read this passage, you see that they were all filled, received the empowerment of the Spirit and spoke with other tongues. Tongues of fire was seen on all of them. What is strange is that the people observing this, did not comment on the fire and the tongues, but they do say that it looked like they all were full of new wine.
Acts 2:12-13 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What does this mean? Others mocking said, these men are full of new wine.
What happened here? Let me help you see what I see. They received the Holy Spirit when Jesus blew on them, but on the day of Pentecost, that water (Holy Spirit) was turned into wine. We do not read anything about them after Jesus imparted the Holy Spirit except that they stayed together and prayed and waited. You can drink all the water you want but you will not be influenced. Water does not have the ability to put you under the influence. I believe that there are many Christian men and woman, that have received the Holy Spirit but they are still powerless and carries no influence in their churches or neighborhoods. What they need is for that water to be turned into wine. You drink a few glasses of wine and you are under the influence.
How did this water turn into wine?
At the marriage feast Jesus performed a miracle, but what I see in Acts 2 is not a miracle but water that turns into wine through a process. What is that process?
Prayer and waiting on God. They were constantly in prayer praying and waiting on God. We have lost prayer in our churches. We have a lot of wet Christians but we need a lot of Christians under the influence. We need people that have been through the process of praying and waiting on God. Why is the very thing that Jesus commands his disciples to do before they would receive power, not on the radar of the Church today? Why are we not waiting and praying like they did in the book of Acts?
Wine has great qualities. It was used to disinfect wounds and treat illnesses. The world are broken and wounded. They need people that have the wine of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Through prayer God took what was in them and made it to be seen by people around them. What is in you that are still water? God wants to make it wine through prayer and waiting?
His character, his glory is to change things. Everything should be in his plan and purpose. Jesus revealed the fathers glory when he did the miracle. God wants to reveal his glory through you by empowering you with the Holy Spirit and power.
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power and he went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed by the devil.
