"The First of His Signs"

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:11 ESV

photo  ©2008  Coyote Grafix, Flickr

John is speaking about Jesus turning water into wine in this verse. The first recorded sign (miracle) of Jesus. After seeing this sign His disciples believed in HIm. No one had ever done such a thing before. Witnessing something like this would certainly get someone’s attention. Obviously it had a profound effect on the disciples.

They had seen the glory of God in the miracle. Turning water into wine is not possible in the natural world. For such a thing to occur would be supernatural. Only God the creator of all things could possibly do something like this. After all, God created all of the elements and He can transform them into anything He chooses. So, when the disciples saw this they knew they were witnessing the work of God.

In that moment they were convinced that Jesus was sent from God and believed in Him and His mission. This miracle took place at a wedding. A wedding is a beginning, it is when two lives become one. This is the context in which Jesus performed His first miracle for the world to see. How appropriate, as this couple is beginning their life together Jesus begins to show the world who He is.

This miracle speaks to the transforming power of Jesus. Just like He transformed water into wine, His sacrifice transforms sinners into saints. And day by day we are transformed into His likeness. “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” 1 Cor. 15:49 ESV God has seen fit through Jesus to change us into something far greater than we could imagine.

So today, let’s let the change in us show for all the world to see.

© 2013 leo J.Woodman

"We have found the Messiah!"

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus  was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). John 1:40,41 ESV

photo  ©2012  Sharon, Flickr

“We have found the Messiah”, what a proclamation! Andrew realized who it was that He was following. He was witnessing the arrival of the promised Messiah. He went to his brother with this great news before anyone else. He wanted his brother to be in on it from the beginning.

Think of the joy Andrew had in realizing who Jesus was. He couldn’t contain himself and he wanted his brother to share in that joy. The Christ, the anointed one was walking among them. God’s chosen deliverer had arrived to save His people.

I’m sure Andrew wasn’t really aware of all that this meant to him and the world, but he was aware that salvation was on the horizon. Imagine the anticipation that the twelve that followed Jesus experienced as they saw His ministry unfold before their eyes. What excitement there was as they began to follow the Messiah.

We should be just as excited today, that we have discovered the Messiah. We should be just as excited to share with those around us that we have found the Messiah. John shared this in his Gospel so that we would know that Jesus coming had been prophesied and fulfilled as God said it would be. This was shared so that those that read the gospel would know that God had planned to call mankind back to Himself through His Son.

Let’s get excited about finding the Messiah and proclaim Him to the world. Let them know their Savior has come to set them free. Salvation is on the horizon for them if they will come and see.

© 2013 Leo J. Woodman