Summary
This message takes us on a powerful journey through Jesus’s first miracle at the wedding in Cana, revealing something far deeper than just turning water into wine. We discover that miracles aren’t meant to dazzle us—they’re signs pointing us toward the transformative nature of Christ himself. At this wedding, when wine ran out and embarrassment loomed, Jesus didn’t just solve a social problem; he demonstrated that he possesses both the power and the passion to transform every area of our lives. The miracle reveals three profound transformations: Jesus transforms our situations, turning potential shame into honor; he transforms our stories, proving that how our lives begin doesn’t dictate how they must end; and he transforms the entire system of religion, replacing external rituals with internal renewal. Those stone jars used for ceremonial washing become vessels of new wine, symbolizing how Christ replaces the old covenant of external cleanliness with the new covenant sealed in his blood. The beauty here is that we don’t need to travel to holy sites to experience God’s presence—we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. When we surrender our water to Jesus, he transforms it into wine. When we bring our emptiness, our failures, our stuck situations, he has both the ability and the desire to make all things new. The question isn’t whether Jesus can change us; it’s whether we’ll do what Mary instructed the servants: “do whatever he tells you to”.
Key Scripture
John 2:1-22
Ice Breaker
Share a time when something unexpected turned out better than you could have imagined. How did that experience change your perspective?
Discussion Questions
- The groom in Cana faced public humiliation when the wine ran out mid-wedding.
- What’s a recent moment you’ve seen (or heard about) where someone’s big day almost fell apart—and how might Jesus step into a scene like that today?
- Mary’s last recorded words to the servants were, “Do whatever he tells you.”
- When was the last time you followed a simple instruction that felt small at the time but ended up changing everything?
- The servants filled six stone jars—120–180 gallons—bucket by bucket, just ordinary water.
- What ordinary, repetitive task are you doing right now that feels pointless, and how could Jesus use it the way he used those jars?
- The master of the feast was stunned that the groom saved the best wine for last, flipping the expected order.
- When have you been surprised to discover that the “best part” of something—work, a relationship, a season—showed up later than expected?
- The master of the feast had no clue where the new wine came from; only the servants who carried the water knew the full story.
- Who in your life is quietly carrying water right now, waiting for the moment it turns into wine?
- How can you encourage them to keep the faith and trust in God’s timing?
- Jesus took stone jars meant for external purification and filled them with wine for celebration.
- What “religious” or routine thing do you keep doing out of habit that Jesus might want to repurpose for joy instead?
Scripture Reference
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “You are the temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you. You’ve been bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God with your body.”
- Matthew 28:18-20 – The Great Commission given on the mountain in Galilee
- John 2:1-11 – The wedding at Cana (primary text for the sermon)
- Verse 1: Wedding in Cana of Galilee
- Verse 3: Wine running out
- Verse 4: “My hour has not yet come”
- Verse 5: “Do whatever he tells you”
- Verse 6: Six stone water jars for Jewish purification
- Verse 7: “Fill the jars with water”
- Verse 11: “First of his signs”
- Revelation 19 – The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
- Luke 22:14, 19-20 – The Last Supper and institution of communion
- Verse 19: Breaking of bread
- Verse 20: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood”
- Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”