Lesson 109: The Wedding at Cana

The lesson for this Sunday is the story of Jesus’ first miracle: turning water into wine.

This miracle is significant, in that it displays Jesus power over the created world. He created it, therefore He has power to re-create if so desired.

The context – a Jewish wedding – is also highly significant in that Scripture is clear that we (the church) are like a bride waiting for the bridegroom. Jesus is the bridegroom who established the marriage covenant with the highest imaginable bride price – His Life – end the most extravagant purification – His righteousness given to us!

This week’s narrative goes a bit beyond strict exegesis by attempting to highlight the wedding context.  I believe it is warranted in this case, because marriage so richly displays God’s nature and purposes (on earth and in Heaven); it illustrates His deep love for us.

Handout:  The Wedding at Cana

Memory Verse:  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her. Ephesians 5:25

Narrative:

Marriage is very important to God.  He designed people to be a reflection of His goodness, marriage, which is a LIFELONG commitment between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24), does a lot to put on display what God is like:

First of all, He is the Provider whom we depend on.  He designed man and woman to be equal but different.  Husband and wife are more complete together, than they are apart.

Next, He is Loving.  A good marriage must be grounded in love.  True love means caring more about someone else than yourself.

And He is also Personal.  He is not a distant, far away God; He is near, and wants to have a daily close relationship with His loved ones, Just like a joyful marriage of a man and woman.

For these reasons, a wedding ceremony is a big deal.  And in Jesus’ day, this was no less the case.  In a traditional Jewish wedding, It starts with the groom-to-be asking the girl’s father for her hand in marriage.  And he shows how much he values his future wife by offering a bride price.  That is, offering a big gift of money or precious things to show how much he cares about the woman.

After that there is a waiting period where the bride waits as the husband prepares a place for them.  Then at a time that is not determined, the groom goes to get his future wife, and there is a wedding procession.  It’s like a big parade where family and friends watch as the man and wife make a commitment to live together as one.

Then after that, there is a REALLY BIG FEAST.  Family, friends and neighbors all gather together to celebrate a new marriage union that will illustrate to the world just how loving God is.

One day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and His disciples were also invited to the celebration.

The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”

“Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.  Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled,  He said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.

When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.  “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, later, when people are less likely to notice, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!

This miracle, which happened at Cana of Galilee,  was the first time Jesus revealed his glory.  And his disciples believed in him.  And the wedding ceremony where the miracle happened is a beautiful picture of God’s Love for His chosen ones!