John 2:1-22 ~ the Word Jesus has spoken

Lithostrotos Museum Israel - Pottery from the time of Jesus found in Jerusalem
Bethlehem, 100 years ago. Population has grown rapidly in Bethlehem, this is what stables looked like here for more than 2 millenniums.
Bethlehem today. It gives a good idea of the colors in Bethlehem.

John 2:1-22

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. ³ When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” ⁴ And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

⁶ Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” ¹¹ This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

¹² After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

¹³ The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. ¹⁵ And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. ¹⁶ And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

¹⁸ So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ²⁰ The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” ²¹ But he was speaking about the temple of his body. ²² When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

It is an urban legend people dream in black and white. All of our senses are used when we dream. I know because I looked on Google.

For Bible believing Christians, this passage of the disciple bearing witness to these things of Jesus, who has written these things and knows His testimony is true - is pretty familiar. Especially if you were raised in Sunday School or Parochial School. So familiar, they become words on a page.

Don't do that to yourself. I realized today, when I read of Jesus, I see Him surrounded by people. Not saints in robes, but people you'd know from High School and College and Church. These are flesh and blood people. The kind of people you like to be with. And Jesus is warm. Laughing. He is at a wedding. When you read the Scriptures, remember to set your table. What I mean is that when it is a Holiday (Holy Day) your table is set. When you read the Scriptures, give yourself time to think of the the warmth of Israel. The texture of the jars. If they were warm to the touch. People filled them. Place yourself with Jesus.

And remember with joy. We Love the LORD. Jesus' first sign isn't just the Joy of the LORD that He would make wine (to make our hearts glad), Jesus' first sign is that as God, He listened with patience and kindness to a woman (us - who do His will) asking Him to care and to provide.

Genesis 27:28
May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness--an abundance of grain and new wine


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