June is traditionally wedding month. I’ve never researched it so I don’t know why. With that being said you have probably received multiple invitations to summer weddings, you’re the invited wedding guest.
Not everyone gets an invitation. You have to be good friends or family of the bride and groom. You are someone they love and they want to share their most special day with you.
As a guest, you come with a heart filled with love for the couple. You bring gifts to help start them their new life together. You come to celebrate.
When Jesus was invited to a wedding, he came with the same purpose – to celebrate the union of the bride and groom. He was there with his friends, who were also friends of the couple. They were enjoying the wedding banquet and giving the couple their well wishes when something happened that could have embarrassed the couple and turned the celebration sour.
They ran out of wine. Every good caterer knows that when planning a banquet like this you always figure for 10% over. Never, never run out of food or drink at the reception.
“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and 2 Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They don’t have any wine.”
4 Jesus replied, “Woman, what does that have to do with me? My time hasn’t come yet.”
5 His mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Nearby were six stone water jars used for the Jewish cleansing ritual, each able to hold about twenty or thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water,” and they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some from them and take it to the headwaiter,” and they did. 9 The headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine. He didn’t know where it came from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.
The headwaiter called the groom 10 and said, “Everyone serves the good wine first. They bring out the second-rate wine only when the guests are drinking freely. You kept the good wine until now.” 11 This was the first miraculous sign that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.” John 2:1-11 CEB
Jesus wasn’t there to be the center of attention. He was content to be a guest. He didn’t want the focus on him. His mother understood that so she told the waiters “just do what he tells you to do”. Jesus’ instructions were simple. Fill the water pots.
He didn’t ask anyone to do the impossible. No, it was a practical instruction that they could follow. But what he said next required a measure of faith. “Take some of the water you draw out to the headwaiter to taste.”
Would you have wanted to be that waiter? Taking a cup of water to the headwaiter. He didn’t want a drink of water – he needed wine for the wedding guests.
The Bible doesn’t tell us when the water became wine. Was it when they filled the pots or did it change when it was served? The headwaiter said it was the best wine that he had tasted at that wedding.
Jesus was an indiscreet wedding guest. He came to honor the bride and groom. An every day situation was turned in to a God moment. Caring for the needs of everyday people became Jesus first miracle.
I want you to see that this “wedding guest” is concerned with your ordinary. What is it that you need changed? Heed the words of Jesus mother, “whatever he says to you, do it”.
Invite Jesus to be your guest. He will take your ordinary and make it extraordinary!