The Good Kept Until Now
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Scott Strickman
Sermon Series: John 1-12: Come, See, Live!
John 2:1-11 (ESV)
1 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 bridegroom10 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.
Sermon Outline
Jesus’ presence and impact at a wedding points us to the bigger reality of why he came (vv3, 10-11).
1. As the climax to the Bible’s story, Jesus can change your story.
v4 “woman” “my hour”, v1 “the third day”
v6 “water jars… for rites of purification”
v9 “the water now become wine”
2. Faith becomes a way of seeing God’s glory.
v10 “you have kept the good wine until now”
v11 “manifested his glory… disciples believed”
Prayer of Confession
Our merciful God, there is not enough good in us, in our lives or in this world. We confess our discouragement. We admit out foolishness. We acknowledge we have not been good. We pray for forgiveness, cleansing, renewal, strength and help. Grant us grace. Renew our hearts and minds so we see and discern your glory. May we receive strength and hope through Christ. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
Reflect on the phrase “good things always come to an end”. Is that true? What wisdom can this saying impart?
What are some examples of good running out in your life? How do you experience those moments?
Why does Jesus give us a sign that involves water and wine? What images do water and wine each evoke?
When the church takes a cup of wine and remembers the blood of Jesus poured out for us, what kinds of things are we to bring to mind? How is the remembrance sobering and weighty? How is it celebratory?
What can we learn from Jesus showing up in a crisis and changing a situation that would be worse than planned to one that is far better? How do we wisely apply this in moments when things appear worse than we expected? What specifically can we hold to?
If Jesus’ presence made this wedding a great celebration for everyone (including those who had no idea what he did), how can his followers live in the world in such a way that their influence makes the world better? What of God’s goodness is the church called to bring into the world?
How does God show his glory to those who trust Him? How does faith in Christ change how we perceive things?
Why is Christian hope important? How can this sign inform how you hope?