GOD USES ORDINARY
PEOPLE!
When I listen to
Bible expositor's on TV, radio, in person, or on the phone, I use my critical
ear. I can usually count on them to talk about traditional or popular
interpretations of Scripture, most of which I know quite well so I can think
and listen at the same time. I usually know the verses they refer to quite
well. So I listen to see if there is anything they left out, or if anything is
revealed that I don't know already, or if their analysis is complete or
correct. Sometimes when I listen to the same-o-same-o something will dawn on me
I never thought of before. If I can reach someone I can dialog with I point it
out to them and we discuss it.
Today I came up
with an understanding of Jesus' first miracle that I never heard anyone preach
before. That is the miracle of water being changed into wine. And it is based
strictly on Scripture. Words that I glossed over before were suddenly revealed
to me. When I saw them I thought, "Hey there is something else going on
here!" So I began to dig into the passages a lot deeper to see what else I
could uncover.
Some preachers I
have heard like to stress how by being a servant of the LORD you can receive a
blessing. In this case they say the wine was the blessing. It was better than any
of the wine that was served previously at the wedding festival. But we need to look closely at the
servants in this miracle. Who are the servants, what did they receive, and what
was the servants blessing?
A lot of the
ministering I hear is to ask of God and receive a physical blessing, to be in
the will of God and receive a physical blessing. But let's get spiritual for a
change! OK, let’s follow the flow of the Spirit at this event. Jesus, his
mother, and the disciple's were invited to a wedding festival. Mary was
observing what was going on and noticed they were out of wine. So she told
Jesus, and He replied, "Woman, what have I to with you, it is not my
time."
To me this first
miracle was an act of faith and obedience, prompted by the Holy Spirit. The
intent, purpose, and desire were to provide more wine for the wedding festival
by the working of the Spirit through Jesus Christ. The initial movement of the
Spirit was through Mary. After she said those words to Jesus she told the
servants to do as Jesus instructs them. Jesus who is the living Word of God
instructed the servants to fill six water pots to the brim with water. A
miracle was about to take place in their midst. The water pots held about
thirty gallons apiece. That is about 180 gallons in total.
The servants did
as they were instructed to do. He then instructed them to give the governor a
portion. In order to do so, they had to transfer the wine into smaller vessels,
probably of silver, to serve the governor and other honored guests. At some
point in time in their service to Christ the water turned into wine. What
greater blessing can a Christian have than to see a miracle take place right
before their eyes!
Somehow the
servants had the composure to serve the governor as Jesus instructed them to
do. The Spirit of God was in control as they flowed in the Spirit. Most of us
would have wanted to run around the room, jump up and down, and tell everyone
what happened after witnessing something like that. With Jesus in their
midst, it seems like they would have at least fallen down at His feet and
worshiped Him. But in this case the Spirit of God would not allow them to. They
just went about calmly doing what was required of them as servants at a wedding
festival!
Some might say
well miracles don't happen anymore, that was just during the Apostolic age.
Well the governor, bridegroom and guests may have felt that miracle's don't
happen anymore as well. After all, the last time they heard from God was
through the prophet Malachi. Here they were in Jesus presence, God in the
flesh. And yes, they were served wine better than any in the house. OK, let's
make it more contemporary.
Yes, they own the
biggest house on the block. Yes, they own the newest and most expensive car
available. Yes, they wear the finest of clothes. Yes, they get served the best
wine available. But hear me when I say, "Let's get Spiritual!" They
missed the best blessing of all. They had no idea that a miracle had just taken
place! With all their pomp and circumstance they were focusing on the wrong
things, and were not allowed to be privy to the workings of the Holy Spirit
through Mary, Christ, and the servants.
Now I ask you,
who are the real servants in this gospel writing? The governor serves. No not
him. The bridegroom serves. No not him. The honored guests serve. No not them.
The servants were the ones that God used to participate in Jesus first miracle
recorded in Scripture. And they were just little people. They were there only
to serve. They had no political connections. They did not know the right
people. They were not part of the in-crowd. They were not part of the
who's-who. They did not even get any recognition nor honor for the type of work
they did. They would not even
been invited to
the wedding festival if they were not there as servants! But God allowed them
to see and participate in the miracle while they were serving by the way. The
others only got wine. Perhaps they started to whine later after they found out
what happened in their midst that they missed.
The real servants
received a spiritual blessing the others received a physical blessing. Do I
have to ask you which blessing was greater? Which blessing you would rather
witness, experience or receive every day? A glass of wine can't be compared to
the blessings of the Kingdom which are new and manifold all the time. A glass
of wine will always be a glass of wine.
The real servants
got the real blessing, and it doesn't say they told anyone. They were
privileged to see privately the first awesome display of the power of God in
over four hundred years! And because of the power and control of the Holy
Spirit they could not talk about it. By the same Holy Spirit they could not
jump up and down. By the same Holy Spirit they just calmly walked around and
served the governor, bridegroom and his guests as if this was an every day
experience.
Think about Mary.
What prompted her to even suggest to Jesus to do something about the lack of
wine? I don't think she expected him to head to the market place with his
disciple's, and bring back wineskins full of wine. The initial movement of the
Spirit moved her to prompt Jesus into action. She did not tell him specifically
what to do. But she knew to tell him, and what to tell the servants. And Jesus
knew what to tell the servants. Mean while the married couple are enjoying
themselves. I did not know that fact until I read the book of Tob, Tobias,
Toby. I finally read a book from the Apocrypha. A teacher said after I graduated from Bible that I
could read anything now. I graduated in 1993. I chose to read that book
first because my middle name is Tobias and my nickname is Toby. The
root word is Tob. The Apocrypha has been removed since the 1611 version of the
King James.
Jesus said time
and time again in the New Testament that He was there to do the will of the
Father only. At His baptism by John the Baptist the Spirit of God descended
upon Him as a dove and He was filled. Jesus operated in the power of the Holy
Spirit. Situations always presented themselves at the predetermined time and
place of God, and Jesus was there to do the will of the Father. People were
always participants, willingly and unwillingly, for and against Him, knowing
and unknowing, understanding and not understanding, aware and not aware.
At this first miracle
of Jesus, the disciples were there as God's silent witnesses. They were to
later testify of what God did in their presence, and to record it for our
edification. Jesus told His mother that it was not His time. Perhaps this is
what He meant. At the marriage feast He received no recognition for this
miracle. It was not time for Him to be seen as a miracle worker nor to go
public with His ministry.
Now I am not
saying that physical pleasure's, and what we deem to be necessities are not to
be sought after in this life, but for what purpose do you desire them? What
purpose do they serve? Are you just enjoying the party or being obedient to God
and His word, or are you doing both? Have you considered Is there something
else you should be doing?
Samuel told Saul
obedience is better than sacrifice. Saul had spared the king and some animals,
etc., when God had instructed him to kill everything. God demonstrated to David
that obedience is better than praise when Uzzah died trying to steady the Ark
of the Covenant. He wasn't supposed to touch it. There was something else both
of them should have been doing. Saul lost his kingdom. I wonder what Uzzah
missed out on. Perhaps the governor and bridegroom, and guests weren't
servants. They missed out on the miracle. The same Holy Spirit could have
contained them as well.
I believe that
there is a message here for the church. We have to be mindful to do the will of
the LORD even in our work, in our praise, in our worship, in our sacrifice, in
our pleasure, in our everything. We have to be prepared at all times to
stop what we are doing, and do what God would have us do being sensitive to the
move of the Spirit just like Mary, Jesus, and the servants were at the wedding
festival. Also we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to.
Keep in mind, "It's the little people" who not only witnessed his
miracles, but also believed unto salvation.
Think about
Gideon's three hundred soldiers’s who defeated a mighty army by just blowing on
trumpets, breaking pitcher's, and lighting lantern's. They were selected from
among thousands, because not only did they have no fear, while satisfying their
physical needs (drinking water), they were found to still be working (ever
watching). These were the true warriors and servants of God. They knew what to
do by the Spirit of God. God showed Gideon how to identify them. In battle they
were obedient, and calmly went about doing just what the LORD instructed them
to do. They were able to participate in a miracle.
Some preachers
say that everyone got blessed by the consuming of the wine that was brought
about by a miracle of God, from the governor, to the bridegroom, to the guests,
to the servants. However, I don't think the servants imbibed to the extent of
the others if at all they had work to do. However, I'm sure they enjoyed
the wedding as much, well actually, more than everyone else there.
Are you willing
to be a servant of the LORD and do a great work sight unseen? Or would you
rather hang out with the Mucky-mucks? Keep in mind that Jesus told the seventy
when they came back to not rejoice in their great works, but rejoice because
their names are written in heaven. To God be the glory.
