Bucket by Bucket

(John 2:6-11)

6Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Mary makes the need known and looks to Jesus. Then she leaves it to him to respond however he chooses, trusting that whatever he decides to do, it will bring the greatest peace and the wisest outcome. How easy that sounds, but we all know how difficult it is to trust like that.

Yet, here is Mary, unchanged in her reliance and trust in the God that she loves. Even in the cares of this life, she casts it all at the feet of Christ and trusts him to accomplish the many things that she will never understand.

I don't think this was a preordained moment for the first miracle to occur. I don't think it was in everyone's mind that this event was about to become documented in history for eternity. I think it was a background moment, one that seemed very unnoticed at the time. I think it was like carrying the church tables and setting them up in the parking lot for the Fall Festival, or breaking down the chairs in the sanctuary for a special prayer service on a Friday night. I think it was just another moment that needed people to serve one another. It is in moments like that that miracles occur. When hearts are thinking of everyone other than themselves.

So Christ looks at what is at hand and what he has to work with. And there conveniently stands six large empty water pots. Not pitchers... but pots that probably stood on the ground and came to their waist. Holding 20-30 gallons each, that's 120-360 gallons of paint, or 24-36 five gallon buckets of water that had to be toted from the well (those big white buckets that you see sitting around on construction sites). Six large water pots sounds so small, but we're talking about holding alot of water.

7Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.

Jesus looks around the room having made up his mind that Mary's request was a selfless one, having weighed the situation and having determined to bless it. He sees the water pots and tells the servants to fill them with water. What must have run thru their minds?...

What was he thinking? Was he going to ignore Mary's request? Would he put it off for later?

Why was he asking them to tote all that water and fill the jars? They didn't need more water at the moment. There seemed no reason to ask them to do all that unnecessary work when they were already tired from setting up the festivities and would eventually be preparing the breakdown of it all as well.

But they had been told to do whatever he asked, and so they did without question. Not only did they do what he said, they did it to the full. The pots were filled to the brim. They could have filled them halfway or left them barely full, but no. These were obedient servants, people of integrity, and they filled the pots to almost overflowing. The abundance of wine is partially to their credit as well.

8Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."
They did so,

Now this was a bold move. Again the integrity of the servants was put to the test. How small their role seems when we first scan over this story but how great is their character in affecting the outcome of this story, the miracle that resulted.

The servants were obedient to Mary's instruction. They didn't do a halfway job, rather they went beyond what was asked of them filling the pots to the brim. And now, they are asked to serve a glass of water to the host, to bother him at a busy time and hand him something that he had not asked for. Would they obey Mary by obeying Christ and take the water to the host? Would they risk appearing foolish, would they risk a good scolding or reprimand by angering the master of the house?

yes.

They trusted Mary, and they trusted Christ because Mary trusted him.
Mary was seen as having a good character and as a woman of integrity. The servants were also good and Godly and committed people. And Christ, well, he was Christ, and his character and faithfulness was the source of theirs.

(Ecc 4:12)
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Who you trust determines the strength of the cord/rope. One person may weaken the line, but when you work within a network of Godly people -- the strength of one mind and one Spirit, and Faith in the One True God, will be enough to carry any weight. God will guard that truth....

even if he must do a miracle to ensure it.

9and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.

I love that this passage specifies that the servants knew. They knew because they were the ones that took the risk. They knew because they wondered at what Jesus had asked of them and had prepared themselves to bear the brunt of his actions -- actions that required them to do something that made no sense and that came at an inopportune time, during a busy wedding feast. The servants knew that the liquid in that cup was plain ol' every day water from the well just outside. And so, they held their breath and wondered at this curious situation that they were thrust into the middle of.

Then he called the bridegroom aside
10and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

This is interesting to me because I never noticed that he pulled the bridegroom aside and spoke with him quietly. I had always thought that he shouted this comment in front of all the guests. But this was said almost in a whisper to the bridegroom (who was evidently responsible for supplying the wine). So the story must have been spread mainly by the servants. Again, we see Christ going to the unnoticed, the servant, the common people... a young Jewish girl in a small town, humble shepherds in the field, insignificant women at his resurrection, and here... meager house servants are the witnesses and participants of his first miracle.

We elbow and fight to get to the front of the line, to the top of the pile, to be the leader, the king of the hill, that little mound of dirt and nothing... while the true miracles, the amazing things, the presence of God -- manifests itself more often in the quiet places, the ordinary situations, the lives of seemingly unimportant people... that's where Christ seems to focus his blessing and goodness.

If only our heart would continue to go there, to strive to be where he would be, to cherish and embrace the small and ordinary, the down-trodden and oppressed, the lonely and the broken-hearted... perhaps we would be in the midst of the miraculous more often rather than standing on a mound of dirt wearing a pasted crown and looking more like a jester than the authentic kings and priests that God intended.

11This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

So here we have it. The first documented miracle of Christ. Water poured into pots, bucket by bucket, served in a cup, changed somewhere along the line into wine -- miraculously. A story, a testimony, whispered as a compliment between friends... and witnessed as a miracle among servants. Not only made into wine, but the finest quality wine. The first of many miracles that would cause his followers to believe -- that would teach his disciples what to look for, what God wants to bless, what right soil/hearts will yield miraculous harvest.

Perhaps the explanation of Mary's concern lies in the whisper of that compliment. The bridegroom was credited for the wine, so it must have been his responsibility to supply it. For whatever reason, Mary feared his embarrassment. Perhaps it would shame his bride, or his family name, or himself. Perhaps it would negatively label his family, or caused the bride's family to lack confidence in his ability to provide for their daughter. Who knows.

I don't know if it was a desire to save someone from being shamed that moved Christ to perform such a miracle, or if it was the faith of Mary in him as God, or if it was the obedience and integrity of the servants. Perhaps it was all three.

How wonderful God is! How inspiring are all the characters involved in this one incident. If only we could walk with such compassion, such faithfulness, such obedience, such integrity. Perhaps miracles would be something that we actually do and see, rather than merely read about. Perhaps helping people and relieving their misery in the name of Christ would be a daily occurrence, the norm.

Father, I ask that you help us to be more like you in these things, that you would enable us and equip us to reflect your character in all that we do and say and think and feel. So that you will be so pleased with us that you are moved to manifest your presence and your affection among us as never before. So that people will know your love and live with a greater peace and deep-seeded joy as we share your goodness with others. In the name of Jesus we ask. Amen.