Turning Water into Wine

Rev Gideon Lee

On behalf of my family I want to say a big thank you for making time to be with us for Jayden's dedication service. I was really blessed to have Rev Marcus from Penang First Assembly of God.

Last week we took our Harvest Mission for both the English and Hokkien congregation. For those of you who missed it last week you can participate this morning.

John 2:1-11
Water Turned to Wine
1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”
4 Jesus said to her, “ Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
6 Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “ Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He said to them, “ Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
11 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

If you noticed I repeated verse 11. John attributed all the miracles as signs. What does signs do? It points you to something and in this case it points them to Him. The miracles that Jesus did was to point to the fact that He is the son of God.

It was a wedding at Cana, just outside of Nazareth. It was not a very big town yet Jesus chose to start His ministry here. Just like His birth in a small common town like Bethlehem, He is interested in common people like you and me. Why? To identify with each one of us. He has concern for every day people like you and me.

Mary was invited to the wedding. To the Jews, wedding protocol is very important. And you'd see that Mary the mother of Jesus was invited to the wedding of an ordinary couple. It sometimes lasts a week. Much like the Chinese custom. And they will end up in the groom's house. The groom's family pays for everything.

Jesus chose to be there and it was there that He performed His first miracle. And they ran out of wine and when Mary asked Jesus, it was done in a very discreet manner. It would have been embarrassing to run out of wine. It shows that Mary was quite close to the family as it would not have been something you share to strangers as it was embarrassing.

And here is what I find so interesting. Mary went to Jesus. Jesus is not a wine merchant. She should have gone to where wine is sold. By the way, this passage of scripture is not the license for you to go out and drink wine. Scripture must interpret scripture, not you. Where in scripture are you told to drink wine.

We have many many scriptures that says we are not to get drunk. But be filled by the Holy Spirit. When we get drunk we lose control. How many of you who has seen a timid man when he gets drunk he can sing! He becomes bold. Do not let your drunkenness take control of you but let the Holy Spirit do that. What fills you controls you. Nowhere does it says Jesus drank the wine. He turned the water into wine but it does not say He drank it. It's okay to enjoy yourself this coming New Year but take care of your body as it's the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus called Mary woman. Don't do that and call your mother woman. Mary did not tell Jesus what to do. That is how mothers will tell the son. Go do that, go do this. But Mary was approaching Jesus as her Lord and savior. She told the servants what He ask you to do, do it. She followed it up with faith.

The first thing I want you to understand is this. The wine can run out.

Wine in the bible is often equated with joy. And this tells us that sometimes joy runs out. This can happen to any of us, even leaders. But the thing is this, since we know this we need to keep our tank full.

How many of you when your car tank shows empty, you say it is still enough? The red light have not come out yet. We say "E" means enough and "F" means full. And when the red light comes out we still say can go some more. You then look for your favourite station. I know many of you do that. Look for Petronas. What happens when we get caught and our petrol runs out?

We need to fill up before we reach "E". As leaders we have been giving and giving and giving and we forgot to ask God to fill us up. And one day we burn out and don't want to serve God anymore. That is our responsibility to fill up. How? Very simple, just like filling up at the station. Come to the Lord in prayer. Read your bible and worship God. That's how you fill up. If not you will come to a point when you run out. As mature Christians I hope you will not wait till you reach "E" before you fill up.

Regular devotion, prayer time and regular worship. Simple things but we don't do it.

Coming back to our story. Jesus said why you ask me, not my time yet. Jesus said outside there are six jars. These are ceremonial jars. These are used to wash the guests hands and feet to get them ceremonially clean before entering the house. Isn't it interesting Jesus used the ceremonial jars to make the wine? Only Jesus could do that. Jesus told them to take a scoop and give it to the MC and the MC said how come you save the best for the last?

Jesus saved the best for last. Just as we know the joy can run out, Jesus is not only the giver of joy but the source of joy. He can turn things around for you. He is the source of joy.

When I began to come back to God, remember I told you how I love to drink? One of the things God had to deal with me was where to place my trust. I only trusted in me, I and myself. I love to gamble especially during Chinese New Year. I was good and I cannot remember ever losing money during then. This was one of the things God had to deal with me.

You know how God tested me? I went to see a client in a very tall building and at the door of the lift was this Singh who spoke to me in fluent Cantonese. He said, you look very nice on the outside but I know you have no money. Easy come easy go at that time for me. It was true. He even told me how much money I had in my pocket. He said your luck is coming. He said let me show you how to get it.

I told him don't talk in the lift, let's go to my car and talk. He followed me and sat next to me and in his briefcase were all the idols in there. At that time I thank God for the Holy Spirit who spoke to me. I told him I don't want to listen already. He got angry. I gave him some money RM20 (I had only RM30 so RM10 for lunch) and still he don't want to leave the car.

He said he can prove it to me if I listened. He put a piece of paper in my hand after writing it in there. He asked me some questions and he says what I answered is in that piece if paper. And lo and behold all three answers were correct. Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me and asked me what am I doing there? I told the man I am not going to listen because I am a Christian and he took out a photo of Jesus from his bag. I became bold and I told him whether my future is good or bad I told him my God is able to take me through.

We drove out of the car park and he told me to drop him off and he told me I was told to meet you. He said he will want to see me again and asked me for my card. I told him my God will meet all my needs.

When he left I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit filled my car and I just wept and from that day I walked the walk of faith. I am sharing with you because God had been good in spite of my unfaithfulness.

Last but not least. The bible says each jar is 20 to 30 gallons. I want to say that when God blessed you it is always more than enough.

Malachi 3:10
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

When God blessed you it is always more than enough. That is why we are blessed to be a blessing. Give your tithes and offering. The principle is that you have to give first. They have to bring the jar of water before Jesus turn them into wine.

As I close, remember this.

Don't ever come to a situation where we run on empty. Every day you need to top up.

He is not just the giver of joy but the source of joy.

And lastly, he always gives more than enough.