Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Started last week a new Series: People Jesus met in John's Gospel
• The first disciples and how they met Jesus
• Two brothers
• Two friends
• One other (the apostle John)
• They met Him in different ways
• One through a preacher
• Two through personal witness
• A direct call of Jesus
• They followed Jesus - the disciples' lives were turned upside down
• They came to understand that He was the Messiah and the Son of God
• They gave up everything to follow Him
• They were used in different ways
• Today looking at a different scene
• 3 days later (v1)
• Going to Jesus with a wedding (v2)
• Then to Jerusalem a few days later (v13)
• Two contrasting scenes
• Overview:
• Contrasting aspects of Jesus' Ministry
• Blessing at the Wedding
• Confrontation in the Temple

Contrasting aspects of Jesus' Ministry

• Jesus invited to a wedding along with His mother and disciples
• A wonderful time - it lasted 7 days
• He graced these people with His presence
• Marriage is for all people
• The first miracle Jesus does is at a wedding
• Jesus leaves for Capernaum (v12)
• Jesus fulfilled all the feasts
• He goes to the passover of the Jews (v13)
• (John is writing to the Jews)
• He goes into the Temple - a different situation altogether
• Instead of a time for celebration, Jesus finds the religious leaders and people involved in a money racket
• Another situation of dramatic conflict
• In this not the case throughout scripture:
• Jesus blessed the common folk but ended up in conflict with the religious people
• Example: of the paralysed man, Haydn Davies, man with a withered hand, the woman in adultery, the children in the Temple, cleansing of the Temple, etc
• He came to save, not to condemn (though He will judge the world)
• Men would not have Him to reign over them
• The Church is here to bring a message of reconciliation and healing
• There will always be conflict, especially with religious leaders
• We are not to take up arms - we fight with prayer, truth and love
• Blessing and conflict - the path of Christian life

Blessing at the Wedding

• 7 of His miracles occurred before and 1 after His death and resurrection
• They are signs - pointing to Jesus and asking 'who is He?'
• "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." John 20:30-31
• They are there for us to believe in Jesus
• We must stop and ask what this miracle is about
• It is about divinity - Jesus just willed it
• Christ manifested His glory (v11)
• The pattern of miracles
• Be careful how you interpret miracles
• Is there something significant in the fact that the best wine was served last?
• Consider the custom of the day
• Consider Jesus' response to Mary
• Mary was not venerated by Jesus though He fulfilled the 5th Commandment to obey His mother and father
• Mary had no control over the Lord Jesus
• Consider Mary's response: "Whatever He says to you, do it" (v5)
• Is there something significant in the fact that the best wine was served last? (v10)
• Jesus had come to remove an old system
• Jesus had come to bring forgiveness of sins
• The best wine is last: Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ - John 1:17
• Where are you in your religion?

Confrontation in the Temple

• Many believed in Him - but some only because of His miracles
• From blessing to conflict in the temple
• 'You are making a place of worship a place of carnality'
• "My Father's house"
• Sometimes Christians are called to confront certain situations
• The disciples recognised Jesus' zeal from an Old Testament scripture
• Jesus wanted heart religion
• Do we have a desire for God's glory?
• Jesus authority for this act - "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up" (v19)
• He was speaking about His body
• We would not have understood these words
• The disciples did not understand these words until after His death and resurrection
• The most important question:
• Who is Jesus Christ?
• What is His mission?
• What is our response to His mission?
• Consider CS Lewis' response
• What is our response?

Closing Remarks