Miracle Worker

Introduction—Do you believe miracles still happen? What do you consider to be a miracle?

As we are being challenged to read and study the book of John, I wanted to share some of my personal sermon notes with you to help you understand the book. I preached through the entire book over the course of 1 year when I pastored First Baptist Church Del Rio. Enjoy!

Imagine this. A man who lives in the greatest place ever decides to leave that place and live out his life serving others. While doing so, He is accused of blasphemy, being a liar, being filled with demons, beaten, ridiculed, and even sentenced to death, all while loving others. During His sentencing, He is called the King of His people, not because they believed it but because they wanted to make fun of him. He then was put to death for a crime He did not commit. During His suffering He still loved others, asking for God to forgive them since they did not know what they were doing. You want a miracle? You got it. Jesus Christ fulfilled this story I just described. His committed to me and to you is a miracle. Many have tried to dispute Jesus’ life, but to no avail. After He was placed in a cave for His grave, and a huge boulder sealed the entrance, He performed another miracle. He overcame death. His resurrection is one of the most controversial topics of discussion. It is a miracle that God chose you for such a time as this. It is a miracle that He gave His life as a payment for you so that you might escape a spiritual death and enter into a spiritual life that is forever. Now that’s a miracle! That is greatest plan that has and will ever be made. There is no plan B.

Pray

Stand as we read John 2:1-11

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”4 “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and 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. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and 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.”11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Timing is everything when it comes to miracles—verse 1-4
If you miss time something, usually there is a consequence. Has that ever happened to you?
Here we have a wedding party that has been in the making for 3 days now. Wedding parties in the 1^stcentury went on for days, so the need for plenty of food and drink had to be timed.
Jesus is at the wedding. The disciples are at the wedding. Mary is at the wedding. This was not by accident.
Miracles happen when we least expect them to. The timing is an important part of the miracle.
A situation came up. No more wine. There were not many choices for drinking back then. There wasn’t an HEB on the corner for them to go and purchase some cokes, or juice, of coffee. There was typically water or wine to drink.
Mary knew from the time the angel Gabriel revealed to her that her very own son was the awaited Messiah.
Luke 2:26-35

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

So Mary is there with all of this knowledge that she has had to keep to herself about her son Jesus. Some knew who Jesus was, obviously since He had followers already, but most of the general public did not know as of yet.
I don’t believe that Mary ushered in Jesus’ public ministry ahead of schedule. God would not have allowed that. Reading this story, you might perceive this since Jesus tells Mary that His hour had not yet come.
Jesus response was indicating that God would be the one who would decide when the ministry of Christ would start, and He did.
The time had come for the earthly ministry of Christ to begin. Jesus wanted to make sure his mother knew it was God’s timing and not hers.
Do you struggle with God’s timing? Are you anxious about something this morning that God seems not to have answered for you?
God will redeem all He allows (Jim Denison). His timing is always perfect.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for.
One thing I know is that the DUE TIME is one of the hardest, most difficult places to be, because the DUE TIME can be days, weeks, years, or a lifetime. The DUE TIME causes stress, strife, and anxiety.
God knew it would, so He says to cast (fishing) all your anxiety on Him, not just because He’s God, but also because He is such a caring God. He loves you and care deeply for you.

Application—Have you been struggling with God’s timing in your life this today? Cast your anxiety upon Him today.

Miracles happen when Jesus performs them—verse 5-7
The only way a miracle is going to happen is when Jesus does it
We may want one so bad, but it happens when He accomplishes His timing in order to fulfill the need at that moment.
If someone else other than Jesus lays claim to a miracle—run! Get as far away from that person as you can.
Don’t misunderstand me this morning. God uses humans to perform His miracles. They must give all the credit to Him.
In our text this morning, Jesus allowed His followers to be part of the miracle by filling the water jars.
These weren’t just any water jars. It is not the same as fetching a 5 gallon bucket of water. These were 20 gallon containers.
The guests needed to wash their hands before eating, so there was a huge need for water.
The commentary I used says as a low estimate, 120 gallons of water would be available. If that estimate was made into wine, it would provide 2,000 4 ounces glasses of wine.
By the customs of the day, those were then diluted to 3 parts water and 1 part wine, providing enough wine for several days
Only Jesus could create this amazing miracle.

Illustration—Third Day Song: I need a Miracle (Chorus)

Well no matter who you are 

And no matter what you’ve done 

There will come a time 

When you can’t make it on your own 

And in your hour of desperation 

Know you’re not the only one 

Prayin’ “Lord above, I need a miracle” I need a miracle

Application—Do you want Jesus to handle your miracle for you today?

Jesus wants the best for you—verse 8-11
I believe with all my heart that Jesus wants only the best for us. It’s when we get ahead of Him, many times it is not the best for you or for me.
In our passage we see the master of the banquet tasting the wine. He is surprised that the good “stuff” was still available.
Most weddings in that day started with the good wine, followed by a lower quality wine. This was after the taste buds had dulled a little of course.
The miracle performed served as a fact that Jesus was definitely the Messiah. His disciples knew but this was confirmation that Jesus had come with supernatural power to rescue the world.
He did change the water into wine, but he changed doubters into believers.
You can be at peace knowing that Jesus wants the best for you.
He will change you from a sinner to a saint. From who you use to be to who He wants you to be. From stingy to generous, from a hardened skeptic to a passionate believer, from a person living in darkness to one living in the light.
Jesus wants the best for you this morning.

Illustration—Joel Olsteen’s book “Your best Life” spent more than 200 weeks on the NY Times best seller list. It has sold more that 4 million copies. What that tells me is that people want to know the best God has to offer for them. Listen, you don’t need to read Joel Olsteen’s book to know that God wants the best life for you. You need to read the “BOOK” straight from God himself to know that He wants the best life for you. He says that. He wants that. He has shown you His best, by allowing you know Him. Miracles happen all the time.

Application—Will you allow Jesus to perform the best miracle ever today? Allow Jesus to change you heart, your mind, your will, and you circumstance by the miracle of salvation. Did you know that even angels are amazed the God can save people to live in eternity with Him? 1 Peter 1:12 says so.

Pray

Conclusion—I want to conclude with this. Miracles are real, and you are one step away from one today. The miracle of going from a spiritually dead life into a life that is alive and full of hope!

Stay in the Light, 1 John 1:7,

Pastor Larry