Pastor Robert Brearley says, “Weddings are accidents waiting to happen.” I tend to agree. At one wedding where I officiated, some of the decorations in the sanctuary (which had just finished being renovated the night before—making this the first public event) caught fire, ultimately sending one of the wedding cakes up in flames. More than a few times, we’ve seen grooms faint and brides trip over their dresses. At my wedding, I was so nervous that for some reason I laughed uncontrollably.

John’s gospel offers us a wedding scenario where, rather than an accident unfolding, the Messiah goes public. Jesus, His disciples, and His family had gathered in the village of Cana for a wedding (John 2:1). John’s placement of the story is intentional, presenting the launch of Jesus’ ministry. John lays out seven astounding miracles (or signs) that coalesce to provide the striking conclusion: Jesus is the Son of God.

Jewish wedding festivals were far more extensive than our affairs. Typically, the groom’s family would host seven days of feasting and dancing. A severe social faux pas occurred, however, at the Cana wedding. “The wine supply ran out during the festivities” (John 2:3). After a conversation with His mother, Jesus told the servants to fill the six stone jars, each holding “twenty to thirty gallons,” with water. Then, miraculously, the water became wine.

The writer adds details highlighting the abundant, generous nature of this act—how the jars were “filled” to the brim (John 2:7 NIV) and how the volume yielded at least 150 gallons of the “best” wine of the party (John 2:10).

Here God demonstrated His generous nature by choosing a party for His stage and by providing wine (a symbol for joy) as “the first time” to reveal Jesus’ glory (John 2:11). —