Just a note/suggestion I should have made yesterday: I would encourage you to always read the chapter of the day before getting into my writings and ramblings so you have a basic knowledge of what I will be talking about. Then as you read what I've written go back and reread the sections of the chapter I'm talking about. Typically I will work through the chapters in sections and rereading the sections as I talk about them will help you follow my thoughts as you read them.
Chapter 2 of John gives a description of Jesus' first recorded miracle (verses 1-11); he and his disciples/apostles are at a wedding in the town/city of Cana and his mother, Mary, is there as well. While at the wedding the wine runs out and Mary pushes Jesus (because he knows what he can do) into providing the wine for the rest of the wedding party. Although he seems hesitant, Jesus miraculously turns over 120 gallons of water into the best wine provided at the party. In fact, the wine is so good that the master of the banquet, who is probably at least a little tipsy, can tell that this wine is better than any other wine they had served that day (the idea is when you get drunk you can't tell good alcohol from the cheap stuff, but this wine was so good you could tell a difference).
I think it is interesting that Jesus' first recorded miracle is providing drunk people with more alcohol. But there is something here I want to make a point of mentioning. Despite the seemingly simple and almost pointless nature of the miracle there is a quick comment that I have never heard mentioned in a Bible Study or by a preacher (doesn't mean it has never been said, I'm not that smart, I've just never heard it said). In verse 11 the author John (on of Jesus' apostle; meaning he was there for this) tells us:
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.
The key for this story, I think, is seen here at the very end, "and his disciples believed him". A quick little statement by John giving us some big insight into why Jesus reluctantly went along with his mother's request to miraculously provide the wine for the rest of this party. His disciples needed something to grab their attention. His disciples needed to see the Glory of God revealed through him. If you remember back to the end of chapter 1 verse 50, Jesus told Nathanael that he would see even greater things than this"? Maybe the disciples hearing Jesus make that statement to Nathanael were waiting for something greater to happen. Maybe they were kind of hanging on by a thread waiting for Jesus to prove himself as to why they should be following him, and so Jesus gives them something; not his biggest or most amazing miracle he will do, but pretty cool nonetheless.
Verses 12-25 is John's account of Jesus clearing the temple. Here we see Jesus' disdain for people who claim to be "of God" misusing the temple, "God's House" for personal gain. That very thing happens way too much today as well and I'm sure Jesus has great frustration and pain when this happens today. The church is not here for our personal gain, we are here for the gain of the church and the body of Christ. I don't have as much to say about this section, but that doesn't mean it isn't as important. I think this section is extremely important it reminds us we are NOT to take God for granted, he may just come along, clean house, and wreck our world as we know it. But honestly if he has to come along and do that, then its a solid assumption that our world needs wrecking anyway and he in his wisdom and power and Love is setting us up to follow him the way he wants us to. Sometimes we need to be broken and experience pain, and experience tragedy before we can be given great triumph.
Once again sorry this is so late in the day; tomorrow's entry will most likely be a late one as well, but Tuesday, Day 4 should be a morning entry. Hope you are keeping up so far, and please as always reply to this post with comments and questions. I love feedback. Go ALL IN!!!
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