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‘On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days. ‘ John 2:1-12 ESV

It is often where I read a passage with new lens, a fresh look.  This happened studying this passage several days ago.  One thing I love is finding metaphor in scripture and finding how it applies to our lives.  We must be careful, however; we never want to impute something into scripture the Lord and the writers did not intend.  Even so, there is much to see here in this passage.

“On the third day there was a wedding!”  There are many ways to look at this.  Some say this is the third day since Nathaniel became a disciple of Jesus and it was he who had Jesus and His disciples invited to the wedding.  I however see great imagery of a miracle happening about three days, something new, something better coming to life from the life of Jesus.  There is also the subtle reminder from John of what can take place just after three days.

It was the tradition to serve the best wine first, and once guests began to get tipsy, then the lesser wine was served to finish the celebration when guests were less aware of what they were drinking.  Here, when Jesus makes water out of wine, there is a miracle we should understand beyond the transformation from one thing to another.

Yes, it was a miracle and showed the power of Jesus to take water, not grape juice, and make it into wine.  There is great imagery as well in not just using ordinary water, but the water meant for purification in the Jewish system of worship.  Jesus took one thing and made it into something completely different and made the new things into the best of its existence.  Jesus shows us He can take something ordinary like water and turn it into some extraordinary like new wine.  Just as He went into the grave as a dead man, God brought Jesus to life as the glorified Savior, and did this in just three days!  Let’s not miss the miracle of what transformation He can do in our lives, every life!

Friends, Jesus can take anything and transform it into something completely different and brand new, even YOU!  That is Good News!

Rev. Brad McKenzie is Lead Pastor at Orange First Church of the Nazarene, 3810 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Orange.