Podcasts about Cana

Today’s Topics: Father Thomas Czeck, OFM Conv., joins Terry 1) Gospel – John 4:43-54 – At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When He came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him, since they had seen all He had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast. Then He returned to Cana in Galilee, where He had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to Him and asked Him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when He came to Galilee from Judea. Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Terry and Father Thomas discuss Franciscan Spirituality and the hidden secrets of the Franciscan Order    

Gospel John 4:43-54 At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast. Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea. Reflection Jesus was used to people constantly looking at him, wondering who he was, and they wanted some kind of proof that he was who said he was. And it was tiring to Jesus to constantly prove before anyone would believe in him that he was who he said he was. What's different here is this man looked at Jesus and knew who he was, knew the power he had, believed he had it, and simply said, Please come before my child dies. And Jesus knew the difference in a moment. He was not asking for Jesus to prove who he was. He was simply asking Jesus to do what he came into the world to do. It's a beautiful way of understanding what belief and faith really is in Jesus. Closing Prayer Father, confidence. Confidence is you are in our life giving us all that we need. Enabling us to do the things we're called to do. Help us to be always conscious of this presence within us that will always accomplish what is necessary. It is not we who do your work, it is you who do your work through us. That's our confidence, always in you and in your presence. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Read Online“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. John 4:48–50What is the most precious gift our Lord could give to you? If your spouse, child, or close friend were gravely ill, would a miracle be the gift you sought? If your financial situation were dire, would you ask for monetary assistance? If you were suffering from a chronic disease, would your prayer be for a cure?Though we should entrust these situations to God's grace, it's important to understand that the gift of faith far surpasses any immediate miracle, assistance, or relief we might seek. Faith is a most precious gift because it enables us to turn away from our limited assessment of earthly situations and be open to God's wisdom, which far surpasses anything we could conceive of by ourselves.Though Jesus performed many miracles, He regularly challenged those whose faith was based on their desire for signs and wonders. In today's Gospel, a royal official, likely of high rank, traveled from Capernaum to Cana, about twenty miles, because his child was dying. His journey illustrates faith in Jesus' divine authority, but his faith was imperfect—he believed Jesus had to be physically present to heal his son. Jesus heals the child from a distance, but He also challenges the official and the crowd: “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” Jesus desires a faith that trusts in His word, not one that depends on visible signs.When we pray with a litany of requests, God in His mercy hears us. Sometimes He grants them, and sometimes He doesn't. But He wants us to know that such prayers are not the ideal. God already knows our needs better than we do. He knows our struggles within family, finances, health, and every other detail of our lives.The ideal prayer is one of adoration and trust. It's a prayer that surrenders everything to God without dictating the outcome. It trusts God's wisdom more than our own, enabling us to rest in His loving care, unburdened by our difficulties.The royal official's faith grew when he believed Jesus' word without needing Him to be physically present. This is evident when he learned that his son was healed at the exact time Jesus said, “Your son will live.” The official's faith was deepened, and his whole household came to believe. This shows how true faith, once rooted in trust, grows and spreads to others.If this man's faith had not matured, it could have been lost if another crisis arose and no miracle followed. A deeper faith rests in God's will, whether or not another miracle occurs. The same is true for us. Our faith must not depend on God's answer to our prayers. If He allows suffering, we must trust Him. If He heals, we must trust Him. Our faith must remain strong, rooted in Who God is, not in what He does.Reflect today on the depth of your faith and how it shapes your prayers. Believe, worship God for who He is, love Him above all else, and trust His perfect will. Then entrust yourself and your loved ones to His providence, believing that God knows what is best. My miraculous Lord, You are all-powerful and capable of anything You will. Please grant me a depth of faith that enables me to trust You more than I trust myself. May I always believe in You and worship You, not because of the favors You do for me, but because of Who You are. Jesus, I trust in You.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

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David Ford joins Mark Labberton to explore why the Gospel of John still feels inexhaustible—cosmic, intimate, and urgently relevant in a fractured age. Ford has spent over two decades inside this text and finds it as generative as ever. "Any of us can begin this quiet revolution in our own corner of things." Together they reflect on John as a gospel of encounter, trust, and lifelong rereading. Together they discuss the prologue as a frame for all reality, John 17 as midrash on the Lord's Prayer, the theology of greatness, and Christian unity as gift before task. Together they ask how rereading John forms resilient communities of truth, love, and daring friendship. Episode Highlights "You can reread and reread and reread, and the levels go on deepening and deepening that it never comes to an end." "The meeting with God in John is through trusting Jesus." "Every time we read this as we are now, we are in the presence of the one we are talking about." "Unity, this unity is a gift before it's a task." "We are a centered set, not a bounded set. It's not the boundaries that define us, it's the center." About David Ford David F. Ford OBE is Regius Professor of Divinity Emeritus at Cambridge and a Fellow of Selwyn College. He founded the Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme, co-founded scriptural reasoning, and co-chairs the Rose Castle Foundation. His books include The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary, Theology: A Very Short Introduction, and Meeting God in John. Learn more and follow at https://www.divinity.cam.ac.uk/directory/david-ford (Sources: Cambridge Faculty of Divinity; Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton) Helpful Links and Resources Meeting God in John: https://spckpublishing.co.uk/meeting-god-in-john The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary: https://bakeracademic.com/products/9781540964083_the-gospel-of-john Theology: A Very Short Introduction: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/theology-9780199679973 The Five Quintets, Micheal O'Siadhail: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481307093/the-five-quintets/ Rose Castle Foundation: https://www.rosecastlefoundation.org/home Show Notes Shared mentor Steven Sykes; Ford later succeeded him at Cambridge Reading the prologue aloud (John 1:1–18, NRSV) Light, life, word—simple Greek, inexhaustible depth "The levels go on deepening and deepening that it never comes to an end." Super abundance A theological ecosystem—for beginners and lifelong readers Meeting God, not merely studying John Thomas's "My Lord and my God"—the climactic theological statement Believing as trusting "We are in the presence of the one we are talking about." Exquisite and approachable The word as intercultural headline Five moods of faith: indicative, imperative, interrogative, optative, subjunctive Jesus's first words: "What are you looking for?" Read John every 90 days, like the Psalms 50-year friendship with poet Micheal O'Siadhail; The Five Quintets as improvisation on the Prologue Reading John 17 with Richard Hays and Richard Bauckham—21 sessions, Cambridge, 2009 John 17 as midrash on the Lord's Prayer "Unity is a gift before it's a task." The word "world" appears 16 times in John 17 Rose Castle Foundation: scriptural reasoning across divides Paul Cefalu's Johannine Renaissance—tumultuous eras turn to John Theology of greatness: foot washing versus the emperor's claim Signs of abundant life—Cana, feeding of the five thousand Daring friendships: crossing barriers as Jesus did "Any of us can begin this quiet revolution in our own corner of things." #GospelOfJohn #DavidFord #MeetingGodInJohn #ChristianUnity #ScripturalReasoning #John17 #Lent #Theology Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.

In this message on John 2:1–11, the story of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana is explored not just as a miracle but as a sign revealing something deeper about who Jesus is and what He came to do. By transforming water from ceremonial purification jars into the best wine, Jesus points to the greater work He would accomplish at the cross—replacing inadequate religious rituals with the abundant grace of forgiveness through His sacrifice. The sign also reflects the broader biblical theme of the wedding celebration between God and His people, pointing forward to the ultimate “wedding supper of the Lamb.” Just as Jesus turned a moment of potential shame for the bride and groom into joy and honour, He takes humanity's shame and provides lasting joy through His death and resurrection, inviting believers to fix their eyes on Him and persevere in faith.

John 20:31-21:2531...but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.1After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.4Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.9When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”24This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.25Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Jesus' first miracle involved a wedding reception and a whole lot of wine. Which raises some interesting questions about faith, joy, and the kind of life Jesus invites us into.This Sunday we're diving into the story of Cana and exploring what it has to teach us about following Jesus.

Year A – Third Sunday in Lent– March 8, 2026 Pastor Megan Floyd Exodus 17:1-7 John 4:1-42 Grace and peace to you from God and the Holy Spirit, and from Jesus Christ, who is truly the Savior of the world. Amen. *** Many… many years ago, Bill and I had the privilege of attending my friend's wedding… she and her partner got married in the Valley of Fire in the Grand Canyon… at sunset. It was… spectacular!   Our little party was delivered to this magical location on helicopters, which flew us through the Canyon, across the incredible landscape that just… stretched on for as far as I could see.   As we flew, the walls of the Canyon were on either side of us, and yet, my brain couldn't make sense of the scale. Then the pilot pointed out a little dark spec that was way under us… he said, "That's the other helicopter."   Those four words… radically changed my perspective. I mean… sure, I could see that the place was well worth the title of 'Grand,' …but suddenly, 'Grand' couldn't even contain the full scope of where we were.   Nothing could… I don't think there is any word in our language that can truly encapsulate the landscape… the magnitude… of what we call… The Grand Canyon.   And the same is true… about God's love.   God's love is so grand… so deep and wide and never ending… that we bump up against the same inability to fully wrap our minds around the full scope… the full scale of what it really means… that God so loved the world.   On that helicopter… I didn't even begin to understand how big that landscape was until the pilot showed me what it meant… until he gave me a new perspective and showed me how Grand it really was.   And that's what's happening in our text today… Jesus is showing the disciples what it means… that God so loved the world.   Telling them isn't going to be enough… he must show them… which is why it was necessary for them to go through Samaria. Verse 4.   Our translation reads, "But he had to go through Samaria." …the Greek word is stronger than that, though… It was 'necessary' …it was imperative that he go through Samaria.   Why? …they were traveling north from Judea to Galilee… and Samaria is between those two places. But, as the text points out… something that everyone at the time would have understood… very clearly… the Jews and the Samaritans do not associate with each other.   It was an ancient family feud… they have the same ancestors… but different theology around the critical question of… where is God found?   For the Jewish people, God was found in the Temple in Jerusalem… in the Holy of Holies. That's where they went to worship.   For the Samaritans, God was found high on the top of Mount Gerizim. That's where they went to worship.   They had other differences as well, but this was the most pressing theological question of their time... the question that went back to the time of Moses, in the wilderness of Sin, when they were dying of thirst… Where is God? Is the Lord among us or not?   These are heavy questions… and modern denominations have split apart for less.   So, to avoid the tension and the feud, Jewish people traveling from Judea to Galilee would have taken the road that ran along the Jordan River Valley. They would not have climbed through the mountains of Samaria.   So why… why was it necessary for them to go through Samaria?   It was necessary… because Jesus needed to show his disciples the full scale and scope of his ministry… he needed to give them a new perspective.   Jesus needed to challenge their assumptions about who is in and who is out… he needed to widen their understanding of what sort of people Jesus was seeking… about whom he loved.   So he took them to the very place they would have assumed was excluded. Samaria.   Jesus needs to go there to find his first witness… he needs to find her… the unnamed, unmarried, powerless, Samaritan woman… discarded or widowed five times over… now living with the brother of her late husband in a Levirate marriage.   She is a nobody… an outsider among religious outsiders… visiting the well when no one else would have been there… at the hottest… and brightest time of the day.   Remember what I said about day and night in the Gospel of John?   She's there when the sun is at its brightest… and with this woman… Jesus proceeds to have the longest recorded conversation that he has with anybody… in any of the four gospels.   It was necessary for him to go through Samaria… to find… her.   Now, like anyone who talks to Jesus, she doesn't fully understand him at first, but she sticks with it… and she trusts him with her truth.   So, in response to her faith and her growing understanding around the coming Messiah… he shares his truth… He is… the I AM… the Great I AM… the same I AM from the burning bush and Moses…   I know our translation says that Jesus replies, "I am he" …but that's just added grammar for verbal flow. Jesus' response to her is only… I AM. …and his statement holds the power and weight of all the other I AM statements.   He reveals his true identity to her… before any of the disciples figured it out. And in her joy, she left her water jar at the well to run to share the good news with her neighbors…   She told them of her experience… of her encounter with this man… she shared her wondering… "He cannot be the Messiah, can he?"   And she invited them to come and see… come and meet him… come, and hear from him yourself. She shared her witness… her testimony… and then invited them to come and experience him for themselves.   And because of her witness, her town became followers of Jesus… and were the first to recognize that he was truly… the Savior of the world.   This… out-of-the-way place… in Samaria.   Its… incredible. And this is only chapter four! Jesus hasn't hardly done anything yet!   He was identified by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God, come to take away the sin of the world. …then he called his first disciples…   …and they enjoyed a party at the Wedding at Cana, where, thanks to some strong encouragement from his mother, Mary, Jesus ensured there would be plenty of the very best wine for the happy couple and their guests.   After that, Jesus went to the Temple, where he… caused a scene. The other gospels have this Temple scene happening at the end of his ministry.   John, however, has it at the beginning… it gives Jesus quite the reputation.   And then Nicodemus came to visit him… at night. That's really all that has happened until this point, when he started heading back to Galilee and said it was necessary for them to go through Samaria.   Jesus was still seeking someone he could entrust his identity to… so he went to find this woman.   She taught the disciples… as she teaches us… how to be a witness… how to share our stories of encounter with God… with our Savior, Jesus Christ.   We don't need to fully understand every moment of meaning… only that meeting Jesus is to encounter God… the Holy Spirit… the Divine among us… and to be in relationship with him brings salvation.   We don't have to convince others… Jesus can do that… we just need to invite people to come and see… come and encounter a love so pure and inclusive, that it's hard to wrap our minds around.   Jesus was also seeking to demonstrate to his disciples… to give them a new perspective of just how grand God's love really was.   He needed to push all the boundaries and prejudices they held… and choose the most unlikely person to be the first one with whom he shared his truth.   She was his first witness… the first evangelist… starting the first church… first worshipping community… who understood that the answer to the most pressing theological question of their time… Where is God?   …that the answer was, God is with us, wherever we are.   Jesus needed to give them all some perspective… and we still need that today.   We like to draw boundaries… we like to know who's in and who's out… We like to think that this is all something we can fully wrap our minds around and have some certainty about it. …especially when it comes to God's approval… and God's love.   But it's hard to hold that kind of scope and scale in our minds… so we need this constant reminder… this continual renewal of our perspective… this pointing out of those people that we might be tempted to exclude…   God's love includes them, too.   For God so loved the world… will always be so much bigger than we can imagine, which is good news… because it means that no matter what, everyone is in.   Amen.      

A biblical storyteller and a jazz pianist walk into a bar – and a new recording project was born. That's the origin of John According to Jazz, a unique Presbybop Music project from many years ago. Our hosts invited Dennis Dewey to reminisce about that fateful winter night in Grand Rapids when he and Bill Carter dreamed up a way to connect jazz with the Bible. Generous samples of the music are included for this very special episode which we have released for the season of Lent.  Music: “Called into Mystery,” “New Wine in Cana,” “Who's on Trial,” and “Lazarus Rising,” from John According to Jazz. Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) Theme music: "All Thumbs" from Faith in a New Key, Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet Music used by permission from Presbybop Music (BMI) Announcer: Chris Norton (c) Presbybop Music Support the show

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson of Pepperdine University discuss cantos 13-17 of Dante's Purgatorio--the purging of envy and wrath. Check out our 51 question and answer guide (35 pages!) to the Purgatorio. Check out our YOUTUBE page which has our episodes in playlists!Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson joins Deacon Harrison Garlick to discuss Cantos 13–17, covering the terraces of envy (Canto 13) and wrath (Cantos 14–17), with a strong focus on the central discourses in the middle of the Comedy. In Canto 13, the envious have their eyelids sewn shut with iron wire, a contrapasso that forces them to rely on others and recognize interdependence. Wilson explains: “envy is to look cross-eyed on another's blessings... to look askance,” and the disembodied voices proclaim examples of generosity (Cana, “I am Orestes,” “Love them from whom you've suffered evil”), teaching a mindset of abundance over scarcity (Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson). Sapia humbly confesses her envy and malice, contrasting with the divisive souls in Inferno.Cantos 14–15 transition to wrath, with visions of meekness (Mary and Joseph seeking Jesus, a tyrant sparing a youth, Stephen forgiving his stoners) and Virgil's discourse on goods: exhaustible earthly goods versus inexhaustible spiritual ones. Wilson notes: “envy stems from a mindset of scarcity versus Mary's mindset of abundance... able to supply where it looks like there's not enough in the world” (Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson). The pivotal Canto 16 (the exact midpoint of the Comedy) features Marco Lombardo's sermon on free will: “If the present world has gone astray, the cause is in you, look at yourselves” (Marco via transcript). Wilson calls it “the clearest sermon that Dante has about what's wrong with the world,” emphasizing that sin arises from misused free will, not fate or stars, and critiques the separation of temporal and spiritual powers.Canto 17 concludes the wrath terrace with Virgil's discourse on love as the root of all action (“Neither Creator nor creature was ever without love... natural or of the mind” – Virgil via transcript), which can be misdirected, deficient, or excessive. Wilson highlights the shift from reason to grace: “reason can't do it alone... you need this other kind of intervention” (Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson). The cantos underscore Purgatorio's hopeful pedagogy: purgation reorders love through grace, habituation, and contemplation, moving from misdirected to deficient love in preparation for the excessive attachments above. Wilson stresses the urgency: “the Purgatorio shows humanity in motion, dynamic humanity... it has the immediacy... that is an urgency to it” (Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson).Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Great Books Podcast04:06 Exploring Dante's Purgatorio07:20 The Great Books Program at Pepperdine University10:18 The Significance of Purgatorio13:27 Understanding Envy in Purgatorio16:17 Contrary Virtues: Generosity and Kindness19:22 The Role of Sight and Blindness in Envy22:15 Dante's Moral Lessons on Envy25:14 Comparative Analysis with Inferno30:33 Dante's Poetic Structure and Contrapasso32:15 Comparative Analysis of Characters in Inferno and Purgatorio33:54 The Role of Good and Bad Examples in Moral Education34:14 The Shift from Temporal to Eternal Mindsets34:20 Understanding Canto 14: The Importance of Examples39:35 Canto 15: The Inquiry into Goods and Wrath49:58 Canto 16: The Purging of Wrath and Examples of Virtue51:35 Ecstatic Visions and Penitent Souls52:19 The Tyrant's Moment of Virtue53:28 Humanity in Purgatorio54:38 The Role of Mary in Purgatory56:02 Saint Stephen's Example of Forgiveness57:12 Virgil's Limitations as a Guide59:12 The Nature of Freedom in Purgatory01:03:07 The Importance of Canto 1601:04:37 Understanding Freedom in Dante's Context01:07:32 The Role of Law and Governance01:14:39 Self-Reflection and the State of the World01:23:48 Exploring Wrath in Purgatory01:30:57 Understanding the Structure of PurgatoryKeywords: Dante's Purgatorio, Cantos 13-17, spiritual growth, virtues and vices, education, great books, Dante analysis Dante's Divine Comedy, Purgatory, Virtues and Vices, Free Will, Theology, Morality, Literature, Catholic Teaching, Spiritual Journey

Guest speaker Matthew VonWald from Rhythm Church brings a powerful message from Gospel of John 2 on Jesus' first miracle at Cana.In an ordinary wedding, Jesus revealed extraordinary resurrection power. This message unpacks why proximity precedes pouring, why obedience unlocks the miraculous, and how God is forming us into new wineskins ready to steward what He's doing in this generation.God is pouring something new.The question is—are we ready to carry it?Support the show

Chapter 2 begins with Jesus' first sign at a wedding in Cana. We see that Jesus reveals his glory in three ways: as Lord, through joy, and in marriage.

This message reveals the powerful miracle of transformation Jesus performed at the wedding in Cana — turning ordinary water into extraordinary wine. Listeners can expect to be inspired to identify areas in their lives where they feel empty or lacking and to step into obedience that unlocks divine transformation.For more insights and resources, visit herbieMac.org/miracles.If you feel called to deepen your ministry and become ordained, go to HerbieMac.org/ordain.To submit prayer requests specifically for the miracle of transformation to take place in your life, please visit HerbieMac.org/prayer.

Today’s Topics: Father Thomas Czeck, OFM Conv., joins Terry 1) Gospel – John 4:43-54 – At that time Jesus left [Samaria] for Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. When He came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed Him, since they had seen all He had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast. Then He returned to Cana in Galilee, where He had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to Him and asked Him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. While the man was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. Now this was the second sign Jesus did when He came to Galilee from Judea. Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Terry and Father Thomas discuss Franciscan Spirituality and the hidden secrets of the Franciscan Order

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 "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.   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 "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. 1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee.

This first miracle by Jesus, recorded in John's gospel, may seem like an odd insertion into the Lenten journey. But it is the moment when Jesus made his public debut as not just a stirring teacher, but as a miraculous healer who was concerned about the wellbeing of others. His response to his mother that his “hour has not yet come” is a foretelling of his crucifixion and resurrection, when he would be poured out as blood and water for the salvation of others. In that way, the turning of water into wine is a kind of foreshadowing of his ultimate miracle. The Renaissance painter Veronese renders this story in vivid detail, both immersing the viewer in the story and expanding the hospitality of God to others.  Reflection Questions:1. When have you been to a family gathering where things didn't turn out as hoped? 2. How is God calling you to “widen the table” and make room for people to experience God's love? 3. How are you a character in the story of the wedding at Cana?Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

In this full-cut Visio Divina conversation, Magrey deVega and Dr. Rose Trentinella explore Tintoretto's depiction of the Wedding at Cana. Originally created for a monastery dining hall, the artwork was meant to surround viewers as they shared their own meals. Even more compelling, art historians believe Tintoretto may have painted himself into the scene—not looking out at us, but participating in the feast. What does it mean for an artist to place himself inside the miracle? And what might it mean for us, as we practice a slower, more attentive way of seeing? This conversation invites us to consider what we notice and where we find ourselves within the story.Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

This week, Kai from 3Ci shares a powerful message titled When the Wine Runs Out. Preaching from John 2, he uses the miracle at Cana to show how it can mirror the emptiness we sometimes feel in our own lives. We've all had that moment where everything looks fine on the outside, but on the inside, the tank is empty.,Kai reminds us that Jesus doesn't offer a quick top-up or a coping strategy — He offers Himself. As the true Bridegroom, He steps into our lack, carries the weight, and turns what's run dry into something abundant. And like Mary, our response is simple: bring Him the need… and do whatever He says.For up-to-date info, follow our socials: https://www.instagram.com/freedomchurchbenoni/https://www.facebook.com/FreedomChurchBenoniMore episodes on all podcast platforms and our YouTube channel:Follow the link below, or search "freedom church Benoni" on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, or YouTube Music! https://www.youtube.com/@freedomchurchbenoni/podcasts #freedomchurchbenoni #sundayfunday

Ioan 4 46. Isus S-a întors deci în Cana din Galileea, unde prefăcuse apa în vin. În Capernaum era un slujbaş împărătesc al cărui fiu era bolnav.47. Slujbaşul acesta a aflat că Isus venise din Iudeea în Galileea, s-a dus la El şi L-a rugat să vină şi să tămăduiască pe fiul lui care era […]

"That you May Believe" Series in John John 2:1-11

You Ain't Seen NOTHING Yet | The Gospel of John | John 2:10-11Have you ever felt like what you have to offer isn't enough? In this sermon, we dive into John 1:50–51 and John 2:10–11 and discover a powerful truth from the Gospel of John: when we bring Jesus what we have—even if it's just jars of water—He can turn it into something miraculous.At the wedding in Cana, the miracle wasn't just about water becoming wine. It was about obedience. It was about trust. It was about offering what was available and watching Jesus do what only He can do.Jesus told Nathanael, “You will see greater things than these.” That promise still stands. Prayer is the primary way we step out in faith, place our “jars” before Him, and believe Him for greater things.If you're waiting on a breakthrough, longing to see God move, or wondering if your small act of faith matters—this message is for you.Part of our series: The Gospel of John#GospelOfJohn #Faith #Prayer #Miracles #SermonThis week's message is from our Lead Pastor, John Letterman.Let's Connect: http://bit.ly/3XbRE9TFree Access To RightNow Media:https://app.rightnowmedia.org/join/rccreadingSocial Media:@riverviewchristian on Facebook and InstagramWebsite:riverviewchristian.churchSupport the show

Hosts Pastor Vincent Fernandez and Pastor Robert Baltodano Question Timestamps: Renee, NJ (1:37) - Can you explain the Trinity? Am I doing enough as a Christian? Debi, YouTube (12:50) - In Matthew 22, were the wedding clothes provided for the guests? Anonymous, CA (16:19) - Is it a sin for a Christian to refuse medical care? Is it okay for a Christian to sign a DNR? Anonymous, caller (22:38) - Was Peter in the wrong for speaking at the Transfiguration? What was the purpose of the Transfiguration? Dave, SC (26:00) - Should I be concerned about becoming a church member? Maggie, NY (33:38) - Who was the woman created in Genesis 1? Crystal, NJ (38:04) - Is Melchizedek still alive today? Was Melchizedek sinless? Daniella, GA (45:23) - What will our jobs be in heaven? Eric, NJ (50:01) - How should I handle relationships with unsaved friends who have bad habits? Robert, NY (54:18) - How many types of wine are there? What kind of wine did Jesus make at the wedding in Cana? Ask Your Questions: Call: 888-712-7434 Email: Answers@bbtlive.org

One of the best known quotes about preaching has been attributed to theologian, Karl Barth. Preachers must preach with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other. What to do when the newspaper seems to get heavier and heavier with every passing day? As the U.S. seems to descend further and further into a lawless, violent police state, terrorizing and killing its own citizens, ripping apart its families, and wreaking genocidal and military havoc around the world. On this first Sunday of Epiphany, Pastor Megan notices some things from the story of the Magi in Matthew 2: noncooperation with ill-intentioned and violent kings; God is a refugee. And then notices a couple of things from the water to wine story of the wedding at Cana from John 2: Jesus resists taking action but comes to realize that his time has indeed come to act; Jesus needs the servants as his human companions and co-creators of the miracle the world needs. And she wonders how these Epiphany stories from our Bible might read our current newspapers…?Sermon begins at minute marker 2:20John 2.1-11Resources:BibleWorm podcast: Episode 721 - Water into Wine, Amy Robertson and Robert Williamson, Jr.Karl Barth (1886-1968), Swiss-German Christian theologian. “[Barth] is considered…to be one of the greatest thinkers within the history of the Christian tradition. Barth gave new impulses to Protestant theology during a critical phase, reshaping it fundamentally toward a systematic theology that had to cope with the grim realities of the 20th century. As the principal author of “The Barmen Declaration,” he was the intellectual leader of the German Confessing Church, the Protestant group that resisted the Third Reich.”Matthew 2: story of the Magi & the holy family's flight into EgyptEzekiel 37: story of the valley of dry bones, and God instructing Ezekiel to prophesy to the four winds and then to prophesy to the bonesPrayer: Jesus, amplify the good; disrupt the plans of the evil; show me my place; Amen.Image: [As preachers,] “we must hold the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other.” Quote / sentiment famously attributed to theologian, Karl Barth.

No episódio de hoje, recebemos Bianca Cana, Bruno Teixeira, e José Herculano como host, em parceria com o Café com Comprador.Foi daquelas conversas que não ficam na teoria — entram no que realmente dói na prática.Falamos sobre os desafios reais para 2026:↳ gestão de contratos saindo do operacional para a governança;↳ fornecedores como risco + continuidade + reputação (não só custo);↳ IA deixando de ser hype e virando ferramenta de decisão;↳ carreira: como não ficar obsoleto num jogo que muda todo ano;↳ cases pessoais, erros, acertos e aprendizados de campo;​O recado que fica é simples (e desconfortável):quem ainda trata contratos, fornecedores e tecnologia como “apoio” vai sentir 2026 no caixa, no risco e na carreira.​Qual desses temas mais te preocupa para 2026:IA, contratos, fornecedores ou carreira?

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee … 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 … holding 20 or 30 gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” (John 2:1a, 3-7a)

At a wedding in Cana, when the wine runs out and quiet embarrassment sets in, Jesus performs His first sign — turning water into the very best wine. This miracle reveals a Savior who affirms the goodness of creation, cares about ordinary human need, and offers a deeper joy than this world can sustain. The wine we chase eventually runs dry, but Jesus provides a new wine that cleanses, renews, and points to a coming feast where joy will never end. Watch this sermon as Jason Harris explores why Jesus always saves the best for last, and what that means for our lives today. ________ Sign up for Central’s newsletters here. Visit us on our website to learn more. Follow us on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

Today we are going to look into the book of John and see what is called the first sign. John's gospel account is laid out in a really cool structure. It is the first of Seven Signs that point to Jesus being the Son of God. Turning water into wine, Healing the official's son, healing the paralytic, feeding the 5,000, walking on water, healing the blind man, raising Lazarus. 31 But these are written that you may believe[b] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:31Here's what I want you to hold onto today:The water into wine is the sign.A sign. Not because it was less than miraculous. It absolutely was miraculous. But John wants you to know: don't stop at the sign. Follow the sign. Let it point you somewhere.But the sign is pointing you toward three things:Who Jesus is. Why Jesus came. What Jesus offers.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 “Woman,[a] 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.” John 2:1-5A sign always points to the greater thing.WHO HE WAS v. 1-5, 11"The sign reveals Jesus' identity."John 2:1-5Wedding feast. Wine runs out. Cultural shame for the family. Mary brings it to Jesus.Notice Jesus' response in v.4: "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come."This sounds cold to modern ears. But "Woman" is a term of respect in that culture—He uses it again at the cross when He entrusts Mary to John (John 19:26).John 2:11APPLICATION:Most of us want Jesus to be a problem-solver, not a Lord.Mary comes to Him with a practical problem: no wine.Jesus responds as Lord: My hour has not yet come.He solves the problem—but He does it on His terms, in His timing, for His purposes.The sign points to this: He's not a genie. He's a King.2. WHY JESUS CAME v. 6-10"The sign reveals Jesus' mission"John 2:6-10Before Passover, before Sabbath, before meals—you wash. It's the system. The ritual. The religion. And it was never enough.You washed your hands and went right back to being the same person.Jesus doesn't add more water to the jars. He transforms them.This is the picture of the gospel:He doesn't just improve the old system. He replaces it with something entirely new.He doesn't make you a better version of who you were. He makes you new.THIS IS A SIGN POINTING TO SOMETHING GREATER:In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah is describing the Messianic Banquet—the end-of-all-things feast when God finally restores everything.Isaiah 25:6-8Isaiah is describing the Messianic Banquet—the end-of-all-things feast when God finally restores everything.Aged wine. The finest. Death swallowed up. Tears wiped away.And Jesus shows up at a wedding in Cana and quietly produces 120-180 gallons of the best wine anyone has ever tasted.He's not just filling jars. He's announcing: I am the fulfillment of Isaiah 25. The banquet has begun. The Messiah is here.Why He came: Not to patch up the old. To inaugurate the new. To launch the feast that never ends.3. WHAT HE OFFERS v10"The sign reveals what's available to us""What he is saying is, 'I come as Lord of the feast. Yes, I come to do self-denial. I come to suffer, and I come to be humbled. If you follow me, you will too. There will be plenty of self-denial and suffering and humbling too, but these are just means to an end. Here's the end. As Master of the banquet, as Lord of the feast, I am come.'" — Timothy Keller

We begin the season of Lent this week at Mayflower, with Rev. Sheridan Irick preaching from the Gospel according to John, chapter 2, verses 1 through 11. A passage also known as The Wedding at Cana. Livestreamed Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, from the sanctuary of Mayflower Congregational UCC Church in Oklahoma City.

Click here to WATCH LIVE STREAM Worship Service on our Youtube Channel. That You May Believe, Part 4 John 2:1-11   John 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 2:1-11 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 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 10 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.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:1-2 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.   John 2:3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”   John 2:4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”   John 2:6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.   John 2:7-8 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it.   John 2:9-10 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 10 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.”   John 2:11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.   Jesus provides a new and better covenant.   Jeremiah 31:31-34 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Mark 14:22-24 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.   Jesus provides lasting purification. Mark 7:5-9 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!   Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.   Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high   Jesus provides unending joy.   1 John 1:1-4 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.   Mark 14:25 “Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”   Revelation 19:6-9 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”   Isaiah 55:1-3 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.”   Respond | Connect | Next Steps The post John: That You May Believe appeared first on Charleston Baptist Church.

The Sign of Wine: Glory, Blessing, Blood John 2:1-12 Our sermon text this morning is John 2:1-12. In the lead up to these verses, Jesus has been introduced as the Son of God, the promised Messiah, the light of the world, the creator of all things, and various other titles and descriptions. John the Baptist and several of Jesus newly gathered disciples testified to those things. The apostle John now turns his attention to not just tell us who Jesus is, but to show us. In our passage this morning, we'll hear about the first miracle of Jesus. It happened at a wedding in Cana which is in the region of Galilee. Reading of John 2:1-12 Every single culture throughout human history has had weddings … you know, ceremonies and banquets. And there are some interesting customs. I've never been, but I understand that if you go to a Jewish wedding, you'll see the groom and sometimes the bride smash a piece of glass under their feet. At Greek weddings, the attendees will dance in big circles around the happy couple - apparently it's a sign of blessing. I've never witness that but I've seen the movie. A few years ago when I was in India with Pastor Chuck, we drove by a big wedding reception. There was an elephant and there were lots of colors. It was beautiful and very celebratory. And it's no wonder why weddings are so significant. God established marriage from the very beginning. Right there in Genesis 2, God instituted the union between man and woman. A man shall leave his father and mother and shall be united to his wife and they shall become one flesh. When I am meeting with engaged couples, one thing I emphasize is that Genesis 2 happened before Genesis 3. I know that sounds obvious and it is, but it is very significant.  Genesis 3 is the fall – it's when sin entered the world. Genesis 2 is when God established marriage. In other words, marriage between a man and a woman is part of God's created order before the fall. Marriage is not part of God's redemptive plan - No, it precedes it and transcends the fall. In other words, marriage is not just for Christians, rather, it is an institution that applies to all humanity. To be sure, not everyone is called to be married – the apostle Paul makes that clear. But marriage and family are at the very center of God's established order for humanity. So, it's no wonder that weddings have always been a big deal everywhere – because they are! I bring all that up because the fact that Jesus' very first miracle happened at a wedding is very significant. Jesus didn't turned water into wine at some arbitrary banquet. No, he did so at a wedding feast. He did so at a celebration of the most important union here on earth… and more importantly, a union modelled after his relationship with us - the marriage between Christ and his church. My hope is that as we work through what happened at this wedding in Cana, that you will see not only the glory of Jesus on display, but you will also see how it reveals the greater wedding banquet that is to come. Ok. Before we get into the specifics, I want to point out one other significant thing. Look at verse 11. It says, “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee.” Notice that John does not use the word “miracle.” No, instead he uses the word “sign.” Sign is the word that John uses throughout the book. In fact, chapters 2 through chapter 12 are sometimes called the “book of signs.”  The content of these chapters revolve around 7 signs that Jesus performed. The word sign comes from the Greek word “sēmeia.” The word indicates that these events are more than just miracles. They point to something significant. Think about all the English words derived from the Greek word for sign. Significant, signify, signal, assign… all of those capture the idea that there's a deeper meaning here. And that is what these signs are. They direct our attention not to the miracles themselves, but rather to what the miracles reveal. I think the clearest example of this I think is in chapter 6. Jesus multiplied the fish and the loaves and then he said to the crowd, “I am the bread of heaven.” Through that miracle, Jesus gave us a sign that he is the one who spiritually feed us and gives us life. So here at the wedding in Cana, it's not only that Jesus displayed his glory and power by turning water into wine. But Jesus also revealed greater things. The question is, then, to what is this sign signifying? … you know, beyond just Jesus' glory? Well, as we work through the narrative, there are two additional things that the sign of wine is signifying. It foreshadows the cleansing blood of Christ, and it demonstrates the abundant spiritual blessings that we have and will received in him. We'll consider those in three points: #1 the sign of Jesus' glory. #2, the foreshadowing of Jesus' blood. and #3 the foretaste of eternal blessing. 1. The Sign of Wine - Glory So, first, glory. I think you would agree, this miracle displays God's glory in and through Jesus. Verse 11 tells us that. It says, "…it manifested his glory." The very act of the miracle itself manifested (or displayed) Jesus' glory. And by the way, just to be sure, this really was wine. As some of our Baptist friends think, Jesus did not turn water into grape juice, but, in fact, wine, good wine. Ok, let's spend a little bit of time just walking through the narrative. Notice first that it mentions this happened on the third day. The way we count days today, it's actually two days later. Back then, the current day was considered day one as you count days. Tomorrow would be day two. And the day after is the third day. As you know, we usually count tomorrow as day 1. So, basically two days later, Jesus and his new disciples were at a wedding. They'd been invited. And we find that in some way, Jesus' mother, Mary, was helping. Perhaps this was a relative. Furthermore, Jewish weddings at the time were multiple day affairs - some of them would go on for 7 days. I know that's hard for us to even imagine. It involved multiple meals and celebratory things. Furthermore, the wine used throughout was more than just for enjoyment, it indicated a mutual blessing upon the families being united together as they celebrated the marriage. Also, the groom's family would have hosted it, and they would have spent a lot of time and money. So, it was a big deal. But we find out pretty quickly, that there's a crisis. They've run out of wine! They couldn't just send someone to Kroger or Publix. It was a major problem… and running out of wine would have come with a social stigma. The groom's family would have been very embarrassed. Why did they run out? We're not told.  it could have been poor planning. Maybe they had more people than they expected. Maybe people drank more than they thought they would. We just don't know. When Mary said to Jesus that there was no more wine, we get the sense that she knew Jesus could resolve the problem. But Jesus responds to her, "woman, what has this to do with me? My hour has not yet come." Now, to our ears, it sounds a little roughly worded. It sounds like Jesus was scolding his mother. But actually, the word 'woman' was used in a different way at that time. I think the NIV translation does a better job here. It says "dear woman." You see, the word "women" was sometimes used as a term of affection. Jesus was lovingly saying to his mother that it was not his problem. His "hour," as he said, had not yet come. We'll come back to the word "hour" in a few minutes. The bottom line is that Jesus indicated that this was not his matter to resolve. Notice, though, that he did not say he wouldn't help. Mary understood that and she knew that Jesus in some way could fix the problem. And so, what does she do? She tells servants, "Do whatever he says." Truly, it was a display of deep faith on her part. She believed in what he could do. Now, the venue had a set of stone purification jars - there were six of them. We'll come back to their ceremonial purpose in a minute. Jesus asked the servants to fill them. So, the servants followed through with Jesus request as Mary had told them to. They filled them "to the brim," it says. That would have taken some time. And then immediately when they finished, Jesus had them draw some of it out and they were to bring it to the master of the feast. At this point, the miracle had already been done - the servants knew it, which is pointed out for us. The servants also knew, as did Mary and the disciples, that the wine had run out… but now there was plenty. But the master of ceremonies didn't know any of that. And when he tasted the wine, it was not diluted nor was it lower quality wine that was sometimes served after the good wine. No, hardly at all. The master went straight to the groom and said, "you have kept the good wine until now." It was an encouraging word. Not only had disaster been averted, but quite the opposite happened. The celebration ramped up! The festivities continued with good wine served to the guests. What a tremendous blessing for the whole wedding party! Part of the miracle was that Jesus never touched the stone jars. He wasn't the one who filled them with water. He was also not the one to bring the new wine to the master of the ceremonies. In fact, we're not told that the master, nor the groom, nor the guests ever knew about the miracle. But the servants knew, and Mary knew, and Jesus' disciples knew - they had observed from a distance. And look at the brief note at the end of 11… right after it says that Jesus manifested his glory… it says, "And his disciples believed in him." You may remember, at the end of chapter 1, we're told that Nathaniel believed. But now we're given a full testimony that they all believed. You see, even though this sign was concealed to a select few, yet it testified to Jesus' identity as chapter 1 revealed - it displayed the glory of God in Christ. So that's one display - one sign. Glory through the miracle itself. 2. The Sign of Wine - Blood #2. The sign of blood. If time travel actually existed… and if you transported yourself back to a first century Jewish community, one thing you would see over and over were the various ceremonial washings. You see, in order to participate in various events and meals and ceremonies, you had to be clean. You had to be purified.  it was both a cleanliness thing and spiritual purification thing. The Jews were constantly purifying themselves. That involved taking fresh water from a purification container and washing. And there were very specific regulations for the process. Some of the purification regulations came from the law… specifically Exodus and Leviticus and Deuteronomy. We learn from Mark chapter 7, that there were other additional cleansing traditions that had been added And one important thing is that the water needed to come from living water - you know, fresh sources like springs or wells or mountain streams. This water for purification also needed to be stored in stone jars (or basins) - not clay or wood or leather. While those vessels were allowed to temporarily hold consumable liquid, they were not appropriate for the cleansing rite. Stone, on the other hands, was. It was impermeable - the water would remain clean over time. In fact, you were not supposed to transport the water to the stone basins in something made of clay or wood - no, the process had to be pure. And when the time came for the purification, like the washing of your hands or feet (or your whole body if something happened to make you unclean), you would draw the water out with a stone cup and you would wash off to the side. In other words, you wouldn't stick your hands or feet in the stone jars - that would only make the water unclean. In verse 8, that phrase "draw out" is the same word used for ceremonial cleansing. The servants drew out the wine for the master of the feast. So, when Jesus told the servants to fill the stone water jars, they would have known exactly where to get the water and how to fill them. Furthermore, Jesus' disciples and his mother and the original readers would have been very familiar with all of it. What I am saying is that all of them would have understood the symbolism of the purification jars. A greater cleansing had come - the new wine has arrived. Even though the master of ceremonies, nor the guests, nor the bride and groom didn't know what happened, yet Mary and the servants and disciples did. They witnessed Jesus foreshadowing that he would cleanse them from their sin. Now, I doubt that Mary or Jesus' disciples would have associated the wine with Jesus' blood. I'm talking about at that moment. But let's go back to what Jesus' said to Mary. He said, "my hour has not yet come." We will come across that phrase multiple times throughout the Gospel of John. Jesus was indicating that an "hour" would come when his purpose in coming would be fulfilled. Jesus was referring to the "hour" of his crucifixion. In Jesus' prayer in chapter 17, right before he was arrested, Jesus prayed, "Father, the hour has come..." As he's performing this miracle, Jesus had just referenced his coming crucifixion. One commentator pointed out that immediately after Jesus died, a Roman soldier pierced Jesus' side… do you remember what came forth? blood and water. The apostle John makes a point to note that. That's in John 19 verse 34. You see, the cleansing water of purification is fulfilled in the cleansing blood of Christ. Again, at the time, Mary and the disciples didn't fully understand, but when they reflected back on this miracle, they would realize its significance. It displayed the cleansing that they would receive by faith in Christ through what he accomplished on the cross. In 1 John chapter 1 (the first of the apostle John's letters)… In 1 John 1:7, the apostle said that if we walk in the light of Christ… that is, if we believe in him and demonstrate that belief, he said, "the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin." You see, the ceremonial purification was anticipating the cleansing ministry of Jesus… a cleansing that we all need, and which we received by faith. The wine signified Jesus blood. It's just like at the Last Supper when Jesus said that the cup was the new covenant in his blood, for the forgiveness of sin. 3. The Sign of Wine: Foretaste of Eternal Blessing So, #1 glory, #2 blood, and now, #3 abundant and eternal blessing. Let's look again at verse 6. We've talked about the significance of the purification jars. But did you notice how large they each were? There were six of them and they each contained about 20-30 gallons. Each one of them was about as big as a normal size bathtub, today. That's big! And multiply that by 6 and you get about 150 gallons! That's a lot of wine. Is it possible that the wedding was that large and they needed that much wine? Yeah, it's possible. But the point of letting us know the volume of water turned to wine is not to tell us the size of the wedding. We're not given any details about the wedding. We don't know who the bride and groom were. No, the point of notating the size was to indicate the sheer volume of the wine. It signified the abundant blessing that Jesus's ministry has and will bring. His ministry to us is and will be far more abundant than what we can ask for or imagine. And let me say, even at those times in our lives when we feel like the wine has run out. You know, when we are worn down, or our faith feels weak or our hope is seemingly gone. Even during those times, we can know that there is an abundance of grace still to be poured out… far more than we can see or imagine. By the way, this concept of blessing through wine is rooted in a couple of Old Testament passages. God's people are told that when the Messiah comes, when the time is fulfilled, there will be an abundance of wine. It's really a metaphorical illustration of God's blessing. For example, the prophet Amos in chapter 11 prophesied of how days would come when the mountains would drip with sweet wine and the hills would flow with wine. Well, the fulfillment of those prophecies was coming true in Christ. This sign at Cana, this miracle, in part was revealing that the blessing of the Messiah had come… AND will come. As I mentioned earlier, the fact that this miracle happened at a wedding banquet is not happenstance. Rather, God was giving a foretaste of what would come. Yes, Jesus' ministry was ushering in a time of blessing to every tongue and nation, now… but the ultimate blessing that this sign is signifying is the greater wedding feast that has yet to come. In other words, the abundance on display here, in this miracle, is directing us to the eternal marriage supper of the Lamb. At the very beginning of God's Word was a marriage, you know, Genesis 2. Well, the Scriptures end with another marriage celebration. The Bible is book-ended by weddings. That second one will be the wedding between the Lamb of God and his church. You see, God has betrothed his people to himself. He has kept the covenant vows for us. This marriage will not be broken or marred by sin. No, Jesus was crucified for our spiritual adultery. He has made us, his bride, ready. Jesus, the bridegroom, has clothed his bride, the church, with fine linen bright and pure, as Revelation 19 says. And on that day, we will celebrate. The wine will never run out. We will rejoice and worship. Our purification in the blood of the Lamb will be forever. We will be pure and holy for he is pure and holy. God has saved for us, on that day, the choicest of wines - eternal blessing. So, as we think about and consider Jesus' miracle at Cana, yes, let's celebrate the glory that turning water into wine displays. Let's honor Jesus as the creator God who can do such a thing. But let's not miss the eternal redemptive picture we are given here. There is one who alone can purify. Jesus has offered his blood, his life, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and sin. And, may we by faith look forward to that day when we will rejoice and worship the Lamb forever. For on that day, we will feast and drink and celebrate, not at someone else's wedding, but our wedding celebration as the bride of Christ. Amen

A Sermon for the First Sunday in Lent Ephesians 2:1-10 by The Rev'd Dr. Matthew Colvin             Week after week, I see Pastor Bill preaching the Bible to you on Sundays, and I want to commend him to you. I'm not sure you are aware how rare it is to have a pastor who does his own translation work in the Hebrew and Greek, and who attempts, with diligence and great effort, to read the text of the Bible anew, divide it up properly, and serve it to you. What matters to Pastor Bill in his preaching to you is what the Bible actually says — the actual point of the gospels' stories, or the actual meaning of the prophecies of the prophets, or the actual meaning of Paul's arguments in his letters — not what famous theologians have used the Bible to say, or what scholastic medieval philosophy says it can and cannot mean, or the way modern self-help gurus can use Bible verses out of context to tell a very different story. If you attend to the words delivered from this pulpit, you are being trained to understand the Bible on its own terms, rather than watching as a slick speaker uses the Bible to express his own ideas. The story needs to be your story; you are to think of yourself as a child of Abraham, as a sharer in Israel's Messiah, as someone in covenant with Israel's God. Since it is the first Sunday in Lent, we are confronted with the very first episode of Jesus' public ministry after his baptism by John the Baptist. This story has much to teach us about Jesus' work as the Messiah, the nature of his sufferings, and ultimately, the way we ought to think about God Himself. I want to start by thinking about what it means when the Messiah goes into the desert. In Acts 21, when Paul is arrested in Jerusalem, the Roman centurion is surprised that he knows Greek: “Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?" -Acts 21:38 (I joke to my Greek students that knowing Greek is handy if you are ever suspected of being a terrorist.) In Acts 5, Gamaliel mentioned Judas of Galilee and Theudas, false messiahs who also started their rebellions against Rome by going out into the wilderness. Why do so many messiahs begin this way? Because they are attempting recapitulate of Israel's story. And the true Messiah also relives the story of Israel, embodying it in the events that happen to him: he has already gone down to Egypt to escape a tyrannical attempt to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem, much as Pharaoh tried to kill all the male Hebrew babies; he has already been baptized in the Jordan, as Paul says Israel was “baptized in the cloud and in the sea” of the Exodus; and now he goes into the Wilderness to be tempted for 40 days, as Israel was tempted for 40 years. Covenant history rhymes, as the saying goes. So that is why Jesus is in the desert. There remains explain why he is being tested, and how he resists that temptation, and what these things tell us about the Messiah and about God. We must recognize that Jesus resisted Satan's temptation as true man, as a matter of his messianic office. Jesus' self-understanding as the Messiah was in terms of the latter chapters of Isaiah, i.e. the suffering servant. This understanding of his calling is why he girded himself with a towel and washed his disciples' feet at the Last Supper; it is why he set his face like flint to go to Jerusalem; it is why he undertakes to drink the cup of suffering, and sheds sweat like drops of blood falling to the ground during his agonized prayer in Gethsemane. Being this kind of Messiah involved contradicting the expectations that other men had about what the Messiah would be like. When Jesus is on trial, the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate, for instance, asks him — in a question whose statement-like word order indicates incredulity — “You are the king of the Jews?” (that is the word order, sarcastic or incredulous), and then puts over his head a sign reading “Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Jews,” in three languages, so that everyone could get the joke. Pilate mocks Jewish pretensions to even have a king. That is why he refused to change the sign to say only “He claimed to be the king of the Jews.”  It is also why he also brings out Barabbas and asks the Jews, “Whom do you want me to give to you? Barabbas, or the king of the Jews?” Pilate is operating with the standard pagan understanding of kingship: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28) Pontius Pilate and the Romans were expecting someone taller, perhaps. Of course, Jesus could have met those expectations, as he told the soldiers who arrested him in Gethsemane: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53) It isn't that he couldn't just blow the Romans away with fire from heaven. But that is not his agenda. That is not what the Messiah has come to do. He has come “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus also has to correct the expectation of the Jews about what the Messiah is to be like — even the expectation of his own disciples! It is this self-understanding that makes Jesus tell his disciples in Mt 16:22-23 that “he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." Peter's suggestion that Jesus could be the Mesiah without suffering and dying is so inimical to Jesus' self-understanding and his mission that he calls Peter “Satan.” And rightly so, because what Peter is suggesting is pretty much of the same spirit as what Satan himself suggests in our gospel lesson this morning. So that is the background: Jesus as the true Israelite, the Messiah, is in the desert, not to lead a rebellion or a gang of terrorists, but to be tested as Israel was tested. Against all this background, we are ready to hear the words, both of Satan tempting, and of Jesus answering, and hear them with richer and fuller meaning — meaning not from Greek philosophy or self-help gurus or even systematic theologians, but rather, from the story of Israel. With his first temptation, Satan seeks to exploit Jesus' hunger: “The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written,  "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:3-4) Any of you who have ever been hangry know exactly why Satan is doing this. Jesus, no less than we, lived his earthly incarnate life in a body, and that body was subject to weakness. Jesus is not like Superman, so that bullets or nails would bounce off his skin. He was capable of suffering, and he did suffer. Satan is suggesting that Jesus should exploit his Messianic status — for that is what is meant by “If you are the Son of God” — and use it to avoid this suffering. Take your authority over all creation and use it to transform stones into bread. This is not a ridiculous suggestion. It is similar to Jesus' first miracle in John's gospel, where he turned water into wine for the wedding at Cana. But the aim of the action here would be quite different. Satan's meaning is basically the same as Peter's suggestion: “Suffer from hunger? Why put up with that? This shall never happen to you!” Jesus' answer is a quotation from Deuteronomy 8:3. (In fact, all three of Jesus' answers to Satan are from Deuteronomy. (Dt. 8:3, 6:16, and 6:13). That is, they are taken from Moses' instructions to Israel about how to live with the Lord. Jesus is the one who follows Deuteronomy's description of the faithful Israelite perfectly.) As so often, however, Jesus' quotations of the Old Testament are metaleptic —a fancy Greek word that means “takes along with it.” The idea here is that if I say, “We stand on guard for thee,” it would be a mistake for someone to try to understand that utterance merely by using a dictionary to look up “stand” and “guard” and so forth. The meaning of that phrase is rather to be found in the larger context of the Canadian national anthem as a whole, because that is how everyone who hears it will immediately start thinking in their minds: all the other verses will come flooding into your minds; you will perhaps recall occasions when you sang it: in school, or at sporting events; or watching a Olympic medal ceremony. Just so, when Jesus quotes the Old Testament, every Israelite hearer will not just think of the words he quotes; he will think also of the surrounding context, the story in which those words first occurred. So when we look at Deuteronomy 8:3, we should also think about the immediately preceding verse: "The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers. And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.” (Deuteronomy 8:1-2) And then it goes on to say, in the very next verse, “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) This is what Jesus has in mind: he has been in the wilderness for forty days, being humbled, being tested. He answers Satan from the very passage of Deuteronomy that has to do with his situation: it is about testing in the wilderness. He has been thinking about this verse for a while now. The tempter's second try is with a more showy possibility: Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,  "'He will command his angels concerning you,'  and  "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" -Matthew 4:6 This would be an impressive display! Who could fail to follow a Messiah who had made such a proof of divine power? Jesus had answered the first temptation by quoting Scripture. But the devil can quote Scripture for his purposes, so Satan appeals to lines from Psalm 91:11-12. And again, he knows what he is doing: at a time when Jesus feels alone, when he is in the desert, Satan tempts him with lines from that most comforting song: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” It is full of promises of God's protection and deliverance: in battle, from wild animals, from dangerous diseases. And yet it is singularly inappropriate for Jesus' messianic vocation: He has come to suffer and die. To avail himself of divine protection against these sufferings would be to deny his messiahship. So Jesus replies with words from Deuteronomy again. "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" -Matthew 4:7 This is from Deuteronomy 6, that chapter which contains the Shema, the single verse of the Torah that could be called the creed of Israel: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” It is the core chapter of the Torah about Israel's relationship with God. He has rescued her from Egypt and taken her to Himself to be His bride; at Mount Sinai, he has married her. But Israel was not faithful. She tested the Lord like a wife acting up to trying to make her husband angry. When there was no water to drink, Exodus 17 says, “Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?" (Exodus 17:2) The verb used here, and also by Jesus in Matthew 4:7, is πειράζω. Note well: Who was doing the testing in the wilderness for 40 years? Exodus and Deuteronomy say it clearly: Israel was testing YHWH. And thus, we may perceive some clever irony in Jesus' answer to Satan here. For Satan is called “the tempter,” and in Greek, that is nothing other than a participle form of this same verb πειράζω, literally, “the testing one.” So on the one hand, Jesus' quotation of Deuteronomy 6:16 could mean, “You are asking me to test God by throwing myself down from the Temple. I am not going to do it, because Moses warned Israel not to test God.” But it could also mean, “You are testing God, Satan.” Satan doesn't take the hint. He keeps on testing Jesus. There will be more attempts later, but the last temptation that Satan tries on Jesus in the wilderness is narrated like this: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." -Matthew 4:8-9 Why does Satan take him to a very high mountain? In the Bible, mountaintop scenes are real estate transactions. If I sell you this pen, it's simple enough: you put money in my hand, and I put the pen in yours, and you carry it away with you. But houses and land don't fit in your pocket. So we have other procedures. In our day, we get banks and notaries involved and sign a lot of documents. But in the ancient world, you took possession by inspecting the property after the transfer.  This is done in the case of Abram in Genesis 13:17: “Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” The same thing happens when Moses is about to die; in one sense, Moses doesn't get the promised land, because he dies before he can enter into it; but in another sense, God actually gives him the land, because he takes him up on a mountain and shows it to him, and this is the formal transfer of the land: “Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho; view the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession..” (Deuteronomy 32:49) Satan is attempting to use the same convention in Matthew 4:8. He is trying to get Jesus to make a deal, offering the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship. But Jesus has no need to make such a bargain, for God had already promised to give the Messiah everything Satan is offering, and Jesus, whose self-understanding as the Messiah is shaped by Isaiah's description of the suffering servant, knows it very well from Isaiah 49: The Lord says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." (Isaiah 49:6) He knows it also from Psalm 2: I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. Ask of God. Not of Satan. The nations belong to the Lord, not to Satan. Jesus has no intention of making a bargain to purchase what Satan wrongly claims to own. In Matthew 12, after the Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Satan, Jesus replies that, How can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. (Matthew 12:29) And he does plunder it. We see the result in Revelation 20: “And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer...” -Revelation 20:3 And as for the real estate deal Satan was trying to make, well, we see the end of that at the very end of Matthew's gospel. For the Great Commission too takes place on a mountain, and this setting seems significant, especially in light of Jesus' declaration that “all authority in heaven and earth” has been given to Him. This is a pointed contrast with Satan's lying statement, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.” (Luke 4:6 NKJV) Quite the contrary, Jesus, having refused Satan's bargain, and having bound him and plundered his goods, now bestows the kingdom on His disciples and takes possession of the nations by sending his disciples to teach and baptize them. I want to end by correcting three misapprehensions that some people might have about this story, which may prevent them from grasping what it teaches us about God. One mistake some have is that Jesus didn't really suffer in the wilderness; that His divine nature was smirking and unbothered by Satan's temptations aimed at his human nature; that all these things just rolled off of Jesus like water off a duck's back. We know this was not the case. Recall Gethsemane again, where Jesus begged the Father to “take this cup from me,” and his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood — drops of blood, not water off a duck's back. A second mistake would be to think that, yes, Jesus suffered, but that's only because He is human. But that is not what the Bible says. It says that Jesus revealed the Father by his sufferings; that if you want to know what the Father is like, you should look at Jesus, for He who has seen Him has seen the Father. Greek philosophers say that God is an unmoved mover, and that God cannot suffer because he is perfect; but the Bible tells us that Jesus was “made perfect by sufferings.” (Heb. 5:9) Greek philosophers tell us that God cannot be afflicted; the Bible says that “in all their afflictions, He was afflicted.” (Isaiah 63:9) Greeks and Romans thought that suffering was miserable and degrading, and that if you are suffering, you must not have any glory or power; the Bible says that Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore — not in spite of his sufferings, but because of them! — God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.” (Philippians 2:8) There is no clearer picture of Israel's God than the cross of Jesus Christ. That is where we finally see God fully revealed. Finally, a third mistake would be to think that, yes, Jesus' sufferings were powerful and important, but ours are not. The truth is exactly the opposite. As George MacDonald put it, “The Son of God suffered, not that we might not suffer, but that our sufferings might be like His.” And they are. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory...” (2 Corinthians 4:17) We are in the Messiah. His story, Israel's story, is our story. In Him, we are faithful Israelites, true to Deuteronomy 6. In Him, we are the suffering servant of Isaiah's prophecies. In Him, the kingdoms of the world belong to us. In Him, we too are victorious over Satan. Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, for our sake you fasted forty days and forty nights: give us grace so to discipline ourselves that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit, we may always obey your will in righteousness and true holiness, to the honour and glory of your name; for you live and reign with the Father and Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

We start off the First Sunday of Lent with the first story of Jesus interacting with the world in the Gospel of John, the Wedding of Cana. This is a unique way to introduce Jesus to the world, but we can learn a lot about the Good News when we peel back the layers of this story and see the abundance and surprising nature of it. What is always important to remember is, it may surprise us, but it is never a surprise to God.  Thank you again for joining us in worship. For more information about our congregation, please visit our website at milfordhillsumc.org. If you would like to support Milford Hills UMC's mission to Love, Serve, and Live as Christ, please visit milfordhillsumc.org/give or text 'GIVE' to 833-264-3866. Please subscribe to our channel to stay updated when our new worship services and other videos are released. 

The Good News is that God's love for us in Jesus Christ catches us by surprise – because God always loves us and the whole world more. What Jesus does in his testing in the wilderness and at the wedding at Cana should catch us by surprise. It's not the way the world works – but it points us to the way the world ought to be.

Did Jonah really get swallowed by a whale, or is the story symbolic? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Catholic Answers apologists tackle this question along with several others about Scripture and theology. They discuss how to prepare for conversations with Muslims using the Bible, why giants appear after the flood, and whether Catholics can accept the Orthodox canon as inspired. The conversation also explores what St. Paul means by being “slaves to sin” and what Christ truly accomplished through redemption. Additional questions address modern concerns about alcohol in light of the wedding at Cana and clarify how the Bible uses terms like mind, heart, soul, and spirit. A wide-ranging discussion on biblical interpretation and Catholic teaching. Questions Covered: 01:22 – Did Jonah actually get swallowed by a whale?  11:27 – Is there some part of the bible I should study to prepare to speak to Muslims?  17:16 – When the Israelites entered the holy land they fought giants. Why are there giants after the flood?  21:03 – Can we as Catholics personally hold the belief that the Orthodox canon is divinely inspired?  23:54 – Romans talk about being a slave to sin. What did Jesus actually accomplish if we are slaves to sin?  34:39 – New research suggests that no human should consume alcohol because of how bad it is for humans. How could God create and make water into wine at the wedding of Cana knowing how harmful it is for humans?  45:50 – Does the bible mean the same thing when it refers to the mind, heart, soul and spirit? 

Lent, historically, at least, is a bit of a heavy season, with an emphasis on penitence, and self-reflection, and those things that are "wrong" in our lives and the life of the world. This year, we're shifting our focus a bit, to the fundamentals of the Gospel...the Good things that are the Good News. And so we start today with Good News from two places in the text, which highlight how the Gospel can surprise us...the Wedding at Cana, and Jesus' Parable of the Mustard Seed. Join us to talk joy, potential, and the goodness of life.

At a wedding with no wine and hearts running on empty, Jesus steps in. Pastor Jeff Schreve shows how the first miracle at Cana reveals a Savior who cares about your everyday problems, fills emptiness to the brim, and turns shame into joy when we do what He says.

Pastor Matt Sturdivant explored John chapter 2, highlighting two key scenes that reveal Jesus' transformative mission. At the wedding in Cana, Jesus turned water into wine, demonstrating that He brings something entirely new rather than just improving what exists. Using the stone purification jars representing the old system, Jesus showed He offers heart transformation, not mere behavior modification. Many believers settle for "water level Christianity" that's safe and shallow, when Jesus offers a "good wine level life" full of joy, power, and Spirit-led living. Significantly, this first miracle happened at an ordinary celebration, showing Jesus cares about every part of our lives - family, work, stress, and even our messes. The second scene, Jesus cleansing the temple, revealed His confrontation with corrupted worship. What was meant to be a house of prayer had become a religious Marketplace exploiting worshipers. Jesus wasn't just cleaning a building but declaring a shift - He Himself would become the meeting place between God and humanity. After the cross, the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom, removing the barrier between God and people. Pastor Matt concluded with four applications: stop settling for water Christianity, invite Jesus into ordinary life, let Him flip tables in corrupted areas, and build life on the risen Jesus rather than religious systems. The extended podcast discussion clarified that John 2 doesn't license indulgence in alcohol or anger, but calls for submitting all freedoms to Christ's lordship.

Pastors don't start cynical or burned out. But somewhere along the way, the wine runs out and we keep preaching, leading, and carrying burdens we were never meant to carry.In a Practically Pastoring Conference session, Tim Wildsmith walks through John 2:1–11 and connects it with Matthew 11:28–30, offering a simple but piercing invitation: name the need, surrender the burden, and pursue soul rest in Jesus before ministry emptiness turns into something worse.Follow Tim Wildsmith:Website: https://timwildsmith.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@timwildsmithInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/timwildsmithX: https://x.com/timwildsmithFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimWildsmith/Timestamps:00:00 – Tim's story (Belmont, YouTube, Bible nerd life)03:44 – Why this talk (ministry grind, running on empty)05:42 – Reading: John 2:1–11 (Wedding at Cana)08:02 – When the wine runs out (ministry parallels)10:29 – Mary's model: “They have no more wine” (name the need)12:57 – Burnout realities + overwhelming expectations15:28 – Matthew 11:28–30: where do you go for rest?19:23 – The “rock” exercise: why we don't want to set burdens down22:12 – What is the soul? (Dallas Willard) + “rest for your souls”25:12 – Take His yoke: you can't wear both yokes27:23 – Back to John 2: obedience makes space for Jesus to work29:10 – Production vs. obedience (faithfulness, not self-sufficiency)30:04 – Diagnostic questions: where has the wine run out?32:07 – Practical step: name the need (even hard conversations)36:24 – Prayer for peace, surrender, and courageLinks:

As we begin our I Am More series, Pastor Zach walks us through Jesus' first miracle at the wedding in Cana, showing how God meets people in ordinary, everyday moments. He highlights how what seems small or inconvenient to us often carries deeper need – and Jesus responds with abundance, care, and purpose. At the center of the story is a Savior who reveals his glory not through spectacle, but through quiet provision. Pastor Zach reminds us that More Life begins when we trust Jesus with the moments we might otherwise overlook.Looking to keep the conversation going? Learn more here.

In this message from John chapter 2, Pastor Matt explores two seemingly different scenes - the wedding at Cana and the cleansing of the temple - under the big idea that "Jesus didn't come to improve religion. He came to transform me to be the object of my worship and the center of my life." At the wedding, Jesus transforms water used for ritual purification into excellent wine, symbolizing how He brings something entirely new rather than just improving what already exists. This represents heart transformation, not mere behavior modification, as Jesus offers abundant new life to those who believe. In the temple cleansing, Jesus confronts the corrupted worship system where the Court of Gentiles had become a Marketplace with overpriced animals and unfair money-changing practices. By driving out the merchants, Jesus declares that the center of worship is no longer the temple building but Himself. When the temple curtain later tears from top to bottom at His crucifixion, it confirms that Jesus is now the way people meet God directly. Pastor Matt emphasizes that Jesus cares about our whole lives - both ordinary celebrations and significant spiritual matters - calling believers to move beyond "water level" Christianity to the transformational "wine level" life He offers.

What does it mean to follow Jesus when life feels like a wilderness, temptation is real, community is messy, and the kingdom of God feels distant? In this message, Minister Mark Ashton walks through key moments in the early ministry of Jesus — from the wilderness temptations in Luke 4, to the miracle at Cana, the calling of disciples, and the announcement of the kingdom.As part of the Long Story Short: New Testament journey, this teaching explores how Jesus models Spirit-led living, combats shortcuts and temptation with scripture, transforms shame into celebration, and invites ordinary people into a kingdom mission that changes everything. Whether you're wrestling with faith, seeking purpose, or longing to hear God's voice more clearly, this message offers biblical insight and practical encouragement for everyday life.You'll discover:• how Jesus overcame temptation in the wilderness and what that means for spiritual battles today• why the miracle of water into wine points to gospel transformation and freedom from shame• what true discipleship looks like inside imperfect community• how to understand the kingdom of God as the effective rule and reign of King Jesus in your lifeIf you're searching for hope, direction, or deeper understanding of the New Testament, this message will help you see how scripture shapes relationships, leadership, forgiveness, and Spirit-led living.

Sermons Archive RSS John 4:43-54 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.John 20:31 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 6:41,42 The Jews complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” And they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, “I have come down from heaven”? John 7:5 For even His brothers did not believe in HimJohn 6:66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. John 12:3: But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in HimJohn 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.Matthew 8:10 & 13 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!13: Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” John 20:30-31 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.James 1:5-8 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.Luke 18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. Sermon Discussion Questions:Why did Jesus decide to go to Galilee rather than remain in Judea?How do we see the faith of the Nobleman Progress throughout this section?What is Jesus' initial response to the man's requestAccording to what was discussed, in which two ways are we supposed to pray? “Despised Samaritans turn to Christ, while many of the historic covenant community either actively oppose Him, or cannot progress beyond a fascination for miracles” — Hendrickson

Water into Wine - Jesus' First Miracle (Sermon Series on John) - Sunday, 15th February 2026[Episode 9 - John Chapter 2 KJV]Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”Isaiah 5:11: “Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!”Isaiah 28:7 “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way.”Proverbs 31:4-5: “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.”Isaiah 5:22: “Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink.”Leviticus 10:9 (a command to priests): “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die.”Habakkuk 2:15: “Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also.”If we stood at a table with biblical wine, modern wine, and modern spirits, we'd see a progression of strength. Biblical wine—often diluted—was gentle, maybe 5 to 10 percent( strong drink, diluted 3%). Today's wine, undiluted, stands around 12 to 15 percent, a bit bolder. And then, modern spirits—like vodka at 40 percent—tower over them both. In essence, what began as a mild companion to daily life has evolved into something that demands respect, moderation, and a designated driver1. They have no wine! John 2:1-3 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.2. What have I to do with you mother?John 2:4  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.3. My hour is not yet come.John 2:4  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.4. Do what ever He says.John 2:5  His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.5. The miracleJohn 2:6-8 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.6. His disciples believed on Him.John 2:11  This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

“Come, join in Cana's feast Where Christ is honored Guest. He welcomes all who come to taste The wine His hands have blessed. “Come, friends, and share the feast; Here drink the wine supplied By Him who is both Guest and Host—For us, the crucified.”

The Clintons agreed to testify in a congressional investigation related to their involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, Democrats unexpectedly flip a Texas Senate seat in a special election. And finally, Billie Eilish gets checked by the indigenous for her comments on "stolen land." All this and more on the LOOPcast!Get your FREE PHONE as a new Charity Mobile user with every new line — and FREE SHIPPING — with promo code LOOPCAST at https://bit.ly/LOOPcast-CharityMobile Families can now find over 100 faithful Catholic schools, colleges, and graduate programs that meet The Cardinal Newman Society's high standards of fidelity and formation in The Newman Guide. Request your FREE eBook copy of the 2025-2026 Newman Guide here: https://cardinalnewmansociety.org/loopcast  Celebrate the Catholic contribution to the US on its 250th anniversary at the 21st annual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast! 1500+ attendees will experience a beautiful morning of prayer, inspiring speakers, and more! https://bit.ly/LOOPcast-NCPB-2026 00:00 Welcome to the LOOPcast06:23 SSPX Update12:26 Clintons to Testify36:29 Good News44:17 TX Special Election1:00:34 Twilight Zone1:09:00 Closing PrayerEMAIL US: loopcast@catholicvote.org SUPPORT LOOPCAST: www.loopcast.orgCheck out the LOOPcast on Zeale: https://zeale.co Subscribe to the LOOP today!https://catholicvote.org/getloop  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-loopcast/id1643967065 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08jykZi86H7jKNFLbSesjk?si=ztBTHenFR-6VuegOlklE_w&nd=1&dlsi=bddf79da68c34744 FOLLOW LOOPCast: https://x.com/the_LOOPcast  https://www.instagram.com/the_loopcast/ https://www.tiktok.com/@the_loopcast https://www.facebook.com/LOOPcastPodcast Tom: https://x.com/TPogasic Erika: https://x.com/ErikaAhern2  Josh: https://x.com/joshuamercer Mary, Mother of the "Yes", you listened to Jesus,and know the tone of his voice and the beating of his heart.Morning Star, speak to us of him,and tell us about your journey of following him on the path of faith.Mary, who dwelt with Jesus in Nazareth,impress on our lives your sentiments,your docility, your attentive silence,and make the Word flourish in genuinely free choices.Mary, speak to us of Jesus, so that the freshness of our faithshines in our eyes and warms the heart of those we meet,as you did when visiting Elizabeth,who in her old age rejoiced with you for the gift of life.Mary, Virgin of the Magnificathelp us to bring joy to the world and, as at Cana,lead every young person involved in service of othersto do only what Jesus will tell them.Mary, look upon the Agora of youth,so that the soil of the Italian Church will be fertile.Pray that Jesus, dead and Risen, is reborn in us,and transforms us into a night full of light, full of him.Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, Gate of Heaven,help us to lift our eyes on high.We want to see Jesus, to speak with him,to proclaim his love to all.All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote.