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

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

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?

This sermon was preached by Stephen van Rhyn at Common Ground Church Rondebosch on the 22nd of February 2026.Series: The Book of JohnSermon Title: Wedding in CanaScripture: John 2:1-12‘Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.' (1 Timothy 4:13)

This sermon was preached by Stephen van Rhyn at Common Ground Church Rondebosch on the 22nd of February 2026.Series: The Book of JohnSermon Title: Wedding in CanaScripture: John 2:1-12‘Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.' (1 Timothy 4:13)

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

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.

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.

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.

TEMPO DE REFLETIR 01678 – 17 de fevereiro de 2026 Gênesis 17:4 – Quanto a Mim, será contigo a Minha aliança; serás pai de numerosas nações. Algo marcante da experiência de Abraão foi sua fé inabalável na vontade de Deus. Isso não implica que jamais tenha duvidado ou fracassado. O Antigo Testamento revela sua falta de confiança. Às vezes, era impaciente. Em outras ocasiões, agiu como enganador; mas sua fé estava em ascensão. Durante a vida, ele desenvolveu uma firme confiança em Deus. O Senhor chamou Abraão, de Ur dos Caldeus, escolhendo-o como um recipiente especial de Suas bênçãos. Sua primeira grande prova de fé veio quando ele tinha 75 anos. O Senhor garantiu-lhe que se tornaria o pai de uma grande nação, caso fosse aprovado no teste, dirigindo-se à desconhecida terra de Canaã, 600 quilômetros, ao sul. Deus disse: “Abençoarei os que te abençoarem e amaldiçoarei os que te amaldiçoarem; em ti serão benditas todas as famílias da Terra” (Gn 12:3). Abraão creu e obedeceu, pela fé. Reuniu os pertences da família, e partiu. Sua fé devia ser muito forte, mas não era completa. Quando a fome varreu Canaã, ao invés de esperar a providência divina, foi para o Egito em busca de comida. Lá, forjou uma mentira, alegando que Sara, sua esposa, era sua irmã. E nem objetou quando a levaram para o palácio. Não fosse a intervenção de Deus, Sara se tornaria uma das esposas do faraó egípcio. A fé de Abraão foi testada outra vez enquanto ele esperava um filho. E novamente fracassou, ao ter um filho com Hagar, sua serva. Sentindo-se culpado, arrependeu-se e, finalmente, Sara concebeu Isaque. Mas o teste supremo aconteceu foi quando Deus lhe pediu Isaque em sacrifício. O patriarca obedeceu. Acordou o filho, cortou a lenha, subiu o Monte Moriá e erigiu um altar. Chegou a erguer o cutelo; mas quando estava prestes a matar Isaque, Deus clamou: “Não estendas a mão sobre o rapaz e nada lhe faças; pois agora sei que temes a Deus, porquanto não Me negaste o filho, o teu único filho” (Gn 22:12). A fé venceu! Hoje, nossa fé também é provada. Se fracassamos, Deus nos fortalece. Será assim até quando, aprovados no teste final, formos com Ele para o lar. Reflita sobre isso no dia de hoje e ore comigo agora: Deus e Pai: fica ao meu lado e ao lado de cada um que me ouve quando somos provados ou testados. Assim como Abraão venceu, que sejamos todos vencedores, também. Em nome de Jesus, amém! Saiba como receber as mensagens diárias do Tempo de Refletir: -> No celular, instale o aplicativo MANAH. -> Para ver/ouvir no YouTube, inscreva-se neste Canal: youtube.com/AmiltonMenezes7 -> Tenha os nossos aplicativos em seu celular: https://www.wgospel.com/aplicativos -> Para receber pelo WhatsApp, adicione 41 99893-2056 e mande um recadinho pedindo os áudios. -> Participe do nosso canal no TELEGRAM: TELEGRAM AMILTON MENEZES . -> Participe do nosso canal no WhatsApp: WHATSAPP CHANNEL Amilton Menezes . -> Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amiltonmenezes7/ -> Threads: https://www.threads.net/@amiltonmenezes7 -> X (Antigo Twitter): https://x.com/AmiltonMenezes -> Facebook: facebook.com/AmiltonMenezes

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.

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.

Human effort eventually reaches its limit, leaving a God-shaped vacuum that no amount of success or self-cleansing can fill. Through the miracle at Cana, Jesus reveals Himself as the True Groom who carries our costs and provides the abundance we cannot sustain on our own.

What if the story of Jesus turning water into wine isn't really about wine at all?In this episode of Sunday School Remix, Pastor Nate revisits one of the most talked-about (and most misunderstood) miracles in the Gospels: Jesus at the wedding in Cana. On the surface, it feels like a lighthearted story—Jesus keeps the party going. But when you slow down and look at the cultural, historical, and theological layers, something much deeper is happening.This is Jesus' first miracle in the Gospel of John, and it's not flashy on purpose. It happens quietly, in the background, at a wedding on the “wrong side of town.” And what Jesus is really doing isn't showing off power—it's protecting a family from deep, public shame.In a world shaped by honor and shame, running out of wine at a wedding wasn't embarrassing—it was devastating. And Jesus steps in, not to draw attention to himself, but to restore dignity, preserve relationships, and quietly reveal the heart of God.In this episode, Pastor Nate explores:Why Cana and Galilee matter more than we realizeHow weddings connect to Old Testament messianic promisesWhy shame—not wine—is the real crisis in this storyWhat Jesus reveals about himself by using purification jarsWhy “the best wine saved for last” points to the cross and resurrectionThis story reminds us that Jesus doesn't avoid our most vulnerable moments. He meets us there. He redeems what feels ruined. And he shows us, again and again, that Sunday School was just the beginning.

Today we begin a new series where we investigate the signs, or miracles, of Jesus in the Gospel of John. These signs point to who Jesus is and the mission he came to fulfill. This week, Pastor Neyda takes us through the miracle at the Wedding at Cana of Galilee to show us that Jesus is Just in time and more than enough.

“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.”

“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know…” Acts 2:22 NASB Signs (John 2:1-11, 4:46-54, 5:1-15, 6:5-14, 6:16-24, 9:1-7, 11:1-45) Signs authenticated Jesus as the Christ and revealed His divine authority. “This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.” John 2;11 NASB “So then, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been 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 20:30-31 NASB Wonders (Luke 9:12-17, Matthew 14:22-33) Wonders inspire awe and worship, highlighting the extraordinary nature of God’s actions. Miracles (Mark 4:35-41) Miracles are observable phenomena that deviate from the ordinary course of nature. “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 NASB

A Sermon for Sexagesima Luke 8:4-15 by the Rev'd Dr. Matthew Colvin Inspired by Pastor Bill's saga of his war against the churchmice, I will now confess my sins to you all in the matter of my backyard, with apologies to Isaiah the prophet. In 2021, we bought a house in Port Alberni. It met all my criteria: lots of room inside, an attractive appearance, a good view of the valley, and the tiniest yard of any house on the block. Because I am not a gardener. But when I moved in, I discovered that it has five fruit trees at the top of a very sloping yard. But did I dig around them or make a wall or a winepress or a tower, like the song of the Vineyard in Isaiah chapter 5? No, I neglected them and let a huge mass of Himalayan blackberry brambles grow up around them. And I let the pear tree get so heavy with fruit that one of its main branches snapped off in the wind. And I didn't do a good job of picking the fruit, so that many apples and pears and plums fell down among the blackberries to become attractants for raccoons and bears. And what did I do instead? I bought solar panels for my house, and tile and hardwood floors, and a light-up number sign that doesn't even work properly. Judge now, between me and my fruit trees. What more could have been done for them that I have not done? Well, quite a lot, actually, and Lord willing, this will be the year to eliminate the blackberries. I have sinned against heaven and against my fruit trees. Our gospel lesson this morning is the parable of the soils. The term parable is from the Greek παραβάλλω, to put side by side for comparison, to make an analogy. It is one of about forty that Jesus tells in his public ministry, and indeed, the telling of parables seems to have been Jesus' signature or hallmark device. It is a form of speech that has its origins in situations where the teller needs to speak carefully because he faces danger from someone powerful. Aesop's fables were originally devised as a way for a slave to speak to his master: “No, sir, I wasn't talking about you and your slave. It was just a story about a lion and a fox.” Telling parables is therefore a valuable tool in Jesus' toolbox as he is leading a kingdom movement that is an affront to the authorities. He has a fine line to walk: how to attract followers of his movement while not bringing the authorities down on him until his hour has come. Doing miracles is always somewhat risky for this reason: indeed, his first miracle at the wedding of Cana is wrung out of him by his mother, and he rebukes her with the words, “τι εμοι και σοι” — which is best translated, “What do you have against me?” Why are you trying to get me in trouble by making me reveal myself by doing a miracle. In order to launch his kingdom movement and win followers before laying down his life in Jerusalem, Jesus has to be careful and speak in such a way that he doesn't give any rope to the spies that might hand him over to Herod and the Romans. So Telling parables is a way to do that. Notice that after he tells his parable of the sower, Jesus' final words to the crowd are, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” – a challenge to the listeners, implying that if you do not have understanding, it is because you are lacking “ears”, i.e. the ability to understand. It punctuates the parable with a finality and a challenge. It is rather similar to the challenge in the book of Daniel “Let the reader understand” – the astute reader, the gleg reader, the reader who can read between the lines. Now, to the parable. It is a parable about plants. Ever since the last chapter of the book of Jonah, plants have been a treasured object lesson for the people of God. There are many features that makes them an attractive metaphor: their slow growth, their dependence on their environment, the patient work with which they must be reared and cultivated, their greenness as a manifest index of their health, their relation to water and to soil, their ability to suffer cutting and burning, and above all, the fruit they bear. For plants are in many ways like human beings: both have the ability to flourish and to be productive, and that is the goal, the well-being, the health and salvation of both plant and human. In the Bible's stories about fruit and crops, it is always God who figures as the farmer or gardener or landowner. He is the one who plants the vineyard, sows the seed, grafts wild branches, and prunes to encourage more fruit. And it is always Israel that is his “pleasant plant”, his field of wheat, his fig tree, his vine which he brought out of Egypt and planted, his trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. In nearly every God-and-Israel plant image, there is a focus on the necessary and vital connection between Israel and her Lord. The righteous Israelite is like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf does not wither. You do not support the root, but the root supports you, says Paul in Romans 11. There is a theme in the Bible that runs from the garden of Eden with its four rivers and its tree of life, to the trees planted by the rivers in the New Jerusalem in Revelation 22, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. The plant near the river - in Eden, in the New Jerusalem, in Psalm 1, in Jeremiah 17 - is Israel connected to her God, nourished on his kindness and hesed as a plant sucks up life-giving water with its roots. And the parable of the sower is another of these agricultural metaphors. But it is best understood in connection with three other parables — two others by Jesus (the Wheat and the tares and the parable of the Wicked Vinedressers), and one from the Old Testament, Isaiah 5's song of the vineyard. To help you see the repreated pattern here, I'd like to show you some diagrams that express the plot of these stories. First, the parable of the soils from today's gospel reading: farmer —->   fruit ——> himself                        | fertility —> seed   fruit ——> himself                        | tower, etc —> vineyard     fruit ——> himself                                 | messengers —> tenants     fruit (grain) ——> himself                                 | planting —> harvest

In this episode of the CANA Connection Podcast Koa Beam and Jack Murray talk with fellow CANAers Chris Cichy (Director of Innovation & Strategy) and Eric Goumillout (Senior Electrical Engineer) about Metamaterials, Drones, and Additive Manufacturing, and how they all go into warfighting efforts like Project MIMIC. The CANA Connection is available in video and audio formats on your favorite podcast platforms like YouTube (video), Spotify (video), Apple Podcasts, and many others.To learn more about CANA, head over to our website at https://www.canallc.com. While there, consider signing up for our quarterly newsletter and check out the CANA Connection blogs and articles. Thank you for watching this episode of the CANA Connection, and as always, remember to Analyze, Assess, and Execute! We will see you next time.Intro/Outro Music "Urban Gauntlet" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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.

“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Peter's reaction to a miraculous catch of fish is more fearful than joyful in the presence Jesus' holiness. In final episode of The Magnificent 37, we examine three miracles involving the disciples' work and witness: the initial calling of the fishermen in Luke 5, the post-resurrection catch in John 21 that restores Peter, and the healing of Malchus' ear in Gethsemane. These signs reveal a Savior who provides abundantly for His Church, restores the fallen to service, and extends mercy even to His enemies in the hour of darkness.   The Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, ND, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Luke 5:1–11, John 21:1–14, and Luke 22:50–51.   To learn more about St. Paul's in Minot, visit anchoredminot.com. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Join our BRAND NEW Kingdom Club on Patreon! Members get exclusive perks such as:

Join Pastor Andrew and Pastor Ian as they delve into John 2, exploring the profound significance of Jesus' first miracle at the wedding in Cana. This discussion covers why John refers to Jesus' miracles as 'signs', the symbolism of wine in the Old Testament, and how Jesus' transformation of water into wine points to greater spiritual realities.

A blind beggar cries out for mercy while a leafy fig tree stands barren of fruit. In this penultimate episode of The Magnificent 37, we explore a stark contrast between faith and fruitlessness. Jesus heals Bartimaeus, whose physical blindness is replaced by spiritual sight and discipleship. Conversely, the cursing of the fig tree serves as a living parable of judgment against a temple system that had the appearance of life but produced no fruit of repentance. Together, these accounts teach us about the power of persistent prayer and the danger of spiritual hypocrisy.   The Rev. Peter Burfeind, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Union City, MI and Agnus Dei Lutheran Church in Marshall, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Mark 10:46–52 and Mark 11:12–25.  To learn more about Our Savior and Agnus Dei Lutheran, visit facebook.com/oursaviorunioncity and agnusdeimarshall.com. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” Nowhere is this claim more vividly demonstrated than at the tomb of Lazarus. In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we stand with the weeping sisters of Bethany and the weeping Savior to witness the seventh and greatest sign in John's Gospel. While death seems final and the stench of the grave is real, Jesus proves that He is the Master over death itself. With a loud command, He calls the dead to life, foreshadowing His own victory over the grave and the future resurrection of all believers.   The Rev. Andrew Preus, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in New Haven, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study John 11:1–44.   To learn more about Trinity in New Haven, visit trinitynewhaven.com. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Explore the power of community, surrender, and obedience in experiencing God's miracles, inspired by Jesus's first miracle at Cana.

At a wedding no one expected to remember, something went quietly wrong—the wine ran out. In that culture, it meant shame, not inconvenience. Nearby sat six empty stone jars, ordinary and overlooked, meant only for ritual washing. Jesus didn’t make a scene or give an explanation. He simply gave an instruction. What happened next would reveal who He really is—but only to a few. John calls this Jesus’ first sign, the moment He revealed His glory. Not in public, not with power on display, but in hidden emptiness. Joy replaced lack. Ritual gave way to transformation. And somehow, the best was saved for last. Why did Jesus choose this moment—and what does it tell us about how He still works today? This Sunday, we’ll step into the tension of that moment at Cana and discover what this first miracle reveals about knowing Him—and what He may want to do in our own emptiness, mess, and disgrace. - Pastor Ben Key Verse - John 2:11 (NIV) - "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." For this week's Scripture and notes: http://bible.com/events/49550115

Ioan 2 1. A treia zi s-a făcut o nuntă în Cana din Galileea. Mama lui Isus era acolo.2. Şi la nuntă a fost chemat şi Isus cu ucenicii Lui.3. Când s-a isprăvit vinul, mama lui Isus I-a zis: „Nu mai au vin.”4. Isus i-a răspuns: „Femeie, ce am a face Eu cu tine? Nu […]

As the opening message in the Kaleidoscope series, this sermon begins at the wedding in Cana, where Jesus performs His first public sign by turning water into wine, revealing not just His power but His purpose. By using ceremonial jars meant for religious purification, Jesus signals a new reality—one where relationship replaces ritual, and joy replaces obligation. This sign points beyond the miracle itself, showing that Jesus didn’t come to patch up religion, but to usher in something entirely new. The story invites us to trust Jesus enough to “do whatever He tells you,” even when it feels uncomfortable or costly, and to bring Him the places marked by shame, lack, or disappointment. In exchange, Jesus offers joy, abundance, and transformation—reminding us that life with Him is not about religious performance, but about receiving the new life He freely gives.

Where are the nine? It is a haunting question that exposes the frequent ingratitude of the human heart. In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we look at two distinct miracles: the provision of the temple tax from a fish's mouth and the cleansing of ten lepers. While the first shows Jesus' lordship over creation and His freedom as the Son of God, the second highlights the nature of true faith—faith that not only receives God's gifts but returns to the Giver with thanksgiving and praise.   The Rev. Steven Theiss, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Matthew 17:24–27 and Luke 17:11–19.   Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

From Water to Wine: When Jesus Steps In – John 2 In this episode of Divine Table Talk, Jamie and Jane explore John chapter 2, beginning with Jesus' first miracle at the wedding in Cana and continuing through the cleansing of the temple. Together, they unpack what these moments reveal about Jesus' authority, compassion, and timing. From quiet transformation to bold confrontation, John 2 shows us that Jesus doesn't just improve our circumstances—He reorders what matters most. This conversation invites listeners to trust Jesus in both the celebration and the disruption. ____________________________________ Connect with Jamie: Website: www.jamieklusacek.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamieklusacek Connect with Jane: Website: www.janewwilliams.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewwilliams

“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” The disciples look for a cause, but Jesus looks for a purpose: “that the works of God might be displayed in him.” In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we study the healing of the man born blind. This narrative is as much about spiritual sight as physical healing; as the man's vision becomes clearer and his confession bolder, the Pharisees plunge deeper into the darkness of unbelief, proving that the worst blindness is the refusal to see Jesus as the Light of the World.   The Rev. Jim Daub, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Havelock, NC, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study John 9:1–41.  To learn more about St. Paul Lutheran, visit stpaulhavelock.com. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

What if your deepest longings aren't bad, they're just aimed too low?  This week on The Cutting Room Floor, Neil and Scott dig into Jesus' first miracle at the wedding in Cana and the details that didn't make it into Sunday's message. They talk about servants hauling heavy jars, why obedience often feels inconvenient, and how our everyday desires point to something far bigger than we expect. From baby pools at the beach to the smell of bread outside a packed restaurant, this conversation keeps circling one question: Are we settling for the sample when Jesus is offering the table? Challenge: Do what Jesus says. Trust Him with the results. Don't settle for the smell of the feast when you've been invited to sit down. Hosts: Neil Gregory & Scott Nickell What We Discuss: Why the servants matter more in the Cana story than we usually notice Obedience that feels small, but costs something Dirty water jars and why Jesus loves repurposing unlikely things Desire: not too strong, but too weak C.S. Lewis, baby pools, and missing the ocean right in front of us The danger of legalism and the ditch on the other side of freedom Why churches can feel fake and how pretending kills community Bars, belonging, and why everyone wants a place where they're known "Obey Jesus and leave the consequences to Him" The invitation to the feast and what keeps people from accepting it ⸻ About Southland Christian Church Southland is one church meeting in multiple locations across central Kentucky. We believe Jesus came for the lost and the broken, which means there's a place for everyone here. Around here, that means we worship defiantly, speak truth unashamedly, and extend grace generously. To support this ministry and help us continue to reach across Central Kentucky and all around the world, visit: https://southland.church/give

“I believe; help my unbelief!” This desperate cry from a father resonates with every Christian who has ever struggled in faith. In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we examine two difficult healings: the two-stage healing of the blind man at Bethsaida and the exorcism of a boy with a mute spirit. These miracles show us that faith is not always a straight line and that Jesus meets us in our weakness. Whether clarity comes gradually or through a struggle against the forces of darkness, Christ remains the author and perfecter of our faith.   The Rev. David Boisclair, senior pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Overland, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Mark 8:22–26 and Mark 9:14–29.   To learn more about Our Redeemer, visit ourredeemerstl.org. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Is the bread of children to be thrown to the dogs? When a Canaanite woman presses Jesus for mercy, she responds with profound faith that even the crumbs from the Master's table are enough. In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we see Jesus extend His saving work beyond the borders of Israel. From the healing of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter to the Feeding of the 4,000 (a distinct miracle in Gentile territory), Christ reveals that His compassion and His bread are for all nations.   The Rev. Jacob Hercamp, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Noblesville, IN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Matthew 15:21–28 and Mark 8:1–9.   To learn more about Christ Lutheran, visit clc-in.org. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

“He has done all things well.” The crowds marveled as Jesus made the deaf hear and the mute speak. In this episode of The Magnificent 37, we follow Jesus to Gennesaret, where the mere touch of His garment brings healing, and to the Decapolis, where He sighs toward heaven and commands, “Ephphatha” (Be opened!). These physical miracles point to the greater spiritual reality that Jesus opens our ears to hear His Word and loosens our tongues to confess His name, restoring the creation to its intended purpose of praising the Creator.   The Rev. Keith Lingsch, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Naples, FL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Mark 6:53–56 and Mark 7:31–37.   To learn more about Grace Lutheran, visit graceofnaples.com. Thy Strong Word kicks off the new year by dedicating our time to study "The Magnificent 37: The Miracles of Jesus." Christ didn't just speak the Word; He demonstrated it with power. From the quiet intimacy of water turning to wine at Cana to the earth-shaking reality of the empty tomb, the Gospels record thirty-seven distinct moments where Jesus suspended the laws of nature to reveal the power of his grace. This isn't just a list of "neat tricks" from history. It is a systematic walkthrough of how God breaks into our broken world to fix it. Why did Jesus curse a fig tree? Why did He need mud to heal a blind man? What does the coin in the fish's mouth teach us about being citizens of heaven and earth?  Host, Pastor Phil Booe and a lineup of guest pastors will take you through each event, verse by verse. We'll move past the Sunday School summary and get into the meat of the text, including the Old Testament connections, the cultural context, and the immediate comfort these signs bring to your life today.   Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

We all know what happened at Cana but what is the deeper meaning? It is much more than Jesus just turning water into wine. With so much to understand in this one passage, Fr. Chris Alar breaks it down so it is easy to understand and will help you to understand the significance of the role of Mary as intercessor. It is Biblical! 

Fr. Robert McTeigue, S.J. reflects on the wedding feast at Cana to confront the loss of joy in a world that feels chaotic and burning. He calls us to rediscover peace and joy by clinging to Christ crucified, risen, and reigning.   Watch on YouTube: They Have No Wine—Now What?