Turning Our Water Into Wine
by G. Craig Lauterbach
In John 2:1-12, the first miracle of Jesus is recorded. This is a significant event, for in it you’ll find an example of faith, that teaches us how to access and release God’s miracle working ability in our personal lives. When this happens there is a rippling effect, which then flows into our families, churches, schools, places of employment, communities, and even the nation we live in. Sound impossible? There are many who feel God couldn’t use them to set a miracle in motion. They look to the preacher or evangelist as God’s likely candidate. They hold a mindset, which says, “How could God use someone like me?” Listen to what I am about to say; God takes the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary. In Mark 16:15-18, Jesus says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who dies not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them: they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
The Great Commission is a mandate for every Christian. That means you and I. Everyday, ordinary, 9 to 5 people, whose names may not be widely known on earth, but in heaven, a humble messenger who is willing to be used by God.
In my opening text, you’ll find that the actual ministry of Jesus had not yet begun. His reputation was that of a carpenter’s son from Nazareth. Other than His mother, no one knew His true purpose and calling. To the community, Jesus was an everyday guy on His way to a wedding feast. But soon this everyday guy, the carpenter’s son from Nazareth, would be used to release one of heaven’s miracles. By looking at this miracle, we’ll learn how to release God’s power in our own lives and in the lives of others. In other words, we’ll see how to turn our water into wine.
The Pots
John 2:6 records, “Now there were set there six water pots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.” In preparation for this miracle, Jesus instructs the disciples to fill the six water pots. The number six is a significant number in scripture. In Genesis 1:26-31, the creation of man took place on the sixth day. Notice also that the water pots Jesus used were made of stone. They were earthen vessels. Since the creation account records man was made from the dust or dirt of the earth, we again find another reference to man. The Apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” Just as Jesus desired to use the water pots, He desires to work in and through man. Many feel the Lord could never use someone like them in ministry. The devil’s accusations cause people to focus on their flaws and shortcomings, rather than on God’s unconditional love. Like the water pots, by His grace, our Lord has chosen to use breakable and imperfect people to manifest His mighty power. When this happens, there is no mistaking the source behind our miracle is God and not us. Before we move on to my next point, I need to draw your attention to one other item regarding the water pots. Jesus used every water pot available. What does this tell us? It’s God’s desire to use every man or woman who will make themselves available for service. God wants to do a miracle through you!
The Water
John 2:7 reads, “Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the water pots with water’ And they filled them up to the brim.” This is a key scripture. Before the miracle of transformation could be set in motion, not only were the water pots filled, they were filled to the brim, to the very top, to the place of overflowing. Not with yesterday’s water, it was fresh from the well. You’ll find when water is mentioned in scripture, it can be symbolic for God’s Word. Ephesians 5:26 states, “That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word.” Here we see the connection between water and the Word. So in our text, John records that the water pots were filled to the brim with fresh water. What does this tell us?
First, if we are going to experience God’s miracle working ability in our lives, then we have to be FILLED to the BRIM with His Word. This is not a one-time filling, but a daily journey to well of His Word. God esteems His Word above His name. It was His Word that brought forth creation. 2,000 years ago, His Word was made flesh and walked the earth. His Word heals the sick. His Word raised Jesus from the dead, declaring Him Kings of kings and Lord of lords. If we are going to see our miracle, if we are going to see our water turned to wine, then like the prophet Ezekiel, we must devour God’s Word. This means reading the Word, studying the Word, memorizing the Word, singing the Word, and speaking the Word. When Christians are filled to the brim with the living, creative, all-powerful Word of God, they are spiritually setting the stage for God’s glory to be revealed in them and through them.
The second thing we see is, Jesus wasn’t content to use the water already in the water pots. He had each water pot filled with FRESH water. What happens to water after it sets a while? It becomes stagnate and filled with impurities. This is why fresh water is so important. Fresh water reduces the risk of consuming any impurities that could be harmful to our physical health and spiritually this same principle is true. If we are going to position ourselves for a miracle, if we expect to see God’s supernatural intervention in response to overwhelming odds, than we have to be filled with fresh water or fresh WORD! I thank the Lord for yesterday’s Word. I am grateful for what I read last night in scripture and how the Holy Spirit used that Word to minister life and encouragement to me, but it isn’t what I need today. I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel the world and stand along side some wonderful men and women of God. I have enjoyed their preaching and gained from the resource of their knowledge. I have also preached some great sermons that opened the floodgates of heaven. All of these inspire my walk with God, but I cannot allow my spiritual life to exist on memories. No more than I could exist on the wonderful meal my wife prepared for our family last week. If we stop eating on a daily basis, it will eventually cause physical harm. This applies to our spiritual health as well. People who live on the memories of yesterday’s Word are spiritually starving themselves. God wants His people filled with FRESH WORD.
This brings us to another interesting thought. Who was responsible for filling the water pots? It wasn’t Jesus. He commanded His disciples to fill them. In our spiritual lives, it is our responsibility to fill ourselves with the Word. If we feel empty, we shouldn’t blame the minister. It is our responsibility to fill our water pots with fresh water on a daily basis. God will do His part after we do ours. That’s why it’s no accident that the miracle at Cana didn’t happen until the water pots were filled. The reason we fill ourselves with the Word of Almighty God, is so we have something to give to others.
The Wine
What we’re looking at now is the pivotal point of this miraculous event. For the water to become wine, a principle of faith had to be carried out. Look at John 2:8: “And Jesus said to them, ‘Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.’ And they took it.” This verse tells us why the miracle took place. You’ll find, whenever wine is mentioned in scripture; it can represent either the blood of Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit. In this particular context, it symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The wine enjoyed at the marriage feast shows us the relationship God desires to have with people. Forgiveness and cleansing from all sin is ours because of the blood of Jesus, but we are also promised power and anointing from on high. This is what the transformation from water to wine represents. It illustrates moving from the place of RECEIVING God’s Word, to the place of RELEASING God’s Word. But how do we do this? The answer is found in the last three words of verse 8, “They took it.” As instructed by Jesus, the disciples drew the water, and during the time it took to get from the water pots to the master of the feast, the miracle happened. If the disciples had waited for the transformation first, the miracle would have never manifested. They didn’t say, “Lord, after the water becomes wine, then we’ll take it. After all, we wouldn’t want to embarrass your name” There’s no faith involved with this kind of thinking. In Romans 4:17, Paul says this about God. “He calls those things which do not exist as though they did.” We see this manifested at creation. God spoke and creation followed. God is a faith God! That’s why faith pleases Him, and that’s why the disciples had to make their way to the master of the feast with water in their containers. It took faith for them to obey the Word of Jesus, but this obedience released the Word they were carrying, and this Word turned their water into wine.
I can only imagine what was running through their minds before they got there. Thoughts of fear, doubt, and embarrassment must have been bombarding them. I’m sure those two words that have hindered us all were ringing over and over again in their minds; “WHAT IF?” Stopping before reaching their destination, would have given them exactly what they started with; WATER. There are some who start in faith, but never reach their destination. They never finish that walk to the place where their miracle is waiting. Obedience is never easy, but it’s necessary. Necessary if we expect to see our water turned to wine. In the Old Testament, it wasn’t until Joshua and the Israelites entered the Jordan River that it parted. In the Gospels, it wasn’t until Peter got out of the boat, that he was able to walk on water. I could go on and on. Every miracle in scripture was preceded by faith in God’s Word. If we walk by what we see, we’ll give up. The eyes of the disciples saw water, but the eyes of faith saw wine.
It’s time to fill our water pots with the water of God’s Word. It’s time to exercise faith in this same Word and start believing for blessing and breakthrough. The moment we choose to act on God’s Word, the miracle of transformation is set in motion. This kind of faith will always bring God’s best. This kind of faith will turn our water into wine!
