John 2: 1-11
Why would Jesus Christ—the holy, divine, Son of God—begin His ministry at a wedding feast? If we will come with hearts aflame with holy desire for true revelation of Himself, He delights to answer our question. Hear Him say, "Come, leave all earthly, human reasoning behind, and come up higher with me. See my awesome plan to restore all the universe to Myself in divine order." That perfect order was terribly wrecked at the fall of humanity when Adam and Eve—all of us—left God's will and order for their own. Eve took Adam's role as the head of the household, and Adam took Eve's God-assigned place, and all creation was knocked askew—and so it continues, to this day, in ugly disorder.
But our blessed Lord begins with six stone water pots for the purifying of His people. He calls for them to be filled with water to the brim, for His plan is to restore that lost order—in all creation—to bring the whole universe back into His intended purpose. Now look again—when they draw out that pure water, it is now wine, by Jesus' miraculous touch. See the water of the outward purification of sin under the Old Covenant, changed to the wine of the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses every inward, hidden part under the New Covenant. Miracle of miracles! Now look again! Jesus proclaims Himself to be the Divine Bridegroom, and He is seeking a wife. What will she be like? See the true Christian Church restored to God's order, without any mark of the fall of man, entered into Christ's perfection! She's wholly restored by the blood of the Lamb and the fire of the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ will not be unequally yoked! This is the vision that Jesus' mother and disciples saw that day in Cana, and they were then ready to believe in Him fully, and to grow and go, even to the ultimate Wedding Feast at the end of time! (Rev. 19:7) Miracle of miracles!
What about us NOW? In Luke 7, Jesus says we're like the children playing in the market place. They call one another to play "funeral," and no one will respond; they call each other to play "wedding," and again, there's refusal. And Jesus says—"so it is with this church generation." So often we won't respond to the prophet's voice calling for repentance and death to self; neither will we answer the call of the Bridegroom, Jesus, to leave all and follow Him to the wedding altar. Why?—because it's an altar of complete sacrifice of self and all other lovers, and a coming to entire commitment to Him alone. Who will put away all childish things, enter by surrender and fire into the Christian maturity of full sanctification, grow in that full devotion, love and serve Christ alone, and go with Him to call a dying church and a dying world to repentance and resurrection life? Who will give
all for Christ? Who will grow
up in Him? Who will go in His name and power? May we answer His wedding vow with our responding vow to Him--"I will and I do!"
~ Cindy Warren
