Making Space To Believe

by Ron Hawkins • Published February 27, 2020

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so,  and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. . . . What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
—John 2: 7-9a, 11 (NIV)

When it comes to Jesus, one thing you can count on—more times than not—is that He will do the unexpected. In John 2, Jesus is at a wedding, minding His own business when the wine runs out. So, after some prodding from His mother, Mary, He turns water into wine. It begs the question, why? Is it because He cares about a good party? Did He simply want to show
people He has miraculous powers? Or could it be something else . . . something more?

I think the key is in verse 11. Jesus turned water into wine not because He needed to, not because He was asked to, but so His glory would be revealed and His disciples would believe in Him. Jesus knew that keeping the rules or trying to emulate Him as they traipsed the countryside wouldn’t be what was hardest for His disciples. It would be to believe in Him. And in this passage, Jesus reveals himself as the One—not just to the religious, but to the whole world—and in turn we are invited to do the hard work of believing. Do you see His glory in your everyday? Do you believe in Him?

Ron Hawkins served as Transition Pastor at CPC from 2019-2020.