Did You See That

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. John 2:23-25

Search me, God, and know my heart;

    test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

    and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

Jesus’ confrontation with the religious leaders segues quickly to his interaction with the crowd. People are enthralled with Jesus’ signs, yet he doesn’t trust them, already knowing what human nature is like. The text notes, “he knew what was in each person” (v. 25). What a sobering thought!

Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we so often indulge in the thought that we can hide our deepest nature from God. We show him and everyone else only the good, kind, Scripture-following side of us, but these verses show this is an incorrect assumption. There is no making ourselves look better for Jesus. He already knows it all.

Reflect on Psalm 139:23-24, which also addresses God knowing the deepest part of us. If nothing can be hidden from Jesus, what is he seeing in you now? Are there things you are trying to hide from him or think you are succeeding in hiding from him? Ask God to search your thoughts and transform you.

By Jessica Rust

The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John 2:18-22

Perhaps it’s just me, but I have always found this narrative fascinating. On the surface it looks as though Jesus has lost His temper, and yet if you plumb it further you find that the honor, reverence, and passion Jesus had are not only pure, but white hot in intensity. Jesus, fully God and fully human, was passionate about the Father and keeping the Temple—the place of God’s dwelling – absolutely pure from any sort of defilement. Jesus was in the right in this story.

But the religious leaders didn’t see it that way. They were incensed, perturbed, and more than a little bitter toward Jesus. The very ones who were charged to uphold the integrity of the Temple were the same ones who allowed corruption; all for a little coinage on the side. Jesus’ clearing of the Temple threatened not only their standing before the people, calling their practices into scrutiny, but he was also curtailing their side job for extra money. They had no concern whatsoever about the method they used, only what those methods got them. And so they question Jesus and ask for a sign of His authority. Like a dog with its tail between its legs, they lash out.

Jesus had no need to prove His authority. What the religious leaders were doing was wrong, and they knew it. Scripture even proved it, as Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah when He said, “My house shall be a house of prayer.” (See Isaiah 56:7 and Matthew 21:13). But further still, Jesus declares His authority to all listening, by stating that the Temple could be torn down and rebuilt in 3 days, alluding to His death and resurrection. John states this truth so early in the book to communicate not only the supremacy of Christ, but to drive home the point that the Resurrection is central to this book. John is saying in no uncertain terms that Jesus is in fact God from beginning to end, and making the case for His supreme authority over all.

Without the Resurrection, we are all fools to be pitied. The Resurrection is what sets our faith apart and gives it substance and credibility. This week, take time to meditate over 1 Corinthians 15:12-18. Take some time to praise God for not only resurrecting Christ, but imagine what it will be like when we too are raised anew with Him.

By Sheila Rennau

So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build the temple and you will raise it in three days?” But, he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. John 2:18-22

Temple always equals “sacred space.” A physical place where heaven meets earth – where God dwells among his people. Just as the garden of Eden was a place where God’s presence mingled with humankind, so the tabernacle and the temple became sacred territory for God’s presence to reside. Here are some examples from Scripture:

1. In Eden, Adam and Eve “heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8a).
2. In the wilderness, the LORD said to Moses, “Let them make me a sanctuary where I may dwell in their midst” (Exodus 25:7).
3. During King David’s reign, the LORD said to Samuel, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in?’ I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling” (2 Samuel 7:5-6).
4. After the exile, the LORD stirred King Cyrus’ spirit and pronounced, “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is Judah (Ezra 1:2).
   

In John’s retelling of what happened in the temple, we witness Jesus flipping the entire narrative on its head proclaiming that HE is the center of all sacred space and that through his forthcoming death and resurrection, the dwelling place of God is being re-built.

God’s intention was never to dwell only in houses or tents but within human hearts (Acts 7:44-53). It is through Jesus we are made mini temples for God’s Spirit to dwell. Paul says to us along with the Corinthian church, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Before Jesus left, he reassured his disciples his Spirit would come to dwell within them (John 14:16-17, 16:7).

Today, marvel at God’s great story as you learn more about God’s desire to dwell within and among humankind as you watch the Bible Project’s Video Lesson.

By Yvonne Biel

And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant— these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. Isaiah 56:6-7 NIV

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:13-17 NIV

This morning a group of us gathered to pray for our nation, for the salvation of others, and for God to work in our lives. It was a sweet time of corporate worship and communion together. We who know Jesus as our savior and Lord, have incredible access to God because of the work Jesus has already completed on the cross.

In the year 26 AD, a Gentile worshiper of God was allowed to come to the outer courtyard of the temple complex to worship and to pray, but could go no further. Jewish women were allowed to go further and could worship in the court of women. Jewish men were allowed to enter further than the women, and the priests could be in the area where the sacrifices were made. The most Holy part of the temple was entered only once a year, by one priest, and only on the Day of Atonement, in order to offer a sacrifice for himself and for the nation of Israel

When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain that separated the Most Holy Place in the temple from the Holy Place was torn in two, from top to bottom (Mark 15:38). It signified that Jesus’ sacrifice opened the door – opened access to God in a completely new way. We can and should bring everything that concerns us to our Lord in prayer.

John quotes Psalm 69:9 telling us Jesus is zealous for God’s house, similar to the author of Psalm 24. He was angered by the Gentile court having been turned into a market – selling cattle and sheep, and the money changers were set up there too. People who traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover often needed to buy an animal for a sacrifice once they arrived, but the buying and selling, and the money changing should never have been in the Gentile court used for worship. So, Jesus made a whip, overturned the money changers tables, and drove the animals from the court.

Access to God – Jesus is passionate about Jews, Gentiles, all men and all women having the opportunity to have access to God. He died to provide that access. Christians are invited into the Holy of Holies, the very presence of God. Today spend some time in prayer. Use Psalm 84 as a guide and thank Jesus for the privilege you have of bringing every concern, every request, every praise directly to God’s throne.

By Grace Hunter

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”  His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” John 2:13-17

In June 1942, it seemed to many the United States was backpedaling, suffering repeated defeat to the Japanese armed forces. It didn’t look good for the foreseeable future! But unknown to all but a few, code breakers in Pearl Harbor had ‘hacked’ the Japanese military communications code. Using this information, the US Navy figured out where the next attack would occur and determined a strategic plan for an astounding naval defeat of the Japanese Navy. This turned the table for the Pacific conflict. Yes, the war continued until September 1945 with many battles and loss of life for both sides. Nevertheless, this particular battle, Midway, turned the tables of this aspect of World War II and the United States was on the offensive for the remainder of the Pacific war.

The same could be said for what Jesus was doing to the Jewish tradition. Jesus’ teachings kept moving the focus of God-worship from where the people were to where God meant it to be. All of the Jewish practices and sacrifices were being shifted and moved to be Jesus centric. The temple was being moved from an iconic structure in Jerusalem to the human heart. The focus of practices was being moved from a legal to a love aspect. Their earth’s axis was shifting! If ever a ‘turning of the tables’ was experienced, they were neck deep in it! Their checklist to God was shredded.

The Jewish traditional practices when Jesus arrived on the scene were very old. As time progressed, layers upon layers of practices were added to the originals outlined by God through Moses. As time moved on, they became rote, highly repeated, what some of us might call a rut. I once heard a preacher say ruts were graves with the ends knocked out. How descriptive that was for me, and I’ve never forgotten it. If you find your prayer, praise, and posture towards God becoming rut-like, perhaps changing things up would help. Consider your praise and worship patterns, whether prayer, singing, journaling, reading the Bible, or one of many other things, and doing them differently for a time. A week, or perhaps a month would do. Turn the tables for yourself to reinvigorate your time with Jesus.

By Rich Obrecht

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  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.” This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:9-11

I finally have a hobby! I’d always said my hobby was reading. Then, one year, I followed the lead of someone in my family who made wine from kits, and I was hooked. I found my hobby! Four years later, it’s grown to me being a member in a club (Thanks, Ken!) as well as attempting to make wine on my own. It’s been a wonderful experience and has really filled my heart with wonder at the metaphorical aspects of wine making as it relates to my faith.

While today’s winemaking involves many aspects of chemistry I wasn’t aware of, when this miracle happened, things were different. I’d always been told (and believed) the wine mentioned in the Bible was only juice, like juice purchased off the grocery shelf. Since I began making wine, I’ve found that’s just not true. Grapes have natural yeasts on their skin, almost begging to get to sugar in the fruit. Once the skin is broken, it begins fermenting the sugars into alcohol and CO2. In Jesus’ time, they didn’t have a way to preserve the wine, so wine eventually turned to vinegar. Unlike today, where older wine takes precedence, they believed the newer the wine, the better. Like me, they didn’t like drinking vinegar.

Our journey to Jesus and his presence begins with renewal. This doesn’t mean we get a new body right off, but rather a new relationship with our Savior. This new relationship could be full of abundance. This is a descriptive word that has been hijacked by some circles to mean a life on earth that is abundant in wealth and prosperity. Nothing could be further from the truth! Our relationship with Jesus is abundant as in the gifts of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22). Wealth and prosperity may come our way, but not as our primary goal in faith.

As you listen to the song “New Wine,” contemplate what an abundant life means to you. What would it be if surrender was your desire? As the song brings out the process of winemaking (crushing and pressing), perhaps new perspective will flood you, maybe as a metaphor for our life in Christ. In considering this, and the freedoms illuminated in the gospels and song regarding your surrender, perhaps you’ll begin to see a different view on abundant life.

By Rich Obrecht

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied, “My time has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.” John 2:1-5 NIV

The wedding at Cana includes a brief interaction between Mary and her adult son Jesus. She is aware of the embarrassing or even shameful situation facing the groom and the family. Running out of wine was a serious problem in that culture. Mary asks Jesus to help and at first he asks why she is involving him, because his time had not yet come. But then Mary speaks to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you,” John 2:5b. Mary knows Jesus is capable of salvaging the situation, and she confidently instructs the servants to do whatever Jesus says to do.

John does not record any more conversation between Mary and Jesus. But he says, “Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim,” John 2:6-7. For a feast like a wedding large amounts of water would be needed and used for ceremonial washing, according to the Jewish laws and traditions at the time.

Once all the jars were full, Jesus tells the servants to, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet,” John 2:8b. The servants know that they put water into the jars, yet they do exactly what Jesus told them to do. “The master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, ‘Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.’” John 2:9-10.

The servants in this story are given an incredible opportunity – to trust Jesus, to obey Jesus, and as a result they witness the entire miracle – from the beginning to its conclusion. Simple obedience: sometimes it is as simple as doing the next right thing, the next thing Jesus has asked us to do, even if it does not make sense to us at the time. What is Jesus asking you to do today? Trust him, he will provide the way to do anything he has asked you to do. Just trust and obey.

By Grace Hunter

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” John 2:1-3

Pinot noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc. All are specially crafted. All are favored by some. All are wine. Perhaps you are quite the connoisseur, able to tell various types and makes of wines apart. Or, perhaps you are like me, and couldn’t tell a good wine from a poor wine. This one thing I do know, where there is a special occasion or party, it is likely that you will also find wine among the guests.

Such was the case at the wedding at Cana. Jesus’ mother was in attendance at the event, and Jesus and His disciples were invited as well. I love that one of the first places we see Christ on the scene is at a party!

Before long, though, there is a HUGE problem; the hosts have run out of wine. In our modern context, this doesn’t seem like such a big deal. Our weddings are short compared to the feasts and celebrations in the Bible. However, in this time and culture, to run out of wine would have been a branding of lifelong shame upon the family. In the culture of this particular bride and groom, wine was strongly connected to life. It was considered a mark of joy (Ecc. 9:7).

Though Jesus remarks later in the text that this calamity was not really His problem and that His time had not yet come, Jesus yet has compassion on the situation and performs His first public miracle, changing water into wine.

How like Christ to reach into our shame and instead bring about life! It’s interesting to note that, years later, Jesus would hold His own cup of wine and use it as the symbol for His blood shed for us. Leviticus 17 reminds us that “life” is in the blood. Such a fitting metaphor for Christ to use to commemorate the ultimate life-giving act, for “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.” – Hebrews 9:22

With either a journal, more creative means like paint or even marker, or just verbally, take some time to express your gratitude for the forgiveness of your sins. How do you feel knowing that Jesus didn’t leave us without wine “life” or with “shame”, but that He came to bring us “new” and “best”? Perhaps, as you worship, listen to the song “New Wine” and ask God to bring new life to you today.

By Sheila Rennau

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ‭‭John‬ ‭2:1‬

The first four words of this story begin with, “on the third day…“ Hmm. Let’s pause to think about this for a second.

1. This wedding has already gone on for several days. Perhaps Hebrew weddings are much different than our current celebrations which often finish within just a few hours.
2.  John obviously wants us to remember which exact day this happened during the wedding festivities. He must think something is significant about the third day.
   

Both are true. John uses so many metaphors in his Gospel and every metaphor is loaded with meaning. These four words alone carry extraordinary significance.

John’s audience would have known about the third day. They would have known the significance of the third day throughout all of the Old Testament scriptures as well as the recent happenstance of Jesus followers claiming Jesus raised from the dead on the third day. John is deliberating highlighting the way of Jesus as showing up with abundant life, offering full breath, and glorious evidence of new creation.

Use the next few minutes to dive into some of the scriptures mentioning “the third day” to see just how much significance is in just this four word phrase. Genesis 1:11-13, Hosea 6:2, Isaiah 53:1-12, Jonah 1:17, and 1 Corinthians 15:4… Can you find more??

By Yvonne Biel

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” John 2:1-3

One of the most beautiful gifts that God has given humanity is his word. God chose to reveal his personality and heart for us through pen and ink. Written words can be meditated on, evaluated, visited, and revisited. The richness expands further as we notice that the scriptures come to us through many genres. There is history, poetry, letter, lament, and prophecy. They all gather up into one declaration of who God is and what he is doing in the world.

The four Gospel accounts, which give us the clearest picture of who Jesus was and his ministry, also come to us with different styles and perspectives. Why didn’t the apostles gather together and create one master account of the life of Jesus? The answer is: they each wrote to different people, for different reasons. Although there are differences between all the accounts, John’s Gospel stands out as the most unique. You see, John wrote his Gospel later than all the others and his goals were different than the other Gospels’. His Gospel is rich with metaphors and cosmic language. John wants us to capture and believe that Jesus was unique, timeless, powerful, and the savior of the world.

As we spend time in this series in John’s Gospel, let your knowledge of the style inform the way you read. The narratives have meaning beyond the surface, metaphors beyond the literal, and power beyond the cursory read. Let your curiosity about that drive you past the surface and deeper into this masterfully crafted account of Jesus. To practice this kind of reading, read chapter 2 verses 1-11 with your imagination awake. Ask questions, imagine the setting, the sounds, the smells, the tones of voice. Ask yourself, “why is this story here and what is John trying to teach me about Jesus by including it?”

By Aaron Bjorklund