Who are we?

The center of the Traditional Anglican Communion; adhering to the Holy Bible (KJV) in all matters of Faith and Doctrine, a strict reliance on the Thirty Nine Articles of Religion, The two Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, the Two Creeds, and the Homilies and formularies of the Reformation Church of England.

Verse of the Day

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Devotion on the Miracles of Christ (Wedding at Cana) - 1 February 2014, Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord)



1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9  When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. (John 2:1-11)

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” Declaration of Independence

                On the occasion of this miracle, Jesus has just completed His ordeal of temptation in the Wilderness and has called his disciples. He has returned to Galilee and, on the third day, is called to a Marriage to which His mother and disciples have also been invited. One comforting thought revealed here is that those who belong to Christ are privileged to be admitted to the privileges to which He is admitted. “And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.” There are a number of salient points to be discovered in this miracle at Cana. When we ABIDE in Christ, we go with Him in both sufferings and celebrations. Let us examine the prime truths revealed in this First Miracle of Jesus’ earthly ministry:

One The miracle was performed to emphasize the high regard God entertains for the Institution of Marriage – the first which He blessed and sanctified at Eden for the propagation of the race. “And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there”  It was the first miracle of Jesus just as marriage was the first institution of God.

Two The miracle demonstrates the concern of Jesus for the most common matters of the life of man. It was a joyous celebration, and Jesus participated in both the joys and the dignity of the even. The wine to which the text relates was not grape juice, but truly wine. It added to the joy of the occasion. Men do not drink grape juice ‘abundantly’ and throughout the afternoon. They gave out of this wine, and more was needed. Jesus comes wherever He is invited, and He is a benefit to all others present.

Three Jesus had respect for His mother, and obeyed her petitions even when the time was not perfect. “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.” We all should take example of the Lord in keeping the Commandment: “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” The Lord’s reference to Mary as WOMAN was an ‘honorific’ in that day and not a slight.

Four The miracle reveals the purpose and glory of Christ in His command over the natural Creation which He has made and whose precise laws He commanded in the dawn of time. “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” He is Sovereign over both animate, and inanimate, beings. He is able to suspend His natural law to perform goodness. In our infancy as a nation, we acknowledged this power of Christ. (see the quote from the Declaration of Independence at the beginning of this devotion) How far astray we have drifted from this Founding Principle! Jesus came to transfigure and transform! He does so with water, and He does so with the heart of the meanest among us. The heart is the polar opposite of God, but Christ can enter in and clean house, so to speak. He took, as our Founding Fathers aver, a handful of rabble rousers at a tea party in Boston and turned them into a nation of Fifty Blessed States – a blessing which we have derived from the righteousness and faith of our Fathers and to which we have no present right.

Five Jesus came to satisfy a great need, and even lesser ones. “And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.” No problem is too great, or too small, to be brought to Jesus. He will ALWAYS supply our needs, but not necessarily our desires.

Six The miracle at Cana reveals the importance of unquestioning obedience to Christ: “His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” His mother did not argue with Jesus, but knew He would satisfy the need. She directed that the servants do whatsoever Jesus commanded. That is a good lesson for us, as well. If you are not a devout student of Scripture, how can you know “whatsoever He commanded you to do?”

Seven Jesus makes use of the resources available. If no man will proclaim His Gospel, He will use alternate resources: If no man will proclaim His Gospel, He will use alternate resources: “And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:39-40) “And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.” A Jewish firkin was more than seven gallons. So each of these enormous pots would have held about twenty gallons of water (soon to be wine).

Eight The miracle reveals the approach Jesus takes in the progress of His work. “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.” You will note that even though the manner of the miracle seemed so lacking in the spectacularity, the servants obeyed every command without even a slight hesitation. It must have seemed odd to bear what appeared to be water to the governor of the feast to taste-test. But they did so without question. Are we so obedient in simplicity and sincerity? Though He could have turned water into wine without the aid of human hands, He allows us to be participants in His work. He allowed the lowliest of servants to be participants in the greatest event of the Marriage. He takes, today, the lowliest among us and makes them ministers of His Word – even the lips of a child may pronounce marvelous truths that the profane world cannot grasp.

Nine Of profound importance to the Christian is the intimation in this miracle that, for the believer, the “best is yet to come!” Though we are blessed with a comfort and joy beyond all belief in this life – even when the gale storms of doubt and evil blast at our doorstep – there is always yet a greater joy to come in Christ. “When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” Another outstanding point of this miracle is that the benefits of Christ will always amaze. We are made joyful by surprise of His blessings!

Ten Miracles strengthen our faith, but not the signs and wonders boasted of by the false prophets and evangelists – it is the miracle that takes place in the heart of one at conversion. Men seek miracles and wonders because they have no faith to begin with. If man believes the Word of God that Christ came to save our souls, what greater miracle do we need than the love evidenced in that act? “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.” (Matt 16:4) If we believe that Christ bled and died for our sins, was buried and rose again from the dead, and ascended to the Father as our Advocate; what greater sign do we NEED? “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.(Matt 12:39-40)
 



The Miracle at Cana is but a morsel of the Hidden Manna that awaits every diligent Bible scholar to discover. The points I have high-lighted by no means encompass the full meaning of this Miracle at Cana. Perhaps if you look keenly and with a heart devoted to Christ, you may find enough crumbs from the Master’s Table to feed a multitude.