John 2:1-5 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." (NIV)
John’s first chapter is the record of the first three days of Jesus’ ministry after His baptism (John 1:29; 1:35; 1:43 ). Jesus had called His disciples and they set out from the Jordan to the region of Galilee. Having arrived at Cana, a wedding feast was well under way. It might have lasted a week. To the embarrassment of the host, the wine had all been drunk and so Jesus’ mother informed Jesus, believing that He could resolve the problem. However, John 2:11 tells us that Jesus had not performed miracles before, so Mary could not have known His miraculous power. Nevertheless she had such trust in Him that she boldly instructed the servants to do whatever Jesus said. But before dealing with the immediate problem, Jesus made clear that the big action of His life was not to be a popular miracle-worker: His ‘time’ had not yet come; He was referring to His death on the cross.
Jesus always had the end in sight. The goal of His life was to die as a sacrificial lamb to pay for the sins of everybody in the world. He had no need to orchestrate a campaign of power and popularity, nor to allow others to do it for Him – even His mother. No. Jesus had His heart and mind fixed on His salvation work. As John says later (John 2:11 ; 20:30-31 ) His miracles were not advertising to make Him accepted, but signs so that those who had hearts to understand might know that Jesus was the Son of God – and that would lead them to put their faith in Him and lead them into eternal life.
Jesus always got it right: keeping the big picture clear, ensuring He achieved the main purpose of His life, and also doing what was right in a way which blessed people – demonstrating who He was. But Christians may get it wrong: some have no big picture, no sense of God’s calling; they either amble through life in an unfocussed way or they put their time and energy into activities without appreciating God’s bigger plan. Let the main thing be the main thing! Keep God’s priorities for your life carefully guarded. Do not allow yourself to be dragged off track. Resist the temptation to be popular or do things to get attention for yourself, when God’s purpose in saving you was that you will draw attention to Jesus. You may feel that ‘something must be done’ … just make sure you are doing the right ‘something’ for the right reason!
