Sermonette: Jesus as the Compassionate Creator

Think for a minute about your answer to this question – What is the most shameful thing you’ve done?

This week I want to revisit a passage I recently studied in my time with the Lord. After spending some significant time in the Old Testament, I realized I had some questions about Jesus that I needed to be answered.

This prompted me to study the book of John.

Below is somewhat of a long excerpt, but I think every verse is worth the read. Let’s dive into one of Jesus’ first recorded miracles, John 2:1-12.

“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.’

“Woman, why do you involve me? Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come.’

“His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’

“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.

“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. 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.’

“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.

“After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.”

The gravity of this situation can be seen by looking at the significance of weddings in Israel during this time. Weddings were a really big deal. The ceremonies often lasted seven days.

An elaborate celebration was held to show the groom and his family’s ability to provide for the bride. To fail was incredibly shameful and had major repercussions.

Running out of wine was one of these shameful failures. A bride’s family could actually sue for damages in this situation.

In this miracle Jesus reveals himself as Creator (as the previous chapter also states). He creates exquisite wine from water, just as he is capable of making the believer into a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This passage also demonstrates Jesus’ compassion. He gives what we don’t deserve. Jesus knew what trouble the groom would face for running out of wine. Jesus decided to save him from shame. What a gift.

Not only was he saved from ridicule, but the groom was actually given credit for the wine Jesus had created.

What Jesus did here is a close parallel to what He offers us today. Jesus’ abundant compassion and grace frees us from our own scandals and shame.

For the believer, Jesus dying on the cross for our sins has wiped out our shame and inadequacy before God. The Father sees us as blameless, as he sees Jesus. Like the groom was given credit for the wine, we have righteousness credited to us before God because of Jesus.

What an act of compassion.