John 2 Devotional

The Better Wine of Grace

“Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.”John 2:11 (BSB)

Jesus' first sign happens at a wedding where the wine has run out. He has six stone jars, set aside for Jewish purification rites, filled to the brim with water, and the master of the banquet tastes wine better than anything served earlier (2:6-10). John calls it a sign that displayed Jesus' glory, and it led his disciples to faith (2:11). Jars meant for ceremonial washing become the vessels of a feast.

Later, in Jerusalem, Jesus drives the sellers and money changers out of the temple courts. When asked for a sign, he speaks of a destroyed temple raised again in three days, and John explains that he meant his own body (2:19-21). The place where God meets his people is no longer a building. It is a person. Religious rituals could point toward cleansing, but only Jesus brings the joy they were waiting for, and he brings it in abundance. You can come to God through him today, with nothing to offer but your need.

To think about: Where are you relying on religious effort to reach God instead of coming to Jesus himself?