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Water, Wine, and The Glory of Christ

John 2:1-11

 

Here we see the Lord Jesus performing his first miracle, turning water into wine at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee. In performing this miracle, the Holy Ghost specifically tells us, in verse 11, that “Jesus manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” This miracle was a picture of something far more important than the display of our Savior’s divine omnipotence and the public demonstration of his eternal Godhead.

 

Water made Wine

 

The water we are told was “made wine.” — Pictures of wine were not pasted on the water pots. The water was made wine. — The water was not made to look like wine. It was made wine. — The water was not made to taste like wine. It was made wine. — The water was not treated as though it were wine. It was made wine.

This “beginning of miracles,” performed by the Son of God in Cana of Galilee, shows us how the God of all grace takes sinners like you and me and makes us saints, how God takes one who is altogether sinful, and nothing but sin, and makes him righteous, perfectly righteous, by his grace.

 

The Word made Flesh

 

When the water was made wine, it did not cease to be water. You have to have water to make wine. But it could never again be just water. The water was made wine. In John 1:14 we read that “the Word was made flesh.” When the Word was made flesh, God the Word did not cease to be God; but he would never again be just God. He is for evermore the God-man. The Scriptures also assert that all who trust Christ are “made the righteousness of God in him.” Though we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ, both in justification the righteousness of Christ being imputed to us and in sanctification the righteousness (holiness) of Christ being imparted to us, we have not ceased to be sinners.

 

Christ made Sin

 

But we could never have been made the righteousness of God in Christ had he not been made sin for us, that he might suffer and die for our sins upon the cursed tree. Yes, God “hath made him sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” The Book of God does not say that our sins were pasted on him in a legal, ceremonial way. The Book of God says, “He hath made him sin for us!” The Book does not say he was treated as though he were sin. The Book of God says, “He hath made him sin for us!” The Book does not say he was accounted a transgressor. The Book of God says, “He hath made him sin for us!” And the Holy Spirit does not say that he was made a sin-offering. The Book of God says, “He hath made him sin for us!

      Mysteriously, profoundly, wondrously, in a way that defies explanation, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Darling of heaven, who knew no sin, did no sin and could not sin, was made sin for us. Thus he manifests forth his gory in the accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of himself.

      This is the good wine of the gospel. Truly, it makes glad the heart! When Christ was made sin for us, it was he and he alone who trod the wine-press of his Father’s wrath as our Substitute, when the Lord bruised him and put him to grief. This is the wine that cheers both God and men. When God’s justice took the full draught of it for the sins of the redeemed, the Lord declared himself well pleased. And when the poor sinner, by sovereign grace, is first made to drink of the blood of the Lamb, he feels constrained to cry,

 

“Hallelujah! I have found Him

Whom my soul so long has craved!

Jesus satisfies my longings,

Through His blood I now am saved.”

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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