The First Miracle

In the third week of Jesus: the Untold Story we learn about Jesus’ first recorded miracle, the first public display of his ministry.

In the years of his youth, we can assume Jesus stood out. While He was very human with acne and bad hair days, He was also very different from everyone else. This is evident in the book of Luke when Jesus stayed back as his family began the return trip home from the Passover festival. Luke 2:45-47 states, “When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” This is not the common practice of many twelve year olds.

Although Jesus was set apart from others, He did not begin performing miracles until He was much older. While it makes for good conversation that the first miracle Jesus performed was turning water into wine, we can be sure that this was not a version of the prayer scene in Talladega Nights where Cal Naughton excitedly shares how he “likes to imagine Jesus in a tuxedo t-shirt, ‘cause [he] likes to party so [he] likes [his] Jesus to party.” It is important for us to keep in mind that this miracle was about much more than praying to a Jesus who likes to party. It’s about connecting with a Jesus who gets us. Jesus cares about every aspect of our lives. Whether it’s making sure no incidents occur at a wedding that would cause a marriage to start out in financial distress, comforting us when we are upset, celebrating with us during joyous occasions – whatever is happening in our lives, Jesus wants to be there. He cares about the grades we make, the people with whom we spend our time, our goals, our dreams, our aspirations.

Another interesting aspect to this miracle is Mary’s response. When thinking of a mother, which characteristics come to mind? Loving? Nurturing? Disciplinary? Everyone has differing experiences with their parents, but whether our experiences were positive or we possessed a longing in our hearts that was never met, most often the characteristics that come to mind fall into these categories. However, at the wedding at Cana when Jesus professed that he could only answer to the call of His heavenly Father, Mary reacted in a manner differing greatly from what we may expect. Rather than questioning his motives or chastising him, she accepted this truth and instructed the servants to do whatever Jesus told them. In this moment, she transitioned from the person who reminded Jesus to clean His room and straighten his collar to a devoted follower waiting to carry out His commands. After Jesus performed the miracle, the Bible tells us in John 2:11 that “He displayed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.”

What stands out in this passage is that Mary did not wait for the miracle to occur before she believed in Jesus. She displayed her faith before anything magnificent took place. This is the type of faith we all need to have. We don’t need to wait until a miracle blows our mind away to profess the reality of our God. Miracles don’t happen every day, but we should find comfort that the Lord is present and working in our lives at all times.

How is God working in your life this week?