From Water to Wine: The Glory of Christ Revealed John 2:1–11

This week we are going to learn all the miracles that were performed by Jesus Christ in the book of John. In the book of John, we have only seven miracles that were performed by Jesus Christ. And these are not just miracles — they are miraculous signs (John 2:11).What does this mean? It means every miracle that Jesus performed in the book of John was not to display His power, but there is a message He wants to communicate to us in every miracle He performs. When you see a sign of a heart, you know it means love. In the same way, don’t just focus on the miracle — focus on every message behind the sign.John stated in John 20:31 that Jesus performed many miraculous signs so that we may believe He is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him we may have eternal life. The reason why Jesus performed miracles was for us to believe in Him — that He is God and at the same time human (John 1:14). That is what the book of John is all about: to show Christ’s uniqueness, that He was God and at the same time 100 percent human. Let’s dive into the first miraculous sign in the book of John: Jesus Changes Water into Wine.

The First Miracle: John 2:1–11

 Lessons From This Sign

First, I want to highlight one thing: Mary, the mother of Jesus, told Him the wine was gone. Jesus calls His mother “woman.” Did Jesus answer rudely to His mother? No. The reason why Jesus called His mother “woman” is because He wanted Mary to know that the time had come for Him to start His ministry — not as her son, but as the Son of God who would from now on obey the Father’s will (John 6:38).He had submitted to His mother since childhood (Luke 2:51), but He wanted Mary to know that now there was a distinction between Him and her. He was God, and He would not take any authority from her anymore or be told what to do. In response, Mary is not offended. She realizes the time has come for Jesus to reveal Himself as the Messiah to the world, and that’s why she responds by telling the servants to do everything Jesus would tell them (John 2:5). She knew Jesus would do something extraordinary about the wine. Second, Jesus ordered the servants to fill the water jars which were used for ceremonial cleansing, and He changed the water to wine. The secret to unveil the meaning of this miracle is the water used for purification. In Jewish ceremonies, it was their culture and law to wash their hands before they ate anything (Mark 7:3–4). That is why the Pharisees and teachers of the law complained to Jesus when His disciples ate without washing their hands (Matthew 15:1–2). They believed through cleansing they would get closer to God, and they would be purified. But ceremonial water for cleansing could not purify them. Only the blood of Jesus can purify us from our sins (Hebrews 9:13–14; 1 John 1:7). So, Jesus used the water for purification and changed it to wine. This is the message of the first sign: Jesus was communicating to them that He came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). He was bringing the old covenant to completion and establishing a new covenant (Hebrews 8:6–7; Luke 22:20). Ceremonial washing could not make them right with God — only by His blood could they be purified from their sins. The wine tasted better than any wine that had ever existed. Only the blood of Jesus and His perfect sacrifice can cleanse us from our sins (Hebrews 10:10–12). Lastly, John says He did this to show His glory. All who saw it were His five disciples and the servants. They believed in Him as their Messiah (John 2:11).

🙏 How Was His Glory Revealed?

We expect the glory of God to appear in a magnificent way, with power. But only a few people knew He performed the miracle. He never revealed it to everyone in the crowd. The master of the banquet did not know Jesus had changed the water into wine. So how was His glory seen? John 17:1–4 explains: Jesus showed His glory by finishing the work God had given Him. He died on Calvary and carried our sins. He lived a perfect life of obedience, loved, and obeyed God perfectly. He was humiliated but never showed His power. He was persecuted and beaten but never revealed His identity as God. Philippians 2:5–8 tells us that even though He was God, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. He humbled Himself even to the point of death. This is how He showed His glory in Cana of Galilee — by humbling Himself and not showing His power to those at the wedding. Truly His glory was seen.

Conclusion

The miracle at Cana was not just about wine. It was a sign pointing us to Jesus’ greater mission. By turning water for purification into wine, Jesus revealed that the old covenant of rituals and ceremonial washing could never truly cleanse us. Only His blood — poured out on the cross — brings true forgiveness and new life (Hebrews 9:14; Matthew 26:28). This first sign revealed His glory, yet it was not in a loud or showy way. Only a few servants and His disciples knew what He had done, and through it, they believed in Him (John 2:11). The glory of Jesus is seen not in earthly splendor, but in His humility, His obedience to the Father, and ultimately in His sacrifice on the cross. The message of Cana speaks directly to us today:

• Jesus came to replace our emptiness with His fullness.
• He came to transform what is ordinary into something extraordinary.
• He came to establish a new covenant of grace, sealed in His blood, that brings us into fellowship with God.

Just as the servants at Cana obeyed His word and witnessed the miracle, we too are called to obey His voice. When we trust Him fully, He will transform our lives, fill us with His Spirit, and reveal His glory through us. May we, like the disciples, believe in Him afresh — and live as people who reflect His glory through humility, service, and faith.