John 17:26 ESV
[26] I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.17.26.ESV

DBF-001-031 continues with John 2:10. The master of the feast recognizes that something unusual has happened: the best wine has been kept until now. We should keep the focus on Christ’s provision and avoid turning the verse into a promise of material abundance.

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Today’s Scripture

John 2:10 (ESV)

“And said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.’”

Opening the Scriptures

The master of the feast had tasted the wine, but he did not know where it had come from.

He called the bridegroom and expressed his surprise.

Normally, the better wine was served first. Yet at this wedding, the master believed that the best had been kept until later.

What he did not know was that the bridegroom had not provided this wine.

Jesus had.

The master could recognize the quality of the gift, but he did not recognize its source.

The servants knew.

Behind what appeared to be an unexpected provision stood the power and authority of Jesus Christ.

John is steadily directing our attention away from the wedding itself and toward Jesus.

Living God’s Word Today

There is a danger in receiving God’s gifts while forgetting the Giver.

Every day we receive things we can easily take for granted.

Food.

Shelter.

Family.

Friendship.

Strength for another day.

Opportunities to serve.

Most importantly, for those who belong to Christ, forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

Scripture reminds us:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” — James 1:17

Yet we must also be careful about what this miracle does not teach.

Jesus turning water into wine does not promise Christians wealth, comfort, success, or an easy life. The apostles themselves would later suffer greatly for following Christ.

The greatest gift at Cana was not the wine.

The greatest gift was Christ Himself.

That remains true today.

God may give us much or little in this world. Our circumstances may change. Health can fail. Possessions can disappear. Human relationships can disappoint us.

But the Christian’s greatest treasure cannot be measured by earthly prosperity.

We have Christ.

In Him we have something infinitely greater than temporary comfort: reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sin, and the certain hope of eternal life.

The master of the feast enjoyed the gift without knowing its source.

Let us not make the same mistake.

Recognize God’s goodness.

Give thanks for His daily provision.

But never become so occupied with God’s gifts that you forget the God who gives them.

Treasure Christ above everything He gives.

Question for Today

Do you value God’s gifts more than you value God Himself?

Respond: “Christ is my greatest treasure.”

Verse of the Day
Galatians 5:14 ESV
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Psalm 102:26-27 ESV
[26] They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, [27] but you are the same, and your years have no end.

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Today’s Scripture

John 2:9 (ESV)

“When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.”

Opening the Scriptures

The servants had done exactly what Jesus commanded.

They filled the jars with water. They drew from them. Then they carried what they had drawn to the master of the feast.

Now John tells us what had happened.

The water had become wine.

There is no elaborate description of the miracle. John does not tell us when or how the transformation occurred.

He simply states the fact.

Jesus had done what no servant could do.

The servants could carry the water.

They could fill the jars.

They could take what Jesus provided to the master of the feast.

But only Christ possessed the power to transform the water into wine.

There is another fascinating detail.

The master of the feast did not know where the wine had come from.

But the servants knew.

They had witnessed what happened because they had been obedient to Christ.

Living God’s Word Today

There is an important distinction here for every Christian.

God calls us to serve Him faithfully, but we must never confuse our service with His power.

We can preach the Gospel, but we cannot give someone a new heart.

We can teach Scripture, but we cannot force someone to believe it.

We can encourage a struggling person, but we cannot transform that person’s life.

We can plant.

We can water.

But God gives the growth.

That truth should produce humility in every Christian ministry.

Whenever lives are changed, sinners repent, churches grow stronger, families are restored, or people come to understand God’s Word, we must resist the temptation to take credit for what only God can accomplish.

We are servants.

Christ is Lord.

The servants at Cana had an extraordinary privilege. They knew where the wine had come from because they had been close enough to Christ to hear His command and obedient enough to carry it out.

There is a lesson there for us.

Faithful service often allows us to witness God’s work from a perspective others may never see.

Someone else may see only the result.

The servant remembers the empty jars.

The servant remembers carrying the water.

The servant knows that the power did not come from him.

Therefore, when God uses your service for His purposes, never say:

“Look what I accomplished.”

Instead say:

“Look what Christ has done.”

Question for Today

When God accomplishes something through your service, who receives the glory?

Respond: “All glory belongs to God.”

John 1:14 ESV
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV
[18] And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Isaiah 35:4-6 ESV
[4] Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” [5] Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; [6] then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;

https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.35.4-6.ESV

amen

Verse of the Day
John 1:14 ESV
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

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Today’s Scripture

John 2:8 (ESV)

“And he said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.’ So they took it.”

Opening the Scriptures

The servants had obeyed Jesus and filled the six stone jars with water up to the brim.

Then Jesus gave another command.

“Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.”

Notice what John tells us next:

“So they took it.”

There is no recorded argument.

There is no demand for an explanation.

There is simply obedience.

The servants had put water into those jars. They knew what had been placed there. Yet Jesus now told them to draw from the jars and take it to the man responsible for the wedding feast.

They still did not know what Jesus was doing.

But they obeyed what He said.

Living God’s Word Today

There are times when obeying Christ requires us to move forward without knowing what the result will be.

We often want certainty before obedience.

We want God to show us exactly how everything will work before we act.

But Scripture does not teach us to trust our ability to understand every circumstance.

It teaches us to trust God.

This does not mean Christians should act carelessly or treat every personal feeling as though it were a command from God.

That would be dangerous.

Our obedience must be governed by what God has actually revealed in His Word.

When Scripture speaks clearly, however, we should not delay obedience simply because we cannot see what God will accomplish through it.

We forgive because Christ commands us to forgive.

We speak truth because God commands truthfulness.

We love because Christ commands us to love.

We share the Gospel because Christ has commanded His people to make disciples.

We serve faithfully because we belong to Him.

The servants at Cana could not change water into wine.

Their responsibility was much simpler.

Jesus commanded.

They obeyed.

What happened next depended entirely upon the power of Christ.

This protects us from two serious mistakes.

We must not become passive and refuse to do what God commands.

But neither should we imagine that the results depend entirely upon us.

Obedience belongs to us. The power and the results belong to God.

Whatever responsibility Christ has placed before you today, carry it out faithfully according to His Word.

Then trust Him with what follows.

Question for Today

Are you willing to obey Christ even when you cannot yet see what He will do?

Respond: “Lord Jesus, I will trust You and obey Your Word.”