This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Jesus is the Bridegroom" 3/18/2012

JESUS IS THE BRIDEGROOM

John 2:1-12

MARRIAGE, GOD'S FIRST PRIORITY
V:1. "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus
was there."
A. The third day after Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, He traveled to
His home region. It probably would have taken two days to reach Cana.
1. It is interesting to note that this marriage feast symbolizes all the elements of the
ministry of Jesus.
2. Marriage is the center piece of God's creation. Family is the first human institution
established by God with Adam and Eve.
3. The Church is compared to marriage. Jesus is the bride groom, and the Church is
His bride. Mark 2:19
4. Marriage is the first human institution in God's creation. It is therefore fitting, that a
Marriage celebration is the first to receive Jesus after His baptism.
5. Cana of Galilee was a small city in the tribe of Asher.
a. This was a wedding in the promise land near Jesus home town.
b. Jesus started His ministry at home.
i. Our ministry for Jesus ought to start in our own home with our families.
c. Jesus started His ministry in a small city.
i. You are never too small or insignificant for Jesus to visit you.
B. "The mother of Jesus was there"
1. The wedding party may have been relatives of Jesus.
a. Our ministry ought to start at home.
b. Family ought to be our first priority.
2. Mary the mother of Jesus, a vitreous woman, set the example for all wives.
C. "The third day"
1. After emerging from the water (His baptism), Jesus began His ministry on the "third
day".
2. On the "third day", Jesus was resurrected from the grave, and began the ministry of
Salvation by Grace through Faith.

GOD SHOULD BE THE FIRST INVITED
V:2. "And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage."
1. Jesus comes to us by invitation.
2. We must accept Jesus as our personal savior.
3. The disciples of Jesus must follow Him.
4. All marriages should begin under the care of Jesus.
5. Marriages that begin without Christ, begin with Satan as a partner.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER
V:3. "And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no
wine."
A. Marriages always start with a need.
1. Mary interceded for the newly married couple.
2. Young marriages have a need for intercessory prayers for unity.
3. They have a need for the older, wiser and experienced Christians to give them
good advice.

JESUS CAME TO SAVE SOULS, MIRACLES WERE THE DRAWING CARDS
V:4. "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet
come."
A. There is a time and a place for everything.
1. Jesus was referring to His resurrection when all power would be given to Him.
a. The time prayers to the Father would be asked in His name.
2. This time of His earthly ministry was to preach the Gospel of Salvation.
3. This time of His earthly ministry was to introduce Grace as the redemption of sins.
4. Jesus did not descend to earth for our pleasures, but to reconcile the world back to
the Father.
5. We need to be careful that our desires don't interfere with the mission of the
Church.
B. A newly married couple will face difficulties trying to blend two lives together.
1. Couples should try to work things out first on their own.
2. It was a desirous thing to have more wine, but it was not a necessity.
3. Well meaning friends and relatives some times intercede for us to the Father while
we are trying to work our difficulties out.
4. Jesus' compassion for us includes our desires and our needs.

OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD IS PROFITABLE
V:5. "His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it."
A. Good advice comes from wise sources.
1. Those who know the Lord, know His power and authority.
2. Those who know the Lord, know that there is nothing to hard for Him.
3. Those who know the Lord, do not consider how He will do something, but expect
him to answer their prayers.
a. Jesus had never performed a miracle before this time.
b. Mary believed that the Glory of God would be manifested in His Son.
B. We are all servants of Jesus Christ.
1. We should be quick in following all of His commands.
2. Jesus responds to our prayers according to our faith and His will.

AN ENDLESS SUPPLY
V:6. "And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of
the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece."
A. Sometimes God uses what we have to perform miracles.
1. Firkins = 9-10 gallons, 3 firkins =30 gallons times 6 pots = 180 gallons
2. When God blesses us He blesses out of His abundance.
3. There is no end to what Jesus can do.
B. The water pots were used for purification purposes.
1. Jesus death on the cross cleanse the believer of his sins, an act of purification
before God.
2. The blood of Christ shed on the cross has endless power to atone for the sins of
man.

JESUS IS THE SOURCE OF ALL OF OUR NEEDS
John 2:7 "Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to
the brim."
A. The pots were filled to the top, symbolizing Jesus desire to fulfill all of our needs.
1. When we respond to Jesus in faith, He cleanses us of all unrighteousness ,
restoring us to full fellowship with the Father.
2. Jesus shows us the importance of honoring our mother.
a. He fulfills her desire to be helpful to her friends.
b. Out of obedience to His earthly mother, he responds to her request.

V:8. "And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast.
And they bare it."
A. The director of the feast testified to the effectiveness of the miracle performed by
Jesus.
1. The ruler of the feast would testify to the quality of Jesus' works.
B. Believers should be a witness to others of the work Jesus has done in their lives.
1. The work Jesus does in our lives is designed to benefit others through our
encouragement, through our witness and through our support.

V:9. "When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not
whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast
called the bridegroom."
A. This miracle proves that the Lord is the ruler over the elements of the earth.
1. The Lord is the water of life. John 7:38, Gen 3:20
2. The Lord is the creator of all life, the redeemer of life and the source of eternal life.
B. The wine represents the blood of Jesus shed on the Cross for the redemption of man
to eternal life. Mat 26:28
1. It is possible that water became wine at the time it was drawn by the servants.
2. Jesus provides life to those who are drawn to Him. John 6:54
3. There is enough eternal life (through his blood) to cover all believers. Mark 14:24

JESUS GIVES HIS BEST
V:10. "And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and
when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine
until now."
A. The best of a believer's life comes at the end of his earthly life when he enters eternal
life with Jesus.
1. A believer is never perfected to his best until he enters into eternal rest with the Lord.
a. Jesus is the way to it, the truth about it and the life in it.
2. The best of a believer life is his marriage to the bride groom who is Christ Jesus.
3. The invitation to the wedding is the blood of Jesus represented by the good wine.
4. Only the Lord can make the wine perfect and pure.
5. Only Jesus can render man perfect before God.


V:11. "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his
glory; and his disciples believed on him."
A. Jesus began his miracles in His home town among His own people.
1. The work of the Lord ought to begin with our families.
2. Others will come to believe in Jesus when we proclaim His glory.
B. The miracles of Jesus show Him to be more than a prophet.
2. The glory of the Lord is ever present in His works.
3. The works of the Lord is all around us; the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars and
even us.
C. The disciples saw the miracles of Jesus and they believed in Him.
1. Believers ought to see Jesus as their savior.
2. Believers ought to be in awe of Jesus when they view His miracles in creation
daily.
B. God's first priority is the welfare of the soul.
1. His first priority is not physical comforts which is bestowed upon man by His
miracles.
2. The miracles of Jesus called attention to His glory, His power and His authority.
3. His miracles draw men closer to Him.

V:12. "After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and
his disciples: and they continued there not many days."
A. Those who follow the Lord must be willing to be led to where ever He goes.
1. The work of the Lord is never done, so Christians should never get to comfortable.
B. Cana was high on the mountain and Capernaum was near the shore of the sea of
Galilee.
2. The High place of the Lord's ministry is the wedding of the believers with Himself.
3. The High position of God's creation is man in right standing with Himself.
a. Jesus did not come down from heaven to save the earth, the trees or animals.
He came down to save man from his sins.


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