Reading Through John Devotionals – Week 2
Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Day 8
Jesus must have been about 30 years old when he became well-known to a wider public. We can only guess what he did before that, but it is most likely that he worked as a carpenter in Joseph’s business. Meanwhile, he got some friends and there were rumors that this young rabbi was someone special. His cousin, the prophet John The Forerunner ( also called John The Baptist), is more well-known at this time. But he always states that his purpose does not revolve around him
(John 1:19-27). John points people to Jesus: ‘Look, the Lamb of God’ (John 1:36), he says and a number of people start following Jesus.
Surrounded by a group of friends, Jesus sets off. It is interesting to see what Jesus does first. Together with his friends, he joins a party. This is his first public performance after his baptism after he was appointed to be the One sent by God. According to some of his disciples, the first party he visits is a wedding.
Did you ever find that the Book of John is quite similar to the Book of Genesis in some ways? For example, read the beginning of the gospel. Compare it to the opening of the book of Genesis. Both books start off: ‘In the beginning’. The gospel of John is, in fact, the book of Genesis in the New Testament—a new beginning, a new perspective, a new story of Creation. All have been created by the Word that came from the mouth of God. And the Word has become flesh and has lived among us. A whole new story of Creation is written and the gospel of John is not mistaken about that.
When you read the story in John 2, and you do so with a bit of imagination, it is like a heavenly scene where two people are brought together. In the story of Genesis it appeared that Creation had not been completed perfectly as the Creator himself concluded that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). Fortunately, God brings two people together in the primal story. Only then all was complete. In the gospel of John, in the new story of Creation, Jesus is there at the wedding. It is not good for man to be alone! This marriage is a good reason to get the party started. Jesus saw that it was good. But he was also present when it seemed to go wrong.
Read: Genesis 2:18-25, John 1:14-18, John 2:1-2
Day 9
When Jesus is at the wedding party in Cana, somewhere in Galilea, something special happens. The announcement comes that the wine has nearly run out. How that happened is not directly clear. There is the possibility that the newly-wed couple and their families were not really well off. There is also the possibility that the guests were having a really good time and drinking too much wine, or maybe more people had come than had been planned. Whatever the reason, Mary, Jesus’ mother, was also at the party and noticed the problem. She whispers to her son that the wine had run out: ‘What do you want from me?’, Jesus asked. My hour has not yet come.’ (John 2:4). In another translation the sentence is translated, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?’
Just imagine someone saying this to you. It seems like an awkward tension between Jesus and mother, especially in a culture where respect for one’s parents is very important. Throughout the centuries people have wondered about this. As you should know, mother Mary has an important role in the life of Jesus and even so in the early years of the church. Why is she addressed so bluntly?
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Mary really liked to show something about her son. Being so eager to show that he was not an ordinary man, but that he came from God. The timing of Jesus is different. Mary does not have to remind him and does not have to indicate the right time.
However, it is beautiful and instructive to read what she does next. She has no influence on an eventual miracle, no influence if something special is going to happen or when. But she anticipates, in case Jesus is going to act. She instructs people to follow his instructions, if he asks. Whether this will come, she does not know, but she knows they need to be prepared. Now, she has to wait patiently for the right time to come. Timing is out of her hands.
Read Isaiah 55:8-13, John 2:3-5
Day 10
Is it really so important, being able to offer a glass of wine at a party? Maybe it is for ordinary people, but would our dear Lord be concerned about that? The story about the miracle at the wedding in Cana shows us something different: apparently it is important that this is the first miracle we are told about. Apparently, a party with only a glass of water is not a good party. It seems to be so important the couple is able to serve their guests enough wine that Jesus performs a miracle.
Probably, you know the story of Abraham, father of all believers. When three men are visit him and he warmly serves them with what he has. They promise him and his wife Sarah a son, while they both are already aged. Hospitality is one of the most important assignments from the Almighty to mankind. Regularly, the people of Israel are reminded of the time that they were guests, strangers (for example read Leviticus 19:33-34 and Ezekiel 47:21-23). So, they must be able to imagine what it is like being a guest and what it is to get a warm welcome (or even a bad welcome).
Also in the New Testament, you’ll find similar stories. You read the story of two men leaving Jerusalem after Jesus had been crucified. While they were on their way home to Emmaus a stranger walks alongside them. They invite him for dinner. When this guest breaks the bread and gives a blessing, they finally recognize him: it is the Lord himself.
In the letter to the Hebrews, the believers are urged to: ‘…. Not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.’ (Hebrews 13:2). An angel always leaves a present behind when they are warmly welcomed. But you never know if you have lodged an angel!
You would think that something as ordinary as a glass of wine at a party is not very important to our dear Lord, but on the contrary. He was concerned about the party of this newly-wed couple, about being able to warmly serve others. The holiness is maybe more common than we often imagine.
Read Genesis 18:1-15, Hebrews 13:1-3
Day 11
Imagine you pray for a miracle to happen or a solution from God. What do you expect? A lot of people expect to see something spectacular. A lot of people have followed Jesus hoping to experience something extraordinary. ‘Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.’ (John 6:2).
A spectacular Christianity is what more people would like. A show! Theatre! Attention! A lot of people would like to experience this sort of miracle—to see it and experience it for themselves. But this first miracle of Jesus was quite invisible but the outcome of the miracle was visible. ‘When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning set out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!’ (John 2:9-10)
The servants have lugged loads of water (maybe about 600 litres) and in the end, a delicious and heavenly wine was served. People had seen and tasted that wine and they were astonished at the exceptional quality. What happened exactly, no one knows. No one witnessed the supreme moment. Is it not often like this? Many people are waiting for something spectacular, a miracle they can see. The real miracle is the result—enough wine for everyone. And the wine is perfect. The party is saved. What exactly was the real miracle? That enormous pots filled with water turned in wine? Or perhaps the fact that Jesus saved the party of a young couple? Undoubtedly, there were people who did not notice at all what was going on and without knowing, just enjoyed a delicious wine with a perfect aftertaste.
Jesus performed his first miracle and his new group of friends believed in Him. Because of the miracle with the wine, they saw something bigger than what their eye was able to see. A splendid new story of Creation is written! Everything is going to be new.
Read Amos 9:11-15, John 2:6-11
Day 8-11 Sourced from “Wedding in Cana” View the plan on YouVersion here: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/21485-wedding-in-cana
Day 12
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.
15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.
16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
As we start today, we need to know that in Jesus’ day, the temple in Jerusalem was at the heart of Jewish religion. It was the place where people came to meet with God and receive forgiveness from Him. And Passover was the most important festival of the year, a time when people gathered from all over to remember God rescuing His people from slavery in Egypt back in the Exodus.
We can almost hear the packed crowds and the noise of animals and traders, as visitors swapped their money to pay the temple tax and buy animals for sacrifice.
Into this scene steps Jesus, and what He does is shocking: with a whip He drives out the animals and the traders. Picture their money falling to the ground and their tables crashing over (2:15-16). What exactly is Jesus’ problem? Look at verse 16: according to Jesus, they have made His Father’s house into a place for buying and selling. A place that should have been somewhere for quiet prayer and turning to God has been turned into a shopping centre (2:16). His disciples remember a song from the Old Testament, written by the great King David (Psalm 69), where David was so focused on God’s glory that no one could stop him.
Things to ponder…
What is one thing that grabs my attention in this passage?
How focused am I on glorifying God today?
Day 13
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”
21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
It’s no surprise that the people in the temple ask Jesus what right He has to do all this (2:18): wouldn’t you?! His answer might be difficult to understand at first glance. When Jesus says that if they were to get rid of this temple He could build it again in three days, the people around Him take Him literally. They wonder how He could build in a long weekend what had taken them more than 40 years.
But Jesus is saying something even more radical than that. We learn here that He is talking about His body, specifically His death and resurrection three days later (2:21).
This means that Jesus, the Messiah, doesn’t just have God’s authority to be in charge of the temple, He replaces the temple. As the wine at the wedding party announced Jesus as the new bridegroom – God Himself – so this announces Him as the new temple. Jesus is now the place where we meet with God and have our sins forgiven. This is part of the answer to the question of how He can offer us grace. And so, as the Son of God, He has every right to put the temple straight as we learned in yesterday’s reading.
Day 14
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.
24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.
25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Questions to ponder:
Could a mere human being know what was in each person?
Could a mere human being know all people?
Could a mere human being perform the signs and miracles that Jesus did?
Once again we see Jesus’ divine nature displayed even in his human form.
Check out the words in Philippians 2:5-11.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Prayer for the day:
Jesus, thank you for coming to this earth in human form so that we could better understand what God looks like. Thank you for loving me to the point where you were willing to be obedient to a terrible death. I worship you today and acknowledge that You are Lord!
Day 12-14 Provided by Grace Church.