These are unofficial notes taken by an attendee at the teaching by David Harper. If you want a transcript of this teaching you are encouraged to order either an audio or video tape of the session.

Themes from the Gospel of John

By Rev. David Harper
March 8, 2002

The Gospel of John is different from the other three gospels. It is like an impressionist painting. Jesus didn't come to be a repairman to fix a few things. He did not come to make life easier for us. He came as the new creator, not to destroy the old, but to create it again. He came for more than just personal salvation... instead he came to over come evil and to put all the earth under God's dominion. He started this and He is still doing it.

Note the parallel between the Gospel of John and the first part of the book of Genesis. These parallels were not just a coincidence.

Note that on the fifth day there is no counterpart to the Genesis story. The reason is that birds and fish symbolize fallen angels. In the new creation, God does not intend to redeem the fallen angels.

In those days, running out of wine at a wedding was much more than just an inhospitable act. It was a reflection on the father of the bride. It meant that he was not taking care of his guests. In fact, in those days the father of the bride could have been sued.

There are three things you should know about this story and three more you should do.

Things to Know

I. Our resources, like the wine, are about to run out.

Just like with a computer, it is not a question of if it will crash but when and whether you are prepared for it when it happens. Your resources will run out and typically it will happen in a public setting and that is embarrassing. This is the nature of the old creation... it is decaying and will eventually fail. We are seeing this happening in our churches today. The resources are running out... the wine is running out in our marriages too... how do we know when it is running out?
- When we see a loss of vision.
- When people are living in a day-to-day existence.
- When we don't think our prayers will make a difference
- When we see our creativity running out.

II. Jesus is committed to bring the old to an end

The running out of wine was not just luck or a random act. Look at Isaiah 40:7. It says

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass."

It is happening because when the spirit blows, a lot of death occurs because the old will die. Jer 1:9-10 says

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."

God is uprooting, destroying and tearing down. Only then he was to build up and planting. People are open to change when they see destruction all about them. There are two kinds of crisis we can experience:

A. Neurotic: This dissipates energy and produces a tendency toward isolation.

B. Developmental: Energy and growth come from this. With this kind of crisis a person grows through it as opposed to being overcome by it.

In the midst of crisis it is not clear which way it will go.

III Jesus is always there when the old runs out.

Jesus was not surprised when the wine rant out. He was not somewhere else. He was there, understood it, and dealt with it. He does it, we don't. He is not judging the people but he is judging the old ways. He takes what is already there and transforms it like he did with the water. The starting point is our helplessness.

There were six jars. Each held 20-30 gallons. With the water all the ingredients were in place. Now when these jars were filled they were clumsy and each weighed around 200 lbs. At the same time, the water in these jars could not do what they were suppose to. This water, which was to be used for ceremonial cleansing, could not cleanse and purify. It was Jesus' being there that caused the miracle. All we can do is receive from him, his grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Things to Do

I. Turn to Jesus.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, turned to Jesus. She named the crisis "The wine has gone out." She told him what happened. She didn't tell him what to do, she just told him what was going on. Can we do this? How can we do it?

a. One way is to start journalling during your prayer time. I have found that it helps me to be more objective and to get it out. It is a discipline. The book of Psalms contain King David's journal.

b. Get a spiritual director. This keeps you honest. You need someone who is detached from you. Someone who can give you advice. A spouse is who this person should be.

II. Listen to what Jesus tells us what to do.

Jesus gives us counsel. Mary says do whatever Jesus tells you to do. But before you hear what he has to say to you, you need to agree that you will do it, whatever it may be. Make that decision before he tells you. The servants were listening... Jesus had their attention.

III. Obey Jesus.

Jesus told them to fill the jars with water and to fill them to the brim - that didn't make a lot of sense to the servants but they did not question what he told them to do. When this was done and the servants took the water, now turned to wine, to the head of the wedding the comment was "you have saved the best until last" This is not what he was expecting. The old wine was good. There was no problem with it. But the new wine was even better.

Jesus wants us to enjoy not just the best of the old wine but the best of the new as well. The bride groom had nothing to do with this miracle. Mary and Jesus did this and Jesus is to be our bride groom. So remember, the best is yet to come!