I was reading John 2:1-11 in The Passion Translation (TPT) and journaling some thoughts, when I suddenly felt Holy Spirit shifting my writing to a retelling of this familiar scripture from the perspective of the server. This has remained a very favorite memory for me, with Holy Spirit unfolding a moment in time in a new way. Enjoy.
Beth (B) – Was this an unknown man, and his mother, a woman unknown? Or maybe they were familiar or known to the servers? “Whatever Jesus tells you, make sure that you do it.” (John 2:5) And then in verse 8, an odd command and what follows is the server’s crazy, radical faith. He did what Jesus said. Lord, I sense there is something weighty in this, faith like the server’s. What Lord? Holy Spirit show me, I want the fullness of knowing.
It was a special day, the wedding feast. We stood alertly serving. We were busy and attempting to do our very best for the purpose of displaying our master at his very finest.
B – That’s it. We listen and we do with the goal of glorifying Daddy. It is not about us. Our eyes are on Daddy, for His best.
A kind, quiet woman approached me and spoke, “Whatever Jesus tells you, make sure that you do it!” (2:5)
Who was this man? Jesus, a guest, relaxed and enjoying the festivities. As he approached, there was a sense of something – different, unusual, calm and authoritative, clear and peaceful.
“Fill the pots with water, right up to the very brim.” (2:7)
Ok, it took a bit of time, but we filled each of the six with twenty or more gallons, to the very brim, with cool, clear water. So far this is usual. A task we do often for our master.
Then he said, “Now fill your pitchers and take them to the master of ceremonies” (2:8).
Ok, this is where it starts to get odd. These pitchers are for wine. These stone water pots are for washing. This is very odd. The woman said “do”. The man is calm and commanding. The request is something we can easily do BUT what will my master think? How will he respond? I am bringing wine pitchers to him full of water from the water pots used for washing rituals. I am my master’s servant. I will do this. I am called to serve. I serve. Something in this man Jesus is urging me to do as he speaks. I feel a sense of peace in this odd circumstance.
Something bigger than me leads me to dip the pitcher into the overfull water pot and carry it to my master. I am followed by the other servants. I lead. I approach. My master expects me to refill his wine glass as I approach him with my pitcher. The contents gently move as I near him – the sway of my movements moving the liquid. What? What happened? As the liquid glides over the spout and into the glass I see – I see wine! Wait, what? I am breathless. I feel my heart pounding. My face becomes flushed. I am solely and completely focused on this one thing. All around me is a blur but this I see – water has become wine. When? How? What happened?
And in a moment I feel my anxiety rise in wonder as my master raises this fluid to his lips. Dear God, what will he do? I don’t even know what he is drinking. I begin to alertly watch his every move as he raises his glass to drink. I am unable to take my eyes off his face, watching his expression, fearing his reaction, and yet wanting to turn and run. I want to run.
When he tastes the water that became wine, the master of ceremonies is impressed. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. (2:9)
My eyes are bulging as I witness his pleasure in that first sip. I know him. I know his expressions. I have watched and served him for many years. He lowers his nose to breathe in the full bodied aroma of this delicacy. I am astounded, breathless, frozen and standing as still as I can as my heart beats out of my chest and my hands tremble. I look to my left and to my right, all of us, pitchers in hand, are wide eyed and completely dismayed. What on earth just happened? What did we just witness with our very eyes? What is going on?
There is a bit of a bustle as the bridegroom is summoned. Oh dear God, might I have misunderstood that delight for disgust? And then my heart pounds in my ears and I stand ramrod straight and frozen, still clutching the pitcher. I see the bridegroom approaching, full of exuberant joy in the feasting, and then I hear the words from my master, “Every host serves his best wine first until everyone has had a cup or two, then he serves the wine of poor quality. But you, my friend, you’ve reserved the most exquisite wine until now!” (2:10)
My master has just conveyed the most incredible blessing on the hosting bridegroom. His character is displayed in the gallons and gallons of wine that we distribute to all of the friends and family at the party. My master relishes each sip and brags to all who will listen what a specimen of an upright fellow this bridegroom is. For all his days the host will be remembered as the extravagant one. No one ever has tasted wine like this and all will enjoy, discuss and wonder at the quantity of this “exquisite” wine.
And the man and his mother, there is no attention on them. They are invisible participants in the banquet. But we know. We know. We whisper with each other. We exclaim, try to understand, review the events, wonder and our awe grows and is magnified as we reflect and discuss. We peer at him. We refill his glass. We listen to him. We know.
Later, when all have returned to their homes and families, we are sharing with our wives and relatives. Head shakes, questions, wonder, doubt, all change nothing. I saw with my very own eyes the transformation of water to wine as I poured the first taste into my master’s cup. I have shared something I can not understand nor explain and still I am a witness to this miracle. This event, I have never seen before or since. This shift from water to wine that I could not have imagined or expected. And my master used this event to honor the host at the beginning of his days as a husband and head of a household in this community. He honored him in front of all of his friends and family as word made its way and even those who didn’t hear the master’s exclamation, thought the very same thing. How unusual for the host to hold such a wine in reserve – how unlike any other is he.
And what of the man who spoke to me, who gave me the clear, simple instructions that were easy and yet oh so incredibly strange and difficult to execute. How my knees did knock as I poured that radiant liquid into my master’s glass. Why did he not take any credit? Why did he not step in and take the credit? Why did he not whisper to my master or elbow the bridegroom and wink, to show the bridegroom he knew he had not done what the master credited to his character? Why? Why? Why?
So many thoughts flood my mind as I look at this story from the server’s perspective. Ask the Lord to show you His heart and Holy Spirit is faithful to reveal.
Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you AND (emphasis mine) tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
And I do believe the servers witnessed and participated in this,
Jeremiah 33:9 Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it, and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.
They knew. They saw. They heard. They witnessed. Nowhere in the Bible is there another mention of this miracle duplicated. It stands alone to showcase Jesus. His very first public miracle and yet so quietly and humbly done with lifetime ramifications for the servers (the least of the feast) and the bridegroom (the highly honored host of the feast). In one miraculous act, he impacted the future of the very least and the most highly regarded.
And the least were called to do the most with the greatest faith knowing the consequences of pouring washing water into the glass of their master. And the bridegroom did the least, not a bit, to enjoy the extreme, lavish harvest of the most unusual compliment a bridegroom could receive at his feast. And it stayed with him forever. Oh to know his thoughts. To know his questions. To know the compliments and questions and how he would have stood confused and dismayed by the wine and wondering, “Where? Where did this come from?” Might he have asked the servants? Might he have gone to Jesus and thanked him or might he have been like the nine lepers and simply walked away?
Having grown up in the Napa Valley, a world-renowned wine-growing region in Northern California, I understand enough about the incredible process and time it takes to make “exquisite” wine. And Jesus did this in a word. Suddenly. That is His power.
I know the truth. Jesus loves me. He can do anything. He is extravagant and not at all concerned about credit. He does all for his Father’s glory. He is satisfied. Fully. My, My. What a feast! What wonder and awe fills my heart and mind as I sit. Thank you Jesus for who you are and how you do what you do for me, for Daddy’s glory and your deep, unconditional expression of love for me. It is enough. More than enough.
John 1:18 (TPT) No one has ever gazed upon the fullness of God’s splendor except the uniquely beloved Son, who is cherished by the Father and held close to his heart. Now he has unfolded to us the full explanation of who God truly is!
Excerpt from Loving and Faithful