MIRACLE WORKER

Sermon Notes, January 17, 2016

Rev. Garry McGlinchy

Rev. McGlinchy’s sermon was titled “Miracle Worker” and his scripture reference was John 2:1-12.  When we think of miracles, we often think of healing, but miracles come in all shapes and sizes.

Jesus wants to take part in the events of your life. (v.1-2)  He came here on a mission to save and reconcile the world, and yet He took time to attend a wedding.  We get so busy we don’t have time for the social activities, but often it’s in the social times that we discover our most important mission taking place.  In those days a wedding was a huge event.  The whole town was invited, and it was considered an insult to decline an invitation.  Jesus valued this kind of fellowship because it was filled with people, and He came to be with people!  We can find great joy in the celebrations of life and work. We need to allow Him to work outside of the boxes that we create, and bring Him everywhere we go.

Jesus cares about the details of your life. (v. 3-5)  One thing we can relate to in this story is that it is embarrassing to run out of something. More than likely, Mary wasn’t asking Jesus to perform a miracle here; she was probably just asking Him to help find more wine, much as a parent would ask a child to help someone open a door when their hands are full.  If we truly believe in Jesus, we must allow Him to work through those times of great devastation or minor turbulence in the best way possible.  Mary knew who He was; she submitted to His authority, His way of doing things.  Sometimes we ask God for help with a situation, then we lay out the parameters for him to work in.  But this is not the way it works! He often has a completely different plan for answering our prayers.  Like Mary, we must remember who He is and submit to His way of doing things.

Jesus wants to use you to perform His miracles in the lives of others. (v. 7-8)  Jesus gave the servants a simple command: “Fill the jars with water.”  Their response was simple, too.  They did what He asked.  Then He gave another simple command: “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”  Again, they did what He asked. Here’s the thing; we do an incredible job of complicating things.  Whenever we are tasked with situations of any size, we think about how we would solve the problem so much that we create more work for ourselves. Just as the servants simply obeyed Jesus’s command, we need to simply follow His commands.  Jesus used these servants as part of the miracle; He wants to use us in the miracle making process. 

Jesus worked through these average men to perform his miracle.  He wants to use you to perform His miracles!  That means we need to do things His way; not ours.  Jesus wants to take part in the events of your life.  He cares about the details of your life.  He wants to use you to perform His miracles in the lives of others.