WHAT IS THE SIGN? (1)
These days, it seems that you can't drive far in Derby before hitting roadworks. We all know the signs: a build up of traffic; a warning sign; temporary traffic lights; and a necessary deviation around the obstruction in the road. We rarely, if ever, give a thought as to what the works actually are; we are more concerned about continuing on our journeys…….
When Jesus started performing miracles, these were often described as "signs". Consider Jesus changing the water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana (John 2:1 – 11). This was described as Jesus' first sign (v11).
I am sure we have all read this remarkable story, but why did Jesus perform this miracle? Was it to please His mother? Was it to avoid embarrassment of the wedding caterers? Or perhaps to bless all the guests attending the wedding? What was the "sign" John was meaning?
A core element of the story revolves around the six stone water jars, containing 20 – 30 gallons of water. These stone jars were a necessary component of Jewish life, and were used for ritual cleansing.
The Jews had been taught the ceremonial cleansing requirements by Moses, particularly in the book of Leviticus. They were required to follow these rituals to be clean and pure before God. Jesus now demonstrates that outward cleansing with water would not cleanse completely, because what comes from the heart remains unclean (see also Matthew 15:1 – 20). What was necessary was Jesus' sacrificial blood, like the wine, that needed to be imparted into everyone, consumed rather than applied, because only that can cleanse completely. The water that became wine was an initial picture, an overture, of the gospel and the new kingdom that Jesus' ministry was set to bring.
Returning to the roadworks in Derby. Most of the works recently have related to the upgrading of the communications network from copper-based phone lines, to high-speed broadband internet. If we were to take time to look closely, there are signs that explain what the works are set to achieve.
When people encounter us, will we be like a road sign of the upgrading work that Jesus has achieved in us, through the cleansing power of the new wine in His blood?
