The Chosen – Episode Five – Reflection 

Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy!

Isaiah 61:7

Imagine you are among the first to follow Jesus. You still have a lot of questions, but you believe (like Andrew in John 1:41) He is the Messiah. You understand the Messiah to be the great political leader who would deliver Israel from Rome on the way to restoring your nation to prominence. You would expect to be very busy – especially if you knew (as we do now) this Messiah only had about three years to do his work. And yet on the third day of following Him, you are informed you will travel to a wedding of one of His old friends. Now, weddings in your culture last about a week. How would you feel knowing that you’d be spending a week at a wedding feast? Would it seem like a waste of time? Would not the Messiah – if He really was the Messiah – have better things to do?

So why did Jesus attend this wedding in Cana? Primarily, it seems from the text, because He was invited! And He prioritizes the relationships He has with those who invited Him – along with the new relationships with His disciples that will grow during the festival week. I love how The Chosen helps us envision how Jesus would have spent His time at this wedding. We see Him relating with His disciples, playing with more children, and even dancing with the crowd. Much of Jesus’ ministry focused on building relationships. We think of the teaching and the miracles, but imagine the hours Jesus would have spent with His disciples over the course of three years. Jesus’ mission strategy was life-on-life discipleship. There were no shortcuts to preparing these disciples – they needed time with Him.

But while this wedding initially reminds us of Jesus’ humanity and relational ministry, it soon shows off His deity as He turns water into wine. In performing this first miracle, Jesus “revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him” (John 2:11). Don’t miss how He did it – the stone water jars that held the water were those “used by the Jews for ceremonial washing” (John 2:6). They represented the religion of Jesus’ day, a system Jesus exposes throughout His ministry to be void of real worship and relationship with God (Mark 7:6-8). In turning the water into wine, which symbolizes joy and blessing in Scripture, Jesus casts fresh vision for what His kingdom will be all about. His invitation will not be to follow a burdensome religion (Matthew 11:28-30) but to experience a festival joy – a deephearted gladness that will culminate in a great wedding banquet in heaven!

The whole scene reminds us to consider whether our own relationship with God is one of empty ritual or real joy in Christ. If Jesus first displayed His glory at a wedding, and if our final experience with Jesus can be described as a wedding feast (Revelation 19:6-8), then we the church – the bride of Christ – should probably get used to knowing a festive joy in His presence. This is not to suggest our following of Jesus will be without trials, pain, and grief. Yet even in difficult times we can cling to a greater joy (James 1:2-4). And if you haven’t known that joy in your religious experience, perhaps Jesus is seeking to capture your heart in a new way in this season. Even today, you can know the joy of having your sins forgiven, being adopted into the family of God, and being sure of a home in heaven. The Scripture is clear that Jesus died for our sins (Romans 5:8, 1 Peter 3:18) and rose again (Romans 1:4), so that now “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” and “whoever trusts in Him will never be put to shame!” (Romans 10:9-13). Why not today, call on Jesus for salvation and experience His festival joy!

 

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame”… for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:9-13