YEA Lesson Library

The Lesson

Everyone loves a wedding. Wed-dings are romantic, usually beautiful, and can be such a gala, festive occasion. It was no different in Jesus’ day. Mary, Jesus’ mother, was a guest at a wedding in Cana, a village in the hills of Galilee. Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding as well. This wedding took place a few days after the baptism of Jesus. The Bible doesn’t tell us who the bride and groom were. They could have been relatives or just friends.


Since weddings in Palestine were a community celebration often lasting for several days, the family carefully planned the events giving much attention to every detail. Refreshments were provided for all the guests. To fail to provide adequately for the guests could mean social disgrace. But even with the best of plans, things go wrong. Somehow, they failed to have enough wine on hand for this wedding feast. Making such a social blunder could haunt the newly married couple.

Mary, Jesus’ mother, learned about the problem. She may have known that the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus after His baptism gave Him new miraculous powers. So Mary went to her Son with the problem. Jesus said that He couldn’t help her now and said, “It isn’t yet my time for miracles.” He didn’t want to be distracted from His task.

Although Mary listened to Jesus, she also knew that He would take care of the problem because she, His mother, had requested it. She told the servants to do whatever Jesus told them to do. Six large stone water pots, used for Jewish ceremonial purposes, were standing there. Jesus told the servants to fill them with water. After this was done, He said, “Dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies.”

The master of ceremonies tasted it and found it to be an excellent wine, better than what they had already served. He commented that usually the best wine is served first and the lesser quality served later.

Wine had the same effect on people then that it has today. It is an adult beverage that when used responsibly can make a feast more enjoyable. But wrongly used, alcohol can become a curse. It may seem cool to go to a keg party. Drinking may seem like a quick fix for disappointments or a source for courage. But teens are not old enough to experiment with alcoholic beverages.

Take a little time and think about the teens you know in school who have a drinking problem. Are they nicer, more likable people when they’re drinking? Or, do they become loud and aggressive saying things they would never say while sober? Has this created problems with their friendships? Do they have difficulty with their grades? Do they miss days of school or work because they are hung over or alcohol is beginning to take its toll on their health? Proverbs 20:1 says “wine gives false courage, hard liquor leads to brawls; what fools men are to let it master them, making them reel drunkenly down the street!” (TLB).

Now take a little time and think about adults who have drinking problems. Do you have friends whose parents are alcoholics? Are their families happy? Do they have financial problems? Do they have difficulty holding a job or getting the promotion that should come their way? Is this the kind of mom or dad you want? Is this the kind of person you want to become?

The leading cause of death among adolescents is drinking and driving. The earlier in life you start using alcohol and other drugs, the more likely you are to become dependent on them. It takes less alcohol to produce intoxication in teens than in adults. As a teenager, you can become addicted to alcohol faster than an adult. Addiction can occur within one or two years of regular use by adolescents. Addictions are difficult to overcome and most addicts don’t succeed. These substances can take away your dreams, ruin your family, job and health. But worse than that they can rob you of eternal life.

Then why is it okay for your mom and dad to enjoy a glass of wine occasionally with dinner and it’s not all right for you? Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 shows us that there is a right time for everything. The time has not come for teens to drink alcoholic beverages – they are simply too young. There are a lot of things that are okay for parents that aren’t all right for teens.

Then what is the significance of Jesus turning water into wine? Jesus honored His mother by fulfilling her request at this wedding feast. But He didn’t come into the world to alter or somehow resolve the inconveniences of life’s everyday problems. He came to do the Father’s will, to teach us God’s way, and eventually die for our sins.

Could it be as the Expositor’s Bible Commentary says, “Jesus had come to bring about conversion: water to wine, sinners to saints”?