Variety: John 2v7–10

Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the person in charge of the banquet.’ So they took it. When the person in charge tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), that person called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’  John 2:7–10

The wedding feast in Cana is in full swing until an awkward problem arises: the wine runs out. In a culture where hospitality was sacred, this wasn’t just inconvenient, it was a social disaster. Jesus quietly steps into that moment of embarrassment and lack. Water becomes wine, and not just any wine, but the very best. John calls this the ‘first of the signs’ through which Jesus revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

At one level, this miracle is extraordinary, God’s power transforming the ordinary. But John never presents Jesus’ miracles as mere displays of strength. They are signs, pointing beyond themselves to who Jesus is and what he brings: the new creation, the kingdom of God breaking into the everyday.

The detail matters. Jesus doesn’t conjure wine from nowhere; he works with what is already present – stone jars, water, servants willing to obey. It is in the practicalities of hospitality that glory is revealed. That is good news for us, because it reminds us that God is not distant from our daily lives and work. The stuff of creation matters. Our offices, classrooms, homes, and building sites are not spiritual ‘waiting rooms’ until heaven. They are places where God’s renewing presence can be experienced.

Think of the servants. They may have been puzzled at Jesus’ instructions, but they filled the jars ‘to the brim’ and carried them to the master of the feast. Their simple obedience became the channel through which transformation flowed. Likewise, in our own work, we may feel that what we do is routine – filling jars, carrying water. Yet when done in obedience and offered to God, the ordinary can become a place of extraordinary grace.

And then there are the disciples. They saw and they believed. This miracle isn’t just about saving a party, it’s about pointing to Jesus, who would later say, ‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly’ (John 10:10).

So we’re left with this encouragement: in our everyday meals, tasks, and relationships, Jesus still transforms. He takes what is ordinary and fills it with the richness of new creation. The invitation is simple: do whatever he tells you, and trust him to bring the best wine – even when we least expect it.

Paul Woolley