Series:  Direct study of the New Testament book of John

Session #2:  John Chapter Two:  Miracle at Cana Wedding and Cleansing of the Temple

YHC prepared over the weekend for this session.  Last week’s introduction and dive into Chapter 1 of John was fantastic.  Set the room up after work, ate a PB&J, and awaited the PAX.  Doorbell started ringing and a small group of 3 plus YHC assembled.

Warm Up:  Greeting.  Quick review by YHC of last week’s main points.  Opening prayer.

The Thang:

  • John 2:1-12 – Water Into Wine – Jesus’ first recorded miracle.  We read the passages and realized the following applications/take-aways:
    • So, what does this first miracle tell us about Jesus? •He is not a cosmic kill-joy. He gave His blessing to the joys of the wedding feast. •Jesus had the power to create. •He was submissive to His Father’s will and timing. •He is concerned with the small things in our lives.•He is not annoyed when we come to Him with our small problems.
  • John 2:13-25 – Cleansing the Temple – Jesus’ clearing out the moneychangers from the Temple entrance.  We read the passages and discussed the following applications/take-aways:
    • Jesus saw the heart of man. It is how God sees you and me today. And yet—this is the wonderful thing—God loves you in spite of your sin and has proved it by letting Christ die for you. •We must recognize that it is only God who knows the hearts of men, and thus we should be careful in the judgments we make, especially when it comes to motives. •Faith should be based on who Jesus is and not what signs or miracles He has done. We must walk by faith not sight. •The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is the “faith hall of fame” for Old Testament saints. These saints believed God’s Word, and acted accordingly, choosing not to trust in what they saw, but in what God said. That is the kind of faith Jesus commends. It is to these saints, whose faith rests on His Word, to whom our Lord entrusts Himself, for intimate fellowship and service.

Circle of Trust:  Prayer requests for FixerUpper’s brother and his ongoing battle with cancer and treatments.  Unspoken.

Moleskin:  The Gospel of John is written in a very deliberate manner.  We noted that it starts right up with Jesus’ adult ministry.  The narrative is very action oriented and re-enforces the eye-witness credibility of the author John.  PAX participating in this study series will walk away with a very good grasp of who Jesus was/is and key aspects of His earthly ministry and application of His teaching for our lives today.  Good stuff!  God be praised!

John 2 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Wedding at Cana

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.[a] Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers[b] and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple,[c] and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Jesus Knows What Is in Man

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

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