“A low view of Hell usually is associated with a low view of the Cross.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon
I’ve always wondered what Jesus meant when his mother told him, “They have no wine,” and Jesus replied, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My HOUR has not yet come.” His mother then said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:3–5).
I found out that the “hour is the cross”. It was when he began his journey to the cross. Gospel of John begins the journey with the miracle at the wedding in Cana that will GO TO Calvary. But that’s not the end of the story of the cross. Three days later he walked out of the tomb where he was laid to rest. He rose from the dead. YAY HALLELUJAH! Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the crux of Christianity.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. The word “increased” or “grew” is translated from a Greek word proekopten. It means stretched forward. It’s a Metalsmith term. (Metalsmith designs tools and is creative and creates works of art from an array of metal). I think.it means Ngua rrot el deel. Ngmla soisb ra ngau e tuobed e meteot e mora ralm el muut el mora ngau e meteot. A chebirukl el metal, (deel) a meteot el mo melemalt e mesisiich. The process he went through was long ~about 30 years, then he went to Jordan River for baptism and was led by the Holy Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. That’s a long process. He had to go through all that to endure the hour of suffering – the cross. He overcame all.
Why do I need to know these things? Why water and wine? When his side was pierced with the soldier’s spear, water and blood came out. The soldiers had to.make sure he was dead. I realized I need water and blood to survive.
All three times Jesus referred to the hour was accompanied by prayer which indicates his consistent and unbroken fellowship with the One who sent him, his Father.
Don’t miss the point. If you focus on how wine makes you bad because your body is a temple of God and you shouldn’t drink alcohol. Focus on the hour – the cross where Jesus died to give us life eternal. He who spoke and mountains, rivers and waterfalls came to be, refused to live without you. How he loves you is more than words.
Christianity is not about you. It’s all about Jesus.