John 2 reminds me of above ground pools. An empty pool is flimsy and unstable, but once full it becomes immovable. In my teens I was full of anger. It terrified me, but at the same time I knew it kept me from being vulnerable. The rage pushed me in competition, and every match was a release of fury. Sometimes we hold onto negative things because we fear emptiness even more. Today’s chapter is about being filled. We begin at a wedding feast, “Jesus and His disciples had also been invited”. Next we read the last recorded words of Mary, the mother of our Lord. She sparked His first miracle. “When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, ‘They have no more wine.’” These words are critically important for anyone seeking access to Christ through Mary. His mother told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you”. Mary encouraged her son, and then she stepped back and simply pointed to Him. How did Jesus begin His public ministry? “Nearby stood six stone water jars“. These were “for ceremonial washing“, and were apparently empty. Jesus instructed them to “Fill the jars with water“, and “they filled them to the brim“. We are not given any details of how the change took place, but Jesus instructed the servants to “draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet”. After tasting the wine, he commented about the quality, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first… but you have saved the best till now”. Wine symbolizes abundant joy. If you are empty, God can fill you, but in my case, He transformed the ugliness. God can change whatever you bring Him into joy. After this “His disciples believed in Him”. Notice the steps: ask, listen to Him, and then be filled. Friend, is it time to listen to Him?
Next we read of Jesus in Jerusalem just before Passover. When He went into the Temple courts, “He found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others… exchanging money”. This was a complete corruption of what was supposed to be an act of worship and atonement. They were cheating sincere people for profit. “So He made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts… He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables”. It is fascinating to read some commentaries describe this. He was certainly not gentle. He was reacting with righteous indignation. Just as Passover requires cleansing the home of leaven, Jesus cleaned the Temple of sin. Not with a feather, but with a whip He fashioned Himself. “Stop turning My Father’s house into a market!” He did not hate the men, but He had contempt for their actions. It is important to note that He started with the hypocrisy in the Temple. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders, but He always showed mercy to the sinners as He taught them. Often it is merciful to stand against evil.
The Jewish leaders demanded a sign to prove His authority, and Jesus replied, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days”. They laughed, knowing the building took “forty-six years to build… But the temple He had spoken of was His body.” If you are waiting for a sign, maybe it is time to take a step of faith? The chapter closes with, “many people saw the signs He was performing and believed in His name. But Jesus would not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all people”. People are fickle. He knows the heart of man. Every single person will eventually let us down. Broken trust can leave us fragile and empty. When God filled me with His Spirit, He removed my anger and gave me the gift of tears. I weep for those still angry and alone. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). Pools and life are to be enjoyed with friends. Come on in, the water is warm.