Significance in Jesus' First Miracle

Why do you think we are told of Jesus' first miracle? Is there something significant we should see about this miracle kicking off the start of His ministry? Can we draw comparisons about this story and how or why God uses us? The secret to beginning a ministry is described in this first miracle. Remember when the disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest? His answer was "the one who is the greatest a servant".

As I look back on when I began my ministry, I did nothing except make myself totally available to be a servant to anyone who needed me. I cut grass, changed toilet seats, painted bathroom stalls, fixed things and more. It was not very glamorous. No one was envious of how God was using me. I was really blown away by Isaiah Chapter 6. Isaiah had seen the glory of the Lord and he was changed forever. I too had been totally changed by recognizing just who God was. I could relate to verse 5 after Isaiah had seen the Lord:

So I said: Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts." Isaiah 6:5

If you read on the seraphim flew over and touched a coal to his lifts, told him his iniquity was taken away. That was just like what happened when we accept Christ, I thought. The next verses sent me into ministry:

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall we send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." Isaiah 6:8

Without thinking again, I said "Me too! I'll go too! If you will have me." When a man was needed to stand in the gap, I was there. I prayed for God to make me clean and keep me a clean vessel, one He would even consider worthy for Him to use.

Remember Jesus' first miracle? He filled empty, clean vessels with water and tuned them into the best wine the people had ever tasted. Was this miracle thrown in for something? Absolutely! Be available! Ask Him to clean you up and help you stay clean! Why you might ask? Simple! You never know when Jesus will need a clean available vessel. Allow Him to make sure you are empty of worldly junk!

Those available vessels were filled, only because they were empty and clean. Allow Him to fill you with the Living Water (His Spirit)! Any impurities left in the vessel only contaminate the Living Water being placed into it. Today we actually sterilize containers before filling them. It kind of crucifies the bad germs and organisms. Have you ever canned something and found you didn't do a god job and mold formed. It only takes a few bacteria, or a little leven to leven the whole loaf.

Allow Him to totally empty you and cleanse you, and then allow His to fill you. Finally, do not resist what He does in your life, and allow His Word (The Holy Bible) to make you into a fine wine!

I got such a great deal. He did all the work, and all the rearranging, when I just said please use me, and he did the rest. Dr. Bill Bright said it best. He became a willing slave to Jesus Christ. I learned unconditional love for others and I believe He allowed others to feel that love. I became a wine that reflected the touch of the one who made it. When the church and others have showed me and my family such love, I see it as them showing their love actually for the Jesus that changed me when I asked for Him to make me a clean vessel, and I said "Send me too."

Here is a little additional note:

I was saved in March 2001. By July, I was walking very close with the Lord. I had ordered a load of mulch for the small playground behind my church in MD. I was spreading it on a Saturday when Pastor Rivers came over and asked where my help was. It was about 100 degrees and sticky. I said my family had gone to visit my wife's mom for a few days, and I had to stay, so rather than calling men in, I hoped they were having fun with their families.

Pastor had no response, but to say OK. I went home and decided to get a few crabs and some beer. Yes, beer. I still drank at that time and had read in the Bible not to have too much, not any. That day something amazing happened. Ever since I had been saved by asking Jesus into my heart, I had felt like a conduit opened directly to the Lord. I walked and talked with Lord all the time. As I started to drink that first beer that day, it started to close and then closed completely while I started my second. I didn't finish it and felt alone. I was very shaken up, because it seemed as if God was gone. I sat down and asked God what was happening. The Spirit spoke, not words out loud, but I understood immediately that I was being spoken to. "If you were a doctor on call, would you be drinking?" If you were a pilot on call, would you be drinking?" "You said you were available" "You said use me any time, any where." "What if I needed to send over a neighbor in need, or direct a person in need to call you?" "Would you really be available?"

From that moment, I haven't had any alcohol. Not because the Bible said so, but because the trade off from giving it up, far outweighed and short term gain in fun. In a way, it was like offering it up as a fast. I later saw this verse:

It is not for Kings. O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink: Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted. Proverbs 31:4-5

I thought about whom we are when we are born again. Are we not children of God, and princes (and Princesses) of the Kingdom. We have a role as representatives, or ambassadors. We are warned not to pervert justice for the afflicted. Who are the afflicted but unbelievers looking for reason not to believe.

I have been blessed when I have shared this, so I felt it time to broadcast what God had done in my life in this area. In fact, just telling this story to other men has resulted in some amazing things. Remember Dan Chan (AKA Doctor Dan) who went to medical school (see 3 S's for the Chan's in the Testimonies section of the web page)? Just before he left, he said "from the day you told me that, I haven't drank any alcohol." "I told God I would give it up, in the event that you might even considering using me like you use Jack." I nearly cried, and nearly tear up thinking that God not only uses our tasks, but also our example. Funny thing is no one ever came up to me to say that when I was changing toilet seats, but I know noticed.

Chris Ferro told me he found himself at the beach, reaching for some beer, and then he looked at Heather and said, "I don't need this stuff anymore". He said he thought about what God had done in my life. What a privilege it has been to live with Christ in my life for these mere 28 months. I already feel I have been blessed beyond measure. The real shame is that it is the same measure that "the world" has rejected as lose.

Look at the story of the water into wine and compare it to your life and ministry desires. Did you allow God to empty you and clean you out? Were you, and are you, available? Have you asked and allowed yourself to be filled with living water, and immersed yourself in God's Word (the Bible)? Will you give up control of your life to Jesus? Remember He can turn water into fine wine if the vessels are cleaned and available.

Jack Jackson