Grace and Truth 4, John 2:1-12

Jesus turned water into wine.

This passage has created many conversations. Was the drink Jesus created really wine? Should he have provided so much wine? Was he disrespectful to his mother?

I want to talk about his interaction with his mother.

A footnote in my Bible says that the Greek word for woman shows no disrespect. I think Jesus’ action here showed much respect for his mother.

Mary shows no sign of feeling disrespected. She tells the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to. She expected her son to obey her and help out with the problem at the party.

Jesus did obey his mother. It says this miracle helped his disciples to believe in him. Was that the reason Jesus did it?

I don’t know why Jesus did it—to help out the friends at the party; to be respectful to his mother; to show his power to his disciples.

I don’t know that it matters why. All the above were accomplished. I think it showed a fun interaction between Jesus and his mother.

Even though he’s grown, and even though Mary knows Jesus is the Messiah, she still feels comfortable in approaching Jesus and asking for help.

Jesus feels comfortable having a little disagreement with his mom. Or was he teaching her a lesson as one of his followers?

Mary doesn’t feel wronged; she is confident in what her son, and her Lord, will do.

To me, the interaction shows humor and love between a mother and son and between God and a believer.

New Scientific Theory

The sense of smell is much more enjoyable than the sense of taste.

This is a well-researched scientific theory I just made up.

I love to eat. Foods taste great. Yummy.

But smelling is better.

The other day, I made a cup of apple cinnamon tea. When it was heating, I thought, “Wow. That smells like apple pie.” When I drank it, did I have the sensation of a luscious slice of pie? No, it was just tea, with a slight hint of apple.

Have you met people who say, “I love the smell of coffee cooking, but I can’t teach myself to like the taste?” I have.

And I almost understand.

I love coffee, to drink it. Hot and strong, and black, no sugar. Love it.

But I have to admit, when Murray is making a pot of coffee, and I smell the fresh grounds percolating, that grabs my attention much more than drinking it.

Murray sometimes has toast for breakfast. I don’t usually eat breakfast, and I don’t want to. But when I smell the toasting, I think, “Mmm, warm toast with butter. Yummy.”

What about the smell of baking bread? Frying onions? Awww. Wow.

Now I love to eat homemade bread. And I love eating a hamburger with onions, or chili, or fried potatoes with onions. But none of it beats the smell.

My friend Linda pointed out that some things which smell so delicious certainly do not taste that way. Flowers. Expensive French perfume. I love the citric smell of my disinfectant spray in the bathroom, but I sure don’t want to taste it.

I’ve thanked God for years for giving us food to meet our nutritional needs. After all, he could just have chosen to give it all to us in the water we drink. But he chose to grant us the gift of food to meet our body’s needs for growth and continued strength.

I’m starting to think that the gift of smell, while certainly useful for warning us of danger and other practical things—like when a baby’s diaper needs changed—is mainly just a gift of pleasure.

Thank you, Lord.

Grace and Truth 3

John 1:40-51

I’d like to be like Andrew, but I know I’m more like Nathanael.

Andrew had been a follower of John the Baptist, but he believed John’s teaching that Jesus was the Messiah, and he left John to follow Jesus.

The first thing Andrew did was go get his brother Peter and tell him about Jesus. That’s so great. I want that to be the first thing I do.

Peter ended up being the more famous of the two brothers, but I don’t get the feeling from the Bible that Andrew let that bother him.

He believed in Jesus, and the first thing he did was go tell his brother and bring him to Jesus. That’s the example I want to follow.

Philip did the same thing. As soon as Jesus called him, he went and told Nathanael they’d found the one God promised, Jesus of Nazareth.

And what did Nathanael say?

From verse 46: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

That’s who I am. Like doubting Thomas, we have doubting Nathanael. Doubting Kathy.

But Jesus took the time to teach Nathanael. He proved to Nathanael who he was. And when Nathanael accepted him as the Son of God, Jesus promised him that he would see so much more.

Verses 50-51: Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

Yes, I have so many doubts. I ask so many questions. But God is okay with that.

He takes the time to answer our questions and show us who he is. Then we can become like Andrew, and Philip.

Verse 46: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.