Everything Jesus did was purposeful. The words He spoke daily and His actions every day had purpose and intention behind them. Even the very first miracle that Jesus performed had a special significance that went far beyond creating wine out of water for a wedding. It was meant to teach us about what Jesus had come to earth to do.
Luke 2 reveals that for His first miracle, Jesus turned water in six stone water jars into wine (verses 6-12). Of course, this miracle brought great joy to all who experienced this very first miracle that Jesus had performed. This miracle not only brought joy during a wedding celebration, but it also carried deep significance. The jars filled with water were generally “used for ceremonial washing” (verse 6). During the weekend message, we learned that these jars represented the Jewish people’s old way of religion. You see, the Jewish people operated under the mindset that right behavior made them right with God. Of course, we know that because we are all sinners, nothing we ourselves can do can make us right with God. The new wine that Jesus brings, we learned in the weekend message, points us to the truth that He has paid the price for our sin debt that only He could pay because He lived a perfect life. Jesus had come to do something new, and this first miracle was just the start of His ministry on earth!
In Ephesians 1, Paul explains what Jesus did for us when He came to earth to rescue us. In this passage of Scripture, Paul praises God, saying, “He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins” (verse 7). Indeed, Jesus’ blood was required because His blood was sinless. As a result, He sacrificed His own life so that His blood could be purchased for our freedom. What a wonderful Savior we have!
We must spread the good news of what Jesus has done for us. Take a few moments to review the Bridge Diagram, segment 4 video, which is a helpful tool for sharing the difference Christ can make in our lives with the people around us. Watch the video three times. The more familiar you become with the Bridge Diagram, the more prepared you will be to share it when the opportunity comes.
1This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.
I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.
9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
