The Indiana State sentinel., 1894-08-22

1
l. And the third day there was a mar
riage in Cana of Galilee. and the mother
Of Jesus was there" The number three
is one of the most suggestive Of biole
numbers from Genesis TO Revelation. It
stands for solidity or fullness and, in
| connection with the Trinity. divine full
ness. The third day is suggestive Of
resurrection. as in the resurrection OF
Isaac and Jonah and Jesus iGen. xxi. 4;
Math. vii. 40; Hos. vi. p. This first
miracle makes US think of the marriage
of the Lamb which will probably take
| place on the morning Of the third.
2. And both Jesus was called and His
disciples to the marriage" The disciples
at this time were probably Andrew. ST.
mon, John. James. Philip and Nathaniel,
and it may have been. for ought we
know. the marriage of Nathaniel, for he
! belonged to Cana (John xxi, y. Some
day we shall know. if necessary. We
may think of Mary and Jesus and the
| disciples finding time TO attend mar
rlage and glorifying God by so doing.
II is safe to go anywhere with Jesus and
| serve or wait with Him.
8. And when they wanted wine the
mother of Jesus saith unto Him, They
| have no Wine" There was then a neceg-
| slty unsupplied. which will give Jesus an
opportunity 10 work. Happy viii we be
| II we see in every time OF need an occa-
| sion for Jesus To manifest Himself. And
are not all needs permitted 10 come 20 the
| children OF God just To give occasion 70
| fulfil the promise My God shall supply
all rfr
| glory by Christ jesus CPhil. iv, 19).
| Wine must be good when God makes il
| and provides II. for there would surrey
| be no leaven in It. no evil. and yet We
| read. Thy love IS better than wine.
| s. of Sol /. o.
| f., Jesus saith unto her: Woman, what
| have | 10 do with thee Mine hour is not
yet come" Whatever apparent difficulty
| there nIay be in these words, we may be
| sure that there was nothing disrespectful
| TO Mary, for Jesus never said nor did
wrong thing, nor anything ont Of place
| As TO the time not being come. God is
never too fast nor too slow in anything
! He does. The year and month and day
| and hour and moment are all clear and
| known to Him for every great event. He
| i5 never taken by surprise, never unpre-
! pared.
D. His mother said unto the serv-
! ants, Whatsoever He saith unto You. do
| it." She did not misunderstood Him nor
| take amiss what He had said, but sure
| that He would see TO it, she gives this
! order 10 the servants. How would it do
| 10 hand all servants over TO Him for
| His manasement and rest in His order
| ing of persons and thingsP Certainly
! it would be well for as all TO take de-
| light in being His bond servants ready
| to fiji promptly all His appointments
| OF Sam. Nv 15).
6. And there were set there six water
| pots OF stone after the manner of the
| purifying of the Jews, containing two or
| three firkins apiece! And six Of them
| the human number, the number Of man.
| and Jesus viii presently use them. How
| many verses come To mind. a vessel
meet for the masters USE" We have
| this treasure In earthen vessels" and
| sometimes they are vessels of only a sec
| ond sort QI Tim. ii, 21 IL Cor. N, Z; E.z
| i, 10). The great thing is to be ready to
| His hand and empty-ready if He wants
! me, having no pans nor purposes but
! His; willing. if He should not require
| me- in silence - wait on Him still, my
| heart singing, Thou art O Lord, and
| l am for Thy pleasure that Thou may
| est be magnified."
| Z. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the
| waterpots with water. And they filed
| them up to the brim." Il was wine they
| wanted. but He orders water. Again how
| perfecti Born of water, a wei, of water
| springing up, rivers of living water
| John iii, .; iv. IA; VII, 39. And filed to
| the brim. Dear fellow believer would
/ you be of use to Him in connection with
| Hiis approaching marriage? Then let the
| servants I'LL you with living water, even
] His word and Spirit Cohn vi, 63).
| s, And He saith unto them, Draw out
! now and bear unto the governor of the
| feast, and they bare it," We receive the
| water not for ourselves. but for others
| We receive ii only to pass il on, and un-
| less we pass Il on We are not using it
/ Alright. We are supposed to live not unto
| ourselves. but unto Him who loved us
| and gave Himself for US, 70 the gov
! ernor first. Whether writing a letter or
/ making a call, teaching a class or preach
| ing the gospel, it must be unto Him. "
| not as pleasing men. but God. who trcth
| our hearts, studying 30 show ourselves
| approved unto God q Thess. ii, 4; II
Tim. H. 15).
8 when the ruler Of the feast had
| tasted the water that was made wine ana
| knew not whence 1t was. but the serv-
ants which drew the water knew, the
| governor Of the feast called the bride
! groom" See how the water probably as
| it was drawn out, was changed into wine.
/ As we give forth the living water It max
| eth glad the heart OF man. like the wine
| of the kingdom. The true bridegroom,
whose approaching marriage we greatly
| rejoice in. is Jesus Himself and * Is well
/ when the water we bear TO others makes
| them so glad that they inquire for the
| bridegroom. People say: Where do you
| get such good wine? How do YOU find
so much and such precious things in the
| book? The servants who draw the water
| know. He does it all.
10. And saith unto him. Every man
at the beginning doth set forth good
| wine. and when men have well drunk
| then that which is worse, but thou hast
| kept the good wine until now COnfin-
| ing ourselves for. moment 10 the actual
| event in Cana that day, see how Jesus.
| who wrought the miracles. is passed by
| and the bridegroom gets the credit 1t
| requires great grace to be the instrument
| in a good work and see another get the
| credit of it, but His grace is sufficient
| even for that Let us see that we IN all
| things magnify the Lord-as we hope that
| bridegroom did that day, informing the
! governor as TO the author Of the wine.
| In all the feasts where the Lord provides
| it is better further on, and tha last
| will be the best
NJ This beginning Of miracles did
| Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested
| forth His glory, and His disciples be-
! lieved on Him." His glory viii be mani
| tested at His own marriage ere He shall
| return for the judgment of nations. the
| conversion of Israel and the establish
| ment Of His kingdom under the whole
| heaven dan. vii. 20. Then shall all our
| cups of cold water be changed into the
| new wine of the kingdom. and all Israel
| shall believe on Him as they shall look
| upon Him whom they have pierced and
| sing: blessed be He that cometh in the
name of the Lord" This is our God.
| We have waited for Him"