The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-01-13

by the Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
copyright, 1898 BY p. M. stearnsl
/. "And the third day there was mar
riage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother
of Jesus was there " The third day g
work. in Gen. was the appearing of the
dry land and its being covered with grass
herbs and fruit trees It was on the third
day that Abraham received Isaac back
from the dead in a figure (Gen xxi, A;
Heb. XII, 1917. On the third day Jonah
being delivered from the belly of the fish,
started for Nineveh as Gods messenger
These with many other third day stories,
are very suggestive of the resurrection of
our Lord on the third day. and as, apart
from His resurrection preaching, faith
baptism and all ordinances are in vain we
cannot wonder that the Scriptures make
SO much of the truth of His resurrection
1t is also most interesting to note that the
Bible begins with a marriage in Eden and
ends with the marriage of the Lamb and
the first miracle wrought by the Lamb of
God was at this marriage in Cana
2. And both Jesus was called and His
disciples to the marriage. One of the
very first institutions in the Scriptures,
and the one that expresses most fully our
oneness with God and with Christ, the
one also that shall usher in the glorious
kingdom on the earth. He said of Israel
II am married unto you" der. iii, 14)
and Of us who now believe in Him it is
said that we are married to the Lord that
we should bring forth fruit unto God
(Rom vii, ~. The words used by Adam
concerning Eve in Gen. ii, 90, "a, are
used in reference to Christ and the church
in Eph v, 30-32, and in Heb xiii, A, it is
said that marriage is honorable in all.
3. "And when they wanted wine the
mother of Jesus saith unto Him, They
have no wine.'" There is want found
at this marriage-they have not enough of
wine. Whether more people had come
than they had expected or whether some
one had been mistaken In the quantity
needed we are not told.
A. "Jesus saith unto her: Woman,
what have / to do with 'thee2 Mine hour
is not yet come" There is neither I'M
kindness nor any lack of courtesy in this
word to His mother. There could not be-
for God is love, and love is kind, and He
was God manifest in the flesh. He vir
tually said at least this-I will see to it at
the right time. The Lord is God of judg
ment or discernment; blessed are all they
that wait for Him lisa. xxx, 18).
5. "His mother saith unto the servants,
Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it. =
Thus she placed the matter in His hands
and quietly left it there. She directed the
servants to Him for all further instruction
and withdrew from all further response
bility. She knows it will be attended to,
and she leaves it. Do we thus cast every
care upon Him, every burden and anxiety,
and quietly leave it with HimP We are re.
minded of Pharaoh's word to the Egyp-
tians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to
you do.
G. .And there were set there six water
pots of stone, after the manner of the pu-
rifying of the Jews, containing two or
IDENTIFY empty judging from the next verse
When the Lord would use vessels in which
to show His power, He requires empty
vessels. When He would pay the widows
debt, she was told by the prophet to bor-
row empty vessels, not few, and as long
as there was an empty vessel the oil flow
ed to fill it I'll Kings iv, 81
z. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water
pots with water, and they filled them up
to the brim' Now His hour is about
come in which He will on this occasion
glorify the Father, and He tells the serv-
ants what to do 1t is always His to COM
mand; it is ours simply to obey. From
water everything has come, for in Gen. i,
2, we SEQ nothing but water. In the
first seven chapters of this gospel there is
much to be learned from the use of this
element In Eph. v, 26, it is an emblem
of the word by which we are cleansed.
s. And He saith unto them, Draw out
now and bear unto the governor of the
feast. And they bare it, The Son of
Man came to minister unto others (Math
Xxx, 2S), and He permits us to be the bear
ers of His bounties AS He permitted the
twelve to bear the bread and fish which
He multiplied to the hungry thousands and
these servants to bear His wine to the
governor of the FEAST SO He permits us
to bear the living bread and water and His
love, which is better than wine, to all who
will receive it,
g. ''When the ruler of the feast had
tasted the water that was made wine and
knew not whence it was (but the servants
which drew the water knew the governor
of the feast called the bridegroom. The
water was made wine He did it, and
whether it be by the process of the vine
and the grapes or directly, as in this case
it is all equally easy to Him. He is the
vine; He is the true wine that maketh
glad the heart of man. Not cup of cold
water shall lose its reward; therefore those
who give much water now shall have
much wine or JOY in the kingdom. We are
the earthen vessels, and if we fill t. en- mp
to the brim with the water of His word
He will change it to wine in us, and we
shall be full of joy The more sorrow for
His sake now, the more joy we shall have
hereafter.
10. And saith unto him, Every man
at the beginning doth set forth good wine
and when men have we'll drunk then that
which is worse, but thou hast kept the
good wine until now" Then it was good
wine, the best of wine, which our Lord
Jesus made This testimony is from the
ruler of the feast, not knowing whence
the wine came He only makes the best
of everything; that which man makes is
always inferior If, as one has said, He
keeps His best things for the few, it is not
hacar1ea Ha Ia mt xui1lfprr 10 r.ix-a HE haek