Jesus' Signs

John 2:1-11.

Rev. David Domanski

1/19/20255 min read

The account of Jesus at the wedding feast in Cana is often used as an example of the high place Jesus gives to the sanctity of marriage or how he often gives much more than we sinners either desire or deserve. While it is true that Jesus does honor marriage—after all, he is the one who instituted and sanctified marriage—and while it is also true that Jesus gives to all his creation, both the evil and the good, much more than they deserve—after all, he gives us life and salvation when what we really deserve is death and condemnation—St. John does not tell this story of Jesus at the wedding feast for those reasons. St. John relates what happened that day for one purpose and one purpose alone: “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (Jn 20:31). That is to say, the wedding in Cana is one of those moments when Jesus gives us signs that reveal him as our Salvation.

St. John tells us, “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him” (v 11). But John does not speak of signs as we think of them. Often, we think of signs as symbols, or something that symbolically stands in the place of something else. For St. John, this is not the case. For St. John, the word sign really means something that points to, or is somehow linked with, something else. Quite literally, the Greek word that we translate as “sign” here means “mystery.” In the same way, “mystery” in Latin is translated as “sacrament.” A sacrament is a mystery and a mystery is a sign that points to something or reveals something hidden from ordinary sight.

So these signs in Holy Scripture reveal something that you wouldn’t otherwise know or recognize unless someone or something revealed them to you. A sign is something like a gift waiting to be opened. Martin Luther tells us God gives signs as something visible for our faith to hold on to. So it is that the Lord’s holy gifts of Baptism and his Supper, manifested in lowly water, simple bread, and wine, are signs, mysteries, Sacraments. They point to Jesus because they are inextricably linked to Jesus. They are signs of Christ Jesus’ real bodily presence among us as Creator and Redeemer. In these signs we experience the death Jesus died to give us life.

Now, don’t misunderstand—I’m not saying that every time Jesus performs a miracle, we have a new sacrament. What I am saying is that Jesus’ miracles are sacramental in nature. They are sacramental signs that point to him and reveal him as the Son of God. These signs point to and reveal Jesus, who, while fully human and like us in every way, except without sin, is also fully God. These miracles are signs, visible sacramental manifestations that reveal Jesus for who he really is, namely, the Word made flesh, who created all things and who upholds all things in himself. They reveal the glory of the one and only Son of God.

The sacraments are how Jesus has chosen to reveal himself to you and to come to you, in signs in which his Word resides. But there is a problem and the problem is not in the signs. The problem is that these are not the signs that we would choose. We are an evil and adulterous generation, which seeks after all kinds of signs, just not the signs that Jesus has given to us. Therefore, we would seek Jesus in heartfelt emotions, which lift us to heaven so that we can feel his presence, while we despise his presence in water, Word, bread, and wine. We pray for signs from God instead of relying on the signs he has already provided. We are afraid that Jesus will not do what he has promised unless we see or experience some sort of miraculous sign.

Because of that fear, we can’t find comfort in what Jesus has already given, and we often seek Jesus in the Law. But the Law is empty. It cannot save; it can only accuse and destroy. We have drunk the inferior wine of the Law to the dregs, but we are not satisfied. The jars are empty, and all we find is pain, despair, sickness, and death.

But Jesus came to fulfill the Law. Just as there were six jars to be filled, so Jesus on the sixth day of the week fulfilled all the Law and the Prophets. Just as man was created on the sixth day, so the Creator re-creates his creation on the sixth day with his holy body and blood. On the sixth day, Jesus died on his cross and was placed in his grave. It is finished.

Still, that is not the end of the story. The One who has died is no longer dead; he lives! The new and greater Jonah, after spending three days in the belly of the earth, gives us his greatest sign. The grave is empty. He is not there. Jesus lives! He has filled the Law to the brim, and our cup runs over. He replaces the Law and the old covenant with a new and better wine. We are not purified by the Law, but by his blood. The risen body of Christ is the beginning of the new order of things. In him and through him, creation is renewed and revitalized. Although this renewal is perceived now only by faith, we see signs of it in the miracles and the Sacraments Jesus has given to us.

Jesus continues to provide you with the mysteries of the holy Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. There, Jesus is hidden in lowly water and simple bread and wine. In these miracles, he is revealed to you. In the Sacraments, Jesus, who revealed at Cana that he is Lord of the elements, continues to reveal himself as Lord over all creation.

In the waters of Baptism, Jesus makes you his own. It is not that the waters of Baptism are nobler than plain water; in fact, they are plain water, except that Jesus has added his Word and commandment to it.

In the same manner, the Lord’s Supper is a sign of your redemption in Jesus Christ. Is it not written that the blood of Jesus cleanses you from sin (see 1 Jn 1:7)?

On that day at the wedding celebration in Cana, our Lord revealed who he is, to us and to the world. In “this, the first of his signs” (v 11), Jesus points us to the restoration of creation that he would accomplish on the great third day, Easter morning. Through his first miracle and ALL his miracles, Jesus manifested his glory and revealed to us a foretaste of what was to come: the restoration of our life in our God as it is meant to be.

Jesus has given us his signs—At Cana, at Calvary, in the font, and on the altar. In these, Jesus reveals to you his glory and his love. Jesus reveals that his life and death are yours. Every Sunday Jesus reveals that his body was given for you and his blood was shed for you for the remission of your sins. In fact, the Divine Service in which we are participating is his wedding party given for you. He is the groom, and he is the wine steward, and Jesus is the wine. You are his bride and honored guest.

So now let us do as Mary has advised, “Do whatever he tells you” (v 5). And today, Jesus says, “Take eat, take drink, for in this humble bread and wine I have hidden myself to give you life.” Do this and hear Jesus say, “I forgive you all your sins.”