Water Into Wine: Jesus' First Miracle
(John 2:1-12)
Smile as you begin, because a wedding is a happy time. On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana, a town in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and His disciples had been invited too. During the wedding, something went wrong. The wine ran out.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, told Him, "They have no wine." Pause after "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." Mary turned to the servants and said, "Do whatever he tells you." Say that last line slowly, because it is a good rule for all of us.
Nearby stood six stone water jars. They were used for the Jewish rites of purification, which means washing to be made clean. Count them on your fingers: six jars. Each jar held twenty or thirty gallons. Spread your arms wide to show how big they were. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. There was no room for even one more drop.
Then Jesus said, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." The master of the feast was the man in charge of the party. So the servants drew out some of what was in the jars and carried it to him. They did exactly what Jesus had told them.
The master tasted what the servants brought him. The jars had been filled with water, but now it was wine! He did not know where it came from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Pause. Picture the servants watching him take that first sip. The master called the bridegroom, the man who was getting married, and said, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now."
This was the first of Jesus' signs. A sign is a miracle that points to who Jesus is. He did it at Cana in Galilee, and it showed His glory, which means His shining greatness. And His disciples believed in Him. After this, Jesus went down to Capernaum with His mother, His brothers, and His disciples, and they stayed there for a few days. This was only the first sign, and there would be more.
A Curious Question
Why do you think Jesus used big stone jars made for washing and turned that water into the good wine at the party?
Old Testament Connection
Those six stone jars held water for washing. In the Old Testament, God gave rules about being clean, like the ones in Leviticus 11-15, and those washings reminded people that sin makes us unclean before a holy God. But God also promised something better. In Ezekiel 36:25-26 He said, "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean," and, "I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you." At Cana, Jesus took water meant for washing and made wine, a drink of joy. His first sign showed that He came to do more than wash the outside. He came to make people new.
Discussion Questions
- Mary told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." What do you think it was like to be one of those servants and fill the jars?
- Jesus used plain water and ordinary servants for His first sign. Why do you think He did it that way?
- The master said, "You have kept the good wine until now." What does that tell us about the kind of gifts Jesus gives?
So What? What Can I Do?
- When you have a problem this week, tell Jesus about it first, like Mary did, and then trust Him with the answer.
- Mary said, "Do whatever he tells you." Practice obeying right away this week when a parent or teacher asks you to do something.
- Pick one ordinary thing you can give Jesus this week, like your time, your helping hands, or a kind word, and ask Him to use it to help someone.
Memorize God's Word
John 2:11: "This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him."
- This, the first of his signs hold up one finger high in the air.
- Jesus did at Cana in Galilee point one finger straight ahead as if pointing at a faraway town.
- and manifested his glory spread both arms wide like curtains opening.
- And his disciples believed in him place your hand over your heart, then point upward to Jesus.
Praying with Kids
Dear Father, thank You for showing us that Jesus is Your Son and that He can do amazing things. Help us trust Jesus when we have a problem and obey Him like the servants at the wedding did. Thank You for the joy Jesus brings into our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Craft or Activity
Water to Wine Jar Coloring Page
Kids color a page with two jars: one filled with plain blue water and one filled with deep red wine. This reminds them how Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding in Cana.
Materials Checklist:
- Hand out the page: Give each child a piece of white cardstock with two empty jar outlines already printed or drawn on it.
- Color the water: Have them color the first jar with blue crayons to show the plain water the servants poured in.
- Color the wine: Then have them color the second jar with red and purple crayons, and add a little gold glitter on top, to show the wine Jesus made.
- Add the verse: Help each child write or stick the verse "John 2:11" at the bottom of the page.
- Share the story: Let them share their two jars with the class and tell what happened at the wedding in Cana.
Effective Teaching Techniques
- For Younger Children: Bring a small pitcher of water and a cup. Let them pour the water and pretend they are the servants filling the jars. Keep the story short and use lots of expression.
- Prep Shortcut: Pre-print the jar outlines on cardstock before class so you only need to hand out crayons. Print the verse on small strips of paper for kids who struggle with writing. Also tell them that manifested in the memory verse just means showed.
- Classroom Management: Assign two "head servants" to help pass out supplies. Remind the class that the servants in the story obeyed right away, and praise kids who obey quickly during the craft.
- For Older Kids: Ask them to figure out how many gallons the six jars could hold in all (between 120 and 180 gallons). Talk about how much wine that is and what it shows about Jesus' generosity.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Was it real wine that Jesus made?
- Yes. The master of the feast tasted the water that had become wine, and he said it was the good wine.
- How much water did Jesus turn into wine?
- There were six stone jars, and each one held twenty or thirty gallons. The servants filled them up to the brim.
- Who knew where the wine came from?
- The servants who had drawn the water knew. The master of the feast did not know where it came from.