Book of John: John 2-3
This week’s message continued our journey through the Gospel of John, reminding us that Scripture is not just a book to be admired, skimmed, or summarized by someone else—it is our Owner’s Manual for life. Pastor Dean used a memorable drone-fishing story as a picture of what happens when we rely on shortcuts instead of studying the real manual. Just as trying to fly a drone by YouTube tutorial led to near disaster, living the Christian life apart from God’s Word leads to confusion, frustration, and spiritual danger. The Bible is God’s revealed Word and to ignore it is to risk spiritual “operator error.”
Knowing the Owner’s Manual
The Jews of Jesus’ day knew their Owner’s Manual well. They could recount the Exodus, the giving of the Law, and the promises of the prophets. In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses had told them, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you—it is to him you shall listen.” They understood a Messiah was coming. But while they knew the words, they resisted the Author.
This is the danger of religious familiarity without transformation. We may carry a Bible, even memorize verses, yet refuse the authority of the One who wrote it. Like the Pharisees, we can admire the signs while rejecting the Savior.
Jesus the Logos, Creator, and Light
John begins his Gospel by declaring Jesus is the Logos—the eternal Word who was with God and is God. To the Jews, this pointed back to Genesis 1 and the creative voice of God: “Let there be light.” To the Greeks, “Logos” meant divine reason and ordering wisdom. John’s point was bold: Jesus is not a messenger of God, He is God’s self-expression in human flesh.
Jesus is also the Creator: “All things were made through him” (John 1:3). Before the foundation of the world, He thought of us (Eph. 1:4). And Jesus is the Light, shining into spiritual darkness (John 1:4–5). Yet tragically, the world—including His own people—rejected Him.
The Wedding at Cana: Water into Wine
John 2 records Jesus’ first sign at the wedding in Cana, where He turned water into wine. On the surface, this seems like a simple miracle to save a family from social shame. But John highlights crucial details that reveal deep theological meaning.
The third day: John rarely includes time markers. The “third day” here foreshadows the resurrection.
Six stone jars for purification: These jars, holding 20–30 gallons each, were used in Jewish rites of cleansing (Lev. 11–15). Their limestone purity symbolized the law’s demand for holiness. Jesus filled them and transformed their contents, showing that He fulfills and surpasses the old covenant.
The bridegroom: The steward calls the bridegroom, not realizing the true Bridegroom is present—Christ Himself, who prepares a place for His Bride, the Church (John 14:2–3).
Wine itself carried strong messianic symbolism. Isaiah 25, Joel 3, and Amos 9 all foresaw the age of Messiah as a time of abundant, sweet wine. By creating the finest wine instantly, Jesus was declaring that the Messianic age had arrived.
And for John’s Greek and Roman audience, this miracle directly challenged their culture. In Ephesus, where John wrote, a temple stood to Dionysus, the pagan god of wine and ecstasy. By recording this miracle first, John was effectively proclaiming: Not Dionysus, but Jesus is Lord of the wine, the true source of joy, and the fulfillment of every celebration.
Nicodemus: A Man in the Dark
John transitions from the sign at Cana to a nighttime encounter with Nicodemus in John 3. The connection is subtle but deliberate: John ends chapter 2 noting that Jesus “knew what was in man” (2:25), and immediately introduces Nicodemus as a “man of the Pharisees.”
Nicodemus was everything religion could produce: a Pharisee who obeyed the 613 laws, a member of the Sanhedrin with political and legal power, a wealthy and educated teacher of the law. Yet he came to Jesus at night. Darkness in John symbolizes spiritual blindness. Nicodemus had knowledge but no transformation, law but no life. Jesus’ reply was clear: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Religious performance is not enough. A radical new birth, a spiritual rebirth by the Spirit, is the only entrance into God’s kingdom.
Nicodemus illustrates many in the American church today. We admire Jesus’ teachings, acknowledge His miracles, and even claim to belong to Him—but in practice, we remain in the shadows. We want the signs, but not the surrender. We want heaven’s reward without heaven’s King.
Living in the Light
The thread that ties these passages together is clear: Jesus is the Logos, the Creator, the Light, the Bridegroom, the true source of joy, and the only One who can bring us from darkness into life. To follow Him is to embrace the Owner’s Manual—not just as information, but as transformation.
Reflection Questions
Do you treat the Bible as your true Owner’s Manual, or are you trying to live the Christian life on “YouTube videos” and shortcuts?
What do the stone jars of purification teach you about Jesus’ fulfillment of the law?
If Jesus is the true Bridegroom, how are you preparing as part of His Bride, the Church?
Where do you see yourself in Nicodemus’s story—religiously knowledgeable but spiritually hesitant?
What would it mean for you to step fully into the light of Christ this week?
Discipleship Next Steps
Read John 2–3 deeply. Look for the details that point back to the Old Testament and forward to Christ’s fulfillment.
Invite Jesus into the ordinary. The Cana miracle shows He cares about daily life, not just “religious” settings.
Reject counterfeit joys. Where the world promises meaning—whether in pleasure, success, or control—affirm that Jesus alone brings lasting joy.
Step into the light. Refuse to live a faith that stays hidden in the shadows. Speak boldly of Christ in word and action.
Commit to transformation. Don’t just believe in the signs—believe in the Savior, allowing Him to reshape your heart.
Final Challenge
The Jews knew the Old Testament, the Greeks knew philosophy, and the Romans knew power. John’s Gospel confronts them all with this truth: Jesus is the eternal Word made flesh, the Creator, the Light, the Bridegroom, and the Messiah. The question for us is the same as it was for Nicodemus: will we remain in the dark, or will we step into the light of new birth?