The First Miracle - The Gospels

In this Bible Story, Jesus performs the first of many miracles at a wedding in Cana. By the request of his mother, Jesus blesses a wedding by turning water into wine. Although the guests are not aware of this miracle, the servants and disciples know, and awe at the humble power of Christ. They knew even more that he was the promised Messiah. This story is inspired by John 1:35-51, John 2:1-11. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is John 2:9 from the King James Version.

Episode 177: As Jesus was walking by the shore of Galilee, two of John's disciples started following Him. One of these was Andrew, who quickly went to get his brother Simon. As Jesus continued on into the city, He called a man named Phillip to follow Him, and Phillip in turn went to tell his friend Nathanael about finding the Messiah. A few days later, Jesus and His followers were at a wedding in the nearby city of Cana. There, he performed the first of His signs.

Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.

Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.

Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.

Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.

Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max Bard

Producer: Ben Gammon

Hosted by: Pastor Jack Graham

Music by: Andrew Morgan Smith

Bible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. 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
new the governor of the feast called the bridegroom. John
two nine. Dear Heavenly Father, give me the boldness, like

(00:21):
the men in to day's reading, to leave my comfort
and all I know to follow the plan and purposes
of God. As I focus on Jesus, I will be
led by his spirit. I will not allow any one
around me to place doubt in my heart that you
are the Messiah, the chosen one to change my life, Jesus,

(00:46):
Like your life, Jesus. People may doubt who you've called
me to be because of how and where I was raised.
But I will ignore the doubters because great things come
from obscure place. Quicken my heart so that I will
know the time and place to use the gifts You've

(01:07):
given me. Bless me with divine obedience, so I may
walk in the wake of your miracles and point people
to your saving grace. I declare that this is the
season of miracles. I declare that this is the season
of new beginnings in Jesus's name. Amen, thank you for

(01:35):
praying with us today. Continue your time with God by
listening to today's Bible story, brought to you by Bible
in a year dot com.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
The first miracle. In our last story, the heavens were
opened up as John tized Jesus. The signaling of Jesus's
earthly ministry had begun, and all of history was about
to be shaped forever. Jesus was led by the Spirit
into the wilderness where he was tempted by Satan. Yet
Jesus came out victorious and proved his power over sin

(02:17):
and temptation. Now we look at Jesus's ministry taking flight.
He calls men to aside and shows them why he
is worthy of following. He attends a wedding with his
disciples and mother and shows that even the son of
God obeys his mother when asked. Inspired by the Gospels.

Speaker 3 (02:39):
The last time we were together, we heard how John
the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus and how he
baptized Christ in the presence of a multitude of people.
We heard God speak and declare that Jesus is his son.
Following that incredible event, supernatural, indeed, Jesus went into the wilderness,
where he endured and overcame temptation, and now he is

(03:02):
ready to begin his earthly ministry. Today we'll hear about
the men Jesus called to walk with him for his
time on earth. These twelve men from different backgrounds, none
of them obvious choices, but all called by God. Then
we'll see as Jesus performs the first of many miracles
at the wedding the wedding feast at Cana. So let's

(03:25):
listen to God's word.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
John was sitting on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
The gentle waves rose with grace. Behind him were two
of his followers. They spoke of the Lord, his coming,
and the future of mankind. As they were speaking, John
caught a glimpse of Jesus passing by. John nudged both
of his disciples and said, you see that man over there.

(03:49):
The two of them looked at Jesus and nodded. That
is the Lamb of God, the reason I am here.
John's heart skipped a few beats in his chest, and
his throat began to choke up with tears. He is
the one you should follow. The disciples looked at John intensely,
seeing that he truly believed that man to be the Messiah.

(04:10):
So they left John's side and began to follow Jesus.
Jesus was walking by the shore, feeling the soft breeze
on his face. He watched the fishermen tend to their
nets and boats methodically. Jesus could hear the slight shift
of sand behind him. He looked back and saw two
men following him. He smiled, what are you seeking, my friends,

(04:34):
he asked. The two men stopped a little embarrassed that
they did not just introduce themselves to Jesus in the
first place. We wish to remain with you, they said.
Jesus nodded warmly, and they followed him. The one who
remained with Jesus was Andrew. He listened to Jesus speak.
His words were like fire flowing from the earth. Andrew

(04:57):
eventually brought Jesus to his brother, Simon, a fisherman who
was tending to his boat. Simon, he said, we have
found him, We have found the Messiah. Simon was a
loud and boisterous fellow. He had a fighter's spirit in
a sailor's tongue. He looked at Jesus sizing him up
to judge whether he was a man worth following. He

(05:19):
was not quite sure yet. Jesus looked at Simon. He
could see all of who he was, inside and out.
He could see the pain in his heart and the
fire in his belly. Jesus laughed and smiled, Ah, Simon,
son of John, you will no longer be called Simon.
Now you will be called Peter the Rock. Curious as

(05:40):
to what Jesus meant, Peter followed him. The next day,
Jesus decided to go further into the city of Galilee.
Crowds of people came in and out of the gates
as John continued to preach of Jesus's importance. Many of
his followers began to follow Jesus. The sea of faces
rose like waves, but Jesus was intent on finding his

(06:02):
chosen men. He saw a man named Philip walking by
the road. Philip, Jesus shouted. Philip was alarmed and looked over.
Jesus held his shoulders, looked him in the eyes, and said,
follow me, Philip. The reason Philip followed is still unknown.
Perhaps it was the way Jesus spoke his name. Perhaps

(06:23):
it was the way he looked him in the eye.
Whatever it was, it made Philip undoubtedly devoted. Later that day,
Philip grabbed his friend Nathaniel and said, we have found him,
the one whom Moses spoke of the Messiah. He is
Jesus of Nazareth. Nathaniel scoffed. His laughter came from his belly. Nazareth,

(06:44):
He asked, can anything good come out of Nazareth? That
place is a dump filled with unsavory people. Philip shrugged.
Come and see for yourself, he said. So the two
of them walked to where Jesus was sitting. As he
was approaching, Jesus sat up and said, ah, Nathaniel, a
true Israelite, a man in whom there is no corruption.

(07:07):
Nathaniel's eyes widened. How do you know who I am?
He asked. Jesus walked closer. It was just the two
of them. I know who you are, Nathaniel. Even before
Philip called you, I was with you under the fig tree.
I heard you. Nathaniel's heart broke like a damn when
he heard those words. That was a secret time he

(07:29):
had between him and the Lord. Underneath the fig tree
is where he bore his soul to God. If Jesus
had heard him, it could only mean one thing. He
was God himself. Nathaniel fell to his knees. Truly, you
are the son of God, he said, putting his hands
over his face. Jesus gave a gentle laugh and said,

(07:51):
you say all this because I saw you under the
fig tree. He helped him up to his feet. Trust me, Nathaniel,
you will see greater things than that you will see.
Heaven opened and the blessings of God poured out. A
few days later, Jesus and some of his followers were
attending a wedding in Cana. Hundreds of people were in attendance,

(08:12):
including Jesus's mother Mary, Music, food, and wine flowed as
people enjoyed the union of their friends. It was a
joyous occasion, and toil the hosts ran out of wine
too early. Jesus was sitting at a table with a
few of his followers when he saw his mother approaching.
They are out of wine, Mary whispered to Jesus. Jesus

(08:34):
smiled at his mother. He loved her deeply and knew
exactly why she had come to him with this matter.
You know, my hour has not yet come, Jesus said,
Mary paid no attention to her son's answer, as only
a mother could. She gathered a few of the servants
and brought them to Jesus. Do what my son tells
you to do. She gave Jesus a look, and then

(08:55):
left to go reassure the hosts that there would be
more wine soon. Jesus chuckled and gestured to the servants.
Fill up the six stone water jars to the top
with water. So the servants brought the mass of jars
to the well. They filled them to the brim and
brought them back to Jesus. Then he gestured for the
water to be brought to the hosts. Go and pour

(09:17):
the water into their cups. The servants were confused at
Jesus's orders, but did not question him. They carried the
jugs of water to the host and poured it into
his cup. Out from the jugs came new wine. The
host had no clue that the jars were once filled
with water, but the servants did. They looked back at
Jesus smiling. The disciples who were beside him awed at

(09:40):
the miracle. All were surprised and amazed, all except Mary.

Speaker 3 (09:50):
Today we learn how John the Baptist seized Jesus once
again and once more proclaimed that the Lord is the
Lamb of God and that his disciples and all others
should follow him. And so two men left John the
Baptist and they began to follow Jesus. One of them
was Andrew, who soon called his brother Simon. Simon was

(10:11):
no shrinking violet, and he wasn't afraid to speak his mind.
Jesus knew Simon insided out from the moment they met,
and he knew that he would serve a very special purpose.
So Jesus gave him a new name. Simon's name is
now the Rock, or Peter. It was an aspirational name,
as Simon still had much to learn and to grow

(10:33):
before he would become the stable, steady Rock, the great Apostle.
Jesus went to Galilee, and as John continued to point
people to the true Messiah, more and more people began
to follow Jesus. But not all followers were to be disciples.
Jesus went about hand picking the men, selecting them who

(10:53):
would be his inner circle, the ones who would model
their lives after Jesus. Their rabbi think that Jesus would
have picked the best and the brightest on earth, the
most learned theological minds. Someone from the priestly cast those
who knew the law inside and out. But that's not
what Jesus did. The men he picked were the least

(11:14):
likely of candidates in so many ways. Certainly from a
human perspective, you wouldn't have chosen these men. But God's
ways are much higher than our ways. He saw in them,
as he sees in us, potential what others don't see.
God sees. But more importantly, when God worked through them
despite their flaws and weaknesses, he was glorified. It's the

(11:37):
same with us today. Not many mighty or not many noble,
or called according to the scripture and God's power, the
presence of Jesus has made perfect in our weakness, our
failures become a platform for Jesus to work. Jesus knew
exactly how to speak to each man that he called,

(11:57):
and they all saw something in Jesus that was different,
something amazing, something special, a man worth following, so that
they dropped what they were doing, their careers, their future,
and they gave it all to Jesus. Listen to what Nathaniel,
one of these men chosen by Christ, says in John
one forty nine. Nathaniel answered him, Rabbi, you are the

(12:18):
son of God. You are the King of Israel. This
was just the beginning. Not all of these men could
comprehend at this point who Jesus was and is. But
Nathaniel he knew this was the beginning of their journey,
and as Jesus said to Nathaniel, they would witness much
greater things. Still, we then heard that Jesus and his

(12:41):
disciple and his mother attended a wedding feast in Cana.
Someone had planned poorly for the feast because they ran
out of refreshments. They ran out of wine. It would
be a huge disappointment and embarrassment if they ran out
of the wine. Mary, who from the beginning from conception
knew that Jesus was the chosen Messiah of God, that

(13:02):
he was filled with the power of God, went to
her son and asked him for help. Jesus had not
intended to perform a miracle that day, but he loved it,
and he honored his mother, and so he fulfilled her request.
He asked the servant to bring jars and fill them
with water. Huge jars. Then the jars were taken to
the host to pour into cups, and amazingly, when they

(13:24):
poured out of the jars, what flowed was the best wine,
far better than the guests had been served earlier. The
servants were amazed. Everyone celebrated. The disciples who witnessed the
miracle began to see what Jesus could do. They begin
to believe more and more, and they began following Christ
closer and closer. They know now that he is the

(13:48):
one that the Father is sent to be the savior
of the world. And more miracles, greater miracles, were yet
to come. Dear God, thank you for Jesus. Thank you
for the power of his presence in our lives. Thank
you that even in the simple things like a wedding feast,
that you bring joy and laughter and happiness and celebration.

(14:11):
We thank you, Jesus for your joy, and we thank
you that we can live in the abundance of your
life every single day. And we pray this in your name. Amen.
Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a year.
I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. You can download
the pray dot Com app and make Bible study and

(14:31):
prayer the priority of your life. And if you appreciate
this podcast, please share it with someone else. I also
want to encourage you to go to Jack Graham dot org.
That's Jack Graham dot org for we have resources that
are free and available for you so that you may
know Christ and grow in him. God bless you.