SCRIPTURE: John 2
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. [John 2:11]
One of the things that led people to wonder about Jesus, to reflect on Him as more than just human, was the amazing miracles He performed – water to wine being the first of many!
For many people, it was all about the miracles – not so much the message but the miracles.
And who can blame them – have you ever tasted miracle wine, or eaten miracle tuna sandwiches, or seen miracle sight restoration?
It was the miraculous signs that led people to believe in Him as the promised messiah: Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. [John 2:23]
Notice also that some people insisted on miracles before they would accept Him: Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”[John 2:18]

But to me, it seems that Jesus is un comfortable with this, with people more interested in miracles than in His message.
It was His message of holiness (as acted out in the temple) that led the Jews to demand a miracle, because they did not like His message against them.
And Jesus did not give them any miracles: Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” [John 2:18-19]
This is an odd answer, given the fact that He was actually performing many miracles along the way, He could have pointed at any number of them.
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. [John 2:23]
But maybe this is the point, maybe those demanding signs had already seen miracles, and just wanted more.
Miracle faith, it seems, is fickle; it loves the power and the perks, but is not keen on the demands of faith.
They were impressed by His magic tricks, and hoped He would use them to make them rich, successful, healthy (with a lot of good wine to boot), and against their Roman oppressors.

Jesus tries to not perform a miracle at the wedding, but accommodates His mother whom He loves.
Jesus refuses to point to a miracle to those that demanded one at the temple.
And at the end of this chapter John explains why: He knows our hearts, our fickle, fairweather faith.
But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man. [John 2:24-25]

I could be impressed by miracles, but it seems to me that miracle faith is not the kind of faith Jesus is looking for.
Jesus is looking for people that entrust their hearts to Him, with or without miracles, and stay true to Him whether there’s good wine or not.
Jesus is looking for people that will embrace His hard words, not just His comforting words; for people who understand why He cleaned out the temple, and will also allow Him to clean out their hearts.
Jesus is looking for people that will cling to Him through the cross, and not just because of His crown (power, used of course to their advantage).
Does the message of Jesus – humility, self-sacrifice, loving and forgiving enemies, radical compassion and generosity – impress you as much as the perks and power of the miracles of Jesus?
Is it the cross that You cling to (not just for forgiveness, but as a way of life), or the impressive power displays?

PRAYER:
Lord, would I still believe in You and cling to You if You never performed a miracle, and all that I knew about You was Your radical call to self-denial and love for God and compassion for others?