Participants: Carlton P. Byrd
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000094
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00:02 ♪ (Theme Song) ♪ ♪ Jesus is worthy ♪
00:08 ♪ oh yes, he's worthy ♪ ♪ worthy of all... ♪ 00:15 ♪ all the praise... ♪ ♪ (Music) ♪ 00:20 Pastor Byrd: In the text there's some folk 00:24 going through some trouble and they need some help. 00:29 Now, the help they needed was not physical. 00:32 They didn't need physical healing. 00:34 The help was not spiritual. 00:36 They didn't need a Bible study. 00:37 The help was not social. 00:39 They didn't need a girlfriend or boyfriend or a husband 00:42 or wife. 00:43 The help they needed was some wine, because the wine 00:46 had run out. 00:47 Now, I need you to know, as a married man for 15 years, 00:53 and having watched my wife and our wedding coordinator 00:56 meticulously plan our wedding and our wedding reception, 01:00 if the people we paid all the money to had run out 01:04 of food or drink at our reception 01:07 there would have been a problem. 01:09 Yes, a wedding lasts a day and a marrge lasts 01:14 a lifetime, but when you pay all that money, 01:18 all those deposits, you mess up on that day and we're going to 01:23 see what happens. 01:24 Do I have a witness in this place? 01:26 Here we find the record of Jesus' first miracle. 01:31 The first miracle is performed about one week after the first 01:33 call of his disciples. 01:35 Jesus began his ministry at this miracle. 01:39 Understand, Jesus did not begin his ministry by doing 01:43 some great work before the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem. 01:47 Jesus did not begin his ministry by chairing 01:50 a meeting, singing a song, or healing a leper. 01:57 Jesus began his miracle-working ministry 02:01 at a wedding. 02:02 Now, today the wedding ceremony and the wedding 02:07 reception take place on the same day. 02:11 But back in Jesus' day weddings lasted several days 02:17 and they took place at the groom's house. 02:20 The text says in verse one that Mary, the mother 02:24 of Jesus, was there. 02:29 Jesus and his disciples were called to the marriage, 02:35 which means Jesus was invited to the wedding. 02:39 Two points here worth mentioning. 02:41 Number one, Jesus was invited to the wedding, which means 02:49 Jesus didn't just show up. 02:50 Let me stop right there for a minute. 02:53 Let that be a lesson of etiquette for somebody. 02:57 You don't just show up at a wedding. 03:02 You don't show up at a wedding reception. 03:09 You have to have what they call an invitation. 03:12 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 03:14 I look at folks, married people go to the reception, I look 03:16 at folks who show up at wedding receptions talking 03:19 about, oh, I'm just going to crash the party. 03:22 No, you go sit down somewhere. 03:24 You ain't going to crash a thing. 03:28 Oh, they know me. 03:29 I know them. 03:30 We're like family. 03:32 Well, if you're like family you would have gotten 03:36 an invitation. 03:37 Sit down somewhere. 03:39 Don't get your feelings hurt. 03:41 Too many people I've discovered, 03:44 too many people have confused church dinners 03:49 with wedding receptions. 03:51 Church dinners are free. 03:53 Wedding receptions are not free. 03:57 You have to pay by the plate. 04:02 Are you hearing what I'm saying? 04:06 And then I listen to some folk, they get an invitation, 04:09 but they don't RSVP back. 04:11 Somebody going to thank me after this sermon. 04:17 Well, I forgot to RSVP, but they still should have me 04:21 on the list. 04:22 No, they don't. 04:24 If you don't RSVP, they don't think you're coming. 04:30 And then some folk don't RSVP, and because the reception 04:35 coordinator is nice, they let them in, and then they still 04:41 want to sit in the front. 04:45 Just sit in the back and be thankful you got in. 04:47 Come on, say Amen. 04:49 Point number two. 04:51 Jesus was invited to the wedding 04:55 and he was invited to the reception which lasted 04:57 several days, which means, Jesus had to be a person who 05:00 didn't mind having fun. 05:02 He didn't mind smiling. 05:06 He didn't mind laughing a little bit. 05:10 He was sociable. 05:13 He wasn't a stuffed shirt, always with rocks in his jaw. 05:21 If they were going to be uncomfortable with Jesus 05:23 present or if they felt Jesus was going to be uncomfortable 05:27 with being present, they wouldn't have invited him 05:29 in the first place. 05:31 News flash! 05:34 You can be holy and still laugh. 05:45 You can be holy and still smile. 05:48 You can be holy and still have fun. 05:52 Too many folk walk around, can't speak, can't smile, 05:57 can't laugh. 05:59 Walk around appearing holy, Bible in hand, Sabbath School 06:05 lesson in hand, suit on, hat on, but can't smile. 06:10 Walk holy, act holy, 06:14 talk holy. 06:15 How are you, my child? 06:19 Isn't the Lord good? 06:20 And some people put on this show like they're the greatest 06:23 Christian, that they're so holy and they could be the biggest 06:26 devil in town. 06:29 You can be spiritual and still have fun. 06:32 You can be spiritual and still laugh a bit. 06:34 A merry heart doth good like medicine. 06:37 Jesus was invited to the wedding and Jesus 06:39 believed in happy things and happy occasions. 06:42 But there's a problem. 06:47 They've run out of wine. 06:50 All these guests and no wine. 06:53 And don't get it twisted, I'm nosaying wine 06:58 like the world drinks today. 07:02 The wine of John 2 is the unfermented juice 07:08 of the vine. Grape juice. 07:11 Don't walk out of here and say, "Pastor Byrd 07:13 said we can drink wine." 07:17 That's not what I'm saying. 07:21 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever 07:25 is deceived thereby is not wise. 07:28 As a relative of the wedding party, Mary had assisted 07:33 in the arrangements for the feast. 07:35 Mary looked at her son Jesus and said, they have no wine. 07:41 In other words, Son, go and make some wine. 07:49 Now, on the surface, if you read the text carefully, 07:54 it could appear that Jesus' response was disrespectful. 07:58 If you look at the text carefully, Jesus begins 08:03 with the word woman. 08:08 He doesn't begin with Mother, Mom, Momma or Mary, but he 08:16 begins with Woman. 08:19 Now, if I ever, at four or forty, after my mother 08:33 told me to do something, answered her with Woman, 08:40 somebody knows you'd be picking your teeth up off the ground. 08:43 Do I have a witness in this place? 08:45 My momma look at me, say, you said what? 08:48 What you say? 08:51 Boy, I'll slap you down. 08:52 Or better yet, Momma wouldn't say anything. 08:55 You would feel what she was thinking. 08:57 I don't know about you, but my parents believed in whipping. 09:03 Anybody had a momma or daddy like that? 09:08 Whipping. 09:09 And back in those days in church, it didn't matter 09:11 if somebody wasn't your momma, if you ran through church, 09:14 they pulled you aside and you got a wooping. 09:17 You got a wooping at church and then when you got home 09:19 my daddy gave me another wooping. 09:21 Bible says spare the rod. 09:33 Jesus says, Woman, what am I to do with thee? 09:41 Mine hour is not come yet. 09:44 Careful study of the word woman used here let's us know 09:46 that Jesus was not being rude or disrespectful, 09:49 but in harmony with oriental custom, 09:52 woman was a customary, dignified, respectful way 09:56 of addressing a lady. 09:57 Of course, the same God who told us to honor our fathers 10:03 and our mothers was himself a living example 10:05 of this principle. 10:06 Jesus was not one to say one thing and then do another. 10:10 Woman, what have I to do with thee. 10:13 Mine time is not come yet. 10:16 One of my favorite writers, Ellen White says, there was 10:20 danger that Mary would regard her relationship with Jesus 10:24 as giving her a special claim upon him and the right to 10:27 direct him in his mission. 10:30 For 30 years Jesus had been a loving and obedient son. 10:36 Mary directed his steps. 10:39 But now he must be about his Father's business. 10:43 Jesus had to tell his momma, when I was a child I spoke 10:47 as a child, I understood as a child, 10:52 I thought as a child,p but when I became a man, 10:55 I had to put away childish things. 10:59 There comes a time when a man must be a man. 11:03 There comes a time when a man must separate himself 11:07 from the boys. 11:08 There comes a time when a man must stand free to do the will 11:12 of God, because nothing should separate us from 11:14 the love of God. 11:16 Whatever he wants me to do, I'll do. 11:19 Whatever he wants me to say, I'll say. 11:21 Wherever he wants me to go, I'll go. 11:23 Jesus said in Matthew 10:37, He that loveth father 11:26 or mother more than me is not worthy of me. 11:31 Things now have a transition. 11:34 Transition for Jesus and his mother Mary. 11:37 Mary will go now from Jesus needing her 11:39 to her needing Jesus. 11:42 Just like we need Christ, Mary now needs Christ. 11:47 Jesus makes it clear to his mother that he is the 11:49 Son of man and the Son of God. 11:52 That he is the God Man. 11:55 Two natures harmonize, but never completely blended. 11:59 He would get tired as man, but as God he would 12:03 say, Come unto me all ye that labor 12:05 and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. 12:07 He would get hungry as man, but as God he would feed 12:11 five thousand with two fish and five loaves of bread. 12:14 He would get thirsty as man, but as God he would say, 12:17 drink of fountains of living water that shall never run dry. 12:20 He would get lonely as man, but as God he had to tread 12:25 the wine press alone. 12:27 He would weep at Lazarus' grave as man, but as God he 12:32 resurrected Lazarus from the grave. 12:34 In his divinity he's God's way to man. 12:38 In his humanity he's man's way back on up to God, 12:42 because in the beginning was the Word, and the Word 12:45 was God, and the Word was with God and the same was 12:50 in the beginning with God and the Word became flesh. 12:56 Mary had hoped that her son Jesus at this wedding 13:00 would proclaim himself as the Messiah at that time. 13:04 The time for such an announcement had not come. 13:06 Our ways are not his ways. 13:09 Our thoughts are not his thoughts. 13:11 Our timing is not his timing. 13:14 He may not come when you want him, 13:16 but he's always right on time. 13:18 There was an appointed time for each event in his life. 13:21 In the text Jesus had not performed a miracle yet. 13:25 In the text he had not healed Peter's mother-in-law yet. 13:28 In the text he had not healed the leper yet. 13:30 In the text he had not healed the paralytic lowered 13:33 through the roof yet. 13:34 In the text he had not healed the withered hand 13:36 of the man yet. 13:37 In the text he had not raised the widow's son yet. 13:40 In the text he had not healed the woman with the issue 13:43 of blood yet. 13:44 In the text he had not healed Jarius' daughter yet. 13:46 In the text he has not fed the five thousand yet. 13:49 In the text he has not done any of this yet. 13:54 But even through all of this, 13:57 a mother knows her child. 14:03 I don't know what it is, but through that symbiotic 14:06 relationship of a mother carrying that child 14:08 for nine months, a mother knows her child. 14:17 Mary recognizes and respects that her son Jesus is God, 14:22 but Mary knows her child. 14:27 Jesus says, Momma, Woman, my time has not come yet. 14:33 She hears her son but the text shifts and the text now says 14:39 that she says to the wedding attendants, whatever he tells 14:43 you to do, do it. 14:48 She knew from the time that Jesus was in her belly 14:51 that there was something special about Jesus. 14:54 Jeremiah 1:5 says that before your momma and daddy even got 14:57 together, before you even knew your name, while you were yet 15:00 in your momma's belly, that God had already ordained you to be 15:03 a prophet to the nation. 15:04 Mary knows there is something special about her son. 15:08 Whatever he tells you to do, do it. 15:13 I'm sure Jesus looked at his mom and he would start smiling. 15:16 He'd start smiling. 15:19 Perhaps he goes through this discourse with his mother. 15:21 He looks now at the wedding attendants. 15:23 Jesus says, after talking to his momma, fill the water 15:31 jars with water. 15:32 Fill the water pots to the top. 15:36 The Bible says, he said, fill the water 15:39 pots to the brim. 15:41 Jesus speaks to that water and now that water begins 15:48 to change, because when the Lord speaks, 15:54 nothing remains the same. 15:56 He spoke to the lame and the lame began to walk. 16:02 He spoke to the dumb and the dumb begin to talk. 16:06 But most of all, he spoke to my life one day and nothing 16:10 has been the same. 16:12 Water becomes wine. 16:14 So now, the wedding director drinks the wine. 16:23 The wedding director says, wait a minute, 16:30 give me some more. 16:33 This wine tastes better than the first wine that was 16:39 supposed to be the best, that was served first. 16:44 Because you know, when you invite somebody to dinner, 16:46 you serve your best first. 16:50 That's just like Jesus. 16:52 He's trying to teach us a lesson that your latter will 16:55 always be greater than your past. 16:59 Now, before I sit down, let's understand what 17:03 a miracle is. 17:04 Even though Jesus didn't heal anybody, even though Jesus 17:12 didn't resurrect anybody, even thought Jesus didn't 17:16 multiply anything, Jesus in John 2 still worked 17:21 a miracle. 17:23 The most common terms that refer to a miracle 17:25 in the New Testament are dunamis, which means power, 17:28 and exousia, which means sign. 17:30 Dunamis is when the miracle is a manifestation 17:35 of divine power. 17:37 A sign is a visible conformation of Jesus' divine 17:42 authority, exousia. 17:43 This miracle is a visible conformation of Jesus' 17:47 divine authority. 17:48 The purpose of this miracle, friends of mine, was not just 17:54 to turn water into wine, but the purpose of this miracle 17:59 was to show everybody who he was. 18:03 That he's God. 18:05 That he has power to work miracles. 18:08 When you read the closing chapters of John, Chapter 20, 18:10 the Bible says Jesus did many other miraculous signs 18:13 in the presence of his disciples which are not 18:15 even recorded in the Bible. 18:18 But these are written, the ones we have in the Bible, 18:21 that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, 18:24 that he is the Son of God, and that by believing you may 18:27 have life in his name. 18:29 Hallelujah, somebody. 18:31 There comes a point and time when as a man you can do all 18:40 that you can do, but when you don't and you can't do anymore, 18:45 that's when God steps in, that's when Jesus shows 18:52 his authority, that he is God, that he is a healer, 19:00 that he is a mountain-mover, that he is a company-keeper, 19:06 that he is a bill-payer, that he is a financial-clearer, 19:11 that he is God. 19:14 But in this miracle I'm reminded that God 19:18 never does for us what we can do for ourselves 19:21 as this would make spiritual weaklings out of us. 19:27 You see, it's only when we realize that our needs 19:30 are beyond human ability can the miracle be realized. 19:34 And then we must have faith in God, and God will, 19:37 and God can supply the help so desperately needed. 19:40 You've got to have the kind of faith in God that says, 19:42 you know what, God? 19:45 No matter what comes in my life, I'm not 19:49 going to worry about it. 19:51 I'm going to trust God for it. 19:56 Because if God did it then, God can do it now. 20:02 If God worked the miracle then, God can work 20:07 the miracle now. 20:08 God still is the one. 20:12 If God worked a miracle at a wedding, God can work 20:15 a miracle now. 20:16 If God healed the blind man then, God can heal 20:18 a blind man now. 20:19 If God can heal a lame man then, God can heal 20:21 a lame man now. 20:22 If leprosy could be healed then, cancer can go 20:24 in remission now. 20:27 He's still the one. 20:29 Look back over your life. 20:33 Go into your spiritual computer. 20:36 Go back into your spiritual hard drive and download 20:39 some "my documents." 20:41 Download some testimonies about what God has done 20:46 for you in your life. 20:47 Does anybody know what I'm talking about? 20:50 I'm talking about when you didn't have any gas 20:52 in your car, but somebody 20:54 slid you a $20 bill. 20:56 I'm talking about the time when you didn't know 20:58 where your food was coming from, but God made 21:01 a way out of no way. 21:02 I'm talking about the time when you didn't have a job, 21:05 but God kept your lights on, kept your water on, 21:09 kept your gas on. 21:11 I'm talking about when you didn't have enough money 21:15 to finance school. 21:17 You didn't have enough, but some way, 21:21 somehow God sent a grant that you couldn't 21:24 even pronounce. 21:25 God sent a scholarship. 21:26 God sent a donation from somebody somewhere 21:30 and now you're sitting in class. 21:34 I'm talking about the time the devil knocked you down, 21:39 beat you down, put you down, but God 21:42 picked you up, turned you around, 21:45 placed your feet on solid ground. 21:48 I mean, we all know, this is what trips me out, we all know 21:54 what God has done. 21:55 But I can't figure out how some people forget. 22:00 The doctor didn't raise Sister Kelly up. 22:07 God did. 22:09 The doctor didn't spare Dr. Moore's life. 22:13 God did. 22:16 It might not be wine at a wedding. 22:18 It might not be food in your body. 22:21 It might not be finances at Financial Clearance. 22:24 It might not be healing for your body. 22:26 It might not be a roof over your head. 22:29 But whatever you need, you better know that 22:33 he's still the one. 22:35 He still works miracles. 22:40 But you're worried, somebody today, you're worried. 22:42 You're in something you seem not to be able to get out of. 22:45 You're worried if you're going to be able to get out. 22:47 I'm here to let you know God's going to bring you out. 22:50 You're worried if God is going to work a miracle on your 22:53 behalf, God's going to work that thing out. 22:56 You're worried. 22:56 God is still the one. 22:59 Well, God showed up too late. 23:01 If he showed up early, it wouldn't be a miracle. 23:04 Let me remind you that God sent his son Jesus Christ. 23:13 Jesus hung, he bled, he died, his body lay resting 23:21 in the grave, he was buried, but on the third appointed day, 23:28 my Bible says that he got up. 23:33 And so God told me to ask somebody, 23:38 what problem do you have today that is bigger than 23:42 the fact that Jesus died and was resting in the grave, 23:48 and if God can raise Jesus from the dead, 23:51 there's nothing that you're going through right now 23:55 that God can't pull you through. 23:58 He's still the one. 24:01 The fact that you're even here today is a miracle. 24:06 God is keeping folk and keeping stuff off you 24:10 that would take you out. 24:13 God is keeping somebody's mind. 24:15 God is keeping somebody's body. 24:17 God is keeping somebody's soul. 24:19 God is keeping somebody's spirit. 24:21 God is keeping somebody's heart. 24:24 Let me tell you all something, every day is not going 24:28 to be peachy. 24:29 Every day is not going to have sunshine. 24:32 Every day is not going to be a party. 24:35 I've had some good days. 24:38 I've had some hills to climb. 24:41 I've had some weary days. 24:44 And I've had some lonely nights. 24:47 But when I look around and think things over, 24:51 all of my good things outweigh my bad days. 24:58 I won't complain. 25:00 Listen to me. 25:01 You can't have victory without battle 25:04 You can't have blessings without battles. 25:07 You can't have power without pain. 25:09 You can't have deliverance without difficulties. 25:11 But you've got to know he's still the one. 25:13 He still works miracles. 25:19 He turned water into wedding punch 25:21 but he still works miracles. 25:22 You'd never know he was a healer if you 25:24 didn't get sick. 25:25 You'd never know he was a provider if you 25:27 were never broke. 25:28 But be sick, let Jesus heal you, you'll realize 25:31 he's still the One. 25:32 Be broke and let Jesus make a way out of no way. 25:35 We show up in here like we all that, 25:39 but everybody here, miss your paycheck 25:41 at the end of the month and see how many people 25:45 would be lined up at my office. 25:48 You all don't hear what I'm saying? 25:50 I'm a miracle today. 25:52 Anybody else in here a miracle? 25:54 It's a miracle that I'm here, that you're here. 25:58 Some of you should be dead, buried, in your grave, 26:01 locked up. 26:02 Somebody should be crazy by now. 26:05 Somebody should be in the hospital somewhere, 26:08 but you're here. 26:09 And so when I come up in Oakwood, I told you earlier 26:11 this is what, I'm free. 26:13 If the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed. 26:17 He's still the one. 26:20 Many things in life have already been prepackaged 26:27 and prepared, but we need water to use them. 26:34 So it is with us. 26:37 Jesus already has miracles prepackaged and prepared 26:42 for us. 26:44 When he calls for the water, like Mary and like the wedding 26:50 attendants, we've got to do what he says. 26:53 Give him what he wants. 26:54 Whatever he tells you to do, you've got to do it. 26:57 We may not understand it. 26:59 It may not make sense to us. 27:00 But if you want the miracle that's already prepackaged, 27:03 that's already prepared, you've got to let him 27:06 add the water. 27:08 Today somebody needs a miracle in their life. 27:15 You've just got to let Jesus add water. 27:22 >: The Breath of Life gift offer this week is: 27:24 "Help in Daily Living," a practical guide to everyday 27:27 blessings by renowned Christian author, 27:29 Ellen G. 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Box 340, 28:11 Newbury Park, California 91319. 28:14 Break out of the ordinary life and into the extraordinary 28:17 life God intended for you to live. 28:19 Get your copy of: "Help in Daily Living" today. 28:22 PB: Jesus had to be a person |
Revised 2015-02-06