Jesus’s Ministry Begins
John 2 begins with the record of the first of Jesus’s signs.
This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
John 2:11
He was at a wedding and they had run out of wine. Being pressed by his mother to help the newly weds, he had instructed the servants to serve out of water jars. When they went to do so, they discovered the water had been turned to wine.
After this he went down to Capernaum to stay with his family and disciples for a few days (verse 12).
Passover
While that first miracle may seem like the sort of thing that would make quite a splash, what he did next certainly did! It was at this very early point in his ministry, at a central holiday of the Jewish people, that Jesus became consumed with zeal for his Father’s house and he drove out the money changers in the temple with cords.
Many people demanded evidence that he had a right to have done this, and he reveals to them the mystery of the resurrection saying “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Of course, nobody understood this at the time and many were angry with him.
However, many also believed in him after his ministry and signs during his time in Jerusalem.
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.
John 2:23
Knowing Man
From a worldly perspective, it would be time to capitalize on this newfound fame. Now that he had followers, it would be time to build on the momentum and get this thing rolling! However, Jesus’s mission was very specific and he knew it could not be entrusted to these new believers because their will was not his.
But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
John 2:24-25
While many were believing that he was the one sent by God to deliver Israel, what they desired to make of Jesus was not who he was sent to be. Much like the people of Nazareth I discuss in another post, they were excited for the salvation they had imagined instead of the far superior salvation God had planned.
Entrust Yourself Instead
This temptation in man to seek to use Christ is still alive today. How many, seeking an assurance of comfort in this life, are champions of a “christ” who saves primarily from sickness, poverty, or unhappiness? Just as Jesus did not entrust himself to those of his day who wanted to use him rather than be used by him, he will not be found in such ministries today.
God knows the heart of man, which means he would never be so foolish as to allow himself to be a rubber stamp on the plans they devise. Instead, the cure for the wickedness within our own hearts is to entrust ourselves to Christ. While we are certainly unworthy of being entrusted with the savior of the world, he is more than worthy of being entrusted by those who need saving.
His plan will mean suffering sometimes. It will mean mockery. Even so, his plan is always working for the good of those who love him. Being a servant of Christ is in every way superior to being master over anything the world has to offer.
If you are not willing to submit to Christ as Lord, know for certain that he will not be used by you. There is no life lived for self with a bit of Jesus tagged on. He’s not a life coach who’s there to help you get your own life back on track. He’s King of Kings who deserves your complete devotion.
To know what is in man is to know that our own sinful desires have us dreaming of an impossible world. We want to satisfy the desires of our flesh without the consequences of sin that are part of it. The end will always be death. Jesus came to save his people for an eternity without suffering, and did everything necessary to make that a reality.
Serve Christ instead. There is nowhere else to go for eternal life (John 6:68).
