John 2:2-5, The Wine Runs Out

2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Jesus is not some antisocial killjoy who stays away from festivities. He dives right into the middle of the party and lends his aid as we will see. However, he sounds a little put off by his mother’s request. What is the issue? It is the changing nature of their relationship. New Testament scholar D. A. Carson writes, “Mary approaches Jesus as his mother and is reproached; . . . she responds as a believer, and her faith is honored.”

We know Jesus’ father, Joseph, is no longer around and must have died. Mary may have grown dependent on her son, making it a practice to share predicaments with him. This Jewish wedding likely has lasted many days, depleting the once sufficient wine supply, necessitating a corrective to this social faux pas. Knowing he is no ordinary man, Mary asks Jesus to do something miraculous. His response reveals their relationship is changing from mother-son to believer-Savior.

She (unintentionally?) asks him to reveal his true identity, leading Jesus to question if the timing is right. Her directive to the servants leaves the next step to him. In a sense, she gives us an excellent example of intercessory prayer. She boldly lays her request before God and lets him respond: “Do whatever he tells you.” She acts in faith and Jesus honors her request. He is no longer just her son from Nazareth but the imminent Messiah.

Like Mary, make an intercession to the Lord. Lay out your request boldly yet respectfully, and then leave it in his hands, saying “Not my will but your will be done.”