¹¹ What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
- John 2:11
 
How would it change your relationship with Jesus if you came to believe in him in the midst of a feast that had been marked by this miracle: turning water into wine?
 
First impressions are lasting impressions. Some of our first impressions of Jesus portray him as a stern God casting disappointed stares in our direction. Others of us first saw Jesus in his vending machine costume dispensing spiritual and emotional goodies in exchange for our currency of ritual and devotion. But Jesus’ disciples would have had this wild miracle as an early experience of him.
 
This would change the way you think about communion (and, probably, about baptism). You’d never view weddings or parties in quite the same way again. And you might have a different attitude toward seasons of resource scarcity.
 
In John’s Gospel he shares seven signs to nudge his readers to believe in Jesus. He says at the end of his Gospel that he has loads more stories to share, enough to fill innumerable books. But he chose this moment as his first.
 
In Blake Snyder’s screenwriting book – Save the Cat – he talks about a common opening scene in American cinema: the scene where the audience meets the heroes who do something nice, kind, or charming to get the audience pulling for them … something like saving a cat.
 
Let’s not look past John’s moment here with Jesus. He saves the party. When we think all of the other salvations he brings – salvation from sin, salvation for families, salvation of the world – this first moment with him shines brightly as a beacon to where this whole thing is headed: a great party, a feast that never ends, where we see his glory and experience his joy.
 
Take a few minutes today to read through John 2:1-11 a few times and meditate on Jesus’ posture toward celebration. How is he inviting you to celebrate with him this holiday season?