Thought for the Week - 9/1/2022

 

Dear Friends,

I’ve recently started using a new daily devotional resource from Jeff Lucas, the speaker, broadcaster and author of a number of Christian books, called Life with Lucas. The January to March issue will look at the apostle Paul’s first letter to the believers at Corinth, but firstly at the gospel of John which the booklet describes as ‘a photograph album, as Jesus’ friend and disciple John, shows us some beautiful ‘pictures’ of Jesus. These word portraits are designed to stir our faith and trust in Christ, enabling us to experience the abundant life that He offers’. The first account from the gospel that we’ve been focusing on is the story of Jesus changing the water into wine at the wedding in Cana from John 2, the first of the seven ‘signs’ or ‘miracles’ in John’s gospel. Signs are all about us in everyday life and a sign is designed to help us to make a decision on the information that the sign communicates. So signs can point us in the right direction, warn us of a hazard ahead, give us vital information, and reveal to us the location of what we might be looking for. The word for ‘sign’ in John’s gospel is the Greek word, ‘semeion’, which became the Latin ‘signum’ meaning an identifying mark. It is also where we get the words ‘signature’, ‘insignia’, and ‘signal’ from. Signs and symbols are important because they convey a message most usually without saying a word. Right at the beginning of John’s gospel this sign points the reader to the culmination of the story of Jesus, namely the hour that will come when he will be crucified, setting in motion the events all through the gospel story, interspersing them with these ‘signs’ to show just who Jesus is – that he is the Son of God. The turning of the water into wine also shows the abundance of God and the change that God will bring through the coming of Jesus and his actions on the cross and beyond. In taking the stale and uninteresting water in the six stone water jars used for ceremonial washing, Jesus changed the water into the finest wine as an indication that with God comes newness and transformation in our own lives. What greater sign could there be for us to think and reflect upon?

Grace and peace,

Neil

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