Matt Hagee - As Good As It Gets
If you would please stand for the reading of God's word, and if you brought your Bibles, turn them to John 2, beginning at the first verse, as this morning we begin a series of sermons on the topic, "The God of Miracles". Our God is a God of miracles. As a matter of fact, he's the only God who does miracles. Anyone else claiming that they have another God, who does miracles, is a liar because our God is the one true God. Why a series on miracles? Miracles are exciting. If you promise to have a miracle ministry, or you promise to have a miracle service, you'll get all kinds of people to show up. Some are curious. Some are skeptical. Some are believers. But the reality of miracles is that God didn't use them for your entertainment. If you want to be entertained, go to the circus. God used miracles so that skeptics would become believers, and disciples would become saints.
So when you see God's miracle power, it should encourage you and grow your faith. We're preaching a series on miracles because John 21 says, "And truly, many more things Jesus did". And he said that even if all of the things that were written down that Jesus did could be recorded, they would fill up all of the books on the face of the earth. But then he makes this very important point. He says, "But these were written", say that with me, "But these were written that you might believe". That's why we're preaching on miracles, "That you might believe". Because Jesus Christ said, "All things are possible to those who believe". Let's read, chapter 2 of the gospel of John, beginning at verse 1. If you're there say, amen. "On the third day," somebody say: third day.
"On the third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding, and when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'they have no wine'. Jesus said to her, 'woman, what does your concern have to do with me? My hour has not yet come'. His mother said to the servants, 'whatever he says to you, do it'. And now there were set there six water pots of stone according to the manner of purification of the Jews containing 20 or 30 gallons a piece. And Jesus said to them, 'fill the water pots with water,' and they filled them up to the brim. And then he said to them, 'draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast'. And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. The master of the feast called the bridegroom, and he said to him, 'every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now'. This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him".
Heavenly Father, today we are asking you to manifest your glory, your miracle-working power, in our lives, to add whatever is missing, to move whatever needs to change, to do what your sovereign will and providential power has decided to do in this day. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
You may be seated. The first miracle that is recorded of Jesus Christ happened before his public ministry began. When and where did it happen? How did it happen? How can you receive his miracle power in your life? First, let's begin with verse 1. It says, "Now on the third day". Say that with me, "Now on the third day". Why is that day so important to John that he writes it down? First and foremost, let's remember that John is a practicing Jew. And in reading the Torah, most orthodox Jews even today will get married and say the vows on the third day of the week. Why? First, consider that in the first century, a wedding didn't last from 4:00 P.M. to 6 o'clock, and then you ate cake, and did the chicken dance while the DJ played. But in the time of Jesus, a wedding was something that probably lasted anywhere from five to seven days. Why?
Consider the fact that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there. She lived in Nazareth, but she walked back home to Cana. It took her several days of walking to get there. When she gets there, she's not going to spend just a few hours celebrating the couple, she's going to spend as much time as she possibly can. So why are they reciting the vows on the third day? When you read the account of Genesis, everything that God created, he blessed, and he said it was good. On the first day, he created the heavens and the earth and said it was good. On the second day, he created the lights, and he said they were good. On the third day, he did something unique. He blessed the day twice, because on the third day, he separated the heavens and the earth with the sky, and with the land, and with the waters. And when he got done with that, he said it was good.
There's one blessing. And then he said to the ground, "Bring forth your seed, and your fruit, and your herb, and your tree". And when it did that, he said that was good. So to this day, orthodox Jewish couples get married on the third day because it is the day of the week that God blessed twice. So that's why Jesus and the disciples are there. Now we can consider this in the context of orthodox Judaism, or we can look at the fact that our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now when Jesus arrived on the third day, Mary said, "I need to talk to you". Jesus goes to where Mary is and the servants are gathered. And she says, "Son, they have no wine".
Now why did she ask Jesus for this? Why not look to one of her other natural children? Why not look to James? Because wine was precious, and wine was valuable, and wine was scarce. The fact that it was wine means these things: one, water is one ingredient of wine, not all ingredients of wine. When Jesus turned water to wine, he added what was missing. Two, in order for it to be good wine, which the master of the feast said it was the best that was saved for last, it had to ferment not just for a little while, but over a long period of time, because the older it is, the better it gets. Three, if Jesus Christ did not turn water to wine, why would the disciples believe in his miracle power? Anybody can make grape juice, but only the Son of God can take what's missing, and add it to something that's not there, and accelerate time, and do what cannot be done by any other.
Why did Mary take this problem to Jesus? Because no natural person could solve it. She knew she needed a supernatural answer, and she knew that she only had one supernatural being in her life. Sooner or later in your life, you're going to come into a situation where you need a supernatural answer. Do not take your supernatural problems to natural men. They'll never be able to satisfy. Take your problems to the one who is the way, the truth, and the life. When you need an answer that no man can give, take it to Jesus, because he is the answer! So she said, "They've got a problem that no natural man can fix," and Jesus answers her. And when you read his answer, you have to read it very carefully. He said, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come".
If you read this verse the wrong way, you're going to think that Jesus is rebuking his mother. That's not what he's doing. In the original language, what he is saying is, "Ma'am". He's recognizing her, "Ma'am". I grew up in a sir-and-ma'am generation, and it would be good to revive that again. So what Mary was saying is, "Jesus, why don't you show everybody what you can do"? And what Jesus said is, "It's not time for that". But the Lord did give him permission to do something. And when Mary recognized that he was going to solve the problem, just not solve it in her way, she looked to those who were serving, and she gave them the greatest advice that anyone will ever give you in all of your life. She said, "Whatever Jesus tells you to do, do it. Whatever he tells you to do it". If he asks you, just do it. Don't argue with him. Don't debate him. Don't ask questions.
Have you ever seen anybody argue with a question? "Well, what do you mean"? I promise you, Jesus will never ask you to do what you cannot accomplish. But until you are obedient to him, you'll never have his miracle-working power in your life. This conversation that Jesus has with his mother is not only his way of saying, "You're natural, and I'm supernatural. I can solve this, but we're going to do it my way". It was also God, in his providence and sovereignty, letting us know that his mother on earth, Mary, does not persuade the son. He knew that there would be entire religious systems built around the idea that if you want Jesus to do something for you, you've got to talk to mom first. This verse tells us very clearly that Mary does not persuade or coerce Jesus into anything. He is the son of the living God. He does what he wants to do, when he wants to do it, like he wants to do it.
You do not need anyone to go between you and Christ. He is your mediator. He is your high priest. He said, "I am the door, no man comes unto the father but by me". You don't have to talk to a saint. You don't have to talk to his mother. You don't have to talk through a religious system. You have a relationship with the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, he is your Savior! His name is Jesus! Mary says to the servants, "Whatever he tells you to do, do it". And the Bible says that there were six pots there that were for the purpose of ritual cleansing. These pots were made of stone, earth, and clay. These pots were empty of water, because whenever you receive guests into your home, the first thing that you did, is you washed their feet, and you washed their hands.
Do you remember in the upper room when Jesus took a towel, and he knelt, and he washed the hands and the feet of the disciples? Why? Because they had just come from a long journey. They were in Bethany. They walked over the Mount of Olives and into the city. There were a lot of things in the street that you wanted off of your feet before you sat down to eat. You ever have your mother tell you, "Before you eat, wash your hands"? So these pots were used for ritual cleansing. These pots had the dirt and the grime of the hands and the feet of others in them. Jesus tells the servants, "Take some water and pour it into these pots".
Now a rational person would have said, "You don't want to drink out of there. Not even the dog wants to drink out of there". But they didn't argue. They did it. They went to the well. The Bible says that it could hold 20 or 30 gallons a piece. A gallon weighs eight pounds. We're talking about making anywhere from 160 to 180 gallons of wine. We're going to put cost out of business. And the Bible not only says that they filled it up, but the Bible says they filled it up to the brim. What you need to realize is that before you can draw out, you have to put in. So many times people want the miracle-working power of God to fill an empty vessel. "God, heal my marriage. God, bless my business. God, touch my physical body. God, heal my natural mind. God, touch my kids who are in the far country. God, I need a miracle of your grace". And he looks in the pot and he says, "Where's your water? I can't work with nothing. I need you to have something on the inside before I can change it into what you need".
So where does the water come from? When you read the Bible, the New Testament says that the water is the Word of God. Jesus was the word made flesh that dwelt among us. How did he describe himself? He said, "I am living water, and if you drink of me, you'll never thirst again". Paul and James wrote of the Word of God that whenever you washed your soul and your spirit in the Word of God, that what you received was an absolute cleansing and could go boldly before the throne of grace in your hour of need. The servants heard Jesus and they knew that Mary had given them instructions. "Whatever he says, do it". Don't debate it, just do it. Where do you need God in your life today? How many of you need financial blessings in your life today? Whatever he says to you, do it. What did he say? He said, "Give, and it shall be given unto you... Pressed down, shaken together, and running over". How hard is that?
Most of the time when we hear the word "Give," we say, "Well, God, what do you mean"? What I mean is you take what's in your hand and you put it in my hand, and you see what I can do with it. How many of you need God to heal your physical body today? He said, "If there's any sick among you, let them call for the elders of the church, and let them anoint them with oil. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up". Until you ask for healing, you cannot receive healing. Until you, in faith believing, go before the one who paid the price for your healing, you cannot have that miracle power in your life. Don't expect God to turn something out of nothing until you pour in the living how many of you know somebody, maybe you're here today and you need God to do something in your marriage. You need God to refresh and restore a relationship that's been hurt by offense. You need God to make your home a place of peace instead of the war zone that it's been. Whatever he says to you, do it.
"Husbands, love your wives even as Christ loved the church. Wives, submit to your own husbands". Oooo. He didn't say, "Go on Facebook and write, 'if he loved me like I needed to be loved, I wouldn't treat him like I do'". He didn't say, "Go to happy hour with the boys after work and tell them what a battle ax you got married to". He said, "Take the Word of God and wash your relationship with it on a daily basis". Don't let the filth of this world define who you were created to be in Christ Jesus. It doesn't matter how many vessels you have to fill. I promise you, there's enough water in his word to fill them up all the way to the brim. The servants did exactly what Jesus said without debate. Over and over, they ran to the well. And then from the well, they ran to the pot, and they poured it in, the Bible says, "Until it was full to the brim".
And the whole time they're doing it, I can see them kind of talking back and forth to themselves, looking at each other. "Has it become wine yet? It still smells like feet. Well, keep pouring. How about now"? And then Jesus tells them to do something that requires a great act of faith. Filling the water pot with water, that's work. And the Bible says, "Faith without works is dead". But faith is not just created by work that you have to do. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen. So the working part of the miracle was filling the water pots with water. "No problem, we can get 180 gallons. Got it. Done. Now what"? "Draw some out". "Of there"? "You don't want to drink out of there, Jesus. This is a filthy place. This is a place that we don't want to use. You got the wrong vessel. You got the wrong idea. Nothing good comes out of here".
How many places in your life has God poured his word and his washing water into, and you still think that it's not a good place? "Oh God, you can't use me. God, you can't touch me. God, you can't bless me. I'm the wrong vessel". You're the right one when he gets involved. He said, "Draw some out. Take it to the master of the feast". Work put the water in. Faith drew it out. But whenever faith and work get together, suddenly God does something that no one else can do. And everything that was missing, and everything that was lost, and everything that was impossible suddenly becomes possible. Why? Because it's not a need that moves the heart of God. There are people in need all over this world. It's obedience that moves the heart of God. His son did a miracle that could not be explained. Why? Because someone was willing to obey.
They took it to the master of the feast, and the master of the feast took a sip of what God had created through his supernatural miracle-working power, and he said, "Hold everything". He said, "I've been a few places and I've attended a few parties". And he said, "Most people bring out the good stuff at the beginning". And he said, "And after everyone's feeling a little better, he brings out the vinegar". He said, "But here we are on day three, and you saved the best for last". Child of God, I don't know what you've been through thus far, but I promise you, if you will begin to live a life of faith and obedience to Jesus Christ, he'll give you the best for last. He'll change the script on your history, and give you a future that is filled with hope, and love, and joy, and peace. Your next breath can be your best breath if you take it with Jesus Christ, filled with faith believing. I promise you this, the dry and barren places of your life, if you'll pour the water of his word inside, he'll take it and make something beautiful out of it that no man can explain, but only Jesus Christ and his miracle-working power can provide. Give the Lord a handclap of praise in this house today.
Would you stand to your feet? The same Jesus was at a wedding on the third say is the same one that's here in this sanctuary today. And no matter the need that you face in your life, he knows about it and he's already there. All he wants you to do is in faith believing, obey him. And he'll add what's missing. He'll create what no one else can, and he'll give you the best for last. If today there's a dry place in your life, in your heart, in your soul, in your mind, in your spirit, I want you to raise a hand, admitting that you need his miracle-working touch. And this next question I ask is only if you're willing to obey him. It's easy to admit you need him. It's all together different to say, "I will obey him". If you're willing to obey him so that his word can become the source of your miracle power, would you raise your other hand and say, "Pastor, I'll obey him today"? And now I want you to repeat this prayer with me:
Lord Jesus Christ, today I thank you for your word. Today I thank you for the miracle-working power that you possess and I need. Today I stand upon your promise. And I receive your power in my life. And now I want you to tell the Lord exactly where you need him. Lord, I need your power in my marriage. Lord, I need your power in my home. Lord, I need your power in my heart. Lord, I need your power to bless my business. Lord, I need your power to touch my health and the weak places in my body.
Whatever it happens to be, he knows all about it. And today in faith believing, I want you to ask and receive. Seek and find. Because John 2 says that this miracle manifested his glory.
Father, I am asking you, in Jesus' name, manifest your glory in this place today. Heal those who are sick. Set free those who are captive and bound. Overwhelm with joy and peace those who are filled with fear and worry. As your word has washed and cleansed our soul, I'm asking you to do a miracle work. I'm asking you to add what's missing. I'm asking you to accelerate time. I'm asking you to save the best for last. In Jesus' name, in Jesus' name. Amen.