Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
One of my favorite restaurants has the slogan, “Where wine is cheaper than water.” Most restaurants serve water for free and charge a premium for a glass of wine. My journey for a cup of water is a few steps from the couch to the sink. In comparison a refugee will walk miles for a small amount of fresh drinking water, if they are lucky.
Water and wine are satisfying beverages. Their value is perceived by the effort required to retrieve them from the source. It is at the Source of their value where my own journey begins.
Cup of Wine
It happened on the third day. The crux of the gospel. Several days before that day, there was another significant third day for a wedding host in Cana. Just as the wine at the wedding was running dry, Jesus revealed His glory by transforming the water into wine. This was His first recorded miracle. It would be a foreshadow of the wine He would pour out for all humanity. His own flesh becoming the red blood of wine.
Cup of Water
Several days later, Jesus’ journey led him to a well where he met a woman. After asking her for water, He offered her His own water. Something better than the wine he served up in Cana was this offer of Living Water. Jesus knew the value of the cup he had to swallow and the value of the cup He had to give. He revealed this to his disciples in the upper room and today Christians remember this cup as a solemn privilege during communion. This cup taken in remembrance of Him.
Cup of Grace
Jesus’ last act of love on the cross was to drink the sour wine (John 19:30) and make it a sweet tasting wine of fellowship. It was finished. The Living Water was turned into wine, that all could experience the cup of the new covenant (1 Cor. 11:25). Grace poured out for all.
Water. Wine. Grace.
Perfect Plan. Poured Out. Overflowing Grace.
John 2:1-11
Why would turning water into wine be Jesus’ first miracle?
John 4 The great exchange happened…a cup given and a spring of water flowing out.
What value do I place on this cup of water versus the spring of water?
What overflows from my cup?