John 2:11 

“This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”

John tells us, the miracle of turning the water into wine was the first of Jesus’ miracles, and its purpose was to make His glory known. The word “glory” is used synonymously in the Bible with the word “name”, and speaks of a person’s character. When Moses longed to know God more, he asked God to “Please, show me Your glory.” (Exodus 33:18) God responded saying, “I will cause My goodness to pass before you and declare My name.” It is in that passage we learn much of the merciful and gracious character of God. Here, at this wedding feast, John tells us that we are to learn something about the character of Christ.

John also tells us, this was the first miracle Jesus accomplished. Think about it…

Numbers 23:21
“He has not observed iniquity in Jacob,
Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.
The Lord his God is with him,
And the shout of a King is among them.”

Balaam is an enigma. While he is clearly a false prophet who does great harm to the people of God, he is also responsible for some of the greatest Old Testament sermonettes. Here, he is taking a second look at the camp of Israel, attempting to find a way for Balak, king of Moab, to overthrow Israel. Instead, he learns how God sees His people.

Numbers 23:21
“He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel.”

If you or I were standing on Mount Pisgah, remembering the actions of Israel, we would not find it difficult to observe iniquity. We might call to memory their constant complaining about food and water, their continual…

John 1:4

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

Jesus was magnetic! People from all walks of life were drawn to Him. Lepers, paralytics, rich men, beggars, fishermen, and even Pharisees were drawn to Jesus; to meet Him, hear Him speak, and be touched by Him. At times, we read of massive crowds that gave up all other pursuits, and listened for hours as He spoke about the Kingdom of God. What was it that drew people to Him? John tells us that His life was like a light in the darkness.

Often, when I come home at night, my route into the house is through the garage. The problem is, the light switch is on the far end of the garage, near the kitchen door, and skateboards, bikes, shoes and other sporting equipment are scattered across the floor. In the darkness, facing these dangers…

Numbers 21:8
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.'”

The sins of the people put them under the curse. One by one, they watched as their loved ones fell ill and died. At some point, they realized there is no cure for the plague and they beseech Moses to seek God for the solution. As Moses cries out to the Lord, he is instructed to forge a brass serpent on a pole. Any who look upon the serpent will be healed. One only need use a little imagination to understand the joy which filled the hearts of all who would look upon the pole. Instantly, the effects of the curse were removed and they were safe. At the same time, imagine the folly of one…

Luke 24:1
“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning…”

Crucifixion was a violent and public form of execution. The display was designed not only to punish the condemned, but to dissuade others from violating the law of Rome. It is difficult for me to comprehend the emotions that would flood those who watched, as Jesus was beaten and crucified.

These women were not casual observers, they did not watch the events as spectators or journalists, they were some of Jesus closest friends, and Mary was His mother. Watching the events of the cross must have filled her with fear, confusion, sorrow, anger and even hate. Her own Son had been betrayed by one of His close friends, He had been falsely accused, condemned, beaten and violently killed. It would be reasonable for us to read that Mary shut down, or she was filled with…

Numbers 20:11
“Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.”

‘The end justifies the means’ is the governing principle in the life of many. The implication is very clear, it does not matter how something is done, as long as positive results are reached. However, Moses would learn, though this is a common principle among men, it is not a principle for ministry.

Numbers 20 opens by recording the death of Miraim, the sister of Moses and Aaron. It seems her death hit Moses rather hard, and he may have even blamed the people. It was, in fact, their disobedience that resulted in her never entering the Land of Promise. Directly on the heels of her burial, we find the congregation once again facing a great dilemma; they marched to a place without…

Luke 23:45

“The veil of the temple was torn in two.”

The veil of the Temple was designed by God; and it was beautiful. Moses describes it for us in Exodus 26:31

“You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim.”

As beautiful as this curtain was, it’s beauty would be overshadowed by its purpose. The veil was not designed as a work of art to be gawked at, but as a symbol of the separation between man and God. Even the angels portrayed on the veil, spoke not of accessibility, but of separation. Remember the angels that were posted outside the garden? They carried flaming swords and were set as guards to keep Adam and Eve from entering the garden (Genesis 3:24). What about the angels around God’s throne? We read that…

Numbers 18:7
“Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve…”

While it is clear Moses is being instructed regarding the role of the priests who would care for the articles within the Tabernacle, this statement is also a beautiful picture of the ministry of Jesus. He takes care of everything that happens behind the veil. Just as the curtain would serve as a divider between the outside world and what happened within the holy chambers of the Tabernacle, so we have a veil that separates heaven’s proceedings from our view. Paul spoke of the fact that our vision of God is marred by the experiences of life.

1 Corinthians 13:12
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall…

Luke 22:19

“This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Everything in the life of Christ was working toward His final hour. A moment in time when He, through His death, would provide life for all who believe. Prior to the events of the cross unfolding, Jesus took time to have a last meal with His closest followers. It was at this meal that He established the sacrament of communion. He told his disciples the bread was to represent His body which would be broken to provide healing, and the fruit of the vine would represent His blood, that would be shed for the removal of sin.

A few conditions are given to those who partake of communion. First, communion is for those who believe. The sacrament has its value in what it represents. The religious activity is of no value unless you are…

Numbers 15:22-24
‘If you sin unintentionally, and do not observe all these commandments which the Lord has spoken to Moses— all that the Lord has commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day the Lord gave commandment and onward throughout your generations— then it will be, if it is unintentionally committed, without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull as a burnt offering, as a sweet aroma to the Lord, with its grain offering and its drink offering, according to the ordinance, and one kid of the goats as a sin offering.”

Unintentional sin is sin committed simply because we’re sinners. The term “sin” is an interesting word. It actually means “to miss the mark.” The sport of archery is a good illustration of missing the mark. A few years ago, I took a group of high School students to a…