In John 2:1–11, Jesus performs His first public miracle, not in a temple, not in a battlefield of good and evil, but at a wedding. The wine has run out, and Jesus turns six stone jars filled with water into the best wine the guests have ever tasted.
On the surface, this moment feels like a cool party trick. But for those with eyes to see, it’s a powerful image of the Christian life, one that begins in simplicity and ends in supernatural transformation, but only through preparation, process, and pressure.
To understand this miracle, we must understand how wine was made in the ancient world and how that process mirrors our own journey as followers of Christ.
- The Vineyard: Chosen and Planted with Purpose
In ancient Israel, vineyards were not wild. They were intentionally planted, cultivated, and protected by a master vintner. So too are we, chosen, planted, and nurtured by the hand of God.
John 15:1–2 (ESV):
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
Isaiah 27:2–3 (ESV):
“In that day, ‘A pleasant vineyard, sing of it! I, the Lord, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day.'”
Psalm 80:8–9 (ESV):
“You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it; it took deep root and filled the land.”
You are not an accident. You were planted by design. God is not merely saving you; He is cultivating you for something sacred.
- The Harvest: The Moment of Calling
When grapes were ripe, ancient workers would harvest them by hand, carefully, purposefully. This parallels the moment God calls us, not when we’re perfect, but when we’re ready.
Matthew 9:37–38 (ESV):
“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.'”
John 4:35 (ESV):
“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”
God calls us in our ripeness, not in flawlessness, but in availability. And with that call, the journey begins.
- The Crushing: Where the Real Transformation Begins
In ancient wine presses, grapes were trodden underfoot or crushed in stone vats. It was harsh, but necessary. Without crushing, there is no wine.
John 12:24 (ESV):
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
Luke 22:42 (ESV):
“Saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.'”
Psalm 51:17 (ESV):
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
Isaiah 53:5 (ESV):
“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”
2 Corinthians 4:8–10 (ESV):
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
In God’s kingdom, suffering is not failure. It’s the beginning of becoming who you were created to be. The crushing releases what God has placed inside.
- The Fermentation: An Invisible, Inner Work
Fermentation in clay jars was a slow, hidden process. The transformation was invisible yet powerful, akin to the work of the Holy Spirit within us.
Romans 12:2 (ESV):
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Galatians 5:22–25 (ESV):
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV):
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Titus 3:5 (ESV):
“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
God doesn’t just save us, He ferments our hearts. He transforms pain into purpose, wounds into wisdom. But it takes time.
- The Aging: Waiting in the Dark
In the ancient world, wine aged in cool caves or cellars. In the dark, away from the noise, the wine deepened in flavor. No movement. No applause. Yet in that quiet, its flavor matured.
Many Christians feel forgotten in these seasons. But nothing could be further from the truth.
James 1:2–4 (ESV):
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Romans 5:3–5 (ESV):
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Hebrews 12:11 (ESV):
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant,
but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV):
“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV):
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
Silence is not absence. It’s preparation. The longer the wait, the richer the outcome.
- The Pouring: Poured Out for Others
Wine was never meant to sit on a shelf. It was made to be shared, celebrated, and poured out just like your life in Christ.
Philippians 2:17 (ESV):
“Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.”
Romans 12:1 (ESV):
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God,
to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
2 Timothy 4:6 (ESV):
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.”
Ephesians 5:2 (ESV):
“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Suffering in Christ is never wasted. You are being made to bring healing and joy to others. Your story becomes someone else’s breakthrough.
- The Wedding Feast: The Joy That Comes in the End
Jesus didn’t just make wine, He made the best wine and served it last. That’s His way. The world offers its best early. Christ saves the best for eternity.
John 2:10 (ESV):
“And said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.'”
Revelation 19:7–9 (ESV):
“Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’
And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.'”
Isaiah 25:6 (ESV):
“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.”
Matthew 26:27–29 (ESV):
“And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying,
‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.'”
If you’re in the crushing, the silence, or the waiting, hold on. The best is yet to come.
Final Reflection
Jesus’ first miracle wasn’t about saving a wedding; it was a divine declaration: He makes all things new.
Just like ancient wine, your life is becoming something sacred, through crushing, fermentation, aging, and finally… pouring.
If you’re walking through a season of brokenness, waiting, or wondering if God is still working, we’re here for you.
Christian counseling is not about fixing you. It’s about walking with you through the vineyard… and watching as God brings forth new wine.
Jeremy Gronau
Jeremy M. Gronau is the founder of Warriors in Christ, specializing in Christian counseling and High-Performance coaching. A published author in the book Wounds to Wisdom: Healing through Veteran and First Responder Narratives, Jeremy integrates faith-driven guidance with strategic personal development. As an Afghanistan combat veteran, he brings a deep understanding of resilience and transformation to his work. Jeremy lives in Canton, Georgia, with his beloved wife and three children, where he actively contributes to his local church and community, advocating for spiritual growth and resilience.
