John, the disciple of Jesus, recounts Jesus’ first miracle.
It happened at a wedding reception. They wedding party had run out of wine.
Jesus finds out and asks the servants to fill six thirty gallons jars with water.
Then Jesus tells them to draw some out and take it to the headwaiter.
The headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, and not knowing from where it had come, takes the bridegroom aside and says, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much wine to drink; but you have kept the best until now.” See John 2:1-10.
Interestingly, John goes out of his way to comment on the quality of the wine Jesus produced. The miracle should have been news enough, but John emphasizes how good the wine was that Jesus made.
Because the headwaiter said everyone served the best wine first, I think it fair to assume this bridegroom had done the same.
It’s good strategy. Set out the Petrus and Opus One first because once everyone gets liquored up they won’t be able to tell the difference anyway and won’t care.
So, by the time Jesus served up His wine, it’s a good bet the headwaiter had already had the best the bridegroom had to offer, yet Jesus’ wine was so much better than the best they had it was obvious to the headwaiter. The point is Jesus did not just make good wine; He made excellent wine.
And not only did Jesus make excellent wine, but John thought it important to emphasize that Jesus made excellent wine. John doesn’t say the quality of Jesus’ wine caused people to repent, or to follow Jesus. Excellence needn’t be justified by its fruit because it’s justified by its Author.
So, when you go to work tomorrow, don’t be satisfied with merely getting your work done or even doing good work, but imitate Jesus and produce excellence. GS