LET’S TALK ABOUT BOB ROSS.
I love Bob Ross. You know the guy, right? He’s the celebrity painter that wears a denim shirt tucked into denim pants, rocks an afro, and talks with a voice as calm as a mountain stream. Whether you paint or not, you are likely one of the tens-of-millions of people who have either watched his videos online or shared Bob-themed memes. People are captivated by his soothing voice and instructional videos that make them feel like they can paint a landscape in fifteen minutes.
Painting is all about the process. There is something powerful about working hard on little details and then seeing the finished product come together. Whether it’s a project, painting, or party, it’s amazing to finally see something come together after all the time it took to build. Anything of worth requires work.
John 2 sets up a pivotal moment in the ministry of Jesus— His first public miracle. Jesus is attending a friends wedding, and they run into a conundrum. They are out of wine.
Let’s do a little background study. Wine was a big deal for Jewish weddings as most of the sacred ceremonies involved it. Furthermore, if the people tried drinking the water, they’d probably die of dysentery. Thus, running out of wine was a big blunder.
Jesus could easily have just said “let there be wine” and have wine rain from the sky, but He didn’t do that. Instead, Jesus asked some people to “fill the jars with water.” They listened and filled a bunch of jugs to the brim. What was the outcome of their obedience? The water had turned into wine.
Their work triggered a miracle that everyone experienced. Ultimately, their dedication led to celebration. We can focus on God doing miracles for us, but what if God wants to do a miracle through us?
The servants got a front row ticket to God’s work. When you walk in God’s ways, you will get to see His wonders. Think of all the life-changing things God can do through you. God will use small steps of obedience to take you towards supernatural outcomes.