John 2:1–11 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

Last Sunday the Gospel reading was the Wedding at Cana, where Jesus did His first sign, turning water into wine. As I was listening to the reading, I found myself wondering, “What kind of wine was it?” A little research revealed that the wine in Israel in Jesus’ day would most likely have been a full-bodied, sweet, red wine. Some might not consider that to be all that good. But the master of the banquet declares it to be the best wine. Did everyone think so?

I am by no means a connoisseur of wine. At one point my brother and his wife went to a class to learn how to taste wines and become more discriminating about them. I never did that. I may not know what good wine is by the standards of others, but I know what I like.

In this world, there are fine bottles of wine that cost thousands of dollare and wine by the box and everything in between. What is the finest of wines? How many are drinking “bad wine” and don’t know it?

In the context of Scripture, I would say we should follow the advice of the Psalmist.

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Jesus revealed His glory by turning water into wine. But that was just the beginning. Greater things were coming. And what He offers is very good. He offered Himself as the payment for the sins of the world. He died to pay the penalty our sins demand. And then He conquered death so that all who trust in Him are guaranteed forgiveness and life forever with Him. Taste and see how good that is.

Isaiah 25:6-8 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.