Dear Christian friends:

I think that often we do not realize how wonderful Jesus is. We perhaps think that He is too high and too far away and He can't worry about our individual problems or troubles. We perhaps think that Jesus has many, many more important problems to think about, problems between various nations and governments, He can't have time to think about each one's problems. But we are wrong if we think like that. Jesus has time for each one of us and He really does think about each one, and He can help in every need.

Our text clearly shows that. It shows

I. Jesus really cares about each one of us.

A. Jesus shows sympathy for us in our troubles and needs. When we suffer, He suffers; when we are embarrassed, He is embarrassed; when we have success, He rejoices in our success. He has heart for us. (Explain Isaiah 62:5)

Jesus shows that very beautifully here in our text, the story about the wedding at Cana. Jesus felt sorry for the newly married couple. Why? Their wine was all gone. Perhaps they did not have enough money to buy more wine. When Jesus' mother told him about the wine gone, He let her know that He was aware of it. (vv. 3-4) Jesus knew about the newly married couple's problem, although He delayed to help them. He had His reason for delaying, but He knew about their need and He was planning to help them. His mother did not need to tell Him. Jesus had compassion for the newly married couple.

B. Sometimes we are like Mary, and think Jesus doesn't know about our problem. We are not patient to wait on Him to help in His own time and way. Although Jesus delays to help us sometimes, He nevertheless knows about our need and He cares about us. We should be patient and wait for Him and continue to believe in Him. As Peter tells us: "Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

Transition: He is a wonderful Helper in every need and He has sympathy, heart for us and in all times.

II. And more wonderful than that, He can help in every need.

A. Often our friends and relatives feel sorry for us in our needs. They have heart for us, but they can't do much to help us. When they can, they do help us. Sometimes others can help us but they don't want to. People are not very dependable. Sometimes they have heart, but don't know how or can't help. Sometimes they have no heart to help.

B. Jesus is not like people. He always has heart for us and He always can help us. He has the knowledge and the power to help in every need. He can do anything. He even can change water to become wine as He did here in our text. (vv. 6-10)

Transition: But perhaps you think, "Jesus does not always help us in our needs. Sometimes we are embarrassed and He does not help. Sometimes we are sick and we never get well. Sometimes Christians must die." Well, Jesus knows about your every need and He can help if He wants to. He has heart for you in every need and He helps in His own way and time. When Mary asked Him to help the newly married couple He answered to her, "My time is not yet come." (v. 4)

III. Why did Jesus delay?

A. Jesus came to the wedding chiefly to show Himself the promised Savior, and not only to help the newly married couple in their need for wine. The newly married couple needed something more precious than wine. Same also the wedding guests and the servants needed something more better than wine... What? They needed to know that Jesus is the promised Savior for sinners. So when the exact time came Jesus changed the water and made it become wine. We read in our text, "Jesus did this first miracle in Cana of Galilee, and showed His glory. And His disciples believed on Him." (v. 11)

B. So Jesus does not always help us as we think He should. Sometimes we pray for wine when we really should pray for faith and forgiveness of sins. Often our real need is spiritual not physical! Therefore Jesus often lets us remain sick or in need so that we learn to know our spiritual needs. His chief concern for us is that we believe in Him for our Savior, who died to take away our sins. Therefore Jesus often lets us suffer the curse of sin: diseases, losses, hatred from others, storms or disasters, sickness and death. Through these curses of sin we learn that we and all people are helpless sinners. Then we can realize our greatest need - a Savior who died on the cross that we may have forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven.

Conclusion: Jesus has heart for us. He gave His life and blood for us and He will give us every other gift if that is good for our faith and our soul. This also St. Paul tells us in Romans 8:31-32 "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" He will even give us wine and other fancy foods, but if we begin to love it too much He knows when to withhold it. So let us believe in Him at all times and pray to Him in every need. He knows our needs and has heart for us. He can help and He will help us in His own way and time. Jesus is our Helper in every need, both for our body and soul.

Amen