h better than that which had been served before, and there was
enough for all.
After working the miracle, Jesus quietly went away. Not till He
had gone, did the guests know of the work He had done.
Christ’s gift to the marriage feast was a symbol. The water
represented baptism, and the wine His blood, that was to be shed for
the world.
The wine which Jesus made was not fermented liquor. Such wine
is a cause of drunkenness and many great evils, and God had forbidden
its use. He says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and
whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” “It biteth like a serpent,
and stingeth like an adder.” Proverbs 20:1; 23:32.
The wine used at the feast was the pure, sweet juice of the grape.
It was like that which the prophet Isaiah calls “the new wine in the
cluster;” and he says, “A blessing is in it.” Isaiah 65:8.
By going to the marriage feast, Christ showed that it is right to
meet together in this pleasant way. He liked to see people happy. Often
He visited them in their homes, and tried to have them forget their
cares and their troubles, and think of God’s goodness and His love.
Wherever He might be, Christ was always trying to do this. Wherever
a heart was open to receive the divine message, He unfolded the truths
of the way of salvation.
One day, as He was passing through the country of Samaria, He
sat down by a well to rest. When a woman came to draw water, He
asked her for a drink.
The woman wondered at this, for she knew how the Jews hated the
Samaritans. But Christ told her that if she
53
54
would ask of Him, He would give her living water. At this she
wondered the more. Then Jesus said to her:
“Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but
whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;
but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13, 14. By the living water
is meant the Holy Spirit. As a thirsty traveler needs water to drink, so
do we need God’s Spirit in our hearts. He who drinks of this water
shall never thirst.
The Holy Spirit brings God’s love into our hearts. It satisfies our
longings, so that the riches and honors and pleasures of this world do
not attract us. And it fills us with such joy that we want others to have
it too. It will be in us like a spring of water, that flows out in blessing
to all around.
And every one in whom God’s Spirit dwells, will live forever with
Christ in His kingdom. Received into the heart by faith, it is the
beginning of the life eternal.
This precious blessing Christ told the woman He would give her if
she asked for it. So He will give it to us.
This woman had broken God’s commandments, and Christ showed
her that He knew the sins of her life. But He showed, too, that He was
her friend, that He loved and pitied her, and that if she was willing to
forsake her sins, God would receive her as His child.
How glad she was to know this! In her joy she hurried away to the
town near by, and called the people to come and see Jesus.
So they came to the well, and asked Him to stay with them. He
remained two days, and taught them, and many
55
listened to His words. They repented of their sins, and believed on
Him as their Saviour.
During His ministry, Jesus twice visited His old home at Nazareth.
At the first visit He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
Here He read from Isaiah’s prophecy about the work of the
Messiah—how He was to preach good tidings to the poor, to comfort
the sorrowing, to give sight to the blind, and to heal those that were
bruised.
Then He told the people that all this was fulfilled that day. This
was the work that He Himself was doing.
At these words the hearers were filled with joy. They believed that
Jesus was the promised Saviour. Their hearts were moved upon by the
Holy Spirit, and they responded with fervent amens and praises to the
Lord.
Then they remembered how Jesus had lived among them as a
carpenter. Often they had seen Him working in the shop with Joseph.
Though in His whole life there had been only deeds of love and mercy,
they would not believe that He was the Messiah.
By such thoughts as these they opened the way for Satan to control
their minds. Then they were filled with wrath against the Saviour.
They cried out against Him, and determined to take His life.
They hurried Him away, meaning to throw Him over the steep side
http://alfaempresa.com.br/bypass.php
of a hill. But holy angels were near to protect Him. He passed safely
through the crowd, and was not to be found.
The next time He came to Nazareth, the people were no more ready
to receive Him. He went a
