He Shows Goodwill Tells the Good Story 2
2
HIS FIRST SIGN
1Three days later there was a wedding in Village of Reeds (Cana), in the territory of Circle of Nations (Galilee). Bitter Tears (Mary), the mother of Creator Sets Free (Jesus), was there. 2Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and the ones who walked the road with him were invited as guests to the wedding.
3During the celebration, they ran out of wine.
This would have been a great embarrassment to the groom and his family.
So the mother of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to him, “Son, they have no more wine.”
4“Honored woman,” he said to her. “Why are you telling me? Is this our concern? It is not yet my time to show who I am.”
5But his mother turned to the helpers and said, “Do whatever he says.”
They looked to him and waited for his instructions.
6There were six traditional stone water pots, used for purification ceremonies, that could hold large amounts of water.
7-8“Fill them to the top,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) told them, “and take some to the headman of the feast.”
They filled the pots until they could hold no more and did what he said.
9-10The water had turned into wine. The headman did not know where it had come from, but the helpers who were serving the wine knew.
The headman took a drink and called to the groom, “Everyone serves the best wine first, and after the guests have had enough to drink, they bring out the watered-down wine. But even though you served good wine at first, you have saved the best wine for last.”
11This was the first of the signs through which Creator Sets Free (Jesus) displayed his power. When his new followers saw this, their trust in him grew stronger. All of this happened in the territory of Circle of Nations (Galilee) at Village of Reeds (Cana). 12After this he went with his mother, his brothers, and his followers to Village of Comfort (Capernaum), where he stayed for a few days.
PASSOVER FESTIVAL
It was a custom for all the families of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) to journey to Village of Peace (Jerusalem) to participate in an ancient festival called Passover. This festival celebrated the time when the lawgiver, Drawn from the Water (Moses), had set them free from captivity to the powerful nation of Black Land (Egypt). He did this by using the great power Creator gave him to perform many signs and wonders.
13The time of the year had come for the ancient Passover festival. Creator Sets Free (Jesus) made his way to the Great Spirit’s lodge in Village of Peace (Jerusalem).
This was the custom for all the families of the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel).
He came into the area in the lodge called Gathering Place for the Nations. It was here that other nations could come to learn about the Great Spirit and his ways.
14As Creator Sets Free (Jesus) entered the lodge, he saw people sitting at money tables. There were also others who were trading, buying, and selling the cattle, sheep, and doves for the ceremonies—inside the lodge!
SACRED LODGE KEEPER
It was so crowded that there was no room for the people from other nations who had come to learn about the Great Spirit. They were not honoring the purpose of this holy place.
15So Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took some leather straps and made a whip. He cracked the whip to startle and move the animals, and to drive all the people from the lodge. He tipped over the tables, which scattered their money on the floor. 16He then turned to speak to the ones who were selling the ceremonial doves.
“Go!” he roared at them. “Take these things out from here. Do not make my Father’s sacred lodge into a trading post!”
17The ones who walked the road with him listened and remembered the ancient prophecy, “My desire to honor your sacred lodge burns like a fire in my belly.”#2:17 Psalm 69:9
18“What gives you the right to do these things?” the tribal leaders said to him. “Prove yourself and show us a sign!”
19“Tear down this sacred lodge,” he answered, “and in three days I will raise it up again.”
20The people shook their heads and said to him, “It took forty-six winters to build this great lodge. How could you raise it up in three days?”
21They did not understand that he was speaking about the lodge of his own body. 22After he was raised up from the dead, his followers remembered what he said and then believed the ancient Sacred Teachings and the words he spoke to them.
23During the Passover festival many people began to believe in him because they saw the powerful miracles he was performing. 24But he did not trust himself to them, for he could see right through them. 25He did not need anyone to tell him about human beings, for he knew the hearts of humankind.
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He Shows Goodwill Tells the Good Story 2: FNVNT
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