Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Story Summary
This is a short story and is best read directly from the scripture.
This is widely recognized as the first miracle Jesus performed as he began his ministry. John actually calls these “signs,” which is a bit different than “miracle.” Yes, it was a miracle, something that only God can enable. But a “sign” points to something - in this case the sign pointed to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, something John takes great care to develop throughout his gospel.
Also note that these weren't just regular ol' jars laying around that Jesus asked them to fill. These were jars they used that would hold the water they used for ritual cleansing, to make themselves ritually clean or pure before eating. Ritual cleansing was something that was part of the Old Testament laws, but mostly for priests and Levites as they were serving in the Tabernacle. By the time of Jesus, the Jewish rabbis had expanded this to a large system of rules and regulations for washing and cleansing. In fact, later on they would attack Jesus for not following their extra rules about this very thing (see Mark 7:1-23). Jesus was making a point here by using those specific jars to transform into wine for a celebration - God's laws were not meant to be burdensome.
Also, it is important to note to the students that wedding feasts in this culture were not like the wedding receptions we have today that just last for a couple of hours. These feasts lasted for days and days, and it would have been very embarrassing for a host to not have enough wine to serve the guests for the entire length of the feast - in fact more than embarrassing. In a culture that values hospitality like they did, and one based on honor and shame, this would have been a family-ruining event.
One final interesting part of this story is the conversation between Jesus and his mother. When we place ourselves inside this story, we clearly get a picture of Jesus' divinity. But when we listen to the conversation between Jesus and his mother, we also see his humanity. He performed this sign, at this time in his ministry, for what seems to be no other reason than to honor his mother and the family throwing this wedding celebration.
My Notes
What You Will Need
Snack
wedding cake, red grape juice and/or grapes
Video Options
From Saddleback Kids
From Crossroads Kids. This video includes this miracle as part of a story about how Jesus was like us and wanted to celebrate when there was something to celebrate.
Resource Sheet
This coloring sheet depicts Jesus at the wedding at Cana, where he performed his first public miracle.
1 Warm Up get your kids talking and engaged
Have you ever been to a wedding? Do you remember what you had for a drink there?
Today, we are going to learn about the first miracle that Jesus did when he began his ministry, and it happened when the hosts of a wedding feast ran out of drink to serve their guests!
2 Teach the Story teach a holistic story
Read story from a Children's storybook Bible for younger children.
For older children, read the story from an age-appropriate Children's storybook Bible or read directly from the Bible.
3 Bible Mastery give them basic Bible skills
Scripture for Kids to Read Aloud John 2:1-11
4 Comprehension Questions make sure they understand the story
First, ask the children if they have any questions about the story. What to do if you don't know the answer?
- What was the occasion for the party Jesus was at?
- A wedding
- Where did this take place?
- Cana, in Galilee
- What happened at the party that caused Mary, Jesus' mother, to be concerned?
- The host of the wedding ran out of wine to serve the guests
- What did she do about it?
- She asked Jesus to help
- What did Jesus tell the servants to do?
- Get the six stone water jars that were nearby, ones the Jews used for ceremonial washing, and fill them with water
- What did Jesus do to the water in the stone jars?
- He turned the water into wine
- Why was the master of the banquet impressed?
- Because the wine Jesus made tasted better than the wine he had at the beginning of the feast
- What was the effect of this miracle?
- His disciples believed in him
5 Faith Questions open up a conversation about faith and the gospel; close with prayer
- Jesus showed those at the feast that he was in control of the whole world, even things like water and wine. As a result of his miracle, the disciples believed in Jesus.
- The Bible records these miracles so we can believe in Jesus too. Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 Memory Verse hide God's Word in their heart
Fill the Jars Relay
- Split class into two teams.
- Give each child a dixie cup.
- Each team should form a line, shoulder to shoulder.
- Place an empty bucket at the end of each line.
- Place a bucket filled with water at the beginning of each line.
- On the word go, the lead person in each line should fill their cup and pour it into the person's cup next to them.
- Continue on down the line and have last person pour water into empty bucket.
- The team with the most water at end of the game time wins!
- If there are only a small number of children, space them apart and run to each other to fill their cup.
Grape Stomping or Squishing
- Wine is made from first squishing grapes and allowing it to ferment.
- Allow the students to squish the grapes either with their feet (more fun!) or with their hands.
- Use towels and baby wipes for easy clean up.
- Provide grape juice to drink and grapes to eat!
Wedding Cupcake Decorating
A wedding during this time looked quite different from most weddings today.
- The wedding did not start at a church or synagogue. It began at night.
- The groom and his friends would get dressed in their finest clothes and march through the streets with torches, music, and shouting.
- They would arrive at the bride’s house, where she and her bridesmaids would be waiting expectantly with oil lamps ready.
- The groom would claim his bride, and the entire crowd would escort them back to the groom’s family home under a marriage canopy or huppah, singing and dancing the whole way.
- Once everyone arrived at the groom's house, the celebration began. It typically lasted for seven full days!
Give each child a cupcake and allow them to frost it with white icing.
- Add decorations to make a small wedding cake
This or That Yes Game
- Choose an adult or young person, that is not easily embarrassed, to dress up.
- Show items 2 at a time.
- The group yells yes for each item they want. The loudest yes, wins.
- The helper has to put the item on, no questions asked.
- Have the helper walk out among the adults or other students after the class is over, dressed as they were told.
Dress up Item Ideas:
- Silly sunglasses
- Funny hats
- Tutu
- Swim mask and snorkel
- Funny headband
- An apron, the more ruffles the better,
- A large bathrobe
- A funny holiday sweater
- Oven Mits
- Bright Colored Socks
- A large swim ring
- Scuba fins
Wedding Dress Up
- Provide supplies for students to dress up.
- If you do not have dress up materials, the students can make their own.
- Boys can make ties from card stock and string.
- Girls can make bouquets of flowers, using paper or silk flowers.
- Show students a wedding dress, but remind them that the traditional dress during Bible times was much different than today.
- A wedding ceremony was a week long event, in which they served their guests an extravagant feast.
- Provide a small wedding cake or cupcakes decorated with white icing.
Coloring Water into Wine
- Color jars with blue crayon for water.
- Color over the blue with a red crayon to make purple.
- Rub with a piece of paper.
- This activity can also be done using paint.
- Paint blue paint first to represent the water.
- before the blue paint dries, paint over the blue paint with red paint. The colors should mix to make a purple color.
Paper Plate Wine Craft
- Follow directions on link to make it look like the jar is pouring water and wine.
Water to Wine Jar Craft
- Cut out the square in the middle of each jar
- Color one half of the circle blue and the other half, red.
- Cut out the circle
- Attach the colored circle to the back of the jar with a brad, just above the square.
Tissue Paper Wine Jar
- Add glue to the bottom half of the jar.
- Have the students add blue tissue paper to represent the water.
- Add glue to the top half of the jar.
- Add purple tissue paper to the top to represent the water changing to wine.
"Jesus Says" Game
Instead of “Simon Says,” play “Jesus Says.” The teacher is Jesus and they will give commands to the students. If the student begins to carry out a command that didn't begin with “Jesus says…” they are out.
Choose commands that come from the Bible story as well as fun and silly ones:
- “Jesus says fill the jar with water”
- “Jesus says pour it out”
- “Jesus says take a drink”
- “Jesus says take the jar to the master”
- “Jesus says bark like a dog”
- “Jesus says stick your tongue out”
Water into Wine Chemistry Experiment
- Follow the link below for a science experiment using phenolphthalein pH indicator and sodium carbonate.
- You can turn clear water into "wine", and then turn it clear again.
Did Jesus Really Say That?!
- Separate students into groups of 2 or 3.
- Give each group a stack of “sayings” that you cut out from the printout.
- Tell the students to separate the sayings into a “Yes" pile and a “No” pile based on whether they think Jesus actually said that.
- Use the answer key on the second page to discuss each one and see who got it right and who got it wrong.
Now, after they are done, ask them to look at the sayings of Jesus in the “Yes” pile. If Jesus' mother were to say “Do what he tells you” to all of those sayings, which one would you have the hardest time doing?
Water to Wine Jar Craft Example
Water to Wine Jar Craft Example
