A Real Family

After encouraging friends and family to come and check out Jesus, the next step is to explain what the Bible actually says about him. But where to begin? Scripture has a lot to say about who Jesus is. Yesterday, we saw that Jesus started where the people were—he used the Bible, the Word of God, to help them understand. Now let’s see where he goes next with this first group of Christ-followers.

Questions from your reading

• What can be learned about Jesus’ priorities from this passage?
• What stands out as unique about this miracle?
• In verse 5, Mary says, “‘Do whatever he tells you.’” Why is this great advice from any parent? Do you think Mary was expecting a miracle? Why or why not?
• What other questions do you still have?

Reflecting on your reading

There are key truths about Jesus that every follower needs to understand. Over the next three years, Jesus will gradually reveal these truths to his disciples. Each one unfolds with intentional timing.

Yesterday, Jesus revealed something crucial—his humanity. Did you notice the way he’s introduced? Andrew tells Peter, “We have found the Messiah (that is, the Christ)” (John 1:41). Then Philip says to Nathanael, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45). These statements emphasise that Jesus is a real person, with a real family, from a real town in Israel.

Then comes the next call: “Follow me.” The disciples follow—and soon after, they meet Jesus’ family (John 2:12). Picture it: embracing his mother, shaking hands with his brothers, offering a kiss of greeting to his sisters. It’s a deeply human moment. But then something astonishing happens—Jesus performs his first miracle, turning water into wine. Why? Verse 11 says it was the first of the signs, done to reveal his glory. And the result? His disciples believed.

They already believed on some level, but their understanding deepened. As their knowledge of Jesus grew, so did their trust in him. Seeing both his human family and his divine power helped them grasp that he is fully man and fully God. That’s the fourth root Jesus planted—his humanity and his deity, side by side.

By this point, Jesus has established four roots in these early disciples. Can you spot them? Write them down to help lock them in.

Applying what you’ve read

The closer those first followers got to Jesus, the more they learned about who he really was. The same is true today. “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8). Spend a few quiet minutes drawing near. Thank God for the gift of his Son—one who came close to sinful humanity and was tempted in every way, just like us.

Now consider someone who needs to go deeper with Jesus. Challenge them to join you in responding to his invitation: “Follow me.”