"Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it" — John 2.5

by Jim Burnett (Scotland)

"Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." These words are spoken by Mary in Cana of Galilee and can be divided into four sections:

1. "Whatsoever" = VARIETY:
2. "He saith" = AUTHORITY:
3. "Unto you" = INDIVIDUALITY:
4. "Do it" = RESPONSIBILITY.

We note that Mary uttered these words at a wedding. We do not know who the happy couple were but for them it was a new chapter in their lives. Every new beginning requires His approval and it was to their credit that they invited Jesus and His disciples. No better start could have been made. It is vital that all young couples who are about to become, "heirs together of the grace of life," 1Pet.3.7, give Him His rightful place in the home. Make sure the union is blessed and enriched by His presence. Acknowledge the Lordship of Christ and read and pray together daily. They who pray together stay together. Fellowship with the Lord is so necessary to carry us through the joys and sorrows of life. Circumstances in our day have made it necessary to make a few observations about marriage.

A) Marriage must be "in the Lord" — That is really the only qualification for marriage. "In Christ" is good but it is not enough. After salvation it is the greatest decision a person will ever make. The choice of a life's partner must be made a matter of prayer to ensure we have the mind of the Lord in this matter. To get the right partner will lead to great blessing.

A young girl at school in Scotland was asked to write an essay on marriage. She came to her grandfather and asked, "Is marriage a noun or a verb?" The old man answered, "It is neither, it is a sentence!" While we smile, his answer was right. It is either a sentence of love, joy and unity or one of sorrow and continual bickering. We may well add that it is a life sentence. The only thing that severs the marriage bond is death or the Lord's coming.

We were taught years ago — before marriage — FIDELITY:

— after marriage — FAITHFULNESS.

This may sound dated in these modern times but it expresses the mind of God.

Let young men in particular, note that there must be no playing the field, no flippant lifting and laying. Please treat young sisters kindly and gently and with the utmost propriety, "the younger as sisters, with all purity," 1Tim.5.2. The former editor of this magazine, our esteemed brother AMS Gooding, once observed that those who flirt before marriage tend to do so after marriage.

B) Marriage is neither a Christian nor a Jewish Institution — it is Creatorial. It was given at the dawn of human history. It does not matter who the person is — a film star, an ordinary person, or one in assembly fellowship, the word of God teaches, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder," Matt.19.6, Mk.10.9.

C) Grace never makes an Unrighteous Act Right. There are those who teach that ‘salvation wipes the slate clean.’ They tell us that if divorce took place before salvation then the person is to accepted to the fellowship. We respond on the authority of the word of God "No! A thousand times No!"

Now to our four thoughts on the verse.

1. VARIETY:- "Whatsoever"

Our God is a God of variety. What He wants you to do may be different from what He wants me to do. Some are sent abroad, others remain at home. Some are sent across the sea and other across the street. We will only be fully useful when we are where the Lord wants us to be.

We note the Bible opens with different men with different exercises:

Abraham — he built four ALTARS:

Isaac — he dug four WELLS:

Jacob — he raised four PILLARS:

Joseph — he wore four GARMENTS.

We should not try to mimic anyone else. Just be yourself and serve God in your own sphere.

2. AUTHORITY:- "He saith"

It is worthy of note that in all the writings of John a voice is to be heard.

In the Gospel it is the voice of the Son of God, "Verily, Verily;". In his first epistle it is the voice of the saint of God, "If any man saith … He that saith;" In the Revelation it is the voice of the Spirit of God, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith …"

The thing that really matters is what does He say. What others say does not matter. Just to clarify that statement, it is important that we listen to our parents and elders in the assembly and obey them, but in the final analysis it is what the Lord says that overrides all else.

It was a moment of crisis. The wine had run dry and all was left to Him. Mary did not tell Him what to do. He knows best and can handle every situation if we will submit to Him, the Sovereign Lord of Glory, is able to do "all things well."

3. INDIVIDUALITY:- "unto you."

Some times in ministry we hear a timely word of correction, warning or instruction and we look around the company hoping that sister ‘A’ or brother ‘B’ is listening. But what about me? Am I listening to and for the word of God. David said, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting," Ps.139.23,24. May we do the same.

When John Nelson Darby asked his father what could be done about the low spiritual tone of his day, his father replied, "Make it better by one man." Let us keep our own doorstep clean.

4. RESPONSIBILITY:- "do it."

The word of God should be obeyed.

When we see a commandment - do it:

When we see an example - follow it:

When we receive instruction - obey it.

Ministry meetings should not become social occasions. While it is good to see the saints and enjoy their company and fellowship, we are there to meet with God. In Ps.19.11 the Psalmist refers to the precepts of God and states, "in keeping of them there is great reward." Note, not in knowing them, but in keeping them. The Saviour said to His disciples, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them," Jn.13.17. Spiritual joy is to be realised in the doing of the Word. Jms.1.25, "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."