Curriculum

Water Into Wine

Water Into Wine Go to Curriculum multi-week pack

Bible Background

What Kids Will Learn

Jesus performed many miracles during His ministry. His first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding celebration.

Scripture Summary

Jesus had just begun His ministry. John the Baptist had baptized Him, and God publicly affirmed Jesus as His Son. Jesus also called two of the first disciples, Andrew and John. Even as His ministry was growing, Jesus took the time to attend a wedding, as He was intentional about relationships. Jesus, His disciples, and His mother, Mary, were all invited to the wedding.

At this time, weddings offered a full week of celebration. The entire town was invited, and everyone attended. Servants and the bride and groom’s families prepared well in advance to serve enough food and wine. To run out of something was an embarrassment and against basic hospitality.

Scholars believe that Joseph, Mary’s husband, had passed by this time. So Mary depended on her sons, including Jesus, to help with certain tasks. Mary noticed that the wedding hosts had run out of wine, and she wanted to help. She asked Jesus to step in—not knowing what He would do.

So Jesus took what He had and performed a miracle. Servants filled six stone jars with water, and Jesus turned the water into wine. And this wine was no ordinary wine; the master of the banquet tasted it and called it “choice wine.”

Jesus showed God’s power through this miracle, and this helped those who saw the miracle to believe in Jesus. And the faith of His two new disciples grew as they witnessed the miracle.

Why Is This Important

Jesus cared about the big and little aspects of life. His miracle of turning water into wine not only met a social need, but it also displayed God’s power for others to grow in their faith.

Teacher Devotion

Scripture

“When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.” (John 2:9)

How many times am I unaware of God’s work in my life? Have I gone about my day, experiencing a miracle and never realizing it? I’m afraid the answer is…yes! I hear about an unexpected (and frustrating) delay possibly sparing a family from an accident. Or a job offer that fell through, only to make way for a dream job.

The story of Jesus’ first (and familiar) miracle of turning water into wine is a beautiful display of God’s power through Jesus. Not only did Jesus care about a social need, but He also intervened in a way that allowed others’ faith to grow. Yet the master of ceremonies had no clue.

The wedding master went about his work throughout the wedding festival. Before a new batch of wine could be introduced to the attendees, the master would taste the wine to be sure it was good enough. And this wine—that moments before was simply water—was among the best of wines.

I wonder about the rest of the story. Did the family servants tell the bride, bridegroom, and master of ceremonies about Jesus’ miracle? Did the master of ceremonies ever find out that the family had run out of wine? Did they have an opportunity to thank Jesus? How did their faith grow as a result of this miracle?

Take a moment to look back on your life for glimpses of God’s miracles. You might see how He stretched finances with an extra— and unexplained—check during a tough time or when He prompted a friend to call when you needed encouragement the most. Thank God for these moments and for His miracles.

And where do you need one of God’s miracles right now? Talk to God about the situation and, as Mary did at the wedding, leave the situation in His hands for His solution.

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being a God of miracles. Your ways are mysterious, and I thank You that Your ways are always out of Your great love for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Get the full Sunday school lesson plan

  • Bible Memory Verse
  • Interactive Bible Experience
  • Animated video with companion questions

Bible Memory Verse

You’ll Need: Bibles, “Wedding Miracle” handouts, Scissors

Get Ready: Before class, print the “Wedding Miracle” handout, and cut out the amphoras. Make one set for each team.

“This, the first of His miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples put their faith in Him.” (John 2:11)

Lead kids in these steps to learn today’s Bible memory verse:

  • Invite kids to open their Bibles to John 2:11
  • Have several kids read aloud the verse for repetition.
  • Form two teams, and give each team a Bible memory verse set, facedown.
  • Explain that when you say “Go!” each team will have to race to put today’s memory verse in order.
  • The first team to correctly put the cards in order wins.
  • Try removing some amphoras from each set to play several rounds.

SAY: Great job putting the Bible memory verse in order! Today we’re going to learn about the very first miracle Jesus ever performed and how it led His disciples to put their faith in Him.

Interactive Bible Experience

You’ll Need: Bible, 6 clear jars filled with water, Large ceramic or opaque pitcher, Red or purple drink mix

Get Ready: Before class, fill the six jars with water. Pour the drink mix into the nontransparent pitcher and distribute it across the bottom.

  • Open your Bible to John 2:1-11
  • Read aloud the passage.
  • Reread verse 7.

SAY: I have six jars filled with water just like the jugs Jesus instructed His disciples to fill in today’s passage. (Invite kids to look at and touch the water.)

  • After kids have been assured that the jars are full of water, pour each jar one by one into the opaque pitcher containing the drink mix.
  • Reread verse 8.
  • Pour the contents of the pitcher back into each of the six jars (it should now be juice instead of water).
  • Reread verses 9-11.

ASK:

  • What do you think about what happened in this Bible passage?
  • If you had been at this party and seen Jesus’ miracle, what would you tell your friends about it?

SAY: We don’t know how He did it, but when there was no more wine left at the wedding, Jesus turned water into wine! Jesus performed many miracles to help people believe that He is the Messiah, the Son of God.

Snack

Wedding Cupcakes

You’ll Need: Paper plates, Napkins, Plastic knives, Unfrosted cupcakes, White frosting, White or pearlized sprinkles

Get Ready: Have kids clean their hands.

Follow these steps for the “Wedding Cupcakes” snack:

  • Give each child a paper plate, a napkin, a plastic knife, and an unfrosted cupcake.
  • Remind kids that today’s Bible passage took place at a wedding.
  • Invite them to frost and decorate their cupcakes.
  • Enjoy.

ASK:

  • What surprised you about Jesus’ first miracle?
  • Why would this miracle lead people to believe in Jesus?
  • Does this miracle make you want to believe in Jesus? (Tell kids if they want to learn more about following Jesus, they can speak with you privately after the lesson.)

SAY: Just as He performed a miracle by changing the water into wine at the wedding celebration over 2,000 years ago, Jesus is still working miracles in the hearts and lives of people today. What an incredible God we get to serve—the God of miracles!

Game

To the Brim Relay

You’ll Need: Large buckets of water, Drink pitchers, Drink mix, Small plastic cups

Get Ready: Before the game, fill the large buckets with water. Pour the drink mix into the bottom of each pitcher.

To play the “To the Brim Relay” game, have kids follow these steps:

  • Form two teams and give each player a plastic cup.
  • Have teams line up on one end of the room with their buckets of water. Place each team’s pitcher on the opposite end of the room.
  • Explain that when you say “Go,” the first person in line will dip their cup in the bucket and fill it with water.
  • Once their cup is full, they’ll walk or run to the other side of the room and pour the water into their team’s pitcher, then return to their team so the next person can go.
  • The first team to fill their pitcher with “wine” wins.

ASK:

  • Why do you think Jesus was able to turn water into wine?

SAY: In this game, you got to turn water into “wine” with your teammates. Jesus didn’t have “secret powder” like we did. What He did at the wedding in Cana was nothing short of a miracle.

Craft

Miracle Jugs

You’ll Need: Inexpensive white paper plates, “Miracle Jugs” handouts, Scissors, Metal brad paper fasteners, Markers

Get Ready: Before class, print the “Miracle Jugs” handout on card stock. You’ll need one for each child.

Have kids follow these steps to make the “Miracle Jugs” craft:

  • Give each child a paper plate, a metal brad, and a “Miracle Jugs” handout.
  • Invite kids to color the inner circle of the paper plate. One half should be blue to look like water, and the other half should be purple or red to look like wine.
  • Have kids also color and decorate the water jug on the handout, leaving the section within the dotted lines empty.
  • Invite kids to cut out their water jugs, and assist them in cutting out the section within the dotted lines.
  • Have kids place the jug cutout on top of the plate, then help them poke a hole through the center of the plate and fasten the jug to the plate using the metal brad.
  • Invite kids to write “Jesus’ first miracle” across the bottom of the plate.

SAY: Jesus performed many miracles during His time on Earth. Take this craft home as a reminder that we serve the God of miracles.

Prayer

Miracle Prayers

You’ll Need: Ceramic or opaque pitcher

Follow these steps to lead kids in the “Miracle Prayers” activity.

  • Invite kids to sit in a circle.
  • Remind kids that the disciples placed their faith in Jesus after seeing His first miracle.
  • Pass the pitcher around the circle, and while each child holds it, invite them to pray that Jesus would work a miracle in them.
  • Close in prayer.

PRAY: Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to work miracles. Help us to see your miracles every day, and grow our faith in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.