January 8
Bible Reading: John 2:1-12
John 2:6-11, “Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.’ So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”
We have in this chapter the first of John’s recorded miracles. Recalling the gospel’s purpose statement (John 20:30-31), this miracle worked to unveil the truth about Jesus’ divinity! Jesus turned water to wine and did it all in an instant. There is an entire field of education, called “viticulture,” devoted to the study of how to prepare the best wine. Not long after this event, in about 65 A.D., the Roman writer Columella produced a detailed work (a twelve-volume text) on Roman viticulture called De Re Rustica. And even today, Viticulture is a field of study at major universities. It takes a lot to prepare excellent wine—study, time, energy, etc. Grape vines need approximately 1300–1500 hours of sunshine and about 27 inches of rainfall to develop. The process, from beginning to end, takes many months.
Jesus took ordinary water and made extraordinary wine out of it. He didn’t need soil, vines, grapes, rain, harvest, preparation, etc. He skipped all the steps and created superb wine instantaneously. The question of the propriety of Jesus turning water into wine sometimes clouds the issue when it comes to the miracle He performed. He was a man, but no ordinary man—He was and is “the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31)—the miracle of the wine revealed the truth about who He is!
The disciples witnessed the miracle and believed (John 2:11). He had transformed ordinary water into extraordinary wine. They were ordinary men, but He would work to transform them too. Jesus, who “does all things well” (Mark 7:37), has the power, through His creative and transforming influence, to take ordinary men and women and make something extraordinary of their lives (Ephesians 2:10). He can do the same in you! He has the power to transform!
If Jesus could transform ordinary water into extraordinary wine, imagine what He can do in you!
CHRIST, WHOSE GLORY FILLS THE SKIES
Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true and only Light,
Sun of righteousness, arise,
triumph o’er the shade of night;
Day-spring from on high, be near;
Day-star, in my heart appear.
Dark and cheerless is the morn
unaccompanied by Thee;
joyless is the day’s return,
till Thy mercy’s beams I see,
till they inward light impart,
glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
Visit then this soul of mine,
pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
fill me, radiancy divine,
scatter all my unbelief;
more and more Thyself display,
shining to the perfect day.
Author: looking2jesus13
Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces.
Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon.
Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries.
After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year.
Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley.
International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith.
Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully.
Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.
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