Allan Sealy – författare

In the book of John, the bible gives an account of the ''first miracle'' Jesus performed, ''publicly,'' where He turned water into wine. This remarkable event unfolded at a wedding feast Jesus and his disciples had been invited to, in the quaint village of Cana in Galilee.

You see, in first century Judaean society, wedding feasts were ''grand affairs,'' often spanning an entire week. They were usually held at the groom''s home and were as extravagant as the household''s budget allowed.

The presence of six large stone waterpots, from which Jesus turned the water into wine, hinted at the opulence of this home, as each pot held between 20-30 gallons of water. Therefore, the groom would of have been considered a man of means and would have been expected to provide lavish hospitality for the whole week.

During the wedding festivities the wine ran out, a predicament which surely would have been a source of immense embarrassment and ridicule for the host''s family and the newlyweds. For some reason, the servants turned to Mary for a solution, who, in turn, directed them to Jesus, and the rest, as they say, is history!

The question is:

What exactly did the servants expect from Jesus when they approached Him about the wine shortage?

After all, as Jesus had not performed any miracles up to this point, no one knew who He really was and what He could do.

No one knew Him as a miracle worker, or a healer, or the Messiah, or any of the titles He''s recognized by today. To His peers, He was either known as ''The Carpenters Son'' or ''A Son of David.'' This is further supported by Jesus'' response to Mary when she informed Him about the wine shortage, stating, ''My hour has not yet come,'' indicating that His mission had not yet begun.

So, what were the servants expecting from Jesus?

To shed some light:

While an entire village would gather to celebrate a wedding, it was customary for invitees to contribute to the expenses. Since Jesus was an invited guest, it was not out of place for the servants to discreetly approach Him for the finances required to replenish the wine supply. The servants wouldn''t have taken this step if they didn''t believe that Jesus had the means to cover such an expense.

This is just one of many instances in the Bible that underscores the fact that Jesus was not the poor and destitute figure He is often portrayed as. Even in the face of statements He made about wealth and riches that have been grossly misunderstood.

''Jesus Was A Billionaire,'' unveils the customary norms of ancient Judean culture that reveal more evidence of Jesus'' wealth and its critical connection to your identity, salvation, and purpose. This book also demystifies the statements Jesus made that have been wrongly used against success and prosperity.

You will learn how to:

• Restore the default settings for wealth and prosperity in your life.

• Break the curse of being broke or poor.

• Confront the so-called ''Virtue of poverty'' that inhibit the potential of billions worldwide.

• Embrace a self-image that represents your Ultimate Self.