The end of the story is that because of the story, the disciples of Jesus put their faith in him.

The beginning of the story is that the disciples followed Jesus to a wedding.

The middle of the story is that some servants filled some water jars about half the size of a whiskey barrel with, of all things, water. They filled them to the top. They did so because Mary told them to do what Jesus told them to do, and Jesus told them to fill the jars.

Then Jesus told them to take a taste to the banquet host.

A taste of water, a peculiar request of people who had just filled the jars with water. But they complied. And gave the host outstanding wine, of a vintage measured not in years, but in milliseconds.

The subtlety of this miraculous sign, as John describes it, is breathtaking. Jesus never touches the jars, the water, the cup, the wine. Servants get the water, fill the glass, carry it to the host. There was no way that Jesus could have switched the jars, added instant wine powder,  used mirrors or smoke.

It was the perfect party trick.

And the disciples watched every element of it. They knew that water went in and wine came out. And they knew that the servants weren’t up to that kind of trick. They had no need. They had no incentive. They had no resources.

The beneficiary of this had no clue what was going on. The groom is a hero, a genius, an over-the-top guy. The groom is clutching his chair, wondering how he is going to pay for what was clearly amazing wine.

The groom gets attention, Jesus’ mom gets satisfaction, the disciples get belief.

And Jesus? He gets devoted disciples.

For now.