I will, like to people before me, strongly recommend that you learn java before you start making a mod! If you want to be impatient, then you could hop right in but, again, it will take longer in the long run. Once you have a basic understand of the concepts of OOP, then start by looking at other mods and try to make something (ie a custom furnace like above) that behaves in a different way. Then once you have this firmly grasped move on to the next thing. I can speak in your point of view because I too am just starting out and this is what seems to be working for me!
