Glory Manifest in Joy

Text: John 2:11 “11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”

We’ve all been there— caught short, leaving others wanting, embarrassed. What should be a joyful occasion suddenly has a cloud cast over it. Part of what makes this a happy event from Jesus’ life that we gladly teach to our children and grandchildren is the fact that you and I can easily empathize with this nameless couple. And Jesus comes off looking really good, stepping in and preventing their wedding celebration from being cut short.

It is all of that. It’s a happy story from Jesus’ life where He uses His divine powers to make life just a little better for people.

If that were all that this passage was about, it would be a nice footnote to Jesus’ life and ministry— giving us a little back story about “the man behind the movement” and giving us a taste of who He really was before He became the central figure of a religion. But John the apostle and evangelist sees it as something more. It points to something more than just that Jesus is a nice guy. It is a sign that manifested His glory, leading the disciples to believe in Him. That’s not an insignificant point. They didn’t follow Him because they thought He was a really nice guy. Jesus wasn’t building a “cult of personality” as we would put it in modern terms. They “believed in” Him. They saw that He was more than just a man. They began to see and to believe in what He had come to do.

What He had come to do was very much along the same lines as this first miracle. He came that your joy may be full. His glory is manifest in joy.

We do live in a world where the “wine runs short,” so to speak. Your hopes, your plans, even the most joyful experiences of this world are cut short, turning those hopes, turning your goals, turning your aspirations into disappointment, turning your joy to sorrow. Sin, death, and all of their effects in this world cast a shadow upon everything in your life, especially the parts that are good, true, and beautiful.

Remember, when the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes declares everything to be ‘vanity’— declares everything to be ‘meaningless’— he isn’t just talking about sinful pleasures, and those driven by greed who end up with nothing in the end. He’s talking about everything in this life. Yes, he declares self-indulgence to be vanity. But so is living wisely. “There is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness (Ecc. 2:13). And yet, “20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return” (Ecclesiastes 3:20). No matter what you strive to build in this world, what gain is there? “Naked you came from your mother’s womb and naked you shall return” (Ecc. 5:15). All of it— both the foolish and the Good, both the times of suffering and the times of joy— are cut short by death.

Here at Cana, Jesus begins His ministry to a world where the “wine” runs short, both literally and figuratively. With a word, He is able to restore wine— and joy— to their wedding feast, pointing to an even greater gift in the process.

This would not be the only feast that He brought to completion. Three years later, He would make the joy of the Passover Feast complete. For centuries, each family killed and ate a passover lamb, marking their doorposts with its blood. But, at this particular Passover feast, He fulfilled His role as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. To restore your joy— both in this world and in the next— He became a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; He has borne your griefs and carried your sorrows; He would be poured out like water to pay for your sins; His heart would melt like wax within His chest; His strength would be dried up like a potsherd to the point that His tongue stuck to His jaws with thirst; and He was laid in the dust of the death that you and I deserved, according to His the Word that He had spoken to our Fathers of old.

There is so much to Jesus’ ministry that goes beyond this first sign. But all that He did, all that He taught, all of it was, arguably, an extension— a continuation— of what He did that day in Cana. “11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). Your joy may be full because the shadow of sin and death, the covering that is cast over all people, the veil that is spread over all nations has been removed by the blood— by the death and the resurrection— of your savior Jesus Christ.

He comes to you offering far more than any man can offer; more than just making your life a little bit better for a moment; more than avoiding momentary disappointment: Offering you eternal life by His Word. His word had the power to transform water into wine that day. And it is still just as powerful when it is preached to you today.

In fact, His glory is manifest in your life in the exact same way as it was that day: by water and the Word. He joins His Word to the water of baptism so that you were buried with Him into death in order that, just as He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, you, too, now have been born again to a new life. You have been united with Him in a death like His, so you are also united with Him in His resurrection.

In fact, His glory is manifested in your life in a way that can’t even be limited to just the happy times.

A few weeks ago Betsy and I were going through the Christmas cards we had received, reading all the letters, getting caught up on the news in everyone’s lives— all the happy events and all the challenges that they were willing to share. Each of them was a joy. But there was one card that stood out. It was from a woman we know who is fairly young. She had been a doctor and had cared for a lot of people very well and faithfully until the past few years when a serious illness kept her from working any longer. In fact, it has progressed to the point that she can’t even care for herself, she can’t feed herself, she can’t speak for herself any longer. She’s dying. And it will be soon. Although, from an earthly perspective, not soon enough, given all that she’s going through.

She could have just written “Merry Christmas” and signed the card. She wouldn’t have even needed to send out a card. No one would have given it a thought! But she did send out cards. And she didn’t just write “Merry Christmas” and sign it; she included a letter. And not a short letter, either. Two pages of fairly small type. To be honest, the fact that she was able to write it all is really impressive. But that was nothing compared to what she wrote. She went on for two full pages describing everything she’s been through in the past year as she’s drawn closer and closer to death; leaving the home she had lived in, requiring more and more intense care; and recounting, step by step, how blessed she is. Blessed by neighbors. Blessed by old friends. Blessed by the love of her nurses. Blessed by God every step along the way.

She had served so many people so faithfully and so well. And it was cut short so cruelly. But the One who was there at a wedding feast for a forgotten couple in Cana millennia ago, is still at work in her life through water and His word, causing His blessings to flow— not just through the happy times— but to even overflow through her suffering, as well because the shadow of sin and death are now removed from her life.

He has chosen to be there in your life, as well— whether you invited Him or not— in that same way, taking away the shadow of sin, death, and all of their effects and giving the work you’re called to as a husband or wife, as a parent or child, as a brother or sister, as a citizen, as an employer, as a worker— all of the callings of your life— even greater meaning. So many plans are thrown out the window. So much of what we hope for turns to disappointment. So many moments of joy turn to pain and ashes. But, in Christ, both the joys and the sorrows of this life, the plans that you make which come to some sort of fruition and those that fail— they all matter far more as He weaves even your broken hopes and dreams into His perfect plan of salvation to accomplish far more than you could have asked for or imagined.

Yes, you have this treasure in a jar of clay— it’s even true that death is at work in you right now!— but through it all, the life of Jesus is being manifested in your mortal flesh. The joy of a wedding, for example, grows exponentially because it points to something even greater; to a greater feast: the wedding feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom which will not end. “...a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (Isaiah 25:6-7)— wine that never runs out— because your savior has swallowed up death forever.

You are a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You will never be termed ‘Forsaken’ or ‘Desolate’, you will, from this point on, be called ‘My Delight Is in Her’. As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God rejoices over you (Isaiah 62:4-5)

Sin and death and all of their effects in this world can no more cut short or contain your joy than they can contain you. And they can more contain you than they had the power to contain your Savior.

Hopefully, at the end of your life, you’ll be able to look back with satisfaction on a life well lived, on real achievements that will benefit people long after you. But, in the glory of Christ, you are also able to look ahead to even more. You’ll be able to look ahead to the day when your King reviews the results of your life and says, “Well done.” Blessed will you be on that day for your deeds will follow you. You will proclaim with the psalmist: “1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! 2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you” (Psalm 128:1-2 ).

God willing, you’ll be surrounded, on that day, by a good, solid family. And, in the glory of Christ, you are able to look ahead to even more. You’ll look ahead to the day when you will stand before God’s throne among a multitude that no one can count, from every tribe, people, and language— including, hopefully, your earthly family, as well. In fact, among that number you will, God willing, see your children’s children’s children. And together you will see your Heavenly Father face to face.

God willing, you’ll be able to pass on to your family the good, solid home that you’ve built— both literally and figuratively. And, in the glory of Christ, you will also hear your Brother, Jesus Christ, say, “Enter into the inheritance that I have prepared for you from before the foundation of the world.”

This was, indeed, only the first of His signs that Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, manifesting His glory. Believe in Him.