All Signs Point to Joy and Gladness :: John 2:1-11

Saint John leaves little doubt as to what today’s Gospel Epiphany is all about. In fact, he tells us rather plainly. Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. ... It manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him (v 11).

As Epiphanies go, the sign of changing water into wine isn’t quite the Aha moment that the Baptism of Jesus was last week. But it is still a momentous one. As we pass through the waters of our Lord’s baptism,  in the end we can see and hear the Gospel. We can see Christ giving us an abundance of his best gifts for this life. We can recognize that the kingdom of God really comes without our prayer (SC III) and that heaven really has been opened to all who believe (1:51). 

That’s what the Season of Epiphany is all about ... it’s about seeing and hearing and celebrating the manifestation, or the illumination, of the glory of God through the humanity of Jesus Christ. That’s why we focus on the signs Jesus did. As John will ultimately tell us, These things are written so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and that in believing you will have life in his name (20:31). 

Our aim, then, today is to examine this Word of God and to see the glory and the joy and gladness today’s sign brings. 

Consider some of the ways we can. 

• To begin, there’s the fact that this miracle of Jesus takes place on the third day. You remember all the joy and gladness he gave us on that day ... don’t you? After he was glorified on the cross, on the third day Jesus gave us his greatest sign, his resurrection. 

• Now consider that this event takes place during a wedding ... an event God designed to bring us joy and gladness (Isa 62:5) ... not only when a man and woman become one ... but when they bear children. 

• We can also consider that today we see our Lord uses the vessels of sanctification ... in today’s reading, six giant stone water jars that can never become ceremonially unclean ... to bless us with a feast that does not cease. He saves the best for last!

When we consider these things, we can begin to appreciate that ...

AS CHRIST MANIFESTS HIS GLORY IN OUR LIVES, HE PROVIDES US WITH ETERNAL JOY AND GLADNESS.

This is our theme. 

I.

All of our readings today are overflowing with this eternal joy and gladness. Sometimes these signs are subtle; sometimes they are bold. Either way he uses them to work the forgiveness of sins, rescue us from death and the devil, and give eternal salvation to all who believe this. As our epistle to the Ephesians recounts, he sanctifies [you] and cleanses [you] by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present [you] to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing (5:25-27). And in this way he then leads you to the altar, where he provides a feast with unparalleled abundance, just like those rivers of wine flowing from the mountain of God in our Old Testament reading from Amos chapter 9. Yes, let us thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of men (Ps 107:21).

II.

Now, with this in mind, I think we can begin to better understand our Lord’s epiphany today of how much joy and gladness he truly provides us throughout our lives when we recognize his glorious work. 

To begin John writes: On the third day, a wedding happened at Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now Jesus was invited to the wedding, [as were] his disciples (vv 1-2). You need to know, in scripture, weddings are often a symbol of God’s faithfulness in his marriage to Israel. For example, Ezekiel 16 describes a deeply romantic description of God taking unworthy Israel as his wife and adorning her with his gifts (vv 1-14). The words of Hosea are even more classic: I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice and in steadfast love and mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness, and you will know the Lord (Hos 2:19-20). 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, our Lord longs to be part of your marriage. He longs to remind you that he is always with you. He longs to bless your marriage ... he prizes and esteems it. Even when we fail at this, even in our unfaithfulness, even when our preparations fall short, even when we rely on ourselves instead of God himself, Christ the son of God nevertheless remains faithful to us, as Jesus himself proves today. 

Then John writes, and when it happened that the wine was depleted, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine. And Jesus said to her, What [is that] to me and to you, woman? My hour has not yet come (vv 1-4). 

While it’s true ... that hour had not yet come ... Jesus was quite ready to provide this epiphany. And his mother knew it. So she reminded the servants that they should just do as Jesus directs them (v 5).

Now there were six stone water jars there appointed for the purification of the Jews, each having room for twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, Fill the jars with water. And they filled them to the brim. And he said to them, Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast. And they took it (vv 6-8).

III

Our Lord longs to give you the overflowing abundance of joy and gladness every day. When those who invite Christ are out of wine, he supplies it. Even before they ask, he gives clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, land and animals, health and strength, a job and income. What must strike all of us is how abundantly he does that. Christ supplied all the joy and gladness the wedding at Cana needed and much more. There is no limit to the joy and gladness our Lord supplies.

Are you starting to see the signs here? 

Even as our celebrations of life fizzle ... even when they become depleted, so to speak ... just like all the wine in our reading ... (because sin always does this to us) ... our Lord Jesus Christ blesses us with his presence, he blesses us with his power, and when we think it’s inconvenient to call on him, he blesses us with an abundance of joy and gladness ... the best that his life has to offer. He even does it quietly and unassumingly.

This is precisely why Christ is such a blessing in the home. He has not just six, but thousands of waterpots filled with grace and forgiveness. Every day, we can now drink freely, be fully satisfied, rest completely, and be at peace with our Lord. 

When the master of the feast tasted the water that had become wine, and not knowing where it came from, although the servants who had drawn the water knew ... the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, all men set the good wine first, and when people have become drunk, then the lesser. But you have reserved the good wine until now (vv 9-10).

IV

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us learn from this lesson: When God comes to us, he is no ordinary guest. Each of the six waterpots held twenty or thirty gallons. In other words, when Jesus comes with this outpouring of love, there is no stopping him. When Jesus comes the bounds of his grace are simply unmeasurable. Without God they had nothing. But with him, our lives were overflowing with joy and gladness. 

So, let us always repent and believe the Gospel that Jesus provides eternal joy and gladness. He does it without our prayer. He does it at all the feasts he attends. He does it here in his Divine Service to us. Through his signs he teaches us that joy and gladness come through baptism ... that joy and gladness follow repentance ... and that joy and gladness are celebrated in the Lord’s Supper. All of these sacraments ultimately lead us to remember his cross and resurrection ... and the eternal joy and gladness that come through them.

Jesus turned away divine anger, bore all sin, met the demands of justice, all by his death on the cross. Jesus rose from the dead and gave his church the authority to forgive sins. Now ... on account of Jesus ... you are forgiven, too. Talk about abundance!

All the demands of the Law ... all the demands and requirements for your righteous purity before God ... were completely fulfilled by him. God’s righteous wrath was poured out in overflowing abundance on him so that you won’t ever have to taste a single drop of it. At the same time, his mercy, grace, and  love ... first flowing forth from his pierced side at Calvary ... flow like a river into our midst for all eternity. And now blessed are all of you. Jesus blesses you in your baptism ... He blesses you with his words of absolution ... And he blesses you with his feast that proclaims his saving death until he comes. 

So now, come and see what God has done (Ps 66:5). 

Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee. ... It manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him (v 11) ... in Jesus’ name.