If you are a follower of the Christ, ...... you know... ...that your life should be filled ... Filled with ... and overflowing ... with joy.
You probably also know ...... that you should experience joy ... in spite of ... life's circumstances.
The Scriptures clearly teach us... that the joy of the Lord is ...... (Open Hands) our ... strength.
And that God given ... spiritual joy ......is present ...no matter ... life's circumstances.
When Jesus prays to the Father in John's telling: He is direct, Hear God's Word: BIBLE ...I pray that... "they may have the full measure of my joy... within them." END (John 17:13),
Are you filled with the full measure of Joy? (Pause)
If you are a little low ... on your level of Joy this morning ... well, ... you are in Luck.
For I brought some extra "Joy" with me this Morning (Evening).
Let's see:
I have a bottle of Joy dish-washing detergent, .... a Joystick ... and An Almond Joy.
So...What happens ... when you run out of "Joy"?
You have an empty bottle ... a video game ... that does not work ... an empty candy wrapper.
I had to include Almond Joy ... because it is one of my favorite candy bars.
And it reminds me that if you are joyful ... in all circumstances ... in all the world troughs at you;
Well the world may see you as a little nutty.
A little nutty in a good way ... Or as Paul proclaims a fool for Christ.
Many of you may know the Almond Joy jingle ... So Help me out: ...
Sometimes you feel like a nut (Hands Out) ... Sometimes you don't.
Well ... Life just isn't quite ... (Pause) ... are you ready for this?
Life isn't quite as .... enjoyable ... when you run out of "joy"!
And we need joy ... spiritual joy ... Why?
For the joy of the Lord ... is ... (Open Hands) our strength.
Amen? ... OR .... Am I speaking truth?
Maybe you are here today, .... and you have lost or misplaced ... some ... or all ... of your "joy".
Something is troubling you ... something is bothering you.
Something... is robing you ... of your joy.
You have aloud worry ... to impact ... your very being.
You have been disappointed, ... hurt, ... or even grieved.
You are running ... on empty.
You have lost ... or misplaced ... your "Joy".
Now ... The Apostle John tells us in our text ... how Jesus restored "joy" ... to those who attended a marriage celebration ... in Cana ... of Galilee.
And Praise God ... He can do the same ... for you.
So how does Jesus restore .... "Joy" you ask ?
Well thank you for asking.
(1 Finger) First and foremost if we want spiritual joy ... we need ... to be ...... where Jesus is! (John 2:1-2)
John tells us that it is ... the "third day".
Why?
Because ... 3 days earlier, ... Jesus had called ... His first 5 Disciples.
And I am convinced ... that when John mentions Quote ... "the third day".
He was also giving us a hint, ... a glimpse ... at our Lord's ... resurrection.
Well ... soon after the calling of these 5... they were invited to a marriage celebration ... in Cana ... of Galilee.
You think it is expensive ... to have a wedding today ...... and it is.
Back then ... a Jewish Wedding Feast ... lasted ... a full week.
They would begin with a sort of parade, ... and the father of the bride ... would bring his daughter ... ... to the home ...of the groom.
The whole town ... would join in ... on this parade.
It was a huge celebration ... for everyone.
When they arrived at the groom's home, ... the marriage ceremony ... would take place ... at the front door.
Then ... the feast began ... which lasted for 7 days ... paid for ... by the groom's family.
There was no honey-moon ... they had an ... "open house" ... and ... an "open bar" ... for a week.
Lots of food ... and wine ... a week-long ... celebration.
Jesus and His 5 Disciples ... were invited ... to this wedding feast.
Imagine the Change ... for some of these Disciples.
At least 2 of them ... had been disciples of John ... the Baptizer.
And John the Baptizer ... was not what you would call a socialite ... He ate grasshoppers ... and wild honey ... wore animal skins for clothing ... lived in the wilderness... and he drank ... no wine.
John the Baptizer ... might not be very comfortable ... at a wedding feast.
Jesus on the other hand ... was distinctive!
Jesus cherished ... being with ... the people.
He enjoyed social occasions ... He was a much sought-after ... dinner guest.
Most people ... were very comfortable ... around Him.
In fact, ... He was even criticized by the Religious leaders .... for His love of life ... and ... of people.
Hear Gods Word... BIBLE "For John (the Baptist) came ... neither eating nor drinking, ... and they say, 'He has a demon!' ... (But) "The Son of Man came eating And drinking, ... and they say, ... 'Behold, a gluttonous man ... and a drunkard, ... a friend of tax-collectors ... and sinners!" END (Matthew 11:18-19)
Jesus brought Joy ... into people's lives.
And Beloved ... that is what happens ... when you are where ... Jesus is.
That is what happens ... When you are in the presence ... of Jesus.
And the opposite also seems to be true.
The further away you are from Jesus .... the further away you will also be ... from the fullness ... of Joy.
The closer you are to Jesus.... the more joy ... you will experience.
The Prophet Nehemiah ... put it this way: ... "for the joy of the Lord ... is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)
If you've lost some ... or all of your "joy", ... then you need to what?
Spend time with ... Jesus.
You need to be ... where He is! (Pause)
(1 Finger) Be where Jesus is (2 Finger) Secondly... Be aware ... of the ... Need (John 2:3-4)
Mary the mother of Jesus ... went to Him ... with a need ... with a problem ... "They have no wine". (John 2:3)
It is important ... to understand ... that Wine ... often times ... in Jewish literature ... is a reference ... or a symbol ... of joy.
To run out of wine ... was to run out of ... joy ... which is a very serious thing to happen ...at a Jewish wedding feast.
The groom's parents were responsible ... to make sure ... there was enough wine ... to last for ... the whole celebration.
But for some unknown reason, ... they ran out.
We may not think of this ... as that big of a deal... but in that day, ... it could ruin ... a family's reputation ... forever.
Well it happened that day ... and ...it was a Disaster.
It would be like McDonald's running out of hamburgers, ... or Giant Eagle ... running out of food.
(Slow) It just ... does not happen.
Yet be assured ... Jesus cares about ... your every need.
Beloved, ... if it is important to you, .... It is important ... to Jesus.
If you have lost your sense of Joy ... if you have a problem ... that seems to big, ... a yoke that seems too heavy... He cares ... Jesus cares about you.
Place your yoke ... upon him.
Go to Him, ... seek His presence ... He wants to bring ... "joy" back ... into your life. (Long Pause).
Now ladies, ... what would happen ... if you told your son to carry out the garbage, ... and he said to you, ... "Woman, what concern is that to you? My hour has not yet come." (John 2:4)
I think your son ... would soon realize ... that his hour ... Had come.
And he best ... take out the garbage!
Well ... This statement ... is not as harsh ....as it may seem to us today.
Jesus did not call her ... "Mom" or mother as we might today, ... but calls her "woman" ...which is a term ... of great, ... great ... Respect.
Jesus uses this designation for his mother ... only one other time.
As our Lord was hanging on the cross at Calvary ... near death ... He looked for Mary his mother ... and proclaimed ... "Woman ... behold your Son." (John 19:26)
Jesus ... at Cana ... used the term Woman with great respect and with deep love.
Yet at the same time ... He is letting her know ... that He is beginning His public ministry, ... which will lead him ... in a short period of time ...to the cross ... "My hour ... has not yet come."
However, ... Jesus is not going to ignore His mother's request ... or the need ... at the wedding feast.
Mary ... made Jesus aware of the need ... their wine was gone ... their "Joy" may soon be gone ... and she knew Jesus ... could do something. (Pause)
Beloved ... Hear me on this ... You can Ignore the fact ... that you have lost your "joy" ... Or ... you can bring the need ... to Jesus. (Pause)
(1 Finger) So...Be where Jesus is, (2 Finger) Be aware of the Need (3 Finger) and thirdly ... Be Obedient. (John 2:5-8)
Mary knew what to do ... let Jesus take care of it ... give it to Jesus. (John 2:5)
She was not sure what He would do, .... but she had .... Faith in Him.
She knew ... that her son ... would address ... the situation.
Now there were 6 ... large 20 to 30-gallon stone water-jars ... which were used ... before and after meals ... for Jewish ... purification rites. (John 2:6)
By this time, ... much ... if not all of the water ... was probably gone.
Jesus told them ... to fill the jars with water ... and they filled them ... (Slow) To The brim. (John 2:7)
But they did not need Water ... they needed Wine.
The servants and the others in attendance ... surely could not comprehend ... How this ... would solve the problem ... Yet ... Yet they did what? ...They... Obeyed. (John 2:8)
In the Scriptures .... "Water" ... is often a symbol of ... the "Word of God".
Jesus shared this truth with His Disciples later in His ministry.
Hear God's Word. BIBLE "Now you are clean through the Word .... which I have spoken ... to you." END (John 15:3)
The servants ... probably did not Understand Why Jesus wanted the stone jars filled ...with water.
How would that bring back "joy" ...to the celebration?
(Slow) Yet ... they ... obeyed. (Pause)
Now ... doing the math ... These 6 stone jars ... would hold up to 180 Gallons ... and that is approximately 2,880 eight-ounce glasses of wine.
Now ...To many an Anglican .... That is joyous.
That is defiantly.... Some good news.
Beloved ... If you want to have "Joy" restored in your life; ...... then obey ... Jesus ... and his word! REPEAT
For ... when you do not obey... when you live in disobedience to Jesus ... and His Word, ... then you will begin to ... lose ... your "Joy"?
(1 Finger) Be where Jesus is, (2 Finger) Be aware of the Need, (3 Finger) be obedient (4 Finger) and lastly Beloved... Be the Best. (John 2:9-10)
Be the Best.
Usually, ... the best wine ... is served at the beginning of a feast.
Why? ... to make a good ...first impression.
In some translations ... the wording states ... that this miraculous wine ... was not only the best wine at the feast ... but the Best wine ... they had ever tasted.
Jesus took Jars that normally held wash water ... and turned it into ...The Best.
Beloved, ... If Jesus can take water ... that is to be used to wash with, ... and turn it into the best wine ... think of what He can do to you ... if ... if ... you let him.
Do you want God's Best?
Do you want God's Best ... for your life?
Most of us would probably settle for God's ... 2nd Best.
Yet Sadly ... many ... have settled ... for so much less, ... than even that.
Beloved ... We are like stone ... water-jars.
Remember what the Scriptures tell us: ... we are "earthen vessels". (2 Corinthians 4:7)
We are pots ... of clay.
And Jesus ... wants to fill us.... He wants to fill you ... not just partially ... not even near ... to the top ...but ... To the brim.
To the point ... that not one more drop ... could be added.
The scriptures do not speak to this ... but I am convinced ... that before the jars were filled to the brim, ... the servants emptied them ... of any old water.
Sadly ... we are often filled with the old wash-water of the world, ... so that there is no room .... for the new wine.... The best wine.
Maybe we have some Pride within us ... that needs to be emptied out ... some Bitterness ... some Guilt ... some Sorrow ... some Resentment ... some Selfish Living.
We ... you and I ... need to come to the foot of the cross .... and Empty ourselves ... empty ourselves completely ... so Jesus can Fill us a new.
Only when you and I are empty ... can Jesus offer us ... all of his very best.
Empty yourself ... be filled ... with his wine, ... with His joy ... Be filled with the best... And ... Be filled ... Praise God ... Be filled beloved ... be filled to the Brim.
I hope that you will be a people of Joy and of grace.
And when you see an almond joy ... at the grocery or Drug store... I hope it will encourage you ... to be joyous ... to share some joy with others ... and a little nutty for the Lord.
We don't want you to leave this morning without some Joy.
So ... Lee and I brought ... some Almond Joy bars ... for everyone.
They are in the narthex or the social room.
Because ... Sometimes you feel like a nut (Open Hands) ... Sometimes ... you don't.
Pray with me,
O' Heavenly Father ... help me, ... to yield all of who I am, ... to your transforming love.
Break me ...when I need to be broken ... strengthen me ... when I need strength.
Father I empty myself, ... that you may refresh me with the Holy Spirit ... and with the Joy of your salvation.
O' Heavenly Father ...fill me.... fill me ... fill me ... to the Brim.
And all God's People said.
Amen.
Amen in Deed!
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