Good News of Great Joy

In the gospel of John we have the story of Jesus first miracle. It occurs not in a hospital, not a cemetery, but at a wedding celebration. The wine had run dry. And when the wine was gone, the party was over. At the encouragement of his mother, Jesus tells the attendants to fill the empty wine jars with water. Instantly the water is turned to wine and the party continues.

The story reminds us that joy comes when God has broken into the routine experiences of our daily existence. If the wine had ran out, the party would have been over. Jesus keeps the party going. He keeps the dance floor moving. He keeps the DJ mixing music. Invite Jesus to your party and he will keep it going into the long hours of eternity.

I admit it seems odd that Jesus would use a wedding scene for his first miracle. While the poor are on the streets and the sick are laying in hospitals, Jesus goes to a wedding and uses his miraculous powers to turn water to wine in order to keep the party going.

The challenge is similar to one we have when we are told to be joyful during Christmas. How can we possibly have joy when we think about standing in long lines, shuttling kids from one set of grandparents to another, and hearing cries over toys that don’t work they way they were intended? How can we be asked to have joy when the presents under the tree will be slim this year because we lost our job or there will be an empty space occupying the dinner table that once was held by a family member or friend? How can we put on joy when our world is clothed in rags of fear, despair, and death? Why is Jesus wasting his time at wedding parties when my life is falling apart?

In the book of Revelation the writer describes the return of Christ as a bridegroom returning for his bride. The End Time event is described as a wedding feast when the church, the bride, will be united with her bridegroom, Jesus. It will be a wedding party that surpasses all wedding parties. All of our tears will be wiped away; there will be no more mourning and no more death. The angels will provide special music and all creation will be invited to celebrate. Could it be by demonstrating who he was at a wedding party, Jesus was announcing to the world, “Let’s get this party started?” Jesus teaches us that the wedding party that takes place in God’s kingdom has already begun.

Of course, the announcement was made long before Jesus ever showed up to the wedding. Shepherds keeping watch over their flock received the first announcement from angels. When you read the story you get the sense that the angels could barely contain the joy. They were bursting to tell the good news. It is like they said, “Okay, Jim Bob make the announcement while the rest of us hide behind this cloud and wait.” So they hide. Jim Bob tells the news to the shepherds and before he could say the last line, “you will find a child lying in a manger,” the group of angels burst out from behind the cloud, no longer able to hold their excitement, and proclaim, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

The angels knew that the whole Christmas story rested with parent’s who were poor, a woman in labor with no where to give birth. They knew they were announcing the message to lonely shepherds in a field. When the story seems to fall apart before it even begins, they announce the message with great joy. The angels know something about joy that we have missed. The only condition for joy is the presence of God. Joy happens when God is present and the people know it. Joy is always linked to hope. Joy is the response we give when we enjoy being part of God’s divine plan. Joy is what resides in our heart when we have the confidence to know that God has the last word. Joyful is our outlook on life when we know Jesus has already come to get the party started.

The American dream may be the pursuit of happiness but the gift of God is eternal joy. Happiness is created. We work at a happy home, a happy marriage, a happy relationship with our friends. We strive for these things and if we are lucky we can achieve them. Happiness shows up when you expect it.

Joy comes when we don’t expect it. It sneaks up on us. Joy cannot be forced. It is a gift. Joy resides in the heart of God. Joy comes when we make our home with God. We cannot take credit for our moments of joy. We know they are not created. When we look around and the walls are crashing down all around us and yet our strength is found in joy. When we see the ship going down and yet it is joy that is keeping us a float. It is in those moments we are reminded that joy is a gift.

In the stillness of a dark night, the angels show up to some lonely shepherds on a hillside and announce, “Do not be afraid. We have some good news.” If you will let it, the birth of Jesus can be good news in the midst of your fear as well.