The Work of Joy

The story of the Wedding at Cana has been popularized as the place where Jesus performed his first documented miracle - the place where he turned water into wine.

A few things are often overlooked when this story is told or a sermon is preached. First, Jesus and some of his friends were invited to a wedding. The sheer fact that he went to a wedding is remarkable, not because there’s anything incredible about going to a wedding. Weddings were as normal of an occurrence then as they are now. But the fact we see Jesus doing something that many of us do for fun is a beautiful reminder for all of us.

Weddings during Jesus’ day were not the one or two day affairs we’re accustomed to in America. They often took place over the course of several days and were filled with joyous celebration. It’s likely that Jesus was having a joyous time as people usually do when they’re at weddings. He let his hair down, too.

But the real joyous moment at this celebration was not the wedding itself, but is revealed in the way Jesus responds to his mother.

Imagine - you are at a wedding having an incredible time. The music is going. The people are dancing. The mood is right. And then, right when the wedding vibes are at their peak, the wine runs out. You see the host go into a panic because there is not another bottle in sight. People might leave. Their reputation is on the line.

Jesus’ mom, knowing that her son had the ability to keep the celebration going, heads over to him and asks him to provide more wine. At first, he refuses. He’s not interested in people knowing who he is and what he can do just yet. But, it was his mom. Who can say no to their mother, right?

Jesus doesn’t lose his cool. He doesn’t make a fuss, doesn’t bring attention to himself, doesn’t lash out at his mother. He maintains his calm and responds to her request.

This is the work of joy.

The Greek word for joy is chara. It means “calm delight.” Joy sits right smack dab in the middle of a person and helps them to ride the storm when the waters are choppy and when life makes the demands that you’d rather reject. It’s something deep inside and constant. Joy isn’t a reactionary feeling, it’s more like a way of life or a reserve inside of us.

There’s a way that joy works inside of you, and there’s a way that you acquire it, too. It’s not something that Jesus just got by accident. It’s probably something that he worked on. That he cultivated. How was this man, who constantly came up against people who were threatened by him, able to live a life so filled with joy?

In this plan, we’re going to explore how Jesus lived and cultivated a life of joy. We will look at the stories he learned and the stories he told that gave him the strength to endure tough times. We’ll look at how he found joy in rest, and how he rejoiced when people’s lives changed for the better.

Consider this:

1. Think of a time when you were most joyful. What were you doing? Who was with you? What was it that made it so joyful?
2. Are there things that rob you of being joyful?