An Abundance of Joy

The Gospel of John follows the miracles of Jesus that act as signs of his role as the Messiah. The other gospels record Jesus as saying he won’t give the people a sign. John is detailing the things Jesus did right under their noses that were signs.

John even recounts a different chronology for some events. While his literary form is narrative, he focuses on specific miracles as signs of the work God is doing. This gospel highlights seven signs, or eight if you include the resurrection of Jesus as the final sign. These signs both reveal Jesus as the Messiah and they point to the work he will do.

In the first sign, we have celebratory wine provided for a wedding feast. Jesus provides over 100 gallons of good wine for a wedding feast. Weddings in that time required plenty of food and wine for days. People would travel and stay together celebrating. The hosts ran out of wine early and Jesus made more than enough wine for the celebration to continue. He provided a ridiculous amount of wine for people who had already been drinking and wouldn’t recognize its quality. If he owned a bar in California, he might have lost his liquor license over this miracle.

Abundance of Joy

Seriously though, John wants us to see the abundance of joy. I will eventually write about all the signs. I notice that the fourth sign is the feeding of the 5,000. The seventh sign is raising Lazarus from the dead. Within these three signs, we have an overabundance of bread, an overabundance of wine, and resurrection.

Jesus offers us an abundance of joy, provision, and new life as we allow his spirit to transform us. Before Jesus was arrested, he was explaining to his disciples how God’s spirit in their lives would be greater than following him in person. We are truly connected to God and to each other through God’s spirit.

Ask God to open your eyes to the joy God’s providing for you now. Even if the supplies you brought to the party are running out.

Photo credit: by James Coleman on Unsplash