Please open your Bibles up this morning to the Gospel according to John.
The Gospel according to John. We have made our way to chapter 2 this morning.
Several weeks in already in the Gospel of John, but that first chapter is so dense and so rich and so full, we took our time.
And I will say, if you're joining us for the first time this morning, you've come at a good time.
We're only one chapter in. I hope you got one of those scripture journals on your way in.
We encourage everybody to take notes as we listen to the sermons. It's a good way for you to follow along.
And Lord willing, by the end of this, we'll have a good understanding, a good grasp of the Gospel of John
and what it has to say about our Savior, Jesus Christ.
So if you would, John chapter 2, and we'll read from verses 1 through 11 this morning.
If you are using the Pew Bibles there in front of you, you can find this on page 834.
If you didn't bring your own Bible, 834.
Follow along with me as I read.
On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.
When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him,
They have no wine.
And Jesus said to her,
Woman, what does this have to do with me?
My hour has not yet come.
His mother said to the servants,
Do whatever he tells you.
Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification,
each holding 20 or 30 gallons.
Jesus said to the servants,
Fill the jars with water.
And they filled them up to the brim.
And he said to them,
Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.
So they took it.
When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine,
and did not know where it came from,
though the servants who had drawn the water knew,
the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him,
Everyone serves the good wine first,
and when the people have drunk freely,
then the poor wine,
but you have kept the good wine until now.
This, the first of his signs,
Jesus did at Cana in Galilee,
and manifested his glory,
and his disciples believed in him.
This is God's holy, perfect word.
Would you bow and pray with me once more?
Lord, we thank you.
We thank you for the beauty and the power of your word,
and we pray now that as it goes forth,
that it would go forth with your spirit.
Lord, that you would accomplish the purposes for which you sinned.
We pray in Christ's name.
Amen.
I think every married couple has a story or two to share from their own wedding day.
You finally come to this moment after months and months,
sometimes even years of planning and preparing,
and you want everything to just go exactly just right,
but sometimes, no matter how much you prepare and how much you plan,
something inevitably goes wrong.
Amanda and I, we made most of the arrangements for our wedding ourselves.
It was very, very homemade, and so we went,
we found a dance floor through a friend of a friend.
We went and we picked it up in a borrowed truck.
We brought it back to the venue that we had selected.
We laid it out ourselves.
I got up.
I climbed up in the trees.
I hung up the lights around the dance floor.
We borrowed chairs from our church.
We set them all out.
We met with the food vendors and the restaurants to determine what the menu would be.
We had a friend serve as the DJ with a borrowed iPod and a playlist that we had put together.
We transformed a gazebo there on site into a photo booth.
We did that ourselves.
We had family bake pies instead of hiring a caterer to do a cake.
And we even had our friends vote on where we should take our honeymoon, which we planned ourselves.
It was all very homemade, and it was an adventure, and we loved it.
But it was not without its flaws.
The night was so busy that neither of us really got to enjoy the food that we had planned out and picked out, selected.
The gazebo had hundreds, if not thousands, of staples stuck in the wood that we later had to go and remove ourselves.
Our friends to this day still give us grief over the fact that we left after the ceremony,
and they remained to clean up and pick up the chairs and tables that we had borrowed.
And to top it all off, the tree that I climbed into to hang the lights, little did I know, was covered in poison oak.
I don't know if it is just the pressure of the moment.
Maybe it's a result of poor preparation, poor planning.
Whatever it is, it seems like weddings are just primed for a little bit of drama.
Our story here in John chapter 2, as you know, is no exception.
In our passage here this morning, we see that Jesus has been invited to a wedding.
He's there with his family and his disciples.
No doubt, much planning and much preparation has gone into this event, this celebration.
But as we see, it is not without some drama.
The wine was gone.
This wedding had unintentionally become a dry wedding.
But thankfully, someone was smart enough to include Jesus on the guest list.
What I want us to see this morning is that this wedding drama, this story,
is more than just a story of water turning into wine.
This drama, John tells us, is a sign.
It's the first of the signs that Jesus has done in Cana.
It's a sign of who Jesus is and what Jesus brings.
It shows us that Jesus has the power to transform.
Not just water into wine, yes, that's part of it, but sorrow into joy.
And the question for us as we dig into this account, as we see this story is,
has Jesus worked this miracle in our hearts?
Do we have the joy of knowing Jesus, the giver of true and lasting joy?
Are our lives marked by the joy of knowing Jesus Christ?
We're going to see this unfold in two parts this morning.
This is going to be our outline.
If you're following along and taking notes, two parts here.
We'll see how Jesus transforms from drought to delight.
From drought to delight.
First, John presents us with a problem here.
In verses 1 through 5, there was a drought.
Look there with me.
In verse 1, John lays out the scene for us.
He says,
On the third day, there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.
Now, a wedding in Jewish culture was one of, if not the most significant events in someone's life.
This was a major affair, a major celebration.
The bride and the groom were treated like royalty.
Often, they were even, they had crowns put on their heads.
And for that duration of the celebration, whatever they said went.
They were in charge.
The wedding feast in this culture, it was not a one or two or three hour event like it often is in hours.
It lasted for seven days.
And it was the responsibility of the host, the bridegroom,
to make sure that all of the guests were properly wined and dined for the duration of the feast.
Well, I'm not sure if they planned poorly.
Perhaps they were not wealthy enough to provide exactly as much as they needed to.
Maybe more guests showed up than anticipated.
We don't know exactly why this problem happened.
But verse 3 tells us the issue.
The wine has run out.
Now, to understand what John is telling us about this passage,
we have to understand how the Bible talks about wine.
This is the issue here in this passage.
We just kind of have to work through this whole alcohol thing for a minute
before we can begin to understand what John is telling us in this passage.
Some of us, I know, may have a personal conviction
that any alcohol consumption of any kind at all times is always sinful.
And so maybe you've never had an alcoholic beverage.
Maybe you never plan to have an alcoholic beverage.
Maybe you have a family history of abuse of alcohol,
personal history of abuse with alcohol.
And so you have chosen to stay away from it.
And if that's you, I want you to hear me very clearly
that if that is your personal conviction,
then you are 100% right to stay away.
You are 100% right.
Because your conscience is bound,
then it would be sinful for you to drink it.
But we need to acknowledge that this is a personal conviction
and not a universal rule.
A personal conviction and not a biblical mandate
for all people everywhere at all times.
The Old Testament, the Bible,
especially in the Old Testament,
it actually speaks very positively about wine.
In the Old Testament,
wine is presented as a good gift from God.
Now, of course, as with any good gift,
it can be abused.
And the Bible is explicitly clear
that drunkenness is always sinful.
I'll say that again.
The Bible is explicitly clear
that drunkenness is always sinful.
But it tells us that wine is a good gift
that gladdens the heart of man,
as we're told in Psalm 104, verse 15.
It's a good gift where an abundance of wine
symbolizes God's blessing,
as we're told in Proverbs 3, Genesis 27.
And a lack of wine often is a sign of God's judgment,
as we see in Isaiah 24, for example.
Now, this is significant for us
as we seek to understand this text,
this passage,
because again,
the central problem here at this wedding
is that the wine is gone.
The wine has run out.
So what does this mean?
Well, the wine is gone.
That means the joy is gone.
The wine is gone.
The celebration is over.
The wine is gone.
The blessing is gone.
This was a major issue to be dealt with.
In fact, in this culture,
they took this so seriously
that if the host did not provide adequate wine
for the guest,
he could be liable for a lawsuit.
No joke.
So Mary, the mother of Jesus,
realizes the issue,
comes to Jesus,
says to him,
they have no wine.
It's difficult,
as you know,
to interpret tone
from written text.
That's often why we misunderstand
text messages and emails.
We have a hard time interpreting tone,
but I'm almost certain
that the tone here
was one of urgent panic
from Mary.
They have no wine.
And as all eyes were beginning
to turn to the bridegroom
to fix the problem,
to the bridegroom
to restore the joy
to the celebration,
Mary,
the mother of the Messiah,
turned her eyes
to Jesus.
Jesus.
They have no wine.
And again,
we can't really read tone
into the text,
but I believe he responds
with a term of endearment,
not disrespect.
Endearment.
As we see in verse 4,
he says,
Woman,
what does this have to do
with me?
My hour
has not
yet
come.
Can you sense the irony
here?
I wonder if you can see
the bigger picture
that Jesus sees
in this story.
See,
to Mary,
she's looking at
the immediate issue.
This is just wine
at a wedding.
She had raised Jesus.
She knew of his innocence,
knew of his power.
She knew how unique
he was
as a son of God.
She knew the tension
of that moment.
And she knew
that surely
if anyone could fix this,
Jesus could.
But to Jesus,
he had something
much,
much bigger
on his mind.
As he looked on
at this dilemma
at the wedding,
he saw the issue
at hand,
but in his mind
he was looking ahead
to a much bigger
dilemma.
Do you see it?
See,
Jesus,
Jesus knew
better than anyone
what this wedding
represents.
is a picture
of Christ
in the church.
He knows
better than anyone
that one day
the bride of Christ,
all of the redeemed,
will gather
to celebrate
the true wedding
of the Lamb
in glory,
and he knows
exactly
what that meal
will cost.
Jesus knows
that the hour
is coming
soon
when he will
take a jar
of wine
and pour it
into glass
and spread it
and share it
with all of his
disciples
and tell them
this cup
is the new covenant
in my blood.
And then the hour
will come
when Christ,
the true bridegroom,
will manifest
his glory
in full
and pour out
blood
from the vessel
of his own body
to purchase
and cleanse
and purify
his bride.
That time
is coming.
That hour
is approaching
for Jesus.
It is ever present,
ever weighing
on his mind,
even right here
at the very beginning
of his ministry,
but it's not
yet here.
He tells Mary,
I can't rush
that moment.
The time,
the hour
has not yet
come.
But we see
he does manifest
his glory
in part.
He does this miracle
as a sign,
we're told,
as a pointer,
again,
of who he is
and what he has
come to do.
You see,
Jesus knows
the state
of our soul.
Jesus knows
the state
of our needy,
dry,
desperate soul
apart from him.
That apart from him
we are spiritually
parched.
We are without joy.
We are without
God's blessing.
We are without
hope.
But that is
exactly
why
he
came.
See,
in one sense,
this story
of water
transforming into wine
is a picture
of our condition,
of our life
apart from Christ.
You may be here
and you think
that you're fine
apart from Christ.
You got everything
you need,
you're fine,
you're fine just
as you are.
You may think
this life is good,
you don't need Christ
at all,
but hear me,
this story
tells us
there is an end
to every worldly
joy,
every worldly
pleasure
apart from
Christ.
There will come
a time,
it may be today,
it may be tomorrow,
we don't know when,
there will come a time
when the wine
will run
out.
Then where
will we turn?
Where do we turn
when we're spiritually
dry?
Well,
this story tells us
we turn to the only
one who can bring us
from drought
to delight.
delight.
This is what we see
in our second point
this morning.
We see the transformation
here from drought
to delight.
Look there to verse 6
with me.
Verse 6
shows us
this miracle.
He says,
Now there were
six stone water
jars there
for the Jewish
rites of purification,
each holding
twenty or thirty
gallons.
Jesus said to the
servants,
fill the jars
with water,
and they filled
them up to the
brim and he said
to them,
Now draw some out,
take it to the
master of the feast
and they took it.
When the master
of the feast
tasted the water
now become wine
and did not know
where it came from,
though the servants
who had drawn
the water knew,
the master of the
feast called
the bridegroom
and said to him,
Everyone serves
the good wine
first and when
people have drunk
freely then the
poor wine,
but you have
kept the good
wine
until now.
This is a miracle.
It's the first
recorded miracle
in the Gospel
of John.
It's the beginning
here, the onset
of Jesus'
ministry,
and of course
as with any
miracle in the
Bible, skeptics
and theologically
liberal scholars,
they twist and
they turn and
they work hard
to find ways
to explain this
away.
And they say
that while this
is not scientifically
possible,
it doesn't
happen.
Water does not
become wine
and so therefore
this must not
be a legitimate
story.
And so one way
that they explain
this occurrence
away is that
they say,
well, there must
have been just
a little bit
of wine there
at the bottom
of the jars
and when they
filled the jars
with water,
now it had
mixed together
and it had
some of the
wine taste in
there.
Now we have
the six jars
of really
watered down
wine, but
they were so
drunk from
the rest of
the wine that
everyone thought
Jesus had
performed a
miracle.
But that's
not what John
says, is it?
What does he
say?
He says that
the master of
the feast
tasted the
water, now
become wine,
and praised
the bridegroom for
saving the best
wine for last.
See, believe it
or disbelieve it,
that's your
choice to make,
but we have
to deal with
what John
actually says
here.
We can't just
change it into
what we want
it to say.
But see, skeptics
have a hard time
with miracles like
this because they
don't fit into
their understanding
of the world
and how it
works.
It doesn't fit
into their
framework of how
ordinary life
is.
But I want
you to see
that is exactly
John's point.
You see that?
John is making
a point.
He's showing us
the identity
of Jesus.
He's telling us
that Jesus
is not ordinary.
See, John's not
going out of his
way to tell us
a story of a man
who turned water
into water.
That's not what
he's doing.
He's making a
point that this
man, Jesus,
he is doing
things that don't
ordinarily happen.
This man, Jesus,
is doing things
that cannot be
done.
I've never seen
water turn into
wine before,
but this man,
Jesus, has done
it and it's a
sign, therefore,
of who he is.
He's demonstrating
a power and
ability that's
outside of our
ordinary experience
of normal life.
Science attempts
to explain and
describe what we
see, what we
observe.
John says, I
have seen and
observed some
special things.
The only way I
can describe this
is that this is
the Messiah.
This is the
Son of God.
So you may
leave here and
not believe what
John is saying.
Again, that's your
choice to make,
but we can't
ignore the
claim that he
is making.
We have to do
something here
with it.
John says in
verse 11 that
this was the
first of his
signs.
that Jesus
did in Cana
at Galilee.
He manifested
his glory and
his disciples,
they believed
in him.
The disciples
saw what Jesus
had done.
They believed
that Jesus
was the
Messiah.
This act,
this miracle
was a sign.
It's a sign
that this was
no ordinary
man.
We're going to
see more of
these signs
throughout the
Gospel of John.
This is the
first of these
signs.
In fact,
John has
seven signs
throughout the
Gospel of John.
Some have
called the
Gospel of John
the Book of
Signs.
He's presenting
to us this
claim, this
case.
He's showing
us that Jesus
is not
ordinary.
He is the
Son of
God.
You may not
accept what
John is saying
here, but
let's consider
for a minute
what this
means if
this story
is true.
this means
that Jesus
Christ has
the unique
power to
transform.
Jesus Christ
has the
unique power
to transform.
I want us to
see this in
five ways
here.
First,
Jesus has
the unique
power to
transform
material
objects.
water to
wine.
Water to
wine.
Jesus has
the unique
ability,
unique control
over substances
and materials
in creation,
which gives
us a clue
that he
is distinct
from creation.
He is
the creator.
And John's
already shown
us this,
hasn't he?
Chapter 1,
verse 3,
he says,
all things
were made
through him
and without
him was not
anything made
that was
made.
The water
was made
through him,
the grapes
were made
through him,
the wine
was made
through him,
and as
the sovereign
creator of
everything,
everywhere,
he guides
and controls
all things
even down
to the
smallest
molecules
in existence.
As Colossians
tells us,
he is before
all things
and in him
all things
hold together.
All of it
is from him,
all of it
is through him,
all of it
is for him.
But the
bigger picture,
understanding
of what's
happening here,
at a bigger
level,
we see,
number two,
Jesus has
the unique
power to
transform
the ages.
Jesus has
the unique
power to
transform
the ages.
Where do I
see that?
Well,
you have to
probe a little
bit here,
you have to
kind of
understand the
bigger picture
here.
Look there
with me again
to verse 6.
What was
used for
this
transformation?
Six
stone
water
jars
for the
Jewish
rites
of
purification.
I think
what John
is showing
us here
is that
Jesus takes
this Old
Testament
purifying
practice,
this water
of cleansing
and he
transforms
it into
something
new,
into wine
for celebrating
and for
rejoicing.
What's being
said here?
Well,
I believe
he's showing
us that
Jesus is
doing away
with the
Old Testament,
Old Covenant
matter and
means of
relating to
God and
he is
ushering
forth,
ushering
in something
entirely
new.
It's a
transformation
of the
ages,
a transformation
from the
Old Testament
ways that
people interacted
with God
through external
washing,
external cleansing,
through the
blood of
bulls and
goats that
were temporary
and external
and he's
ushering in
the new
covenant
in his
blood,
spilled
out from
the purest,
cleanest
vessel,
the vessel
of his
own body
for the
forgiveness
of the
sins of
his own
bride so
that we're
no longer
purified and
cleansed from
the outside
but his
blood
cleanses
us from
every sin.
His blood
purifies us
from all
guilt.
The better
true wine
has been
saved for
last.
See,
this is not
just a
transformation
from water
to wine.
This is a
transformation
from age
to age.
It's a
transformation
in how we
relate to
God,
no longer
through external
cleansing,
but through
the very
blood of
Christ
shed for
us
for the
forgiveness
of our
sins,
for our
cleansing
and for
our
joy,
which is
what we
see in
our third
transformation.
We see
number three,
Jesus Christ
has a
unique power
to transform
sorrow
into joy.
joy.
Jesus Christ
has a
unique power
to transform
sorrow
into joy.
Could you
imagine
what the
bridegroom was
feeling here?
Let's put
yourself in
his shoes
for a minute.
Imagine if you
were the
bridegroom here
at this
wedding.
Perhaps he
knows that
he's run
out of
wine.
Surely he
does.
Mary knows.
the servant
knows.
Surely he
feels the
weight of
embarrassment,
of shame,
of guilt,
possibly,
probably anxiety,
worry,
fear of
what might
happen,
worry over
what to do,
and then all
of a sudden
you hear the
master of the
feast call
out your
name in
front of
everyone.
You know
that you're
just about
to be
publicly
humiliated,
but instead
he praises
you.
Everyone
else saves
the best
wine,
serves the
best wine
first,
and then the
poor wine
when the
people have
drunk freely,
but you,
you have
kept the
good wine
until now.
Could you
imagine the
relief that
that man
felt?
His sorrow
in that
moment was
transformed into
joy,
celebration,
all of his
worry,
all of the
weight of
guilt,
all of the
shame is
gone,
and in
its place
is joy.
This is what
Jesus has
come to
do.
I shared
with some
of you,
I shared
with our
men's group
this week
that I had
the privilege
to disciple
some men
in North
Myrtle Beach
when we were
living there,
a couple of
them in the
group,
they were
old enough
to be my
grandfather,
but they
were my
brothers and
my friends.
I loved
them.
over the
past week,
they were
steadily growing
weaker,
growing older,
growing sicker,
and over the
past week,
we got news
that they
were not
in good
health,
and last
Tuesday,
both of
them,
Tuesday
evening,
same night,
both of
them passed
away.
I couldn't
believe it.
But I had
the chance
to call and
to speak
with one
of them
a few
days before
he passed,
knowing that
he was
hours,
days away
from death.
He laughed.
He could
hear the
smile over
the phone.
He sounded
good.
He knew he
was approaching
death's door,
but that man
was full
of joy
in the
Lord.
Let me
tell you
something.
That is not
something that
is possible
to be understood
by the world
around us
apart from
knowing
Christ.
Even the
sorrow that
we feel
in saying
goodbye
to these
men,
we do it
with joy,
knowing that
their suffering
is done.
Their sorrow
is done.
They have
nothing to
look forward
to but
eternal joy
in the
presence of
the Lord
forever.
I don't
want to
make light
of suffering.
It's very
real.
Sorrow
in this
age,
hardship,
pain,
evil,
death,
very,
very real.
But church,
we suffer
as Christians
who have
the joy
of the
Lord.
And knowing
Him
transforms
every ounce
of temporary
sorrow you
will feel
in this
fading age.
Jesus
came
to transform
all sorrow
into joy
for all
who know
the Lord.
And not
just a little
bit of joy.
Number four,
we see that
Jesus has
a unique
power to
transform
absence of
joy to
abundance
of joy.
I'm not a
math person
at all.
So check
my work.
Let's do
the math
here.
There's
six
stone
jars,
each of
them
holding
20 to
30
gallons.
They're
all filled
up to
the brim,
by the
way.
And that
means that
Jesus has
just created
somewhere
between
120 to
180
gallons
of wine.
the best
wine
imaginable.
This is
an abundance
of wine.
And then
go a little
bit further.
A typical
serving of
wine is
about six
ounces.
There are
128 ounces
in a gallon,
which means
you get
about 21
or 22
glasses
per gallon.
Again,
y'all check
my math,
but I think
Jesus just
whipped up
about
3,960
glasses
of wine.
And now
for one
thing,
he just
showed up
every other
person who
brought a
gift to
this wedding.
I don't
know what
the gifts
were normally
like in
this culture,
but I'm
pretty certain
that none
of them
outdid
Jesus on
that day.
This was a
rich gift
from Christ,
but this
is just
how it
is with
Jesus.
This is
how Jesus
gives.
We should
realize that
he is
full of
grace,
full of
truth,
and there
is no
limit on
the blessing
that Jesus
can and
will give
to all
of his
people.
Jesus
Christ does
not give
begrudgingly
or half-heartedly
or reluctantly.
He doesn't
extend grace
and joy
with his
hands gripped
tight around
it,
just wishing
he couldn't
give it
to you.
Jesus
gives
in
abundance
grace,
joy,
happiness,
satisfaction,
forgiveness,
the riches
of the love
of God
poured out
freely
for the
enjoyment
of his
people.
From his
fullness we
have all
received grace.
What?
Grace upon
grace,
which tells
me,
number five,
and here's
where we
close.
Jesus
Christ
has the
power to
transform
you
and me.
Jesus
Christ
alone
has the
unique
power
to
transform
our
dryness
to
delight.
Would
others
describe you
as full
of joy?
joy?
Are you
growing
deeper,
deeper
in your
delight
in the
Lord?
Jesus
Christ,
this man
that we're
talking about
this morning
is a
never-ending
source,
an inexhaustible
fountain of
true and
lasting joy,
which means
Christians out
of all people
of the world
ought to be
marked by
joy.
Some of
you here
may be
spiritually
dry because
you don't
know the
Lord.
And if
that's you,
the call
of God
from this
text to
you this
morning
is to
stop
turning,
stop
relying,
stop
drinking
from
temporary
pleasures
that are
here today
and gone
tomorrow.
Stop
living
for fading
joy
and turn
to the
fount
of true
everlasting
joy.
Turn
to
Christ.
He is
far more
willing to
provide
abundant
joy than
we are
to seek
it in
him.
But some
of us,
I recognize
some of
us,
many of
us,
may be
here this
morning and
are spiritually
dry as
Christians.
And if
you're not
there right
now,
praise God,
but there
will likely
come a time
in your life
when you
will be.
So we
need to be
reminded,
time and
time again
that seeking
joy in
Christ is
not a
one-time
thing at
the beginning
of our
relationship
with him.
This is
something that
we need to
drink again
and again
and be
satisfied with
the goodness
of Christ
again and
again.
When is the
last time
you just
shut
everything
else out
and just
spent time
enjoying
the Lord?
this is
one of
our key
values
here at
Seaweed Bay.
We exist
to magnify
the glory
of God
in the
gospel of
Jesus Christ.
We've got
three ways
that we
do that.
Number
one,
by enjoying
the Lord.
So simple,
yet so
often
overlooked.
Are you
enjoying
him?
Are you
enjoying
him?
Not just
reading the
Bible, but
enjoying the
Lord and
the pages
of his
word.
Are you
enjoying
him in
prayer?
Not just
praying, but
enjoying
fellowship with
Christ?
Are you
enjoying him
with fellowship
with your
fellow brothers
and sisters
in Christ
here at
your church
family?
Not just
coming to
church, but
enjoying the
Lord together?
Are you
enjoying
him?
Christians,
out of all
people, ought
to be marked
by joy, because
again, church,
our joy is
not drawn from
the temporary
pleasures of
this world.
Our joy is
rooted and
drawn from
the overflowing
fountain of
true and
lasting joy.
We close
our time a
couple of
weeks ago
from Isaiah
25, and
I just feel
compelled to
do that
again, because
future hope
breeds present
joy.
We look to
the promises
of God and
remember what
we have to
look forward
to, but the
beauty is we
don't have to
wait until
then to enjoy
it.
That joy has
broken in to
the present.
Christ has
come to
bring joy in
full.
What does he
say?
These things
I have
spoken to
you that
my joy
may be in
you and
that your
joy may be
full.
So we close
once again
with Isaiah
25.
On this
mountain, the
Lord of hosts
will make for
all peoples a
feast of rich
food, a
feast of
well-aged
wine, of
rich food
full of
morrow, of
aged wine,
well-refined.
God, and
he will
swallow up
on this
mountain the
covering that
is cast over
all peoples,
the veil that
is spread over
all nations.
He will
swallow up
death forever,
and the
Lord God
will wipe
away tears
from all
faces, and
the reproach
of his
people he
will take
away from
the earth,
for the
Lord has
spoken.
It will be
said on that
day,
behold,
this is
our God.
We have
waited for
him, that
he might
save us.
This is the
Lord, we
have waited
for him.
Let us be
glad and
rejoice in
his salvation.
Let's pray.
Father, your
word tells us
you make known
to us the
path of
life.
In your
presence there
is fullness
of joy.
At your
right hand
are pleasures
forevermore.
Lord, lead
us to delight
in you.
Deepen our
joy in the
Lord.
We ask that
we would be
marked by
eternal joy.
Help us to
turn from
things that
are fading
and worthless
and set our
mind on
things above.
We pray
in Christ's
name.
Amen.
Thank you.