This is the manuscript of the sermon preached at Christ Church, Los Angeles, CA on Sunday December 16, 2018. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. The dictionary defines joy as "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation." With this definition, we could say that "happiness" and "joy" are interchangeable. But that’s not biblical joy. “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.” To hear the audio click on the YouTube image at the end of the manuscript.
This is the second
of our four Advent sermons. Last week we
talked about the Hope of Advent.
Biblical hope which
is built on faith. Hope is the earnest anticipation that comes with believing
something good. Hope is a confident expectation that naturally stems from
faith. Hope is a peaceful assurance that something that hasn’t happened yet
will indeed happen. Advent is a time of
expectation and hope and it prompts us to pause each day in December and
remember why Jesus came and why we celebrate Christmas.
Romans 8:24-25 NIV
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who
hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have,
we wait for it patiently.
Jesus came in order
to save us from sin and it's penalty death and He is coming again to completely
eliminate sin from the world.
This week we want
to talk about the Joy of Advent.
On the night that
Jesus was born there was an announcement made.
Luke 2:8-14 NKJV Now there were in the same country shepherds
living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold,
an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around
them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be
afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all
people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord. And this will be the
sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a
manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace,
goodwill toward men!”
The dictionary
defines joy as "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by
something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation."
With this definition, we could say that "happiness" and "joy" are interchangeable. But that’s not biblical joy.
Joy depends on God not circumstances
Happiness depends on circumstances, joy depends on God. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you have joy because of your faith in Him and His sacrifice for us.
There was a Jesuit biologist and philosopher who once wrote, “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.”
With this definition, we could say that "happiness" and "joy" are interchangeable. But that’s not biblical joy.
Joy depends on God not circumstances
Happiness depends on circumstances, joy depends on God. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you have joy because of your faith in Him and His sacrifice for us.
There was a Jesuit biologist and philosopher who once wrote, “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.”
From Gill's
Exposition of the Entire Bible - Joy
which is better experienced than expressed because there are no words to
describe it. It is a joy on account of
the glory of God, which the believer lives in the hope and faith of; and by it
saints may know a little of what heaven itself will be.
The Apostle Peter
says we Christians have a joy that can't even be described.
1 Peter 1:6-9 (NKJV)6 In this you greatly rejoice,
though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various
trials,7 that the genuineness
of your faith, being much more
precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to
praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you
do not see Him, yet believing, you
rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,9 receiving the end of your faith--the salvation
of your souls.
What did Peter mean when he wrote that we “rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory”?
It’s clear that the joy that Peter was talking about is so great that is beyond human ability to describe. Now, that’s a lot of joy.
One reason that we don’t always experience the kind of joy Peter talked about is that we confuse happiness and joy. We think that both happiness and joy are found in pleasure, security and prosperity.
Joy is not the same
as happiness. Happiness vanishes when
things get tough; joy continues and may even grow when things get tough. When we focus on the love of Jesus and not
the circumstance we realize that the joy of the Lord is our strength.
Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT2)10 And Nehemiah continued, “Go and
celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food
with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord.
Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”
Nehemiah said this
because the people were weeping when they heard the word being read to them and
the realized that they had been disobedient.
Joy with continuous dependence on the help of God, is a powerful
means of strengthening the soul. In this frame of mind scripture tells us that
the word of God leads to a joyous heart which can lead to a healthy body.
Proverbs
4:20-22 NKJV My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to
my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of
your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their
flesh.
While we may not
be, happy as the world defines happiness, we still have joy.
Happiness is usually dependent on circumstances. If everything is going well I'm happy. If not, not so much.
Our joy should rise above circumstances. This joy is not produced by something external that makes me feel happy. It is supernatural result of a life filled with the Holy Spirit of the living God.
Galatians 5:22-26 (HCSB)22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit.26 We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
James 1:2-3 (NKJV)2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
Joy is conferred by Christ upon his own followers.
John 15:11 (NKJV)11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Happiness is usually dependent on circumstances. If everything is going well I'm happy. If not, not so much.
Our joy should rise above circumstances. This joy is not produced by something external that makes me feel happy. It is supernatural result of a life filled with the Holy Spirit of the living God.
Galatians 5:22-26 (HCSB)22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit.26 We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
James 1:2-3 (NKJV)2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
Joy is conferred by Christ upon his own followers.
John 15:11 (NKJV)11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
What had He told them that would give them so much joy?
John 15:1-10 (NKJV)1 "I am the true vine, and My
Father is the vinedresser.2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He
takes away; and every branch that
bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.3 You are already clean because of the word
which I have spoken to you.4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you,
unless you abide in Me.5 I am
the vine, you are the branches. He
who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do
nothing.6 If anyone does not
abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them
and throw them into the fire, and
they are burned.7 If you
abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it
shall be done for you.8 By
this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My
disciples.9 "As the
Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10 If you keep My commandments, you
will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide
in His love.
Jesus’ birth was then and still is an occasion for joy.
This joy of the Lord is a joy which words cannot describe, and along with it comes honor. We are friends of God and with that friendship comes honor.
John 15:13-15 (NKJV)13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Jesus died for us
to free us from the penalty of sin which is death, eternal separation from
God.
Romans 6:23 (NKJV)23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
That’s a reason for unspeakable joy.
James tells us that we should even have this joy during the bad times.
James 1:2-4 (NKJV)2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Romans 6:23 (NKJV)23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
That’s a reason for unspeakable joy.
James tells us that we should even have this joy during the bad times.
James 1:2-4 (NKJV)2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Our joy should rise above circumstances. This joy is not produced by something external that makes us feel happy. It is supernatural result of a life filled with the Holy Spirit of the living God.
Galatians 5:22-26 (NKJV)22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited,
provoking one another, envying one another.
When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds he told them that he was bringing them news that would bring great joy.
Luke 2:10
(NKJV)10 Then the angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which
will be to all people.
Not only to them
but to all people. We, if we have
accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior are the recipients of that joy which is
beyond words and brings honor.
This announcement to those shepherds over 2000 years ago brought joy to a people who had been waiting for their Messiah for hundreds of years.
This announcement to those shepherds over 2000 years ago brought joy to a people who had been waiting for their Messiah for hundreds of years.
We read some of
those prophecies last week.
Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV) Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a
sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name
Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:7 (NKJV) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 9:2,6 (NKJV)2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:7 (NKJV) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 9:2,6 (NKJV)2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
After hear the
announcement from the angel the shepherds wanted to go see for themselves
Luke 2:11-20 (NKJV)11 For there is born to you this
day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12 And this will
be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying
in a manger."13 And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God
and saying:14 "Glory to
God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
15 So it was, when the angels had
gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another,
"Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass,
which the Lord has made known to us."16 And they came with haste and found Mary and
Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning
this Child.18 And all those
who heard it marveled at those things
which were told them by the shepherds.19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and
praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told
them.
That joy wasn’t just for Israel but for all people
Isaiah 42:6 (NKJV) "I, the LORD, have called You in
righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a
covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,
Romans 3:29 (NKJV) Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
Romans 3:29 (NKJV) Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
We, if we have
accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior are the recipients of that joy which is
beyond words and brings honor.
Jesus’ birth was
then and still is an occasion for joy, the kind of joy that we do our best to
express in the familiar Christmas carol “Joy to the World”.
Isaac Watts wrote
the words of "Joy to the World" as a hymn glorifying Christ's
triumphant return at the end of the age, rather than a song celebrating his
first coming.The nations are called to celebrate because God's faithfulness to
the house of Israel has brought salvation to the world. - Wikipedia
Joy to the World
lyrics by Isaac Watts
Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
That’s what Advent
is all about. Advent is the arrival of a
notable person, thing, or event. For
Christians it is both the first and second
comings of Christ. We celebrate the first coming at Christmas and look forward
to His second coming. We anticipate the
coming of Christ from three different perspectives. In the flesh in Bethlehem,
in our hearts everyday, and in glory when Jesus returns.
We can choose to live in an attitude of resentment, anger and fear or we can choose to pursue the joy of Christ...joy unspeakable and full of glory.
We can choose to live in an attitude of resentment, anger and fear or we can choose to pursue the joy of Christ...joy unspeakable and full of glory.
“The Lord
bless you and keep you; The Lord
make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His
countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’
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