Great Joy

Every year during this time we have those certain Advent Themes that are covered. We’re doing a series right now on four Advent themes of HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE. This week our focus will be on JOY.

What is the difference between Happiness and JOY?

I asked that question to several people this week and they really could not separate the two. I will agree that happiness is linked to JOY, but that it is something different. Let me see if I can express what I mean.

Last weekend a friend of mine’s mother had a severe stroke. It was not expected, he returned from leading worship to find his mom at home unresponsive. On Thursday night, in his words, “she passed from this life into the next.” We’ve texted back and forth several times this week and though I hear the sadness in his words, there is also a deep and assuring JOY.

When trying to define the difference between joy and happiness, it was J.D. Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye, that once wrote: “The fact is always obvious much too late, but the most singular difference between happiness and joy is that happiness is a solid and joy a liquid.”

In an article from Psychology Today, “The transitory things of life are happiness-based.” and then later, “Joy comes when you make peace with who you are, where you are, why you are...”

Brown, Sandra L., Joy vs. Happiness, Psychology Today, Dec. 18, 2012

In a familiar text this time of year, we read from Luke chapter 2

Luke 2:10 ESV

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

“Fear not!” Really?

Let’s back up a bit. v. 8

Luke 2:8 ESV

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

These simple minded Shepherds are out in their fields, watching the sheep at night, and something extraordinary happens.

Luke 2:9 ESV

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.

So what’s their response?

(SCREAM!)

We tend to skip over that part. We make this whole thing about as calm and relaxed as a yawning festival. “They were filled with great fear!”

Think about it, you’re out in the darkness, perhaps there is star or moonlight, perhaps it’s cloudy. Regardless, suddenly the night lights up with an angel and the glory of the Lord shining all around!

And how does the text continue?

Luke 2:10 ESV

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Fear not! Why?

“Behold, I bring you good news of great joy!”

“Yeah, right. For who, them rich folk? The smart people? The teachers?”

“For all people.”

“Wait, for me too?”

“For all people.”

Let’s skip forward a bit…about 2 years and the journey of the wisemen.

Matthew 2:9 ESV

After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.

They’d been following this star for as long as two years, and then we read in v.10

Matthew 2:10 ESV

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

And we know the story, they offer their gifts there of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

Why do we celebrate Christmas?

Think about it.

Why do we celebrate Christmas.

There would be no Christmas celebration were it not for the cross.

We would not be celebrating the birth of Jesus were it not for the death of Jesus. It is because of Jesus’ death that we celebrate Jesus’ birth. And His death was not just any death. No.

We can all complain about the way that Christmas has come to be celebrated with Christmas trees, Santa Claus, all the rushing around trying to buy one another gifts, writing all those cards, and all the things that people say take us away from the meaning of the holiday.

And in a real way many Christians have also missed the meaning of the Holiday.

We celebrate the holiday because LOVE came down from heaven.

We celebrate because Christmas IS John 3:16 lived out.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

We’ll be talking more about the topic of LOVE next week. For now,

God so loved the world...

That he GAVE his only Son,

that whoever believe in him should not perish

but have eternal life.

I think that gives us something to celebrate.

1 Peter 1:3-9 reads:

1 Peter 1:3–9 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Can I get an AMEN!

Woo!

I say, “Go Peter, GO! Preach it!”

Did you hear that!

I’m going to read it again!

1 Peter 1:3–9 ESV

All of us should have that underlined in our Bibles.

That is God’s promise!

That is God’s love!

That is God’s grace!

That is God’s mercy!

And its by God’s Work, not our own.

God has CAUSED us to be born again! - God did it, we can’t boast about it, God did it!

And what were we born again to?

“a living HOPE”

How?

Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

And look at these next lines.

1 Peter 1:4–5 ESV

to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Imperishable!

Undefiled,

Unfading

Kept in heaven for YOU!

This is what my friend who lost his mother this past week understands. This is what my friend knows. His mother’s journey on this earth is complete, but her journey continues! She has gone on to see the full salvation of her soul!

1 Peter 1:3 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

This truly is a reason to rejoice with exceedingly great joy! This is why we celebrate Jesus’ birth, because he was born to die for our sins. Without Good Friday, without the Resurrection there would be no Christmas!

Don’t let your Christmas become just about family. Don’t let it become just about the giving and receiving of gifts. Don’t let it simply become Jesus’ birthday.

Christmas is a time for great JOY because despite everything we’ve done not to deserve God’s love, he loves us.

Despite everything we’ve done not to deserve God’s mercy, he is merciful.

Despite everything we’ve done not to deserve God’s grace, he’s given it to us freely.

Years ago, I heard this acronym, and I like it.

JOY =

Jesus

Others

You

As you think of Christmas, my hope is that Jesus is the first thing that comes to mind, followed closely by all that He did for us all. This is great news and great reason for us to have JOY this season.

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