Joy
Are We There Yet? • Sermon • Submitted
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What brings you joy? For many, it is their children, especially when they are happy and doing well in school. Others it is the grands and the fact the grands want to hang out with you and not their friends. While others find joys in other things, sports, hobbies, books, movies, I could go on and on. While we may have a similar thought when we talk about our joy coming from a certain place, the joy is different for each of us as individuals. There are certain situations that really increase the joy that we feel.
One of those memories of joy, that stick out for me happened about 6 or 7 years ago. Amy, Lorelei, and I were attending Dacula UMC, I had began to recognize my call in ministry. On this particular occasion, I had been asked to serve communion in the traditional service for the first time. And as I was standing there I noticed the kids were brought in to the sanctuary to participate in communion. As the kids came through the line, I looked up and saw Lorelei in front of me. It was at that point that joy filled me and overwhelmed me. There were so many reasons for the joy, first was the grace that Lorelei was receiving for free even though she had done nothing to deserve it. Then there was the fact that it was her first time to take communion in big church. Then add to all that, I was serving her this meal. Not only did I witness it, I participated in the moment with her. It was an amazing and joyful time for me.
Joy is, as defined by Webster, a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Which seems to be a feeling we do not feel on a daily basis. How many of you feel joy daily? How bout every other day? More than once a week? Once a week? If you noticed, the feeling of joy is experienced more when the number of times is lessened. But should that be the case? Well, lets turn to our scripture for the morning. Grab your bible or the pew bible and read along with me. Turn to Matthew chapter 11 verses 2-11. Now hear the words recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.
Now when John heard in prison about the things the Christ was doing, he sent word by his disciples to Jesus, asking, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
Jesus responded, “Go, report to John what you hear and see. Those who were blind are able to see. Those who were crippled are walking. People with skin diseases are cleansed. Those who were deaf now hear. Those who were dead are raised up. The poor have good news proclaimed to them.Happy are those who don’t stumble and fall because of me.”
When John’s disciples had gone, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John: “What did you go out to the wilderness to see? A stalk blowing in the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in refined clothes? Look, those who wear refined clothes are in royal palaces. What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. He is the one of whom it is written: Look, I’m sending my messenger before you, who will prepare your way before you.
“I assure you that no one who has ever been born is greater than John the Baptist. Yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Well here we are, the third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete (gau-day-tay) Sunday. This is the Sunday of rejoicing and celebrating joy as the nearness of Christ’s birth is upon us. Today is a day represented by the pink or rose colored candle. In many churches they change the paraments to pink or rose and pastors wear a pink/rose stole for the day. It is the representation of the the joy we feel knowing that Christ’s coming is around the corner. We are almost there. But this is when the question, Are We There Yet? begins to be expressed even stronger than before. It is when the kids are tired of being in the car and they want the journey to end so they ask every minute, Are We There Yet? The destination is almost in sight but we have a little ways to go.
How many of you have asked or been asked, “are you ready for Christmas?” I know I have and I have asked it. Without realizing it, that question is this seasons, Are We There Yet? Many of us are ready to experience the joy of Christmas Day already but we are not done preparing. There are things still to be done. Presents need to be bought and wrapped. Santa is still checking his list. Schools not out yet. There are parties to go to, friends to see, places to travel to, family to visit, and that is before Christmas Day. Some of these bring joy into our life just for a moment and then we are on to the next thing on our list. Then there are those events we must do even though we are not looking forward to them. These events seem to drain us of the joy and it make it hard to see what is coming.
John the Baptist most definitely wasn’t feeling joy in our gospel text. He was in jail and was feeling down. While it seems only moments ago he baptized Jesus and proclaimed him as the Messiah. John now sits in his cell wondering if this is the Messiah. I’ve been told, that prison life can do this to a person. The text does not feel like a text for such as joyous morning as this especially when paired with the Isaiah text. But, joy exists in this text just not as expected. John sends his disciples to ask a question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” It is a question that lingers in our hearts and in the people of the time. We hear stories and ask could it be Christ has returned? Could we have missed him? The question lingers on and on.
But, we ask that question for the purpose of joy. We look forward to the day that God’s Kingdom is fully realized here on Earth and Christ comes again in final victory. We look forward to lands flowing with milk and honey. The glory of a dried up land like a dessert become a vast luscious land filled with greenery and water. It is the fullest of joy that we hope for in Christ’s second coming and the fulfillment of Old Testament and New Testament prophecies.
Our full schedule of things to get done by Christmas keeps us from realizing and experiencing joy on a daily basis. Our desire to reach the celebration changes our preparation for the joyous occasion. Even then, our joy is only short lived before we are pulled back into the hustle and bustle of every day life. Then we then to only experience joy when when there is a special achievement or celebration ahead. Why not instead of only experiencing joy every now and then, we change and experience joy daily.
Now it time to experience the joy of Jesus Christ today. Now we must do what Jesus told John the Baptist’s disciples “Go, report to John what you hear and see.” Instead of just telling John, let us tell the world and all that we meet about the joy we know. We can offer the joy we understand through God to all that we meet and be a light to the world that Jesus Christ wants us to be. Friends, join me this week in experiencing and spreading peace, hope, and joy through our words and actions this Advent season.