Advent Series #3: Joy!

1 Peter 1:3-12

Isaiah 9:6 “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.”

Within this verse, Isaiah provides for us both famous and descriptive names for the Messiah:

As “Wonderful Counselor” we understand that Christ endured “all points” of temptation as man without sin (Hebrews 4:15-16) and in doing so, is the most empathetic counselor imaginable; knowing what it’s like to endure pain, feel hunger, to thirst, to experience poverty and homelessness—to experience the brokenness we endured; He knows the feeling of being rejected—even by His own family—being forsaken and left alone. The experiences that confront us, confronted Christ—and in enduring these without sin—Christ is the Person who can feel what we feel, yet stand as the Wonderful Counselor, guiding, encouraging, and strengthening us to conquer whatever trials/temptations confront us---JOY!!

As Mighty God—the Messiah is divine. And as divine, as God—He would accomplish what no one else could conceivably do or accomplish. In his omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence, He saves ANY who would cry out to Him for salvation. As Mighty God, the Messiah possesses the power and knowledge to rescue people from the condemnation their sin deserves and the trials/tribulations/temptations we encouner; He has the power to deliver people from bondage/oppression, from some enemy or personal addiction---JOY!

As Everlasting Father—the Messiah is eternal. The thrust of this however, is on the supremacy, permancey, and everlasting nature of the Messiah’s love towards us. The Messiah will nurture & nourish, comfort & assure, instruct & inform, lead & guide, and correct & discipline His children—out of His deep, everlasting love and concern for them. It’s a love that will never leave us, nor forsake us & and a love that will not allow anything to snatch us from His hands.His love and hold of us have no end…JOY!!!

As Prince of Peace—the Messiah will be the One who, most importantly, will bring peace to man’s heart/peace b/t God and man (as we learned last week in Romans 5). Through the Messiah’s substitutionary death on the cross—on our behalf, man can be reconciled to God, have their sins remitted and forgiven, and find their acceptance by God. This peace ushers is a confidence to man’s soul, an assurance to man’s heart, and a peace which “transcends all understanding.”---JOY!!

This joy is positional and exists nowhere else except through God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. If any person desires to know this joy, to be known by God, and to receive eternal life—they must come to the Lord Jesus Christ in the surrender which leads to salvation.

Today’s message is about how God goes about this and how in God going about this, we can find joy divine. And this joy is vastly different from the world’s defintion of joy. Divine joy surpasses sin, shame, accident, disease, suffering, evil, cursing, lying, stealing, deception, and the brokenness & corruption which plague this world and man’s hearts. Joy is positional and not situational, joy is assurance not unsuredness, and joy is divinely given!

(READ 1 Peter 1:3-12)

I. (v.3) Joy is found in the living hope we have in Christ

1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

Joy comes by the “abundant mercy” of God

Man is so sinful and our only hope is that God would have mercy on us.

Think of how you and I have treated God

Ignored Him

Neglected Him

Failed Him

Rebelled against Him

Rejected Him

Cursed Him

Disobeyed Him

Sinned against Him

Disbelieved Him

Turned away from Him

Think of God’s mercy (eleos):

A mercy which contains feelings of

Pity & compassion

Affection and kindness

A mercy desires to

Draw us to Himself & care for us

A mercy acts on our behalf. How?

By withholding judgment

By removing the misery sin brings and ushering in the grace we don’t deserve

By providing us a way to be saved

His mercy is “abundant”, which means it is:

Great & overflowing

Endless & boundless

Covering us and creating hope for us (the hope of eternal life in our souls)

Joy comes by being “born again,” or in the “new birth” (this is what is meant by “begotten again”)

The only hope of a person living eternally in the presence of God is to be born again

The only means of a person being born again, is through Jesus Christ---it is SOLEY and act of God conferred to us by the Spirit of God

Joy, therefore comes, in the understanding that God knew this was the ONLY way and in His abundant mercy, acted on our behalf to reconcile us back to Himself!

Think about who you were (maybe are) and how there was NOTHING or NO THING you could do to cross the chasm, which separated you from God.

Think about how God, “who is rich in mercy, because of His great love,” sent His Son—who stepped out of glory, to see your sins remitted and your life a life of liberty!!

My joy—(share testimony):

Growing up on a ball field—never brought me TRUE joy

When everything crashed and burned—so did I, slowly

Years in law enforcement—served to expose my heart and mind to brokenness, yet uniquely this is where God began to work in me

God used adversity to usher in the gospel of Jesus Christ into my life

God used a near death experience and a 6 1/2 year battle with addiction to bring me to the end of myself and to draw me close to Him

On a January 2016 afternoon, TRUE joy entered my soul for the first time

He forgave my sin and gave me life

He forgave my sin and restored my marriage

He forgave my sin and made me a father

He took my old life and gave me a knew one

God prove that Jesus Christ was exaclty Who He claimed to be: The Son of God who came, not to condemn me, but to save me.

Jesus Christ is the Perfect and Ideal Man who lived a sinless life, who know intercedes for us before God that Man--therefore He is acceptable to God; because His resurrection as the Perfect and Ideal Man,

You can know this joy I have found, b/c at the end of yourself, when you accept the grace gift of salvation, and are in Christ, to those who really believe in Christ:

God then counts those in the resurrection of Christ—of being raised with Him

Romans 6:4 “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

In salvation, is the promise, the assurance, hope, and joy of living eternally in God’s presence

II. (v.4) Joy is found is the assurance of a new and better inheritance

1 Peter 1:4 “to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,”

Our inheritance is eternal life with God, yet it involves the most wonderful blessings/gifts imagineable

An inheritance of a New Nature and State of Being—being

2 Peter 1:1–4 “Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

This new nature and state of being teaches us, that we have been

Adopted as a son/daugther of God

Made blameless

Given eternal life

Given a crown of incorruption

Given a crown of righteousness

Given a crown of life

Given a crown of glory

An inheritance of Work/Position and Rule---being:

Made exalted beings

Given the kingdom of God

Given eternal responsibility and joy

Given thrones and the priviledge of reigning forever

Given the privilege of surrounding the throne of God

Made priests

Made kings

An inheritance of Wealth—being:

Made an heir of God

Given an incorruptible inheritance

Given unsearchable riches & treasures in heaven

Our inheritance is described as (note the descriptive, imperative, and astounding nature of our inheritance: (1 Peter 1:4 “...an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,” )

Incorruptible (aphtharton): This word means our inheritance

Cannot perish & does not age

Does not deteriorate or die

Has no seed of corruption within it

Matthew Henry on the incorruptible nature of the believer’s inheritance

“…everything on earth changes from better to worse—but not the believer’s inheritance. The believer’s inheritance is perfect and incorruptible—never changing—never ceasing to be the most perfect inheritance and gift one can imagine.”

Undefiled (amianton): This word means our inheritance:

Cannot be polluted or defiled

Cannot be dirtied or infected

Will be without flaw or defect

Will be free from sickness/disease, from infection/accident, from pollution/dirt,

Will be free from ANY defilement whatsoever

Will never experience tears or sorrow, or loss or despair

Does not fade away (amaranton): The means our inheritance

Will last forever and ever; none of the splendor and beauty God will give us will diminish one IOTA

Will never wear out or waste away

Is in heaven: This means our inheritance

Is reserved for us. We have immutable, unchanging, unwavering reservations

For the marriage supper of the Lamb

For the

Is reserved for us and God is the One holding our reservation for us:

He’s securing it

He’s ensuring it

He’s sealing it

Ephesians 1:13–14“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” :

The world teaches and believes in the false gospel of joy—a heresy that teaches a hope in things that die, but

The Bible teaches there is a grace, that if we might hold and grasp it with full faith, we would have an irreplaceable, immutable, undefiled joy positioned in the living Son of God, Jesus Christ.

III. (v.5) Joy is found in the assurance our inheritance is held by God

1 Peter 1:5 “who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

How can we know for sure we are to receive this living hope of eternal life and inheritance, that we will not fall and come short in this “day of redemption?”

(A FEW THINGS)

“…who are kept by the power of God...”

“Kept:” is a military term

To guard, garrison, & protect

Carrying the idea of “might and strength.”

“by the power of God...” this means

Our assurance has NOTHING to do with our strength…nothing to do with us, our

Our assurance has EVERYTHING to do with God and His strength)

Our assurance is in the power of the cross and resurrection, b/c if they are enough to save you, then they are enough to:

Sustain you

Keep you

Guard you, and

See you to glory

“…through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

We are kept b/c our faith is on

The Person and work of Jesus Christ

The power of God

“Faith” No joy in the hope of eternal life can exist in a person unless their is genuine, authentic, and true belief in God’s only begotten Son—Jesus Christ

Genuine, authentic, and true faith is a

Continuing faith, which is

Diligent and vigilant faith

Faith that refuses to give in

Faith that loves Christ with all it’s heart, soul, mind, and strength

Faith that seeks to follow Christ and to please Him

Faith that seeks to live a holy, righteous, and pure life

Persevering faith—perserving faith is faith which

Divests and negates those things which serve to hinder/hamper deepening faith

Colossians 3:5–11 “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”

Hebrews 12:1 teaches we must, “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

Invests and involves itself in the things of God

Colossians 3:1–2 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

1 Timothy 6:11–12 “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

2 Peter 1:4–8 “by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The deceit of the enemy is to get the believer to live in the forgetfullness that the Divine Spirit of God Himself dwells in the. This understanding is where believers will either stand fast of fall

“…failing to understand that salvation is wholly by grace potentially robs sincere believers of the joy of knowing they are kept by God’s power...” and “…threatens to replace the believer’s joy with a spirit of coercion or obligation.” (Robby Gallaty—author of Firmly Planted)

***Why must we persevere is found in our next set of verses***

IV. (v.6-9) Joy is found in our perseverance/endurance of trials

1 Peter 1:6–9 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 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, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”

What we must see

This world fills our lives with trials

Sickness/disease/suffering

Sorrows/ridicule

Abuse/loss

Disappointment/criticism

Loneliness/emptiness

This world fills our lives with temptations

Greed/selfishness/hoarding

Drunkenness (alcohol or drug)

Deceitfullness

Immorality

Indulgence and idolatry

Gossip/backbiting/slander

More and more

This world stands in stark opposition to God—and if you are in Christ—the world (the enemy) stands against you;

Believers are mocked/persecuted

Believers are enticed/distracted

Believers face attack after attack from the enemy

See Job

See the “spaces” the enemy tries to get us to

What we must remember—according to Scripture:

(First) Trials/temptations are only for a season (short time and a little while)

(Second) Trials/temptations cause a heaviness within us

“Heaviness” means

To be grieving;

To suffer sorrow/stress/pressure, and mental anguish

“Heaviness” can leave us feeling

Weighed down

Under stress and pressure

Anguished

Wondering/questioning

We must also know—the Biblical purpose in the trials/temptations a believer encounters—the “why” behind why God allow them:

Believers must be tried

“Tried” means to prove/to test/to strengthen—it is to show our faith as genuine, authentic, and true

Note gold: if gold, which perishes—is to be put in the fire to have it’s impurities cleansed and the dross removed, how much more are we—more precious in God’s sight---to be refined/made clean/purified

God uses the fiery trials we endure to:

Prove/qualify/and show our faith genuine

Develop in us, more the character of Christ

Draw us nearer to Him as we cry out to Him

Believers are tried—in order to show forth the praise, honor, and glory of Jesus Christ and the believer

When Christ returns two things will be seen (according to Scripture here)

Christ Himself will be exalted higher than the heavens themselves

Believers will be seen exalted higher than anyone could ever ask or think

We see this plainly and triumphantly in Romans 8:18

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Knowing all this, we can rejoice in the unspeakable joy which fills our hearts—words cannot fully describe it—this joy which consumes the believer’s heart is as Matthew Henry states:

“This joy is inexpressible, it cannot be described by words; the best discovery is by an experimental taste of it; it is full of glory, full of heaven. There is much of heaven and the future glory in the present joys of…Christians.”

Joy is found in enduring trials, b/c of what it produces: more the character of Christ and quality (not quantity) of faith

Joy is found in enduring trials, b/c we know its’ for a short time

Joy is found in enduring trials, b/c despite the suffering the cause—there’s the promise of the surety of salvation and eternal life in the presence of King Jesus

Joy is found in enduring trials/temptations, b/c we can say courageously say with confidence, “One day, despite all I must endure, my life is held by God and I am being preserved for a glory that cannot compare to what

James 1:2–4“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

V. (v.10-12) Joy is found in the amazement of salvation

1 Peter 1:10–12 “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”

Salvation:

Has ALWAYS been the message of Scripture

It was the message given to the prophets which they were to proclaim to their generation and can be found in nearly every book b/t Genesis and Malachi

Hebrews 1:1 “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,”

It was the message JTB was to preach from the wilderness as the forerunner of the Messiah

John 1:6–7“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.”

It was the message Christ Himself came to deliver

John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

It was the message the Apostles used to plant His church

Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:42 “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.”

It was the message preserved, in God’s providence and sovereignty, which carries the same message and is still alive and active

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Salvation

Was ALWAYS at the heart of God before the foundations of the world (1 Peter 1:20)

(NKJV) “He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you”

(CSB) “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you.

(NLT) “God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.”

Salvation has ALWAYS been about one’s personal experience with the grace of God

Grace is the unmerited/undeserved gift of God; it is the favor of God; it is the mercy & love which God bestows on those who:

Grace is the means by which sinful man is reconciled and redeemed to the Creator, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the one in Who’s image we have been created in

Grace is the need of EVERY person—for we all have fallen short---there is none good, no not one—we are all imperfect—we all possess the seed of corruption

Salvation, thru the lens of the O/T and prophets, was a mystery

David Jeremiah— “Christian hope rests, in part, in teh revealed promises of God’s Word. NT believers recognize certain realities (grace, Christ’s sufferings and glories) in a wat the O/T prophers could not completely understand b/c their prophecies had not yet been fulfilled. “

In other words, the prophets foretold of grace, foretold of a promise from a “will happen” perspective, while NT believers (us today) live in promises of “what has happened.”

See a dynamic implication for man today: The prophets of the O/T were those who

Prayed and asked God time and again and they diligently sought to understand

When the Messiah would be sent

What it would be like

Hungered and thirsted to understand all they could about the promised Messiah

Preached a message with such conviction and belief, though they would never live to see it fulfilled

Note the implication: We are without excuse

If the prophets of old yearned, searched, believed, and were so convicted about the promise of the coming Messiah, how much more should we yearn, search, believe, and be convicted b/c of the promise was fulfilled

While the O/T points to the cross and what would be accomplished, the NT looks back to the cross at what was accomplished…the salvation of man, the redemption of man, the restoration of man!

We have the whole cannon of God’s Word

The O/T books were enough for those in Ancient Times to believe—note what Paul teaches Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:15 “and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

If the O/T prophets had an “incomplete” cannon of Scripture, yet they believed, how much more should man today, b/c we’ve been gifted the complete, inerrant, Holy Spirit inspired Word of God? For us today, any vailed understanding…is on us!

Was accomplished by the sufferings and the glory of the Messiah

God sent His Son to become sin for us, in order that Christ be our propitiation

God seated Christ in exaltation—now as the Mediator and Intercessor for His children (those born again)

Romans 8:34 “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”

Hebrews 1:3 “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Hebrews 8:1 “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,”

Salvation is so glorious

Angels

Being of the spiritual world--are not able to experience salvation

Biblically speaking are constantly and consistently in worship of the Lord

Isaiah 6:1–3 “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!””

Revelation 5:11–14 “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”

Yet, even the angels, who exist in constant praise/worship/fear of the Lord:

Stand in stark amazement at the salvation which God brings to sinful/rebellious humans

Stand in curiousity as God secures each word of Scripture, expressing truths and coming events

Stand eagerly watching salvation take place—to a people who’s praise/worship/honor of God pales in comparison to theirs

(CLOSING/WORSHIP)

Our closing today will simply and sufficiently be a reciting of chapters and verses on Psalms and what they say about joy in salvation:

Psalm 13:5 “But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.”

Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Psalm 18:46 “The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.”

Psalm 20:5 “We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.”

Psalm 21:1 “The king shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!” (The whole of Psalm 21 is a rejoicing over the Lord’s salvation)

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 30:5 “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.”

Psalm 35:9–10“And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation. All my bones shall say, “Lord, who is like You, Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?””

Psalm 51:12 “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”

Psalm 52:8–9 “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will praise You forever, Because You have done it; And in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name, for it is good.”

Psalm 62:5–8 “My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah”

Psalm 68:19–20“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah Our God is the God of salvation; And to God the Lord belong escapes from death.”

Psalm 69:29–30 “But I am poor and sorrowful; Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.”

Psalm 70:4–5 “Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified!” But I am poor and needy; Make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay.”

Psalm 71 (all of it!)

Psalm 73:28 “But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works.”

Psalm 75:1 “We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.”

At least 17 different references of the joy in salvation are found b/t Psalm 1 and Psalm 75 (and there’s more we are not including today)

As we near time to celebrate the birth of Christ, let us continue to be reminded of God’s uncommon and unbelievable love towards us: Love that ushered in hope, peace, and joy.

Joy—at it’s simplest—is not situational, rather its positional

Joy—at it’s core—is knowing b/c of Christ—our sins have been forgiven, death no longer has a sting, and we have an incorruptible inheritance awaiting for us in glory