Hear the Joy
Season of Joy • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 9 viewsSo many of us are filled with ideas that the "reason for the season" is a baby in a manger; it's not. The significance of Jesus at Christmas isn't that he was born, but that He came at all. The Messiah had been long awaited for millennia since the fall of Eden. Prophets spoke for centuries prior about the coming of our Savior, God with us, who would show us God's compassion and power. The coming of this Messiah is the REAL meaning for the season. The question for us is "are you listening for the reason?" Are we prepared to hear the truth God has for us or are we too busy reading our own meaning into cultural holidays? If we're receptive to what God is showing us, we're destined to be blown away by the sheer Joy of knowing a God bigger than ourselves.
Notes
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Handout
The Voice in the Wilderness
The Voice in the Wilderness
Read John the Baptist’s testimony in John 1:19-23 and Jesus speaking about John in Matthew 11:7-10. Pause for a moment and think about what is being communicated about John’s status as a Prophet.
(1) What is a prophet? What role do they play in the Old Testament?
(2) What do we see about John’s self-declared purpose?
(3) What is the nature of the message John is declaring? Is it sad? Scary? Angry? Hopeful?
The Old Testament is composed of 929 chapters divided into 23,214 verses. As followers of Jesus Christ, we understand that Jesus is fully sufficient and fully complete to afford us grace for all our sins. SO WHY DO WE HAVE THIS MASSIVE OLD TESTAMENT?
19 This was John’s testimony when the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He didn’t deny it but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 “What then?” they asked him. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the Prophet?” “No,” he answered. 22 “Who are you, then?” they asked. “We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What can you tell us about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord—just as Isaiah the prophet said.”
John the Prophet: An individual in the mold of the Old Testament prophets.
Jesus even said Matthew 11:7–10 “7 As these men were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothes? See, those who wear soft clothes are in royal palaces. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.”
John served a function similar to many other prophets
In general, prophets help discern and communicate the Will of God
Some were essentially royal advisors (like Nathan to King David)
Some were judges or individuals who facilitated God’s discipline (Samuel to King Saul or Elijah in many instances)
Most (as John) brought news of hope, reconciliation, and God’s ultimate victory
John’s testimony was one of a Messiah! John 1:29 “29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
What is the nature of this message?
Not advisement… there is no specific counsel he is giving
Not of God’s discipline… there is no identification of specific acts or God’s response to our disobedience
GRACE! GLORIOUS GRACE!
John’s Message of Grace Leads to Joy
John’s Message of Grace Leads to Joy
Read excerpts from the scripture John was referring to in his testimony: Isaiah 40:3-5, 9-11, 21-22, 28-31. Reflect for a moment to yourself on how the words of Isaiah impact you or apply to your own life.
(1) If this is the God you are awaiting in a “Messiah”, what is going to be your reaction when you learn He is finally arriving?
(2) Consider how our culture celebrates baby Jesus at Christmas. Consider how much of our imagery focuses on calm, serene images of a sweet baby. Contrast that with the glorious, joyous image painted by Isaiah. What is the real significance of Christmas: that a baby was born or that the Messiah has arrived?
John the Baptist came to herald the glory of Christ, exhibited through His perfect grace and love. It is a message of pure joy!
John’s Reference to “Crying in the Wilderness”
From Isaiah 40 —> Labeled as “God’s People Comforted”
Let us read what John was “crying out”...
3 A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. 4 Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and the rough places, a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord will appear, and all humanity together will see it, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
9 Zion, herald of good news, go up on a high mountain. Jerusalem, herald of good news, raise your voice loudly. Raise it, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” 10 See, the Lord God comes with strength, and his power establishes his rule. His wages are with him, and his reward accompanies him. 11 He protects his flock like a shepherd; he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them in the fold of his garment. He gently leads those that are nursing.
21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not considered the foundations of the earth? 22 God is enthroned above the circle of the earth; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never becomes faint or weary; there is no limit to his understanding. 29 He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. 30 Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, 31 but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.
What a picture of glory and majesty!
Not an image of fear.
Not an image of guilt.
COMPASSION. REDEMPTION
Read John 3:25-30 and meditate individually for a moment on how John processed his relationship to the news of Christ’s arrival.
(1) John directly connects Christ fulfilling His role with John’s own sense of joy. Considering what we read in Isaiah, how does acknowledging Christ IS that God bring us joy in our own lives?
(2) John is clearly being receptive to what God has called him to do, and that brings him joy. How can we be more receptive to what God is communicating to us in our own lives (rather than trying to dictate to God how we expect life to be)?
Knowledge of this news also fills John with Joy… John 3:25-30
25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. 26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is going to him.” 27 John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Are You Listening?
Are You Listening?
John proclaimed a joyful message, just as many of the Old Testament prophets… but did anyone listen?
Famous verse everyone quotes is “Jesus wept”, but Jesus laments a few times, once in namely Luke 13:34 “34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”
God’s perfect design is for us to know Him. That is why we see God walking with man in the Garden of Eden.
Christmas is the beautiful renewal of God walking, once again, with mankind. That restoration is a reason for joy.
Before we can appreciate the joy God has for us, we have to LISTEN and HEAR WHAT GOD IS TELLING US.
Are YOU LISTENING? Have you heard the reason for the Good News?
