Mary’s Joy (slide 1)

A Christmas Joke

Three men died on Christmas eve and were met by Saint Peter at the Gates of Heaven.

“In honor of the Holy Season,” Peter said, “you must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas in order to get into heaven.”

The first man fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it and a flame appeared. “It represents a candle,” he said. “OK you may pass,” Peter said.

The second man reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He shook them and said, “They’re bells.” Peter replied, “ok you may also pass.”

The third man started searching desperately through his pockets and finally pulls out a pair of his wives glasses.

St Peter looked at the man with raised eyebrows and asked, “and what are those supposed to symbolize?”

The man replied, “Well, they’re Carols.”

WHAT BRINGS YOUR LIFE JOY?

Open/Happiness vs. Joy (slide 2)

It may sound a little confusing, I know it was to me at first but happiness and joy are not the same thing!

First lets look at happiness.

HAPPINESS

Happiness is temporary, it is fleeting, it just doesn’t last.

Happiness Example

Imagine something great happens in your life. A promotion. Something great for your family. You finally make the last payment on the car you bought. Something like that. That feeling you get that euphoria, is happiness. It is a great feeling. You feel amazing. Like your so filled with that happy emotion that you can’t help but smile. Then you wake up the next morning, you spill your coffee on your shirt. You go outside and slip on the ice and hurt your back. Or you go to work, Traffic is horrific and you are late. Guess what you aren’t anymore. Happy.

Happiness as great as it is, and it is great, only lasts as long as there are thing s that are making you happy.

If a circumstance is not feeding you that happy emotion, you don’t have it.

Now look at joy.

JOY

Joy is not something that you just get on the fly. Joy isn’t something that is brought on by happy events. You can be joyful in the happy events, however joy is something that is always in you because joy becomes a part of you.

Joy is something that, when you have it you have it whether in big or small amounts no matter what comes your way good or bad. I know it sounds strange that you would have joy when bad things happen but you can.

Let me give you some Biblical Examples of Joy

(Slide 3)

Hebrews 12:1–3 (ESV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

The question here is what did that mean? What was before Jesus, the CROSS!! Yet Hebrews says Joy. Was Jesus excited about the Cross. I can’t see how? Remember he was human. He knew what he would face. However Jesus knew what the plan was. Jesus knew why He was there. That brought Him Joy.

(Slide 4)

Acts 5:40–41 (ESV)

and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

The apostles here were ridiculed and beat and they left rejoicing because they got in trouble for saying the name of Jesus. That can only happen if you have the Joy that only God can give you in your heart.

(Slide 5)

Hebrews 10:34 (ESV)

For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.

Imagine being in prison, all of your belongings being taken and being joyful about it. Why? Because what you have in Jesus is far more important than anything you can own. Again, pure Joy.

Pure, actual, God given Joy is something that cannot be defeated , and it is something that cannot be taken away from you.

Lets talk about someone who really understood this joy.

Mary’s Joy (slide 6)

I am talking about Mary, Jesus mother. His only mother. The girl who was given possibly the biggest task in all the Bible.

The biggest task?! How can you say that compared to things like

NOAH, MOSES, JOSHUA, ELIJAH

God has asked some big things from his people. I believe that this girl Mary might have had the biggest. Why do I call her a girl? At the time, Jewish customs allowed young women to become betrothed to a young man as early as 12 years old, but the marriage itself would not take place until they were legally married, which could be months or years later. Many Jewish and Christian scholars believe Mary was probably 15 or 16 when Jesus was born in that barn.

The obstacles we know.

She was young.

She was promised to be married and could be killed for being pregnant.

(slide 7)

The trip to Bethlehem would have been BRUTAL to anyone let alone a very pregnant woman. 90 Miles. At least a week.Lets say it took 2 weeks to get to bethlahem. She was giving birth as they walked into town which means she was very very pregnent!! And none of those in my opinion were the most stressful part.

Jews share their history and the words of God. Possibly better than any other religion. For her entire life whether in a school or from her family she was taught verses that proclaimed the coming of a Savior. Verses like….

Isaiah 11:1 ESV

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

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 42:1 ESV

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Psalm 89:28–29 ESV

My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens.

Micah 5:2 ESV

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Isaiah 42:4 ESV

He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

This was a sample of the prophecy in the Bible. As you can see there is no shortage of verses in the Bible that prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah.

The people were counting on and expecting they were anticipating and begging for A Savior. By definition, a savior, Someone who saves, delivers or rescues. A Hero for the people.

The people believed and knew that their savior was coming. The hope for Israel would come!

Mary was going to be the vessel that God used to bring the Messiah, the Savior into the world. When he was hungry, she would feed him. When he was ready to sleep, she would hold him. When he cried, She would wipe his tears. She would love him not only as God but also as son. What an amazing and daunting task to be given. How did she respond when she was told that this was going to happen?

(slide 8)

Luke 1:38 (ESV)

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary had to know that this was not going to be easy. She could even be killed. If she wasn’t she was going to call the Savior promised for hundreds of years son.

Mary realized that the birth of her son would bring peace. It would bring hope. She knew that her son would bring the world JOY!

Mary then goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth who just happens to be pregnant with Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist and look what happens.

(slide 9)

Luke 1:41–44 (ESV)

And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

(slide 10)

Even the unborn could feel the Joy that was coming!

As stressful and impossible the task that was before her for the rest of her days, this was this was Mary’s response.

Luke 1:46–55 (ESV)

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Mary didn’t care what was in front of her. Mary was so full of joy that she had to praise the father.

Warren Weirsbe said, This song by Mary is called “the magnificat.” Her desire was to magnify the Lord, not herself. It had nothing to do with her, in fact, She uses the words “he has” 8 times in this small portion of scripture, because at this moment it was all about what God had done for her and His people. In all her stress and turmoil she lifted her head in Joyful prayer because what she had was pure God given Joy!

John MacArthur gives us 4 areas that we can know if our Joy is the type of Joy that we see through Mary.

(Slide 12)

(slide 12.1)

#1 True Joy is in your Soul and Spirit.

Its deep folks. Its part of you. It is part of your dna.

(slide 12.2)

#2 True Joy will exalt and give Glory to God.

True joy comes from God and the person that has true joy cannot help but glorify God for it.

(slide 12.3)

#3 True Joy is habitual.

True joy is something that comes natural to us. Like drinking a cup of coffee or brushing our teeth. It is just who we are at this point.

(slide 12.4)

#4 True Joy is humble.

Mary did something that very few of us could accomplish. She was going to be the mother of the savior of the world. Mary took 0 credit and instead humbly acknowledged that this was from God.

Mary found Joy. The Joy. The Joy that comes from submitting yourself to the father. This wasn’t a mistake. It’s not like because she was pregnant with God she recieved some type of super ability to act or extra wisdom. She was a regular teenage girl who recognized that God knew better than she did. God chose her because God does not make mistakes.

(Slide 13)

Jesus brought us all sorts of amazing things when he was born but when the angel was talking to the shepherds in the field he only mentioned 1.

Luke 2:10–11 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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Do you have that Joy? Not happiness. Joy. That thing inside you that can find the good in things even when there is seemingly nothing good about it.

This is the season of Joy. I am fully aware that Jesus was not actually born in December. I know that there is a lot of other things in this season that try and overshadow Jesus.

But for Christians especially, this is the time of year where we recognize that 2000+ years ago a teenager was chosen by the creator of the universe to bring into this world a savior. OUR SAVIOR. That night in Bethlehem Jesus was born and with Jesus was born HOPE, PEACE, and JOY! If you don’t have that Joy in you ask the father for it. Then walk around wearing that joy so that everyone can see. Share that joy with everyone, share Jesus with everyone. Is there a better gift you can give this Christmas? Let’s pray.

Habakkuk 3:17–18 ESV

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.