Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: Philippians 3:1, I Thessalonians 5:16; Luke 2:8-12

Theme: The Christian's greatest witness to the world is when we rejoice in the salvation of God and the things of the Lord.

Date: 12/16/2018 File name: AdventOfJoy.wpd

ID Number:

This is the third Sunday of Advent.

The theme of this Sunday’s worship is joy.

The Nativity story in the Gospel of Luke is riddled with joy and rejoicing.

Joy permeates the experience of some of the primary characters in the story.

It is a reminder that God’s redemptive work in the lives of his people brings great joy.

The first time joy enters the picture is when the angel tells Zachariah that he will become a father in his old age; his son will be called John, and "He will be a joy and a delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth."

God’s promise is fulfilled, and Elizabeth, though barren all of her life and now well past childbearing years, conceives a child.

God is up to something (God is always up to something).

Some months later, in the Galilean village of Nazareth, the angel Gabriel appears to a young woman named Mary and gives her astonishing news.

The Holy Spirit will come upon her, and she will conceive a child and he shall be the Savior of his people.

At the end of the announcement the angel tells Mary that her kinsmen in the flesh, Elizabeth, is also expecting, and Mary immediately begins plans to go visit Elizabeth.

Zachariah's wife, Elizabeth, is about six months pregnant when her niece, Mary, pays her a visit.

When Mary greets her aunt the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaped.

Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, receives prophetic inspiration, and exclaims in a loud voice, "Mary, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you bear… As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy."

When Elizabeth actually delivers her son, "Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared in her joy."

Six months later Mary finds herself in labor in a stable in Bethlehem.

Shepherds in the surrounding fields are watching their flocks by night when suddenly an angel of the Lord appears to them and says, "Do not be afraid.

I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people."

The joy in this passage revolves around two women in impossible circumstances — both of them are miraculously pregnant.

One was barren and past childbearing years; and like Sarah and Hannah in the Old Testament, God provides a child despite her age and physical condition.

That child will grow up to be the last of the old covenant style profits, heralding the fulfillment of God's promise to send the Messiah.

The other woman, Mary, was a virgin, and at the beginning of her childbearing years; and yet God conceived in her a child without the help of a man.

And that child would be the foundation of a new covenant, the Messiah that God had long ago promised.

The joy these two women experience is inexpressible.

We discover in this passage that joy has its source in God.

What is joy?

Joy is the celebration — the unrestrained happiness — of experiencing the work of God’s redemptive plan in your life.

It is the emotional outburst of rejoicing and basking in the love that God has blessed us with by sending his one and only son Jesus in our stead.

It is the embracing of the gift of eternal life given to us even though we have not done anything to earn this glorious gift from God.

Our joy is completed as we live in fellowship with the Son, looking forward to the blessings of heaven someday.

Let me ask you a question: Does the redemptive work of God in your life bring you joy? Joy in the Christian's life should flow as naturally from the believer's heart as singing does from a bird at sunrise!

The message of the Nativity story is that joy is available who hear the call of God in their life, and respond.

So let me take some time this morning and talk about the coming of joy into our lives through Christ.

I. THE NATIVITY REMINDS US TO REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS!

Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord!”

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always.

I will say it again: Rejoice!”

1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Be joyful always;”

A. THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE JOYFUL BELIEVERS

1. the non-Christians in our culture see too many mean-eyed furrowed-brow, locked-jaw, crossed-arm, petty-minded, unsmiling Christians

a.

I don't mean any of your of course!

2. the world needs to see joyful believers who can praise the Lord no matter what their circumstances are or their lot in life may be

a. the Apostle Peter told the recipients of his first epistle that the Christian's joy is an inward grace that issues from the believer's faith despite trials and temptations

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

(1 Peter 1:6–9, NIV84)

3. joy is not merely a simplistic or sentimental way of dealing with life, but a way to meet life head on

ILLUS.

In 1988 Bobby Mcferrin wrote and sang a song that became very popular.

The lyrics were simple:

Here's a little song I wrote

You might want to sing it note for note

Don't worry, be happy.

In every life we have some trouble

But when you worry you make it double

Don't worry, be happy.

Don't worry, be happy now.

CHORUS: Don't worry, be happy.

Don't worry, be happy.

Don't worry, be happy.

Don't worry, be happy.

Ain't got no place to lay your head

Somebody came and took your bed

Don't worry, be happy.

The landlord say your rent is late

He may have to litigate

Don't worry, be happy.

CHORUS

Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style

Ain't got no gal to make you smile

Don't worry, be happy.

'Cause when you worry your face will frown

And that will bring everybody down

Don't worry, be happy.

CHORUS: (Don't worry, don't worry, don't do it.

Be happy.

Put a smile on your face.

Don't bring everybody down.

Don't worry.

It will soon pass, whatever it is.

Don't worry, be happy.

I'm not worried, I'm happy...)

I hated that song.

But in it, Mcferrin implies a deep-seated joy that circumstances cannot doom.

4. joy is an effectual, spiritual gift given by God to believers that helps to sustain us in difficult times and increases our happiness in good times

a. happiness is a feeling and usually is determined by outside events or circumstances

b. joy, on the other hand, is an attitude, a disposition, a mind-set that flows from a deep conviction that God is alive and real and in your life and in control

1) it enables you to meet the challenges of life and to wade into impossibilities with enthusiasm and expectancy

2) "rejoicing always" in the Lord enables you to let go of the frustration and pick up the broken pieces and start over again

B. REASONS BELIEVERS CAN REJOICE

1. 1st, we can rejoice because of saving grace

“ ... an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.””

(Matthew 1:20–21, NIV84)