ADVENT: JOY
By the way, I'm Danny. I'm one of the pastors here. Jeremy is not here today and let me tell you he has been doing such an amazing job force of all of walking us through the Book of Genesis. Help us understand where Our Roots come from to understand exactly how all that fits in and is we go through that it changes the way you look at the rest of scripture cuz if we hit Genesis wrong and in the things at the very beginning it changes the way you look at the rest of scripture and I just love what he's doing. He's he's he's tied that into what we're doing for admin Series in the first week. He talked about the question is what does Jesus bring? Why did Jesus come in the first week? He talked about hope And Jesus came to bring hope and I'm not going to unpack all that with you, but he literally went from the first of the Bible all the way through to talk about the link between Jesus bringing hope to the world and what that means the second week. He talked about. Jesus came to bring peace and he had to completely destroy evil and the devil to bring peace to the world. And today we're going to talk about why did Jesus come? He came to bring. Joy, that one of the things I'm going to do is I'm going to read. What's the most traditional Christmas Story? We read all the time make a few comments as we go cuz I like to be centered with some of the words that are there and then kind of what we're talking about when Jesus came, is that okay? Alright, so here's what the Bible says. In those days the decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered now. This is a freebie, but I got to talk about this. This is just like today, you know why they were registering people. They wanted to tax them. So the king put out an edict we want we want to count everybody so we can text them. Is that any different than today? Northmoor stuff right so we didn't invent taxation. We're just continuing a long list of how that happens moving on. This was the first registration when quintarius was a governor of Syria. And all went to be registered each to his own town.
And Joseph also went from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was at the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary his betrothed who is with child. And while they were there the time came for her to give birth and she gave birth to her firstborn son wrapped him in swaddling cloth and laid him in a Manger because there was no place for them in the end. I know we've heard that story a gazillion * probably if you've been raising the church at all, you've heard that red and I'm going to read a little bit further right after this but you have to understand this is been the normal traffic patterns that our lives there's nothing spectacular on the outside about what we just read. The king wants to tax he wants account of people he sent them back to their home towns were their ancestry phone. So they're all traveling back to where they are. While Mary was there. She had a baby there wasn't room in the end so that he had a baby somewhere where they keep animals in the baby was wrapped in swaddling clothes and was laid in a Manger nothing new. That's a normal traffic patterns. That's regular life. For most people. Now you got predicted that Jesus was going to come. Yes. He appeared to Mary and Joseph explaining what was going to happen, but I don't think they had any really idea about the prophecy because you know prophecy when you're looking at it after it's already accomplished this way easier identify. I'm not completely convinced that they knew that Bethlehem was where the Messiah was supposed to be born. You know, he had to be one of the Bible scholars to do that. They were just doing what people had to do in that day and then normal traffic patterns. Otherwise, I'm going to stop here for a minute have no idea what's causing that buzzing it did it the first service. We think there's interference from somewhere else cuz that's not in house. So, please forgive me that it's there. And if it bugs you too much trust me, it's bugging me more than it's bugging you and that's the noise. So so that was normal that was everyday life for them. That was normal traffic pattern. And in the same region verse 8 there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night that was normal to in a normal time and in a normal Town women had babies people kept flocks normal. and then in the middle of normal in the middle of the normal traffic patterns there comes Supernatural
in an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord Shone around them and they were filled with fear now to the shepherd rot in a field and guess what happened?
I like to say that when I mean the angel appeared and we've talked a lot when Angels show up what happens people are scared to death. They hit the deck rules are so magnificent. They don't know what to do with terrifies them. And I don't know what it means that the glories are ocean around the people we always imagined this Bright Angel, but if you read the text and they were in in the glory of the Lord Shone around them, that's all the people in the room. I don't know what that looks like, but it would have been amazing in and of itself but here they are doing normal things with normal people do during those day and guess what happens Supernatural shows up
and the angel said to them fear not for behold. I bring you good news of great joy, that will be for all people. For unto you is Born This Day in the city of David a savior Who is Christ the lord? And this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger and suddenly there was an angel. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace among those with whom he is pleased again. Now, this is all Supernatural in what happens after the supernatural. When angels went away to Heaven Supernatural disappears The Shepherd said the one of us go over to Bethlehem see this thing that's happened with the Lord has made known to us when God shows up super naturally to do this announcement in the normal traffic patterns of their lives. Guess what happens afterwards, it changes their behavior. It changes what they're going to do in the future and that's what always happens when the supernatural shows up when it comes to God's doing a God thing in the god way the way he protected it was going to be coming and they went with Jesus and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger and when they saw they made known the saying that have been told them concerning this child that they didn't shut up. They went around a they went to Bethlehem. They sought out the baby they found it and they were telling everybody around them their story. And all who heard that one or that what the Shepherds had told them now come on in reality. You would know if someone showed up and started telling these stories. What would you think? Yeah, right. You've been drinking too much or something. If there's no way in the world this happened and so they wondered what the shippers of told them and it ended at the same time. They're one of these guys crazy. I do know however because they probably were all from the same town the shepherd's they probably were known by the people around them. And if they knew them they probably knew their reputation as being honorable people and if they knew their reputation when they said something even as outrageous as this may have sounded to them. That's why they would wonder what could this be? What is going on around us? Because when the in the normal traffic patterns of life is Supernatural happens, when you begin describing the supernatural unless people really know you they're going to have a hard time understanding what you're trying to say is going to seem to be mysterious to them. But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the Shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen as it has been told. I love the fact that Mary treasured. She's the one that got up here too and said the angel up here to this is what's going to happen in you you're going to have a son you're going to call him God is with us. So she's been pregnant just like any other woman to be pregnant. I was a lot of miles. She has a baby and then the very night that this baby is born Shepherds from the town show up. She might not have known him for anybody because she was new to town again and they tell her what's going to happen. If she begins to realize that God is moving the things that she's been told by the angel begins to move, but she doesn't exactly know what that means. here's another interesting thing about the
This announcement occurs, and then what sound?
At least for 30 years before Jesus began his public Ministry. Jesus was raised with the mother and father in his hometown. Jesus was submitted to them the Bible tells us there was that one time when he was 12 the Bible record that he went and talked to to the elders at the temple and they were amazing mystified by him. And he said I need to be about my father's business. But other than that, it was just normal life. You probably help this father in the carpenter shop is things went on so it was just silence. However, What did happened to Mary and Joseph is Herod decided he was going to kill all the kids because he didn't want another king in town cuz he heard also was Jeremy shared last week. There was a king coming and he didn't want the competition and so he he was going to White Mall out. So they had to go to Egypt. They had to flee to Egypt. So they knew that was going on and they also knew that after it became safe to come back that they returned. They returned at the Bethlehem to put the Nazareth and it's really interesting because I'm not sure they understood the prophecy at the time that said the baby would be born in Bethlehem. But he'd also come out of Nazareth and that completes both of that. God is moving even though from the outside as a human being you would look at that and think silence Jeremy talked about silence Jeremy talked about Silence from the standpoint if it had been Millennia from the promise of God and what he was going to do in Genesis all the way to the end before God was going to re-establish eating. So it's not a quick process and that should tell us something is followers of Christ if we're looking for something quick. We we bet on the wrong horse. If we're looking for something 100% certain we're exactly where we need to be but it's in God's timing is not in our timing. I'm going to go back just a bit and read a couple versus they just read because I think there's important the angel said to them fear not for I bring you good news of great. Joy A good news was something they would have understood the turn. It comes from the Greek word you on gayley on and it was used very commonly in a culture to indicate the announcement of for example, a new King is Coming to Town. It was common when they said I bring you good news or Glad Tidings some of the older translation say they would have recognized that is saying this is a headline. This is like the headline in the paper. The war is over. This is a headline something significant has happened and that's what the Angels tell him and he said and it's going to be of great joy. And so good news of great joy is going to happen. We just walk through what they live through at that moment. And the question that I have is where is the joy Jeremy talked the other day about where is the piece but we could cry out and say the same thing about where is the joy where is a joy silence? Things didn't go so well, in fact, it didn't write any way they imagined it would because they're at 33 years later this same Jesus was put to death on the cross. Where is the joy? Oh Lord. Where is my joy? Where are you guys? Have you ever cried out to say where are you God in the midst of Trials and and things are going wrong in your life. Where are you? Where are you when my wife dies or when my spouse dies? Where are you in family members get sick. Where are you in my marriage fails God. Where is the gioi? Where is the joy when I'm attacked, where is it Joy when I molested or is it Joy when I'm raped? Where is the joy that I'm lied about where is the gioi what I'm discriminated against? Where is the gioi the angel announced to them that the joy was coming when the world is going to hell and nothing seems to be able to stop. What's going on? When evil seems to reign supreme when crying is all over there shooting there's arguments and in all over the media. There's hate. There's greed those kinds of things happen. We celebrate Christmas because you came that's why we celebrate Christmas today, but the question is, where is the joy we interpret that to where is my happiness? I'm depressed. I'm down. I cannot pick myself off. I want things to be different. So we cry out to God where is a joy and it seems like that annunciation. Well Trail
Can I tell you what I'm going to tell you?
Okay. Thank you.
Joy
is not hindered by suffering Joy is not hindered by bad times Joy is not hindered by persecution Joy is not hindered by any of that Joy is that thing that comes from God he gives us the ability to move through anything and still have joy. I'm not talking about happiness. Happiness means happenings, that means all the happenings around here in a good place. I tease my wife all the time cuz there's moment when I say all is right with the world and I like to sit out around the fire ring in my backyard. And yes, I smoke a cigar and say all rights with the world, but that's when things are going well for me and I'm feeling comfortable and I'm feeling safe and things are good. But there's many times that's not the case in my right there's many times that that's not happening. There's many times when I cannot say I'm happy because of circumstances around me or not providing the happiness that I want, but I'm here to tell you that joy that comes from God transcends all of that and you can find joy in the midst of the worst circumstance.
Why For unto you is Born This Day in the city of David a savior?
Who is Christ the Lord? Why did Jesus come he came to redeem what was lost and eat and Jeremy talked about that what felony turn it all the way to the end eating is going to be re-established in there will be peace. There will be home. We have a hope to that in the future. Why did Jesus come Jesus came to reverse the curse of the enemy and destroy him destroy the Satan Jesus came to defeat evil and create. Peace. That's what you came for. But the same call we have is where is the Peace? Peace can happen until pieces established in the heavenlies pieces already established and there's going to be a day when when Satan is going to be cast down and locked up and won't have any access to anything we do and peace will reign supreme. But in the meantime we suffer and in that suffering we have the ability to have joy. Jesus came as the good news. of great joy, because A Savior King, that's the Annunciation of Christmas in the Savior means someone that well came to save you you're drowning. You heard the illustration. You can't make it on your own someone comes in and lend you a hand and saves you from drowning. Jesus came as that Savior for all those things Jesus. Who is the Christ now is Jeremy said last week Christ is not his last name Christ is a title and it means the Messiah. He's the one that's been predicted by God the chosen one that's going to come and save everyone from their sin going to set what's in the world completely it rise going to re-establish eating as we talked about in her jammies going to re-establish peace and is going to bring the hope to fruition that God has promised with the with the coming of Jesus. And he is Lord.
He is God. He is the one that's in charge. That's who Jesus is.
So when we confess with our mouths, Jesus is Lord. And what that means is not just praying to receive him even though some people do that when they're praying to receive him because that's what they mean when they pray that prayer does that make sense is not just praying to receive him so I can leave my wife the rest of my life the way I want to when I get out of I get out of hell free card and go to heaven at the end of my days. That's not what that means. That means recognizing confession means to admit something that you know is true. And when you confess that Jesus is Lord, you believe, you know, that's true and it has impact on your life. Jesus is the one the Lord that's in control of my life. He's the one that I'm confessing that he's in charge and I'm submitting my life to him. secondly If I confess with around my mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead. I'll shout the save. It says in the Book of Romans and literally what that means is is it the resurrection is the crowning glory of the entire life death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the crown and Glory when you come to believe that Jesus came to do all those things for us the set the world right when we come to believe that I need somebody to Save Me From Myself the Savior and he did it by coming and I am able and I believe in my heart that God did that and confess with my mouth. Jesus is Lord. Guess what happens? We enter his kingdom. That's how we brings joy to our lives. Jesus came as the good news. of great joy So, what does that mean? I'm going to move to a passage in Hebrews chapter 12.
And I love this passage. I'm going to read it and then go back just a bit. Therefore since we the we is us. Let's assume that the writer of Hebrews is right. He's not to us, but we get if we get to be a spectator do what he's writing and he's writing to real people therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us lay aside every weight and sin which clean so easily and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. I'm going to stop for a minute. So what's he talking about here? Who are the cloud of witnesses In this passage homework? I've given this homework many months ago. What would I? Cuz I want you to have the background. I want you to read Hebrews chapter 11 on your own and what he's referring to In this passage is the people listed in Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews chapter 11 is affectionately called the face chapter and it talks about a whole series of people almost from the very beginning almost almost up to the time when Christ came of people who live their lives of faith in response to God in the things that happened to them many of them did amazing things and lived all lives and died old men and women many of them were were cut in half and sewn into and many of them died of sickness and many of them died of being tortured and many of them did all these kinds of things. But what happened is they died a long time ago and what he's saying is we are surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses now also you have to understand you had after I understand the culture anyone reading this would have understood what he was talking about. He was talking Roman Colosseum, there's a cloud of witnesses in the stands around you note and I listen to the language and because of that. We are surrounded by this Cloud all these people that have gone before us all these people that have died in faith. All these people to serve God their entire lives. Let us lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely and you know, it was very common that like it is now that you're not going to enter a race where on your street clothes. Did you get your gun that you're going to put on the lightest fastest clothes and run the marathon what he's talking about? His is a colosseum where there's running going on there saying drop your swords drop your backpacks and literally drop your tunics get rid of the things that are hindering you and running and run the race without any hindrance and he describes what those hindrances are spiritually but what is beginning to tell us because it's worth it because we're in the race because of Witnesses are around us. We're running this race and get rid of all that stuff that's in the way. It's not so you live good moral lives. The reason you don't sin is so you're good enough to go to heaven. The reason you don't send you drop those things aside in the things that get in the way is because you're pursuing Christ and you want to be pleasing to him and have an impact to the world around you. Does that make sense to you? That's the reason that's what he say. If I quit early there was time in the Roman history where they took out all their clothes to run those races because they found it so buying that's that's in the history what happened? So he's referring to what happens. Run with endurance the race that is set before you endurance doesn't mean it's easy. It means it takes work to do what God has called us to do. Let me go on to the next verse after that looking to Jesus the founder of protector of our faith. I'm going to stop there just for a minute. If you were seems like some of the movies Gladiator there's a box in the stadium. Where Caesar sets, right? That's what they're talking about. You're competing. You can see Jesus in the Box. In fact what we realize he's seated at the right hand of God on the throne of God. It's right there and that's what you're looking to and what we know when we look to Jesus. He's been through it. He's run the race. He's accomplished with God sent it to accomplish.
Who for the joy? Remember the word Joy. Who for the joy that was set before him he endured remember run with endurance. It was in the first before he endured the cross despising the shame in a seated at the right hand of the Throne of God. We're looking to who The Jesus the one who saves us an example to us. Here's the same guy than in the Garden of Gethsemane fell on his feet sweated drops of blood was it was praying almost to the point of death. Here is the guy that said God. I don't want to have to do this if there's another way I want another way, but nevertheless not my will yours be done God. And he did that for the joy that was set before him he knew what was coming. You knew what the end was going to be. He knew the direction. He was leading Us in and because of that Joy he was able to put up with a man unimaginable pain unimak. Can you imagine carrying all the sin of the whole world on his shoulders? I think about that when you've done something really wrong with you carry that around is that drag you down? It's especially when you know, you hurt somebody or done something wrong. He carried it all not only that he carried the he carried the the harm that did for those you may have sinned against her send with he carried all that as well in the damage. They feel he carried that all with him when he died on the cross and why did he do that for the joy that was set before him he understood. Where Joy comes from and could go through all of that because of the joy that was set before him.
And all those that lived before him. They died and they didn't receive the things promised. all of Romans chapter 11 in Hebrews chapter 11 Here's what it says. They didn't receive the promise. In fact. Significantly the It also says that and all these though commended through their faith did not receive what was promised that God has provided something better for us. That apart from us they should not be made perfect. That's Hebrews 11:39.
So apart from us apart from Christ coming and us being post Christ because all the people he described before were pre-crisis. What he saying is Christ came at just the right time. He paid for all everything past present and future where that would happen in our path now but was their future while it was it was a recent past. None of that would have been possible. And he did it for the joy set before him. I'm going to go to John. This is where Jesus my favorite meeting in all of scripture when Jesus again as meeting with disciples on his last day alive and he's beginning to disclose to them pretty clearly what's going to happen to them. He's going to go away but then you're going to see him again. And then he says this Jesus knew that they the disciples wanted to ask him. So he said to them is it what you are is this what you're asking yourselves when I meant by saying a little while you will not see me in a little while. You will see me he's talking about I'm going to die. He's trying to encourage him that it may be temporary, but they're kind of confusing and here's what he says truly truly. I say to you you will weep in the mint but the world will rejoice something's come and something's going to happen in your life something you've devoted three years of your life to what you're going to witness in me and they don't know it yet is my deaf and all that takes and you are going to weep and you were going to Lament. And you are going to think it's not fair and you going to think we we we we were hanging on to the wrong horse all of those things.
And the world's going to rejoice. I think about that for a minute how many times even in our culture today are things that are wrong being called, right?
In the world rejoices and things that are right or be calling being called wrong. In the world with Joyce's that's what he's talking about. The world's going to Rejoice because they think Jesus deserve to be put to death is a criminal because of what he was doing. The right was looked at as being wrong. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn. To Joy when a woman is giving birth. Yes or because her Hours come but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers that anguish for for joy that a human being has been born into the world that we understand that. I've never obviously had a baby but I've been present for two of them and let me tell you nobody's having any fun in the room. Nobody the babies not having fun to Mom's not having fun to Dad's not having fun. Nobody's having fun and it's very painful. But as soon as that baby is born there. It all goes away and you know how I know that to be true cuz a woman would not have a second baby if their life depended on it if it wasn't for that thing that occurred and what he's what he's doing. He's relating that to what's going to happen to Jesus. What's going to happen to Christ what he saying it was worth everything that he did to go through it because when it happens is going to change everything he moved on to say, so also you have sorrow now you have sorrow now Yes, is there a star on your life and things go like that. Not too is there deep wrong in the world today that we grieve over? But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice and no one will take this Joy your joy from you. What did Paul say about where we get joy, and I think this is important. The kind of Joy were talking about is not an Earthly Joy. If you're not in Christ, you can't have it. You can be happy circumstances to be right and you can call that Joy. But what I'm talking about is the joy that doesn't include circumstances, but the scripture tells us that the fruit of the spirit includes Joy. Sit right there pretty clearly but the fruit of the spirit is love and joy, and I look at that kind of a software. Let me and I'm not much of a computer guy, but there's software downloaded in this when we come to know Christ declare him as Lord and give my heart and soul. Joy enters in it. And it's a real part of who we are. That's why I believe our followers are cars at the only ones that have even the opportunity. Even the opportunity to experience Joy, even when there's all kinds of trouble because Jesus puts it inside of us through the power of His. Holy spirit in the same way. He works out those other things. Play what did Jesus say on The Sermon on the Mount. This is going to shock you blessed. Are you when others revile you and persecute you and I were all kinds of evil against you falsely in my account. So when you get The Living Daylights mocked and ridiculed and beaten out of you you are blessed. How do you like that?
He goes on to say rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven for they persecuted the For so they persecuted the prophets were headed. What they're saying is there's something significant about those things that happened we can choose to look at those things is well with me. I'm a victim the bad things that happened to us or we can choose to look at those things. I need to rejoice and be glad I need to understand that God can use this in my life for a purpose. I need to know that he who began a good work in me is faithful to complete it. I need I need to clearly understand that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. So when tribulation start yes, we're going to think this is horrible. This is terrible. This is awful. But at the same time the Holy Spirit allows us to look at this and say wait a minute. God is going to use this because I know I have a hope somewhere else how many of you have experienced horrible things in the past and when you look back later and cries realize that was probably one of the very best things that ever happened to me. And how many people you think you know that don't know Christ even some people that do know Christ the bad things happen to them. They become bitter and angry the rest of their life and can never get let go that's the joy that God brings. Into her life. What did the Paul say in Colossians? I love this. I now rejoice in my sufferings for your sake what he saying is I'm choosing to suffer. He's writing from prison. This is no American prison. Convicts don't have rights in those prisons and he's there because of the Gospel. He said I am. Rejoicing in my sufferings on your behalf. And in my flesh. I am filled up with lacking in Christ's afflictions for your sake for his body. That isn't yours what he saying is Christ came and did everything to set you free. Now I get the opportunity to suffer so that we can move people into place where they can be set free. Also, even if that requires my suffering and I'm willing to do it. He was going to say of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you to make the word of God more fully known the mystery hidden for the ages and generations, but now is revealed to a saint and here's a big deal. This is the most important thing when it comes to Joy. I think I'm going to say to them God chose and make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of the mystery. And here's the mystery of God hears. What makes all the difference in the world Christ in you Christ in us. The hope of glory is that it gives us the opportunity to have that hope It's Supernatural there's nothing we can do to conjure it up. He's in it and he brings it in the fact that he's in US gives us the ability to walk through these things even Paul in prison. For the sake of those who were following him. What did Peter say Blessed Be The Godfather of the Lord Jesus Christ according to his great Mercy has caused us to be born again to Living Hope for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable undefiled and fading kept in heaven for you. Who by God's power of being guarded through faith for a Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time in this you rejoice going to stop there for a minute that's amazing stuff. I want all that stuff. We just said that Christ came. He took it all he did it for us. He saved us that's an amazing stuff, but then he says don't For a little while, if necessary, you will be grieved by various trials why so that the tested genuineness of your faith more precious than gold that perishes though. It is tested by fire may be found to result in the praise and glory and honor the revelation of Jesus Christ what he saying is you can praise God for all he's done for you and you can praise God for all the hardships you go through at the same time. Why because we're looking for a hope. It's not exactly here right now. What did James say are we hate? This this is one this is one of those black and white ones. Count it all joy.
When you meet Trials of various kinds.
We have a choice. Yes, we're all going to react responsibly is human beings react, but because God's spirit dwells within us. Because he has downloaded his joy into our hearts. He has given us the ability.
In the renewing of our minds to look at those things. We live through. It happened to us and actually make a decision to count it all joy.
Where else in the world is that kind of Joy exist other than in Christ where else in the world? Do we get to have that promise of joy is one of the most powerful words in my opinion in scripture because of everything that applies it applies, even though you slay me is jokes that I will still trust in you and what he was did you see it? I mean even though that happens I'm going to do that because of the joy set before him Christ. Did what I did for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let's dad steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete.
biking nothing there's something about
the crap it happens in this world around us. That makes us perfect.
for the joy It is set before him. I'm going to go back and reread a couple of verses already read. Truly truly I say to you you will weep in my mouth. I just want you to know that there are those days when horrible things are going to happen in your family in your life. Most of you've been around enough around the block enough and like you've already experienced those. And you whip him a met. But the world will rejoice we talked about the right and wrong things are going to be glad that bad things are happening to you. Your sorrow will be turned to Joy. the joy of the Lord is our strength Nehemiah said in chapter 8 So also you have sorrow now. But I will see you again.
We know Jesus because we've experienced and he's in our heart. We know Jesus because he move those my heart desire for all of us. And in this church and in Christ, we would hear from God and be moved to do things because God is moving you we know that voice. We know the quality of God's voice and in our hearts and I realize that what he saying is you may have to offer now, but there is going to be a day you're going to see me face to face.
And your hearts will rejoice and no one. You're going to take that Joy away from you. Jesus came as a good news of great joy Let's pray.