Unspeakable Joy
An MCF Christmas • Sermon • Submitted
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This morning we are picking back up in our Christmas series, an MCF Christmas.
If you haven’t been with us, we started this series a couple weeks ago, and as I stated then, when it comes to Christmas messages, they’re not my favorite kind of messages to write or preach.
And a lot of that has to do with the fact, that from year to year, the message of Christmas doesn’t change.
That Christmas is always about a couple named Mary and Joseph, a baby named Jesus, a manger with animals, Shepards, and some Wise Men. You could say it’s predictable.
It always involves Christmas
over the last couple of weeks we have been looking at Christmas from a little bit different perspective than normal.
And while he consistency of Christmas is important, there is a challenge that comes with it.
And the challenge is that because Christmas is repetitive and predictable, people tend to lose sight of what Christmas is really about and what it offers us. In a way, we become numb to it.
Add to that the rush to get the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, the never ending Christmas decorations and parties, those awkward family get togethers, and so on, and all of a sudden Christmas becomes a season we look forward to and enjoy, but if we’re honest, it wears us out, empties our checking and savings accounts, and kind of leaves us relieved when it’s over.
Add to that the secular influence of our culture on Christmas
And that’s why the Christmas season can be a challenge, because from year to year the busyness and predictability of Christmas, sometimes cause us to lose sight of the true meaning and purpose of Christmas.
But
And so because of all that, I decided to approach Christmas this year from a different perspective by focusing on four certainties that Christmas offers us.
And that’s why Christmas can be a challenge. Because from year to year it’s a repetitive and predictable season.
Certainties that represent the true meaning and purpose of Christmas. Certainties that we need to be aware of if we want to avoid Christmas burn out. Certainties that quite frankly aren’t just seasonal, but eternal. Certainties that shouldn’t just be celebrated once a year, but all year.
The first certainty we looked at was the certainty of “Unshakeable Faith”.
Our text came from , as the writer defined faith and then pointed us to what our faith should be based upon.
And what we learned from that text is that Christmas was never meant to be a predictive and repetitive holiday, but instead, a continued reminder of the promised faithfulness of God in our lives.
We saw this through the story of a man named Abraham.
A story where God made a promise to Abraham that one day, through his offspring, God would provide a redeemer to save mankind from his sin. A promise that one day He would provide Christmas.
And the good news for all of us is that God came through on that promise. A promise that was fulfilled through the birth of Jesus on Christmas morning.
So, what that means then is, if we want to put our faith in something secure, we need to put it in the faithfulness of God.
Trusting in a God that will never let us down. A
Because at the end of the day, that’s what faith is. It’s you and I putting our faith in the faithfulness of God.
And so if you want the certainty of Unshakeable faith in your life, that’s where it starts. It starts by putting your faith in the faithfulness of God. Faith in a God, that when all seemed lost for mankind, He came through on His promise of Christmas.
That then led us to a second certainty. A certainty we called“Unwavering Hope”.
Last week we looked at the certainty of “Unwavering Hope”.
We saw this certainty play out in the life of a man named Joseph. And when I say Joseph, I’m not talking about the Joseph in the Christmas story. I’m talking about the great, great grandson of Abraham. The Joseph found in .
And what we learned last week is that the story of Joseph is a foreshadow of the hope Christmas offers us.
In other words, prophetically speaking, Joseph is what Bible scholars call a type of Christ. Meaning, Jospeh symbolically represents God’s future promise and hope for Christmas.
In fact, there are more than 100 parallels between the story of Joseph in and the story of Jesus in the Gospels. And it’s a story of hope. The hope that one day God would provide a redeemer for mankind.
For example:
In , Joseph made some outrageous claims that one day he would rule over his brothers, and they hated him for it.
In Jesus made similar claims about himself, and people hated him for it.
In , Joseph’s brothers betrayed him and sold him for 20 shekels of silver.
In , Judas betrayed Jesus and sold him for 30 pieces of silver.
In Genesis
And what we learned last week, is that story of Joseph symbolically represents the hope of Christmas.
A hope that came as a result of a promise God made to Joseph through a series of two dreams. Dreams that foretold that one day Joseph would rule over his brothers. Dreams that Joseph embraced and his brothers rejected and ridiculed.
He represents the Hope of Christmas because through Joseph God continued the promise He made to Abraham.
He represents the Hope of Christmas because though Joseph God continued the promise He made to Abraham.
Because
Dreams that seemed to die when Joseph’s brothers, who hated him, sold him into slavery and told everybody he was dead.
Dreams that seemed forever lost when Potiphar’s wife lied and got him thrown into an Egyptian prison.
But dreams that Joseph held onto. Because while Joseph could have lost hope in the midst of his unfortunate circumstance, he didn’t. Instead, he remained faithful and obedient to God’s Word and he kept his eyes on the faithfulness of God. He kept putting his hope in the promise God had given him.
And in the end, when it seemed the enemy had won the day, when it appeared nobody was going to rescue Joseph, God reached down and raised him up, and put him in a place of honor and authority as second in command to the Pharoah of Egypt.
A place where he now had the power to save his family from a famine that was consuming the land.
A place where he would provide forgiveness to his brothers and refuge for the future nation of Israel to grow and thrive.
Joseph puts it like this as he speaks to his brothers in :
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
And what was true for Joseph would be true for the
You see, Joseph represents the Hope of Christmas. The hope that God would one day not only provide a physical redeemer for Israel, but a spiritual redeemer for mankind as well.
Because had it not been for Joseph’s unwavering hope, the nation of Israel would have died in the famine, and the hope of Christmas with it.
But not only does Joseph represent the hope of Christmas, he symblizes the hope of what Jesus wou
A redeemer, who like Joseph, would be hated, betrayed, and pay the price for our sin.
A redeemer, who like Joseph, at his own expense, would go ahead of us and prepare a way of salvation.
A redeemer, who like Joseph, when all hope seemed lost for him, God would raise him up
A redeemer, who when we couldn’t save ourselves, would offer salvation to us.
A redeemer, who like Joseph, was given authority and power to save.
A redeemer, who like Joseph, when we couldn’t save ourselves, would offer forgiveness and salvation to us.
And continue it did, as thousands of years later, in a stable in Bethlehem, God sent the redeemer to earth, to live a life we couldn’t live and die a death we deserved.
You see, Joseph represents the hope of Christmas. The unwavering hope that comes through faith in Jesus.
But because Joseph put his hope in the faithfulness of God, the hope for Christmas lived on as thousands of years later, through the nation of Israel, in a stable in Bethlehem, God sent the redeemer to earth.
A death that resulted in victory as God raised Jesus up and gave him power and authority to rule and save.
You see, Joseph represents the Hope of Christmas. The hope that God would one day not only provide a physical redeemer for Israel, but a spiritual redeemer for mankind as well.
This is what the writer of Hebrews is talking about when he says:
1 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, 2 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.
That’s the certainty that Christmas offers us. To remind us that regardless of our circumstances, because of Jesus, we can have unwavering hope.
To know that no matter what our circumstances are, and even if God doesn’t work in the way we think he should or on the timeline we’d like, He’s always faithful. He always comes through. Christmas reminds us of that Jesus is our unwavering hope.
This leads us to a third certainty this morning. A certainty we’re going to label “Unspeakable Joy”.
And to introduce us to this certainty and its connection to Christmas, we are going to look an another OT story.
But before we get to that story, I want to start by giving some thought to what we mean by the term “UnSpeakable Joy”.
So, let’s ask the question, “What is Unspeakable Joy?”
Well, based on the adjective “unspeakable”, it would appear we’re talking about a joy that words can’t describe.
A joy that can’t be verbally expressed.
For example, when I think of how unspeakable joy is expressed, I think of a mother who holds her baby in her arms for the first time.
A joy that leaves us somewhat speechless.
So, for example:
Well, when I think of unspeakable joy, I think of a mother who holds her baby in her arms for the first time.
Example #1 - When I think of that kind of joy, I think of the mother who holds her baby in her arms for the first time.
Christmas reminds us of that. Christmas is meant to give us “Unwavering Hope”.
A moment where words can’t express the joy she looks into the eyes of her newborn baby and tears of joy roll down her cheeks.
A moment where all she can do is look and stare at the gift God has given her. It’s a moment of unspeakable joy.
Example #2 - Another example would be the groom who looks upon his bride as the door opens and she walks down the isle. A moment of where feelings overwhelm him as he gazes at the beauty of his bride.
In fact, I was recently at a wedding, where as the bride entered the room, the groom stood at the alter with tears streaming down his face. A moment of unspeakable joy.
Example 3#- Another example would be when a person receives an unexpected gift they never thought they’d receive, leaving them nearly speechless.
I experienced this once with my wife Denise.
From the time she was a little girl, she had always wanted a silver 4x4 Tacoma Pickup, but it was something she didn’t think she would ever have.
And then one day she got a surprise when she opened the garage door. Check this out.
Video of Denise
That still brings tears to my eyes and brings me great joy to watch Denise’s response in that video.
So, those are just a couple of examples of what “Unspeakable Joy” looks like.
A moment where something we’ve deeply longed for or desired becomes a reality in our life. A moment where words can’t clearly define the joy we now feel.
And to be frank with you, that’s exactly the kind of joy Christmas should produce in all of us.
In fact, I would say, when we fully grasp the gravity of Christmas, it should leave us stunned, speechless, and overwhelmed with emotion.
But if I’m being honest with you, I’m not convinced that most people, including a lot of Christians, carry that kind of Christmas joy in their heart. And I think we fail to carry it for a few reasons:
But if I’m being honest with you, I’m not convinced that most people, including a lot of Christians, carry that kind of Christmas joy in their heart. And I think we fail to carry it for a couple of reasons:
#1 - I think due to the busyness of the Christmas season, we tend to lose sight of what Christmas actually provides us. In other words, we lose sight of the reason for the season.
#2 - Because we tend to lose sight of the reason for the season, we often end up being joyful about Christmas, but for the wrong reasons.
#3 - Because Christmas is such a predictable holiday, we make the mistake of treating it flippantly or haphazardly. We’re like, ‘Yeah, it’s Christmas.”
In other words, while we’re excited for Christmas to come, we kind of treat it flippantly and haphazardly. We’re like, ‘Yeah, it’s Christmas.”
And as a result we don’t approach it with the reverence and awe that Christmas deserves.
And the problem with any of these reasons, is to lose sight of what Christmas provides and then treat it with a lack of reverence and respect, not only robs a person of the unspeakable joy Christmas provides, but I believe puts many in a dangerous place spiritually.
We’ll talk more about that in a moment.
And so as we approach this topic of “Unspeakable Joy” today and how that relates too Christmas, I have two goals.
Goal #1 - To remind us of what Christmas provides us and why it should produce “Unspeakable Joy”.
In other words, to rediscover the reason for the Season.
Goal #2 - To remind us of why it’s important that we not treat Christmas in haphadzardly manner.
And my hope is that by the end of our time together today, that not only would we have a right understanding of Christmas and a deeper reverence for it, but because we do, that together would experience the unspeakable joy that Christmas offers us.
And so in order to help us accomplish these two goals, we are going to look at a story from .
And it’s a story that at first won’t feel much like a Christmas story. But I think by the time we finish the story, you will have seen the Christmas connection.
As I said, the story is found in 2 Samuel 6, and it involves a man named David.
Now, if you’re not familiar with who David is, David was one of the greatest Kings in the OT. In fact, the Bible calls him a man after God’s own heart. So, in the Bible, he’s kind of a big deal.
And to put it simply, David was one of the greatest Kings in the OT. In fact, the Bible calls him a man after God’s own heart. So, he’s kind of a big deal.
Meaning, David was a man who was spiritually in tune with God.
Not only that, but because he is a Jewish King, David is a descendent of Abraham, and is part of the promise that God gave Abraham concerning a future redeemer.
But not only is David a part of that promise, but he is directly linked to it, because in God promised David that it would be through his direct family line that the promised redeemer would come. In God says this to David:
12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
God says the redeemer will come from your family line.
And that’s exactly what happened. Because if you fast forward to the lineage of Jesus in , it starts with Abraham, moves to David, and then finally to Jesus. And that’s why Jesus is often referred to as “The Son of David”.
All that to say, David is an important character in the story and promise of Christmas.
And that’s exactly what happened. Because if you
Which brings us to our story today. Because prior to God making this promise of Christmas to David, David had to learn a valuable and hard lesson about Christmas. And I believe it’s a lesson we all need to learn as well. Which brings us to .
So, to get us started, let me paint a picture of what is going on as we come to .
At the beginning of , David has just been crowned King of Israel. /So, as you can imagine, it’s a joyous occasion.
And as part of the festivities, David has decided to bring the Ark of God, also known as the Ark of the Covenant, to the capital city of Jerusalem.
Now, if you’re not familiar with the Ark of the Covenant, basically it was a gold chest made during the time of Moses, that represented the presence of God, and was considered the most sacred object in the OT tabernacle. So holy, that it was kept behind a veil or curtain in a place called the holy of holies.
All that to say, it’s a big deal.
And it was a big deal because on top of the ark was a lid called the mercy seat where God 's presence symbolically rested, and from this place He would dispense mercy to man when the blood of animals was offered as a sacrifice.
A sacrifice that was offered once a year on the day of atonement when the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies, where the ark was kept, and sprinkle the blood of the sacrificed animals for the sin of God's people.
And it was through this offering of blood at the mercy seat of God that forgiveness of sins could be provided.
Now, I know that’s a lot to digest and take in, but it’s important for all of us to understand what a big deal the ark was.
Because first and foremost, it represented the presence of God among His people.
And secondly, it’s the place where sins were atoned for.
2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.
So, what made it so sacred? It was sacred because it represented the presence of God. Because between the two angels on the chest was and in the OT temple, it symbolized the presence of God.
2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
So, it’s a big deal.
So, in , when David is crowned King, that’s the ark we’re going to read about that David wants to bring to Jerusalem.
So, with that as our context, let’s jump into the story. Beginning in verse 2 listen to what the writer tells us:
1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.
Let’s stop there for a moment, because I want to point out several important details the writer has just given us.
First, I want you to notice that David’s intention is to transport the ark from one place to another. Specifically to the city of Jerusalem.
Second, I want you to notice how they decided to transport the ark. The writer says they put it on a new cart that was being led by a pair of oxen.
Third, I want you to notice who is charge of transporting the ark. Their names were Uzzah and Ahio.
Finally, I want you to notice the celebratory nature of this event. The writer says as the ark was being transported to Jerusalem, 30,000 people went before the ark celebrating with singing, shouting, the playing of harps and the clanging of cymbals and tambourines.
5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.
The writer says they were singing, shouting, playing harps, and clanging cymbals and shaking tambourines.
2 Samuel 6:
If they would have been from whoville they would have been dancing with jingtinglers tied onto their heels. blowing their floofloovers, banging their tartookas, blowing their whohoopers, spinning their trumtookas., slamming their slooslunkas, and beating their blumbloopas.
All that to say this was a joyous occasion.
In way, it was like Christmas for them. No, Santa Clause wasn’t coming to town, but the Ark was. A symbol of God’s presence and forgiveness of sin in their lives.
2 Samuel 6:6-8
But unfortunately, the celebration wouldn’t last long. Because listen to what happened next. Verse 6:
6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day.
I’m going to say nobody was expecting that, right?
So, what’s going on here? Why did this happen? Why all of a sudden have we gone from a celebration to a funeral.
That’s a great question. So, let’s walk back through the passage and see if we can discover what’s going on here.
Notice first, the writer says as the ark is being transported, something happens to cause the oxen to stumble. why did they stumble? We don’t know. Could have been a pothole. Possibly a change in terrain. Maybe they were going through our church parking lot.
Notice First, the writer says as the ark is being transported, something happens to cause the oxen to stumble. So, what happened? Why did they stumble?
We don’t know. Could have been a pothole. Possibly a change in terrain. Maybe they were going through our church parking lot. I don’t know.
But something happens to cause the oxen to lose their footing. And in doing so the cart shifts and the ark starts to slide off the cart.
2 Samuel 6:8-
Ok, so
This is where Uzzah comes in, as reaches out to steady the ark.
Something that any of us would have done.
That’s when the writer says Uzzah intervenes, and more than likely responds like any of us would if something of value was about to be damaged.
I mean think about it. If you were walking next to somebody, and they lost their balance and started to fall, what’s your first reaction? Probably to reach out and grab them, right?
Or let’s say your holding your precious smart phone, and it slips out of your hand. What’s your first physical response? To frantically try to keep it from hitting the ground, right?
That’s exactly what Uzzah did. He had a knee jerk reaction when he saw the ark start to slide, so he instinctively reached out to keep it from falling.
But apparently God didn’t appreciate his instinct. Because instead of rewarding Uzzah, God punished him, and punished him severely.
Because the writer says as Uzzah placed his hand on the ark, the anger of the Lord came out against him, and God struck him down dead.
And as you might imagine, it quickly brought the festivities to an end. Because listen to what happens next. Verse 8:
8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
At this point the party is over. Notice what we’re told.
The writer says following this unexpected event, the celebration ceases, and joy turns into anger, sorrow, and fear.
In fact, the writer says David is now so fearful of the ark, that he has them deviate from the road and for the next three months he leaves it at the house of a man named Obed-edom.
I’m sure Obed is like, “Great! Thanks for leaving the ark of death at my house.”
But notice what else the writer tells us. The writer says instead of brining death into Obed-Edoms house, the ark brings blessing to his household.
So, at this point, a great question would be, “What in the world is going on here?”
Because none of this seems to make any sense.
I mean, all David was trying to do was honor the Lord by bringing the ark to Jerusalem. Nothing wrong with that.
All Uzzah did was try and keep the ark from being damaged, which you would think would be a good thing, but apparently not, because God kills Him for it?
And now the ark is sitting out in the country at some guys house, and while Uzzah was killed by the ark, Obed is getting blessed from it.
So, what’s going on here? How did such a festive event turn into such a confusing tragedy? Why has God done this?
What if I told you
That’s a great question. And I’ll begin to answer by saying this:
While it seems confusing, and God’s response seems harsh and extreme, God’s not to blame here. In fact, what I’d like to submit to you is that the person to blame for this mess is David.
Let me show you what I mean.
Let me show you what I mean.
15 And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.
Notice what God says. He says when the ark is transported, there are some specific guidelines that need to be followed:
Because, without going into a lot of detail, in order to understand what has happened here and why God has responded in this way, we have to go back to the OT book of Numbers. To the place where God gave specific instructions on how the ark was to be handled.
So, going back to , listen to the instructions God gave Moses concerning the ark, beginning in verse 5 we read:
5 When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it. 6 Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin and spread on top of that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.
We then go on to read in verse 15:
15 And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.
Notice what God says. He says, in the future, when the ark is transported, there are some specific guidelines that need to be followed:
Guideline #1 - The priests are the only ones who can touch the ark, and no one else. In the case of , it’s Aaron and his sons.
Guideline #2 - The Ark was to be covered by the veil it sat behind in the Tabernacle along with a covering of goatskins.
Guideline #3 - Poles were to be inserted into the loops that had been built into each side of the ark, so that it could be carried.
It would have looked something like this:
Show Picture of ark:
Guideline #4 - The Levites are the ones who need to carry the ark. That’s who the sons of Kohath were. In , it would have been Uzzah and Ahio.
So, based on those guidelines, let me ask you this, “In , were those guidelines being followed?”
No, they weren’t.
The ark wasn’t handled by priests, but by a couple Joes.
The ark wasn’t transported by poles, instead it was put on a cart.
The ark wasn’t covered, it was put on display for all to see.
David
When the oxen stumbled, a person not designated to touch the ark put their hand on it.
So, no, not one of the guidelines for transportation of the ark were being followed.
So, let me ask you another question, “Who should have known about those guidelines?”
How about we let the Bible answer that question. Listen to what God says in :
18 “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them,
In this passage God begins to give instructions on what the future kings of Israel should know and do. And one of the primary instructions for future kings is that they would read and know the law of God.
So, in the case of , whose the King that should know what the law says? It’s David, right?
You see, here’s the problem. While David had good intentions on bringing the ark to Jerusalem, David either ignored, forgot, or was ignorant to what the Law said on how the ark was to be transported and who was allowed to touch it.
And to be honest, I have a hard time believing it was because he forgot or was ignorant. The fact is, David would have none.
But for whatever reason, he gave no thought to it and didn’t see it as a priority.
So, do you want to guess how they were transporting it? On a cart, being led by oxen.
Not only that, but he treated the ark like the pagans had treated it.
You see, what’s interesting about this entire scenario, is to some degree, it mirrors another incident with the ark back in .
We see that in
Because back in , before David was King, the ark had been captured by an enemy army known as the Philistines.
But having the ark in their possession didn’t go well for the Philistines. In fact, it resulted in a plague that was wiping out their villages. We read about it in .
2 Samuel 6:
11 They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.” For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there.
Not going well for them, right? So, here’s something for you to chew on.
Do you want to guess how they were transporting it? How about this. On a cart, being led by oxen.
So fast forward to , and not much has changed. Like the Philistines, the Israelites are mishandling the ark of God. And the result is death.
All that to say, this isn’t God’s fault. God warned them about this. God was very clear that when it came to the ark, it was to be treated with respect, honor, and awe, and not like a piece of furniture thrown in the back of a pick up and hauled down a bumpy road.
Because at the end fo the day, the ark represents the presence of God and is meant to bring blessing not death.
We see that as the ark is left for 3 months with Obed-Edom. Because the writer says as the ark sits there untouched, it brings blessing to his home.
So, that’s the problem, and that’s why Uzzah is laying dead in the road.
Now, here’s the good news. After all this took place, after he’s had some time to think about it, David recognizes his error, and he goes back to get the ark and bring it into Jerusalem. But this time he does it the right way. Listen to what we read in :
12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.
Notice, this time the guidelines are being followed, and just to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen again, David goes above and beyond and sacrifices an ox and a fattened animal every 6 steps on their journey too Jerusalem. This time David treats the ark with the respect and reverence due it.
And as a result, the people once again exuberantly rejoice leading to an unspeakable joy as David enters the city dancing before the Lord with all his might.
That’s quite a story, isn’t it?
So, maybe a great question at this point would be, “While this is all very interesting, what does this have to do with Christmas and Unspeakable Joy?”
I’m glad you asked, because believe it or not, it has everything to do with Christmas and the joy that Christmas offers. Which leads us to our first goal of rediscovering the reason for the season.
Because the fact of the matter is, what the Ark represented and what Christmas represent are one and the same.
Remember, I told you the Ark of the Covenant represented the presence and forgiveness of God.
In the same way, that’s what Christmas represents as well. We know this based off of a key Christmas passage.
The passage is found in , as Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah concerning Jesus. He writes in verse 23:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).
Do you see what this passage is saying? It’s saying that Jesus is the presence of God in our lives. He is God, in human form among us.
The Apostle Paul puts it like this in as he talks about Jesus. He writes:
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Paul says Jesus was God in the flesh.
I want you to think about that for a second. The God of the universe. The God who created everything we see,, came down to earth, in the form of a man, and lived among us.
That’s amazing. That ought to blow your mind. That Jesus is Immanuel. He is God with us.
But not only that, like the ark, Christmas represents the forgiveness that Jesus offers. A forgiveness that can be offered because of his sacrifice for us.
The Apostle Paul writes concerning Jesus’s death:
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
The Apostle John adds:
2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
And the Apostle Peter confirms:
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
That’s amazing, is it not? That the God of the universe sacrificed himself for you. Gave his life for you. Why? So that your sins can be atoned for. So that you can be restored into right relationship with God.
You see, that’s what Christmas is all about. It’s about the presence and forgiveness of God in our lives. That’s the reason for the season. It’s what Jesus was talking about in when he said:
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
This is amazing and unbelievable news.
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
But the good new doesn’t end there. Because while Jesus and the ark represent God’s presence and forgiveness, Jesus did something the ark couldn’t do. Jesus changed how we can now approach God.
Because the ark wasn’t something you could approach. In fact, you couldn't’ even look at it or touch it.
But Jesus changed all that. How did he change it?
And the evidence of that Why? Because Jesus, the great high priest, has removed the veil that separated us from God’s presence.
Well not only did Jesus replace the box, he replaced the priest as well. And now Jesus is the great high priest, and through Him we now have direct access to God’s presence. The writer of Hebrews puts it like this:
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
It means the veil of separation between you and God is now gone.
Andi t removed the veil that separated us from God’s presence, and he has given us unlimited access.
The writer says Jesus is the way to salvation and he offers an open invitation to any who would seek forgiveness.
he gave his life for us, by dying
a death we deserved. he came to us, we now have access to Him. Meaning, we no longer need a priest to make sacrifices for us. There’s no longer a veil that separates us from his presence.
Maybe you didn’t realize this, but when Jesus died, the physical veil that covered the ark in the temple was literally torn in two. Matthew writes at Jesus’s death:
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
That’s why the writer of Hebrews says:
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
The writer says the door has been opened. The curtain of separation has been removed. Through Jesus we now have access to our creator. Through Jesus we can be restored to the father. Through Jesus, we no longer have to fear death.
That’s what Christmas offers. That’s the reason for the season. And when you truly understand and grasp that meaning, it ought to blow your mind and it should lead to Unspeakable Joy in your life.
Because when you truly understand what Christmas offers, it should lead
Because the fact is, when Christmas isn’t
Because whether you realize it or not, while Christmas took place in the 1st century in a little town called Bethlehem, the promise of Christmas came back in the first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis.
was never meant to be a repetitive and predictable season. offers us some certainties that we can’t live without. Certainties, that if we didn’t have, would leave us in a state of eternal despair.
Because when all hope seemed lost for mankind, God sent his son to save us and to restore us into right relationship with our creator. And now we can have hope.
When Uzzah reached for the ark, he committed a capital offense - . While they were levites, they weren’t priests and weren’t allowed to touch the ark.
That’s what Christmas offers. That’s the reason for the season. And when you truly understand and grasp that meaning, it ought to blow your mind and it should lead to Unspeakable Joy in your life.
However, I would say this, if that’s not the reason for the season for you, and that’s not where you’re joy for Christmas comes from, then there is a danger for you. Which leads us to our second goal this morning.
Because just like the ark could be mishandled and bring death, Christmas can be mishandled as well. And when Christmas is mishandled, it doesn’t lead to blessing, but instead, like Uzzah, it can bring death and sorrow.
Some of you might be thinking, “Well way to put a damper on Christmas pastor.”
Listen, if I didn’t care about you, I wouldn’t bring this part up. Because the last thing I want for anybody here this morning, is to make the mistake of mishandling Christmas, and by doing so miss out on the blessing that Christmas offers us.
So, a great question would be, “How does a person mishandle Christmas?”
David initially transported the ark in the same way the Philistines had transported it - , .
To be honest, I think it happens in one primary way:
Christmas is mishandled when we disrespect its purpose and celebrate it for the wrong reasons.
The fact is, wether you’re a Christian or not, Christmas is a joyous time. But the truth is, people are joyous about Christmas for many reasons, and often times for the wrong reasons.
For example:
Question #1 - When it comes to Christmas, where does your Christmas joy come from?
I think that’s a great question for all of us to ask ourselves today. Because without a doubt, wether you’re a Christian or not, Christmas is a joyous time. But the truth is, people are joyous about Christmas for different reasons.
Some are joyous because they love the atmosphere Christmas creates:
The atmosphere of Christmas lights, Christmas decorations, Christmas music, Christmas movies, and the never ending Christmas shows on the Hallmark Channel. They just can’t get enough.
They also look forward to sitting down and watching Christmas movies and the never ending Christmas shows on the Hallmark Channel.
For them, they love the feeling of Christmas. It brings them great joy.
Others are joyous because of the material aspects of Christmas.
They look forward to Black Friday Shopping, Cyber Monday, 2 Day Shipping, and opening presents.
They get great joy in finding the right price and the right gifts. They love the material aspect of Christmas. It brings them great joy.
And then some are joyous because they’ll finally get some needed time. Time away from work. Time away from co-workers. Time away from School. And time to spend with family. They look forward with joy to a season of holiday rest.
And the list goes on.
And please hear me, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with any of those joyous aspects of Christmas. Those are all great things that the Christmas season provides.
But at the end of the day, none of those things lead to the true unspeakable Joy that Christmas offers us.
If anything, they lead to a temporary joy. A fleeting happiness.
Because eventually the Christmas decorations come down, well at least in most homes.
Eventually the sales end, credit card statements arrive, and the new smell wears off of the Christmas gifts.
Not only that but the vacation ends, and it’s back to work, back to school, and back to the real world.
And at that point, the joy of Christmas, for most people, comes to a close.
But what if I told you it doesn’t have to be that way, and wasn’t meant to be that way.
Because when you embrace the true meaning of Christmas, Christmas Joy doesn’t end on December 25, but continues throughout the rest of the year.
A joy that is found not just in a seasonal atmosphere, but in the daily atmosphere of God’s presence.
A joy that results in not only receiving temporal gifts, but an eternal gift that comes through faith in Jesus.
Christmas gives us time. Time to reflect on what’s really important.
You see, when properly understood, Christmas offers a lasting and eternal joy that follows us back to work, back to school, back into everyday life, and eventually into eternity.
But to have that kind of Joy, you have to handle and embrace Christmas for the right reason. You have to make it about Jesus, His presence, and His forgiveness.
My fear, is that for some, and maybe many of of you, that’s not what Christmas is about for you. That’s not what your celebrating and where your joy is coming from. And as a result, your mishandling Christmas.
For instance, for some it’s not that your not a Christian or that you don’t understand what Christmas is all about, but the truth is, you’ve made it about other things.
Mishandling it because you’ve gotten caught up in the world’s version of Christmas, and your handling Christmas like the Philistines. And as a result, your missing out on the blessing God might want to give you.
What blessing? The blessing of ongoing love, peace, and joy. The blessing of his presence in your life. The blessing of eternal life. Something the world’s version of Christmas can’t give you.
Something a Christmas movie can’t provide. Something you can’t buy on Amazon. Something only Jesus can give you.
Could it be that’s why you struggle throughout the year?
Could it be that’s why your life is
Could it be that’s why things haven’t worked out this past year the way you hoped they would?
You see, here’s the danger. When we mishandle Christmas, when we celebrate it for the wrong reasons, we end up losing sight of Jesus. And to lose sight of Jesus is a dangerous endeavor.
In fact, I have to believe it angers God to watch people celebrate a holiday about the gift of His Son, but give little thought or reverence to His Son.
Because without Jesus, there is no Christmas. There is no hope. There is no peace. There is no joy. There’s only what the world offers. And all the world offers for Christmas is a superficial joy and a temporal fix.
Could it be that’s why life kind of seems mundane and hopeless at times?
So, based on all that, let me close with this question, “When it comes to Christmas, how are you handling it? Are you handling it like the world handles it? Like the Philistines? Or are you embracing it for what it truly is? Are you making it about the presence of Jesus in your life and the gift of salvation that He’s given you?
Maybe life seems harder than it should be.
Because at the end of the day, that’s where true and lasting Joy is found. That’s where Christmas begins to make a difference in your life. That’s where temporal happiness turns into lasting, never ending, and unspeakable joy.
So, as we close, I’d like to end by encouraging you to ask yourself three questions that I believe will help you determine if you are handling Christmas correctly?
Question #1 - Where does my Christmas Joy come from?
Question #2 - Is Jesus the reason for the season in my life?
Question #3 - What changes do I need to make in order to handle Christmas in a way that pleases God and brings blessing into my life?
Let’s Pray
In other words, what’s Christmas about for you? What about Christmas gives you joy? What about it warms your heart?
Let’s Pray
And as a result, your mishandling Christmas, and you’re missing out on the blessing and joy that God wants to give you.
And then there are some here today, and for you, Christmas is a once a year event. A day you take some time off, go to church, open gifts, and then go back to work. And for you, that’s where it starts and where it ends.
For you, it’s a once a year event. A day you get some time off, go to church, open some gifts, and then go back to work. And for you, that’s all it is and where it ends.
And as a result, your mishandling Christmas, and your missing out on the true joy, the lasting joy, and the unspeakable joy that Christmas offers.
And my fear for you, is that if you don’t at some point see Christmas for what it truly is, that you’re going to miss out on what it offers.
And quite frankly, to miss out on what Christmas offers is death.
Ahio and Uzzah were Levites, but where transporting the ark incorrectly. They should have none that, and David should have none it as well.
When Uzzah reached for the ark, he committed a capital offense - . While they were levites, they weren’t priests and weren’t allowed to touch the ark.
While David has been noble in his intentions, the incident shook him and caused him to be angry.
The fear that David felt is positive. Fear like this restores the awe and respect that is due to God. When people lose a sense of awe and and respect for God, that’s when life goes south.
David had the ark taken to a different location than he originally intended. , Chr 26:5
Over the next three months the ark remained at the household of Obed-Edom. This was a Levitical residence. While there, the ark brought great blessing to Obed-Edom’s home.
This gave David time to reflect on what had happened and seek to bring the ark of God into the city in a Biblical and proper way.
Again, great rejoicing went before the ark, but this time the levites carried it according to God’s law. . In addition that, David offered a sacrifice ever 6 steps. At this point, David had regained his reverence, respect, and awe for the presence of God.
As David entered the city, he did so with great joy, unspeakable joy, as he danced and leaped before the Lord.
After the ark was brought into the city, David gave gifts to the people, bread, cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. These gifts commemorated the events of the day and served as a reminder of the Lord’s blessing upon the people.
Upon
However, when David returned to his home to bless his family, he was met with distain from his wife Michal. She berated David for dancing and questioned his motivation.
David responded by telling her if necessary, to honor the Lord, he would dance more and humiliate himself if necessary.
David wasn’t afraid to display expressions of unrestrained, authentic, unspeakable joy. He was willing to risk being misunderstood and humiliated in order to pursue a deeper relationship with God.
Michale’s rejection of David displayed her rejection of God. She remained childless until her death. Her unfruitful womb was a physical consequence of her own disobedience to the Lord. for Michal, it was not a day of blessing, but curse.