"Joy that words cannot express"

Brothers and sisters as we come this Sunday in Advent the theme is all about joy and I’m truly excited and I still have joy. Joy that words cannot express! My Lord! As we contemplate this word today, God has a word for His people. I’m here to tell you this morning that all that we’ve been thru I still have joy. I have joy because I know God is preparing to bring us from out of this pandemic. I have joy because God spoke to me and my heart is filled with gladness. If we look at this word today, this passage of scripture it’s taken from the Psalms. I love the Psalms because they share the feelings and the emotions of God’s people. This Psalm 126 is called a song of Ascents and I want you to know it is a prophetic word of restoration. That’s why words cannot express the joy that I have today.

Beloved this Psalm is about Israel and their return to Israel after being in captivity. i don’t know about you this morning but I feel as though we’ve been in exile for the last nine months; but can I tell somebody we’re coming out, we’re coming out! Oh yes we’re coming out of this mess! Lord have mercy!

You see in verse 1, Israel had been in captivity but when the Lord brought them back home there was joy. Judah had gone and been in a foreign land, a strange land called Babylon. They had hung their harps on the Poplar trees by the rivers of Babylon where they sat and wept. Oh how they remembered Zion and said how can we sing songs of Zion in a strange land?

Beloved it feels like we’re living in a strange land constrained to our homes, but like Israel they had joy. Can I tell you this morning that trouble won’t last always? Can I tell you that weeping may endure for a night but joy, joy. We have a joy that the world didn’t give to us! Israel thought they were dreaming and couldn’t believe it that they were actually going to go back home. And so they had an unstoppable praise! They had a joy that words couldn’t express! Brothers and sisters we ought to give God thanks for what He is about to do! Sometimes you gotta give God praise in advance for what He will do! Hallelujah! The joy of the people could not be contained, for theirs was an unexpected, wonderful and beautiful dream. Do you dream of the day when we are back in Arnett. Do you dream of the day when the choir is marching up the aisle? Lord have mercy! Aren’t you glad this morning because of what the Lord has done! Good God almighty! Aren’t you glad this morning because God has kept you all of these nine months and aren’t you glad this morning that God has kept you in 2020 and two thousand and twenty one is right around the corner. Don’t you know that the joy of the Lord is our strength! I can see the sun peeping through the clouds! Glory to God! Israel just couldn’t believe it and thought they were in a dream! God hadn’t completely fulfilled the dream. it was still an eschatological event. In other words was going to bring it to pass in God’s own time! Somebody pinch me I must be dreaming! God is about to bring us out of this pandemic. Hold on and wait upon the Lord! Be of good cheer, I say wait upon the Lord! Joy that words cannot express!

Verse 2 says even the nations acknowledged that the God of Israel had brought them out! Lord have mercy.

I know the world is looking at us; looking at the United States to see what and when we are going to come out from this President from out of this rule and a new administration, a new government by the people and for the people will take charge. I know that thew world is looking to see how the church, how Christians will respond. Well we need to tell the world that God did it. It was God that brought us out ! yes science is responsible but who is behind the science? God is. So God did it! God is the ultimate force behind this vaccination. The world will know that it was by the grace of almighty God that He brought us out just like He did with Israel! Oh glory Hallelujah!

Verse 3 says He has done great things, He has done great things He has done great things!

Can I tell you this morning that God is going to restore the joy of our salvation. Just like the Negev the dry area in southern Israel. This area was dry in the Summer but in the Winter water flowed! Don’t you know this morning that we’ve been in the dry place; in the desert long enough and God says its time to bring you out! And so God is going to restore what has been lost, what has been taken by this pandemic. But you gotta have joy! The joy of the Lord is our strength! The bible says sing for joy in your heart! And that a joyful heart is good medicine!

God is going to restore all that has been taken, all that the canker worm and the locusts has stolen. Joel said blow the trumpet in Zion! Gather the assembly. See the church has not lost her way. The church hasn’t skipped a beat. God has provided even in the midst of a pandemic! God has made a way out of no way! He continues to put food on our tables and clothes on our backs!

You can’t tell me that God won’t do it! That God won’t open up a highway in the desert!

My brothers and sister we just need you to continue to hold on and God will come thru! If He did it for Daniel He’ll do it for you! He is our help in ages past and our hope for years to come! We may be dealing with a pandemic; where doctors and nurses and frontline workers are exhausted, but Israel was going through a drought. And God saw their tears. God knows all about what were going thru. He sees the tears that we’ve sown because of the death of loved ones, financial ruin; loss of homes and income. Oh God sees our tears and He knows all about our struggles. But the Lord will answer by and by. Israel had tears and weeping on one hand and on the other they were reaping the jubilation.

Let me submit to you this morning church that God will turn your tears into joy; even though Judah had went off to Babylon in exile for 70 years God came to their rescue. God will never leave nor forsake you. ; that’s the joy of it all! Words cannot even touch the joy that we have for what the Lord has done. When we were at the end of our rope God caught us Hallelujah! He didn’t let you drown! No, beloved as we bring this word to a close today i want you to remember that you don’t have to forget about your past but remember that you have bright future in Christ Jesus! You have a bright future in the Lord! You made have had to cry, to sow some tears, but the harvest is joy, joy unspeakable joy!

I’m reminded of the song by Douglas Miller, when I think of how He brought me through, and how how the Lordchanged my life

My soul, soul is overwhelmed, I get joy, joy, joy unspeakable joy!

I get joy, joy, joy unspeakable joy

Anybody got joy this morning. Joy that words can’t express! You know He brought you a mighty long way and you got joy! You know He brought you out and you got joy!

But the real joy comes in knowing that our Lord and Savior jesus Christ is coming back for you and for me. The true and real inexpressible joy is found in the praise and honor and glory of the revelation of jesus Christ that we will greatly rejoice. Oh my brothers and sisters there will be a great rejoicing at the Homecoming of our Lord and Savior jesus Christ. He will come and we will go and live with Jesus forever! Amen.