The Power of Joy

Who - Luke

to whom - Gentiles

where - Countryside of Bethlehem

when - 0 AD

What - “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people”

why - To give encouragement, Hope, and Joy of the Arrival of the Messiah

Intro

We are so thankful for Bro. Randie, the band, the praise team, and the Audio Visual team in the back. Ya’ll put in so much time and effort in order to lead us well, and for that we want to say thank you!! Let’s give them another hand!!

Well, If you can’t preach after that, then preaching may not be your calling! Amen?!

Take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of luke. We’ll be in chapter 2.

This marks our third week celebrating the advent season! I’ve had a great time diving into the scriptures with you each week, with the help of some of our faith family who have been so kind and gracias to step out of their comfort zone and encourage us by lighting the candle and reading from God’s word each week!

This week the (Family Name) lite the Joy candle and encouraged us from God’s word.

The Joy is something that we all want right?

But

What is Joy?

The Greek word for Joy is “Chara” Which the Lexham Bible Dictionary defines as “Closely related to gladness and happiness, although joy is more a state of being than an emotion; a result of choice.

J.C. Meyer comments that the book of Philippians presents joy as an essential outgrowth of union with Christ in the gospel.

A lot of people unconsciously mistake “Happiness” for “Joy”.

Well what do you mean by that Bro. Matt? Well before i answer your question let’s see if anyone can relate to this?

Typical of last minute Christmas shoppers, a mother was running furiously from store to store. Suddenly she became aware that the pudgy little hand of her three year old son was no longer clutched in hers. In a panic she retraced her steps and found him standing with his little nose pressed flatly against a frosty window. He was gazing at a manger scene. Hearing his mother’s near hysterical call, he turned and shouted with innocent glee: "Look mommy! It’s Jesus - baby Jesus in the hay!" With obvious indifference to his joy and wonder, she impatiently jerked him away saying, "We don’t have time for that!"

In one of His recent advent sermons Matt Chandler made a very powerful statement. He said that He wasn’t concerned about His church’s happiness.” Now when we first hear, this statement may come across as cold or rude, but what he said afterward shows the opposite. He said that He “cared about their Joy”

Happiness is a very fragile thing isn’t it?

How many mornings have we woken up in a great mood, but let us spill our coffee, or let us get caught in traffic. That “happiness” quickly turns to anger, frustration, or some other type of emotion.

Haven’t we all felt like this woman. Felt overwhelmed or rushed and allowed for the things that we “have to get done” to overshadow the reason why we are doing them?

It’s important for us to see that

Joy is not something that is based on Emotion, but founded in the truth of the Gospel!

Let’s jump into our text this morning!

Luke 2:8–20 CSB

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors! 15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

I love the scene here!

Jesus has just been born. There has been so much leading up to this moment!

Mary and Joseph have gone through a very difficult season!

People have suggested that mary wasn’t faithful to Joseph

They’ve had to relocate due to a government order.

The couldn’t find an actual place to stay when they arrived.

Plus they not only have the fears that all new parents have, but they know who this child is! Talk about pressure!

However, in this moment we see a shift. A shift from gloom to beauty.

Imagine the countryside of Bethlehem. Look at this picture and Imagine the peace of no street lights, only being able to see by the glow of the moon. That’s where this account takes us immediately after the Birth of the Savior.

but why?

In this passage, the Lord shows us 4 very valuable lessons about Joy

Joy is found in Humility

Luke 2:8 CSB

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock.

There is a reason why the Angels appeared to the shepherds. To be a shepherd in this time period would have been demanding, honest work. These people had to constantly protect these animals from predators. They were also often the last to be considered. The “Least of these” if you will! The Least important.

But the significance of the Angel going to them was not without purpose! This decision to tell the Shepherds eludes to a precious action take by God in 1 Samuel 16.

The Lord had told the Prophet Samuel to go and find a new King. So he went to a city called “BETHLEHEM” to a man named Jesse to choose a new king from his sons. He went through all of Jesse’s sons and this is what happened.

1 Samuel 16:10–12 CSB

10 After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12 So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance. Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.”

This little, lowly, smelly, insignificant Shepard boy was the one “after God’s own heart!” King David Himself in which we see great things in the Old testament! The Patriarch of the family from which Jesus was born! So of course the shepherds were the first to hear about it!!

Joy comes to those who are Humble in spirit! Not to those who approach life selfishly. Only those who keep their eyes fixed on the Reason for the Season, and not the season itself, will experience JOY!

The passage also shows us that:

Joy is not found in Fear

Luke 2:9–11 CSB

9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

Many approach the Good news of Jesus with a spirit of fear. The “Fire and Brimstone” approach if you will. The angels see this type of fear in the shepherds and quickly encourage them not to be afraid!

Some of you are probably thinking that we should “fear the Lord.” and i would agree with you! We should have a healthy fear/respect/sense of awe toward God, but that’s not the same word that the angels are using here.

The Word used in this verse is the greek word Phobeo - which is where we get our word Phobia. That’s why it’s so important for us to dive into the text.

The Lord wants us to respect and honor Him, but we also know that He desires a real intimate relationship with us! and that can’t happen if that relationship, our salvation, is founded on fear.

We see this throughout the scriptures

Isaiah 12:2 CSB

2 Indeed, God is my salvation; I will trust him and not be afraid, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation.”

We also see this in Jesus’ relationship with the 12 Apostles. They did life together, knowing who He was, and receiving the Love and direction that fear wouldn’t provide.

The next observation that we see in this passage goes completely against our consumerist mindset. We see that:

Joy is Given, Not Taken

From Black friday to Christmas morning life is just a mad dash to “get this” or “order that”! and though many of us try to do this in the “Spirit of Giving” have we allowed for the “thrill of the hunt” to become more important than Christ himself? Have we become the woman from the illustration who pulled Her child away from admiring the Savior of the World!

Are we leading our children by example in experiencing the Joy of Salvation, or the Joy of Consumerism?

The Shepherds rushed to see what the Angels had told them about! This child who was born to save the world!!

They wasted no time, everything else became secondary!! They understood that this was a Gift to the world! A gift in which they played no role in providing! A gift in which could not be taken from the Heavens, but had to be Given by the Father.

and the Joy that they experienced, They salvation that we receive only through placing our Hope and surrendering our lives to this Jesus Child. It moved the shepherds to Action. and we learn that

Joy guides others to Joy

Luke 2:17–18 CSB

17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Happiness is fragile. It comes and goes.

Joy on the other hand, is so much greater than any emotion that we can ever feel. It brings us happiness, but more importantly, It moves us to action.

Is the Joy of Jesus in Your Life?

Joy comes only by being saved from our sins by surrendering our lives to Jesus. by believing that He was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose three days later.

If you want to experience that type of Joy. You can come forward in just a moment, and pray or pray right where you are. Admit to the Lord that you know that you are sinner. You know that you don’t have the Joy of salvation that we’ve been talking about. Ask Him to forgive you of those sins, and commit your life to follow Him.