Joy

Intro

When we think of Joy

overwhelming happiness

joy of holding a new baby, getting married, accepting Christ, watching someone get baptized

Lottie Moon, “Surely there can be no deeper joy than that of saving souls.”

Magi came to see the one who would be the saviour of souls

the joy they expressed not just in seeing him, but seeing the star that guided them.

There is joy in the journey to Christ!

The Magi Came

From Persia

Saw the star

were lead to its meaning

To Jerusalem

capital city, where else would a future king be?

Harod’s response

Horrible person. plans to kill the baby

Herod had murdered his mother. Herod had murdered his wife, Mariamne. Herod had murdered his three sons. Augustus Caesar said that it was safer to be Herod’s pig than to be Herod’s son.1

1 Adrian Rogers, “Twentieth-Century Wise Men,” in Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), Mt 2:1–11.

When Herod was sick and about to die, he had a number of the most prominent citizens arrested, and gave orders that, when he died, they also would be killed. Do you know why he did that? He said that he wanted some tears shed when he died. That’s the kind of man that Herod was. And these men, in the face of that danger, said, “We have come to seek Jesus Christ.”1

1 Adrian Rogers, “Twentieth-Century Wise Men,” in Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), Mt 2:1–11.

They saw the star again and followed it

Exceedingly Great

Joy

Joy,” he said, “is the flag which is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there.”1

1 Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 679.

Haydn, the great musician, was once asked why his church music was so cheerful, and he replied: “When I think upon God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap, as it were, from my pen, and since God has given me a cheerful heart it will be pardoned me that I serve Him with a cheerful spirit.”1

1 Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 679.

Not an emotion, beyond happiness.

The root word for joy, is the same root word for grace.

Chara; Charis. The root word is chairo meaning rejoice, be glad

Exceedingly Great

The “joy’ expressed by the Magi is much more than what we expect. The is joy is “exceedingly with great joy.” When they came to the end of their journey, a long journey at that, they expressed their joy. It was an over the top, could not get any more joy that what they expressed at that moment, excitement. They have found the Messiah they had been looking for. These where non-Jewish Persians who set out on a journey to find the Messiah, the King of the Jews, and they did just that.

Our Joy

points to Christ on the cross

points to resurrection with Him

points to eternity in Glory

Since those events do not change, neither does our joy

our joy is exceedingly great!

Gifts of Joy

Magi brought expensive gifts

typical when meeting a new King

They did not just bring gifts, they worshiped Him.

Were not Kings, but men who studied ancient literature and the stars. Court officials who gave advice to the King.

King Darius and Nebuchadnezzar both used Magi

They worshiped Him as King

Their joy in seeing the star, their joy in finding Jesus, came as their search was over.

The one they sought after has been found

There is joy in our hearts when the One true Savior is found.

Joy comes because of the grace of God,

unmerited favor bestowed upon us, sinners.

You can have joy unspeakable.

Joy inexpressible

cannot be expressed in words. joy so profound and abundant that mere words cannot accurately express its impact.

Because we believe in Him, we rejoice with such great joy that words cannot express. The outcome of such great faith is the salvation of our soul.

Faith in Jesus Christ, the babe who’s birth we celebrate.

He was born for a purpose, to live a perfect life, and to be the perfect sacrifice

to pay the debt we all owe.

Believe in Him, confess Him, make Him Lord of your life.

you will be saved.