Joy Chasers

You Get Joy and You get Joy and You Get Joy

Everybody likes presents. We like receiving them, we like giving them. There is something bout a gift, especially when given with thought and care and love that brings joy to our hearts both in the giving and receiving...

(video)

Unlikely Messengers

The thing we have to remember is, many times, God gives the most precious important responsibility to the most unlikely people.

Luke 2:8–15 CSB

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors! 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.”

God chose Shepherds to be the first people to know what was about to happen. Not the important people, not the educated people, not the religious people. God chose Shepherds. Men living out on the edges tending sheep. While it’s true that the Image of Shepherds in scripture and in that place int he world is one of strength, and care and power they were still shepherds they were still living on the fringes, they were not the ones that anyone would equate with something this important…Image and reality don't’ always sync up.

So God started with the unlikely to be the keepers of the most important message that’s ever been kept.

All Inclusive

So the real question is who is included. You may say well come on Pastor Aaron isn’t it obvious who’s included.

And while that seems logical to us. Who do you and I realy think is included. Not who we give lip service too but who we deep down believe is included.

So lets break this whole thing down with some scriptures.

1 Timothy 2:1–6 (CSB)

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.

2 Peter 3:9 (CSB)

The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

John 3:16–18 (CSB)

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

But who does this really reach… We know that the disciples and leaders would have been all about reaching the Jewish people with the truth of the Messiah. We know that they would have been keen on reaching the Diaspora.

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Diaspora

DIASPORA Scattering of the Jews from the land of Palestine into other parts of the world. The term “dispersion” is also often used to describe this process.

Jesus himself gives us clear direction as to who he means.

Matthew 28:18–20 (CSB)

Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

See that phrase all nations? In the original language those words are panta ta ethne see that last word…ethne…that’s where the word ethnicity comes from in the english language. God did not just plan on reconciling the Jewish nation to himself. Not just the Diaspora either but every ethnicity. Which should bring us great joy.

Real Joy

So what is Joy really about where does it come from.

Paul tells us.

2 Corinthians 5:14–21 (CSB)

For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.

From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective. Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come! Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This set of scripture tells us what real joy is …and that we are supposed to bring that joy to the world. I’m going to press a bit more though. We are supposed to bring that joy to our world…Our personal world that we are in and through every day.

(light the candle)

This Week’s Challenge

You will need

Three Christmas Cards

Three trays or boxes

The ingredients to make three dozen cookies of your choice

Three people or families that you know that need the Joy of Christ.

Fill in the card with an invitation to dinner or to our communion meal. Give them the cookies and card. It’s that simple.