Joy to Your World

Introduction

We study a different Psalm every Thursday night.

Thought I would skip the Psalm this week but Psalm 98 is wonderful for this occassion.

A very famous Christmas Carol is written by Isaac Watts based on this Psalm

Frustrated with the heartless psalm singing of his time, young Watts sometimes criticized the singing at his church. Listening to his concerns one day, Watts' father challenged him, "Well then, young man, why don't you give us something better to sing?" He rose to the challenge by writing his first hymn.

The hymn we know as “Joy to the World,” Watts titled “The Messiah’s Coming and His Kingdom,”

Watts did not intend for it to be a Christmas song. He was thinking of the time Jesus will return to earth not the first Christmas story.

But you will see this Psalm and song points to the greatest cause of hope in past, present, or future; which is God coming to earth!

Titus 2:13 (KJV 1900)

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Psalm 98 (KJV 1900)

A Psalm.

1 O sing unto the Lord a new song; For he hath done marvellous things: His right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

2 The Lord hath made known his salvation: His righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

5 Sing unto the Lord with the harp; With the harp, and the voice of a psalm.

6 With trumpets and sound of cornet Make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.

7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.

8 Let the floods clap their hands: Let the hills be joyful together

9 Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: With righteousness shall he judge the world, And the people with equity.

All the earth is called upon to sing a joyful noise

Here is moment I will ask you to join us and sing the song Joy to the World

This Psalm is calling on the whole world to sing a song unto God celebrating the fact that He has brought us salvation.

We are not only called upon to sing but we should do so joyfully.

I firmly believe the vast majority of people aren't only in a search for truth, they're also on a search for joy. Thankfully we found them both in Jesus. Whatever you are looking for on a deep level you will find the world cannot provide it for you. No matter if it truth, joy, purpose, or comfort you will find it only in Jesus. The response to this is joy. It should cause you to sing.

I want to help you understand really love the song that comes from this Psalm. We have a few places I want to make sure you know.

The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King!

The Savior Reigns

Truth and Grace

Wonders of His Love

The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King!

Do you remember a time you just couldn’t wait for Christmas day? Maybe some of you are looking forward to this Christmas morning. It is much fun to wait with hope for this special day.

This is why people play music starting before Thanksgiving.

Angel tells Mary that her baby boy shall be great!

Luke 1:32–33 (KJV 1900)

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Mary did you know? Mary did not know all things but she knew this.

But what will make Him great? This is another reason to be so excited about His birth.

Matthew 1:21 (KJV 1900)

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

The Shepherds had to be so excited about this day because they knew Jesus would bring peace to earth (have Kekoa read)

Luke 2:12–14 (KJV 1900)

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.

How will He be great? He will bring salvation. People wanted to make him a King. Wouldn’t that have been the best way to “bring peace”?

John 6:15 (KJV 1900)

15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

If Jesus did not bring peace and salvation as the king they wanted then how does He do it?

Philippians 2:7–11 (KJV 1900)

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

When we sing “the Lord is come” at Christmas, we celebrate what is past because of what it means for our future.

Jesus has come and will come again and He will be King for all eternity!

We want the all world to know this!

Picture of two places that members of our church just started renting so they could tell people about the coming King!

Nagoya, Japan and Bronx, Ny

In this room we have people who know many languages and are going many places to tell this story because it is so extremely important!

The Savior Reigns

Psalm 96:10 (KJV 1900)

10 Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: The world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: He shall judge the people righteously.

Jesus now reigns in the hearts of those who trust in Him.

He is already the King of my heart.

Someday every knee will bow and every tongue confess. Today He invites you to do so. Someday no one will have a a choice they will recognize Him as King and have no excuse.

Truth and Grace

Because “the Lord is come,” because “the Savior reigns,” we can sing at Christmas, “He rules the world with truth and grace.”

Psalm 98:9 (KJV 1900)

9 Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: With righteousness shall he judge the world, And the people with equity.

When we sing that Jesus “makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness” at Christmas, we mean the glories of his “truth and grace,”

We learn the truth but the truth by itself would be unbearable.

We also know of His grace to us. Giving us what we do not deserve.

Wonders of His Love

There is not greater demonstation of love in this world. There is no conceivable greater demonstration.

The Creator of the Universe lowers Himself to the level of His creation so he can die for the wrong that we had done. Hebrews 9:28

Hebrews 9:28 (KJV 1900)

28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

So we can say joy to the world the Lord is come!

We can also say joy to the world the Lord is coming again!

Conclusion.

Not just Joy to the World but we really want Joy to your world as well!

As we sing this song we invite you if you have questions to join us in a Counseling Room off to the side. There we will continue to explain what we know to be the greatest of stories!!

Joy to the world! Joy to the world!

Joy to the world! The Lord is come Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing And heaven, and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world! Joy to the world! Oh

Joy to the world! The Savior reigns Let men their songs employ While fields and floods Rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

Joy to the world then we sing Let the earth receive her King! Joy to the world then we sing Let the angel voices ring

Joy to the world then we sing Let the men their songs employ Joy to the world then we sing And repeat the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove (And makes the nations prove) And glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love And wonders of His love And wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love

Joy to the world then we sing Let the earth receive her King! Joy to the world then we sing Let the angel voices ring