Joy to the World

Joy to the World

Luke 2:10, 20 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people….And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard.”

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s we enter the post holiday season, I can’t help but wonder if perhaps we’ve somehow been caught up in all the commercial trappings of the season and begun to take the message of the season for granted. Has our new found joy of salvation been gradually and subtly replaced with lights, ornaments, wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows? Is that what Christmas has become to us? Do we now take the once great and joyful news--for granted?

    In essence, have we lost the joy of our salvation?  After all, in the ancient world the message of the savior of the world, the Messiah was a much awaited, with great anticipation, that even lowly shepherds, after seeing the Messiah firsthand, returned to their flocks rejoicing and praising God. Not only that, the messianic message had been predicted for thousands of years before in the Old Testament. And at the end of the Old Testament the news of the long awaited Messiah was broadcast to the waiting world with great excitement!

2000 years later—do we still have that same joy? Or has it been ever so slowly diluted with the holiday trappings of parades and parties?

    What exactly does the message of the Messiah really mean to you and me? What does it mean to the rest of the world? [Luke2:10 said the joyful news was to be for all people, not just Israel]

It means, for example:

1.    You and I, as believers in the Messiah’s finished work, will never have to pay the penalty for our sin as inherited from our first parents.(Rm.5:8)

2.    Upon belief in the Savior’s work on Calvary’s cruel cross our debt was paid for us.(Rm.8:9)

3.    Forgiveness of our daily sins as well as our sinful nature is now afforded us.(1Jn.1:9-2:1-2)

4.    We are reconciled back to our Creator God as His children of blessings.(2Cor.5:17-21)

5.    Ultimately we will live forever in glory with Him.(Jn.3:16, 36)

6.    We now have direct access to our Heavenly Father through the blood of Jesus.(Heb.4:16)

7.    We are joint heirs with Christ in God’s heavenly kingdom.(Rm.8:17)

8.    We are no longer at war against God because the Prince of Peace lives within each of us.(Rm.8:7)

9.    God’s will is good toward us as His children.(Lu.2:14)

·         Are we still as excited about the joyful news as the day we first believed?

·         Are we excited enough, as the shepherds were, to return to our daily lives and share the good news to all men?

·         To our neighbors?

·         To our co-workers?

·         To our employers?

·         Or are we hindered by the constraints society has placed upon us—in the workplace, at play, on the golf course?

·         Have those restraints stolen our joy?

·         If so, we are being hindered from sharing the joyful news to all who so desperately need it, even as we did.

Faith Building Practice and Review

1.    Other than the above list; write five other things the joyful news means to you personally.

2.    How have the holiday trappings affected you?

3.    Is the joy of your salvation still as vibrant as the first day you believed?

4.    Are you still excited to share the good news in your workplace?

5.     Many work places forbid the witnessing of your faith. How about yours?

6.    Being forbidden to verbally share your faith, how else can you share it?

7.    Do you?

8.    Make a list of things you can do to restore and stoke the fires of your joy. For example:

·         Everywhere you are, declare that you are blessed, no matter the situation.

·         Don’t take everything personal.

·         Tell others they are blessed as well.

·         Practice Rm.12:14-21 [it’s tough but vital to your joyful heart]