If you'd like to turn with me to Luke chapter 2, we're going to be reading from verses 8-14.
! Luke chapter 2, verses 8-14.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.
And they were filled with great fear.
And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you.
You will find the baby wrapped in swaddling claws and lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.
Father, thank you for your word.
Thank you for its nourishment, its light, its counsel, its comfort, its power.
By your spirit, speak to us today.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
In this second week of the Advent season, we take the opportunity to remind ourselves of the importance of joy in the gospel message and in our daily lives.
One thing that the scripture clearly teaches is that God wants you to experience great joy.
See, God created you and me with the unique capacity to experience the emotion of delight.
He has equipped you with physical senses that enable you to enjoy the world he created.
We not only see with our eyes, but we delight in what we see.
We delight in his creativity and the beauty of a sunset or flowers or puppies or newborn babies.
We enjoy the wonderful sounds of a waterfall, jingle bells, bird songs, symphony orchestras, and familiar voices.
We savor the taste of milk and honey and smoked jalapeno peppers.
We enjoyably breathe in the sense of peppermint and pine and vanilla and breezes from the sea.
And we find enjoyment in the sensations of fur and cotton and water and sand between our toes at the beach in summer.
And in the warm touch of friendship.
We also experience joy in significant events like births and weddings, victories, accomplishments, and unexpected surprises.
God designed each one of us with the capacity to enjoy the world around us.
And I believe he expects us to give expression to our delight.
It's an act of worship to do that.
In spite of the curse that has tainted the world, this fallen world, we still have the capacity to enjoy, to experience much joy in the world.
But God has also created us to experience another kind of joy.
God gives us the capacity to enjoy Him.
The psalmist declared in light of the Lord's guidance,
In your presence there is fullness of joy.
At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 1611.
And he specifically calls God my exceeding joy.
Psalm 43.
Psalm 43.4.
In spite of the judgment that hovers over a rebellious world,
We've been given favor by God to experience this joy in Him even now.
This is Advent joy.
God holds out to the world the possibility of experiencing joy in Him through the good news of Advent.
Psalm 34.8 says,
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.
Now, we should expect an increase of joy at a holiday season that celebrates the coming of the Savior into the world.
We should expect it.
But we should also understand that much of the joy that we observe at this time has different sources.
Some of you are just looking forward to a vacation from school.
Some spend time outside in the snow.
Most anticipate visits from good friends and family.
We give and we receive gifts.
All these foster happy emotions within us.
And the social atmosphere becomes naturally more jubilant.
But much of the joy that is observed at this season isn't Advent joy.
Joy that is dependent upon a season is not Advent joy.
Joy that has its source in temporal circumstances is not Advent joy.
The uniqueness of Advent joy can be observed in the story of the incarnation.
And in the association of joy with the announcement of Jesus' birth,
that association points to joy's important role in the gospel.
The passage we just read from Luke teaches us that God sent the Messiah King,
the long-awaited Messiah King, into the world so that you would experience great joy.
I believe this truth is emphasized in the passage through an interesting contrast in the story.
The contrast is between the initial response of the shepherds who heard the angel and saw the glory of the Lord
and the response that the angel indicated would most likely correspond to the message that he was bringing.
I'd like to focus on that contrast this morning because I believe it highlights two things.
Two things that God wants you to understand in order to experience greater Advent joy.
First of all, the better you understand, the more you understand your need for the coming of Jesus,
the more you can experience Advent joy.
The first part of that contrast is found in verses 8 and 9, so let's look at that again.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night.
And the angel of the Lord or an angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them,
and they were filled with great fear.
This isn't the first time we see in the scriptures that angels have suddenly appeared and scared people out of their wits.
The Bible records many angelic visitations,
and several included responses similar to the shepherds.
The prophet Daniel wrote of being completely drained of his strength,
falling into a deep sleep,
and when the angel touched him and comforted him and had him stand up,
he was trembling,
simply at a vision of an angel.
And in the previous chapter of Luke's account,
both Zechariah and Mary were told by the angel Gabriel not to fear
because they were both troubled.
at this appearance.
But what is unique about this appearance to the shepherds
is the addition of the phrase,
the glory of the Lord shone around them.
During the Exodus,
when the glory of the Lord appeared on Mount Sinai,
we're told that it was in a cloud,
and it was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain.
Exodus 24, 17.
And another time,
when Moses asked God to see his glory,
he had to put Moses in the cleft of a rock
and cover him with his hand
in order to shield him from a direct view of God's glory,
to protect him from death.
Of the shepherds,
it simply says that the glory shone around them.
They were right in the midst of it.
It wasn't on a mountain far away.
They weren't shielded from anything.
It was just all around them.
Their fear was understandable,
not only because they encountered a supernatural being,
frightening enough,
but also because such an encounter with the glory of God
likely highlighted their own sense of sinfulness
and pending judgment
before a holy and righteous God.
To most of us here,
our need for Jesus is pretty obvious.
But many people still don't understand that need.
They argue it away.
Even for many Christians,
we might not completely understand
or we misrepresent our real need.
Jesus is often presented as someone
who can help us in our loneliness,
give us a reason to live,
meet some need for significance
or boost our self-esteem.
You can see this in a lot of the
more popular Christian songs.
But the gospel message starts with the truth
that we need to be delivered
from God's righteous judgment
and an eternal death sentence.
I believe understanding this is the first step
to appreciating the good news of Jesus' coming.
The other part of the contrast
is observed in verse 10.
Look there again.
And the angel said to them,
Fear not,
for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
The great fear,
verse 9,
stands in stark contrast
contrast
with the great joy
of verse 10.
Now, I admit that the author of the gospel
doesn't say anything about the contrast,
but the connection does appear to be obvious.
And in light of that contrast,
I'm going to suggest
that the Holy Spirit intended it
to be read by us
to communicate something important
to us
about the experience
of the gospel.
I believe that in order
to fully experience
the great joy of Advent,
you and I not only need
to better understand
our need of His coming,
but we need to better understand
the joy
associated
with the good news.
So, first of all,
what do we mean by joy?
An older Webster's definition,
1828 version.
I like that version.
It's not politically correct.
Says this about joy.
It's the passion or emotion
excited by the acquisition
or expectation of good.
That excitement of pleasurable feelings
which is caused by success,
good fortune
and gratification of desire
or some good possessed
or by a rational prospect
of possessing
what we love
or desire.
Gladness.
Exaltation.
Now, that definition
coincides very well
with the definitions
that the biblical words
give us
or are translated
by our English word
joy
or rejoice
or gladness.
There's been a lot
of discussion
over the years
about the difference
between joy
and happiness
in the Christian life.
Some make a strong distinction
like this popular
19th century evangelical
who wrote,
joy is a distinctly
Christian word
and a Christian thing.
It is the reverse
of happiness.
Happiness
is the result
of what happens
of an agreeable sort.
Joy
has its springs
deep inside
and that spring
never runs dry
no matter what happens.
Only Jesus
gives joy.
He had joy
singing its music
within
even under
the shadow
of the cross.
joy
Now you're like
I might read that
and go,
wow,
that sounds great.
But as wonderful
as it sounds,
it doesn't agree
with either
the English
definition
of joy
or the biblical
definition.
Joy in the Bible
is used
of emotions
and celebrations
of the ungodly
as well as the godly.
It's used
of a donkey.
The main
distinctions
that we do find
in the scripture
are in the objects
of the joy.
God
and his care
being prominent
and
its duration.
Job 20
verse 5
declares
the joy
of the godless
is for
a moment.
Whereas
Isaiah
says
the godly
are promised
everlasting
joy.
Isaiah
51
11
I draw
your attention
to this
because
over the years
many have
tried to
present joy
as something
altogether
different
from the
happy
emotions
that we
share with
every human
being.
They promote
an emotionless
joy
because it's
deep and
spiritual
has nothing
to do
with our
feelings.
This
just isn't
so.
The various
biblical synonyms
that depict
joy like
simcha
and
sason
gil
ra'anan
!
These are
all
distinguished
primarily
by the
way
the emotion
is expressed.
There's
joyful
shouting,
there's
joyful
singing,
there's
intense
joy,
there's
quiet
joy.
But in
all cases,
joy is
clearly
something
observed.
As a matter
of fact,
Nehemiah
records a
time in
Israel's
history when
the people's
joy was
actually heard.
That's what it
says.
It was
heard.
Verse
43 of
chapter 12
of Nehemiah
says,
And they
offered
great
sacrifices
that day
and
rejoiced
for God
had made
them rejoice
with great
joy.
The women
and the
children
also
rejoiced
and the
joy of
Jerusalem
was heard
far away.
The
angel's
announcement,
good news
to the
shepherds,
was described
as one
that brings
great
joy.
First of
all,
it's joyous
news because
it's the
fulfillment of
a long
awaited
promise
to
mankind.
A long
awaited
answer
to the
human
predicament.
It's
news of
a savior.
It's
news of
the
anticipated
messianic
king's
arrival.
It's
news of
God's
gracious
plan to
save his
people from
his own
wrath.
It's
news of
the
impartation
of
righteousness
to
those
who are
unrighteous.
It's
good news
of the
dawning
of eternal
life in
a renewed
universe.
others.
It's
the news
of an
effectual
sacrifice
on our
behalf.
I can't
help but
believe that
the contrast
in these
verses are
intended to
emphasize the
wonder of
the message.
It's
benefits to
Israel,
it's
grandeur,
it's
mystery,
and it's
amazing
initiation in
these humble
circumstances
among sheep
and shepherds.
we're
right to
focus on
that aspect
that God
in all
his stated
glory would
appear as
a child
in a
cave
among
animals.
But you
have to
remember
that the
announcement
came in
one of the
greatest
displays
of
trembling
fear
to the
shepherds.
But I
also believe
that there's
something more
being communicated
here by this
phrase,
great joy.
The
prophets of
Israel wrote
a great
deal about
joy,
and they
predicted a
time when
joy would
be prominent.
joy.
I mean,
they didn't
just indicate
that there
would be
joy at
the arrival
of a
new world,
but they
prophesied
that joy
would characterize
that world.
If you
want to look
at Isaiah
65,
17 through
19 for
an example,
it's
amazing.
the
prophet
writes,
for behold,
I
create
new
heavens
and a
new
earth,
and the
former
things
shall not
be remembered
or come
to mind,
but be
glad and
rejoice
forever
in that
which I
create.
For
behold,
I
create
Jerusalem
to be
a
joy.
and her
people
to be
a
gladness.
What did
God have
in mind?
It's
mind-boggling,
I think.
I mean,
what do you
think of
when you
think of
heaven?
Sitting
at the
beach
a lot?
dutifully
serving?
That's
not the
picture we
get from
the
prophets,
anyway.
I
will
rejoice
in
Jerusalem
and be
glad in
my
people.
No
more
shall
be
heard
in it
the
sound
of
weeping
and
the
cry
of
distress.
It's
an
important
thing
to
realize
this
idea
of
joy
replacing
suffering.
I think
it impacts
us most
because we
know what
suffering is
like.
We
experience
it.
We
spirits it
all our
lives
in one
way or
another.
This
world is
characterized
by
suffering.
And yet
God
promises a
time when
that
suffering
will be
gone
completely.
And I
think it
increases
the joy.
At
least
the
very
understanding
of it.
But this
passage tells
us that
the Lord
is a
God who
rejoices
and he
has
destined
us to
reflect
that
joy.
Now,
though the
prophet spoke
of a day
that is
still to
come,
there's
no doubt
that God
wants you
to experience
this joy
now.
Advent
joy is
a message
of present
joy.
Joy was
a prominent
characteristic
of the
early church.
One
theologian
in the
late
19th
century
declared,
the New
Testament
is the
most
buoyant,
exhilarating,
and joyful
book in
the world.
And in
the pages
of the
New
Testament
we see
joy in
the
New Testament
also directs
us to
rejoice in
the Lord
always.
Philippians
4.4
And it
reminds us
that our
joy in
the midst
of our
troubles
is
inexpressible
and full
of glory.
1 Peter
1.8
Advent
joy
is a
joy that
transcends
all other
joys
because it
is based
on the
goodness
and
greatness
of God
our
Father
and his
Son
and his
Spirit
in their
delight
for each
other
and their
eternal
work
on our
behalf
to
share
in
their
joy.
It's a
relational
joy.
It's a
joy we
share.
It's an
experiential
joy.
It's
observable
and
undeniable.
It's an
effectual
joy.
It
affects the
way we
live and
strengthens
us to
resist
the
pleasures,
the
temporary
pleasures,
the
insignificant
in
comparison
pleasures
that are
all around
us.
And it
is a
lasting
joy,
a joy
that never
ends but
only
increases
for ages
to come.
I believe
God wants
you to
experience
more fully
his great
advent
joy.
The more
you appreciate
why Jesus
had to
come,
why he
came,
how he
came,
I believe
the more
you will
experience
his everlasting
advent
joy.
Now
many
of the
history
of the
church,
philosophers
who have
looked at
the Bible
and Christian
teaching
have
criticized
the Bible's
emphasis
on the
fallenness
of humanity.
They
suggest
that
such a
negative
view
of
human
nature
leads
to
low
self-esteem,
hinders
human
potential
and
progress,
happiness.
Now,
I can
see what
they're
saying
if
there
were
no
God
and
if
there
were
no
solution.
But there
is a
solution.
The baby
born in
Bethlehem
is Christ
the Lord
and became
the atoning
sacrifice
that satisfies
God's
justice
and provides
you with
an undeserved
righteousness
and everlasting
ever
increasing
joy
now
and
forever.
And I
believe this
doesn't just
apply to
salvation.
It applies
to us
in our
daily
lives.
And it's
very helpful
to us
in our
daily
lives.
When you
look at
the world
today,
the ideal
person is
one who's
got it
all
together.
Or at
the very
least can
say,
I've got
this.
that's
the
theme
right?
Of the
modern
individual.
And
it's
contrast
for us
perhaps
are those
who
believe
that the
Christian
life
needs to
be so
solemn
that
there's
no
expression
of joy
or very
little.
And
both
extremes
I think
are misguided.
because
when we
truly
understand
our
need
for
Christ
even
now
it's
not
meant
to
cause
us
to
walk
around
in
gloom
and
doom
but
it's
meant
to
drive
us
to
the
one
who
can
help
us.
And
the
more
we
experience
that
pain
or
frustration
of
failure
and
inadequacy
and
all
those
things
that
we
are
trying
to
get
rid
of
the
more
we
experience
that
the
more
it
should
drive
us
to
the
one
who
is
our
strength.
as
Nehemiah
said
to
those
people
who
were
rejoicing
the
joy
of
the
Lord
is
your
strength.
How
can
you
have
joy
in
suffering?
How
can
you
have
joy
and
feel
miserable
about
your
own
self?
I
don't
know
but
it's
possible
because
we
know
when
we
convince
ourselves
when
we
tell
ourselves
it
doesn't
really
depend
on
me
that
we
can
go
to
God
and
you
know
what
he's
just
delighted
when
we
come
to
him
like
that
and
then
he
answers
us
and
then
we
receive
it
and
then
we're
excited
that
God
came
through
for
us
and
it
helps
us
the
next
time
we
are
in
similar
circumstances
God
wants
us
to
know
our
need
of
Christ
for
salvation
and
for
just
getting
up
in
the
morning
sometimes
he
wants
us
to
know
that
so
that
we
can
experience
and
appreciate
more
deeply
what
he's
done
on
our
behalf
the
gospel
coming
of
Christ
I'd
like
to
close
with
reading
a
quote
or
part
of a
quote
of a
pastor
who
aware
of the
possibility
that
some
might
think
that
emphasizing
this
emotional
aspect
of joy
could
result
in
self
absorbed
isolation
among
people
among
the
church
and
he
argued
that
Advent
joy
has
the
opposite
effect
he
wrote
it
is
deep
delight
and
joy
in
the
all
satisfying
beauty
of
Christ
that
stokes
the
white
hot
flame
of
passion
for
the
plight
of
the
nations
that
energizes
the
will
of
man
or
woman
to
make
whatever
sacrifices
are
necessary
to
preserve
a
marriage
that
is
falling
apart
that
empowers
the
human
heart
to
overcome
addictive
behavior
and
sustains
the
soul
in
its
fight
against
sin
and
temptation
that
enables
a
weak
and
broken
soul
to
persevere
when
a
job
is
lost
or a
child
rebels
or a
promise
is
shattered
or a
dream
becomes
nothing
that
encourages
the
timid
and
fearful
heart
to
engage
and
confront
the
Christless
culture
in which
we live
with the
good news
of the
gospel
of the
cross
of
Christ
and the
life
of
forgiveness
and hope
that
can only
be found
through
faith
in
Jesus
and
it
is
the
deep
it
is
deep
delight
and
joy
in the
all
satisfying
beauty
of
Christ
that
will
sustain
a
church
through
adversity
and bind
the hearts
of its
people
together
in unity
and love
and mutual
affection
salvation
this
is
the joy
that is
ours
for the
taking
now
and
forever
because
God
has
sent
to
us
his
son
a
savior
who
is
Christ
Jesus
the
Lord
joy
to the
world
indeed
!
to