Joy From Jesus Series

INTRODUCTION

• We are in the Christmas season!

• This season should be a time for joy, but many struggle with the concept of joy because their lives lay in ruin.

• Sometimes, the ruin is self-inflicted; other times, the ruin is inflicted upon us.

• There is hope!

• I want to draw your attention to a powerful message of hope and joy found in the book of Isaiah, specifically in Isaiah chapter 40, verses 1 to 5.

• In this passage, we encounter words of comfort and assurance, reminding us that true joy can be found in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

• The prophet Isaiah, inspired by the Holy Spirit, delivers a message to the people of Israel who were facing a time of great turmoil and despair.

• They were a nation in exile, longing for freedom and restoration.

• Yet, amid their darkness, Isaiah reveals a glimmer of divine light—a promise of comfort and redemption.

• As we dig into these verses, we will discover that in a world filled with uncertainty, fear, and brokenness, we need the joy that can only be found in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

• Isaiah's prophecy reminds us that Jesus is the source of true comfort.

• He comes to us in our weariness, gently speaking words of solace to our troubled hearts.

• We find rest and assurance in His presence, knowing He understands our pain and offers us His unfailing love.

• Furthermore, Jesus possesses the power to transform our lives.

• He brings hope to the hopeless, healing to the broken, and strength to the weary.

• His grace is sufficient, and His mercy knows no bounds.

• When we surrender our burdens to Him, He breathes new life into our souls and empowers us to rise above our circumstances.

• Lastly, Isaiah directs our gaze towards the glory of our Lord.

• Jesus, the King of kings, reveals His majesty and splendor, captivating our hearts with His unmatched greatness.

• When we fix our eyes on Him, our perspective shifts and the trials of this world dim in comparison to His eternal glory.

• So, let us open our hearts to receive the message of joy from Jesus found in Isaiah 40:1-5.

• May we embrace His comforting presence, experience His transformative power, and be amazed by His divine glory.

• As we do so, let our lives be filled with an abiding joy that transcends circumstances and points others to the hope we have in Christ.

• Big Idea of the Series: We describe the Christmas season as being full of comfort and joy—and Isaiah 40:1–5 has a lot to say about that.

• This series unpacks the passage and reminds us that God, through Jesus, has brought comfort in our pain and joy through salvation; because of this, we can prepare our lives for redemption and proclaim Jesus to the world.

• Big Idea of the Message: Christmas is a time to experience comfort and joy from what God has done in Jesus.

• Let's begin with Isaiah 40:1-2.

Isaiah 40:1–2 (NET 2nd ed.)

1 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.

2 “Speak kindly to Jerusalem, and tell her that her time of warfare is over, that her punishment is completed. For the LORD has made her pay double for all her sins.”

SERMON

I. Understanding the context.

• The nation would endure captivity later by the Babylonians and eventually the Persian empires.

• I cannot imagine and hope I never have to experience living in a country ruled by another.

• Other nations were constantly ruling the nation because of their disobedience to God.

• Today, as we turn our attention to Isaiah 40:1-2, we are transported back to a significant moment in the history of the people of Israel.

• It is essential to understand the historical context in which Isaiah's prophecy was given to fully grasp the depth of the message and its impact on the hearts of the people.

• Isaiah's prophet ministry takes place from about 740 B.C. to 698 B.C.

• At the time of this prophecy, the people of Israel were in a state of exile.

• The northern kingdom had already fallen to the Assyrians, and now the southern kingdom of Judah found itself oppressed and dispersed.

• The people were taken away from their homeland, separated from their families, and stripped of their identity.

• During their exile, the Israelites experienced deep distress and longing for salvation.

• They were burdened with the weight of captivity, living in a foreign land far away from the land that God had promised to their ancestors.

• Their hearts were filled with grief, their spirits were weary, and their hope seemed to wane with each passing day.