Sermon: The Advent Candle of Joy – Something To Shout About!
Scripture: Zechariah 9:9-11 “Shout and cheer, Daughter Zion! Raise your voice, Daughter Jerusalem! Your king is coming! a good king who makes all things right, a humble king riding a donkey, a mere colt of a donkey. I’ve had it with war—no more chariots in Ephraim, no more war horses in Jerusalem, no more swords and spears, bows and arrows. He will offer peace to the nations, a peaceful rule worldwide, from the four winds to the seven seas. “And you, because of my blood covenant with you, I’ll release your prisoners from their hopeless cells. Come home, hope-filled prisoners! This very day I’m declaring a double bonus, everything you lost returned twice-over!” MSG
Luke 2:10 “but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”
Introduction: Advent, the season of expectation and hope, began by lighting the candles of Hope, peace, and love. Today leads to the candle of Joy! Biblical joy is more than a happy feeling. It's a lasting emotion that comes from the choice to trust that God will fulfill his promises. I hope you celebrate Christmas this year with a grateful heart. I am grateful every year to celebrate the birth of Jesus; it is the “good news of great joy which will be for all the people.” You see Luke 2:10 repeats the prophecy of Zechariah 9 which calls our attention to our great redeemer who brings salvation and unspeakable joy to all who receive Him. He comes with great humility, bringing great joy to all his saints. Experiencing Joy isn't complicated, we can find it in the presence of God. That's the message of Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore”. In God's presence, there is fullness of joy; eternal pleasures, pleasures that will never go flat or stale because it is found in God.
The first step for those seeking to experience this joy is to spend time with the Lord on a consistent basis. The more time we spend in the presence of the Lord, the more joy we'll experience. The second step is to remember all of God's wonderful blessings that He has poured out on us and then respond in thanksgiving to Him. Listen to the words of this Isaac Watts hymn, Joy to the world. It’s one of my favorite Christmas carols.
“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 Earth, the Savior reigns, Let all their songs employ. While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat the sounding joy, Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more will sin and sorrow grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He’ll come and make the blessings flow, Far as the curse was found, Far as the curse was found, Far as, far as the curse was found.
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.”
1. Believers Should Shout for Joy because of the Redemption Christ brings! Like many earlier prophets, Zechariah tells of a day when an ideal King will enter Jerusalem to the uproarious shouts and jubilant celebration of the people. Unlike other kings, this King enters humbly riding on a donkey, a beast of burden, not on a warhorse. He comes to establish real justice. God has given Him the victory, and now He shares that victory with the people. In that day, as His reign reaches the ends of the earth, war and the instruments of war are laid aside in the greater interests of an abiding, universal peace. God sends the long awaited Messiah to usher in blessed time of peace. Their king comes unto thee, the long-expected Son of David, to sit on his father’s throne; he is just, perfectly righteous, setting up an administration of grace. He will rule with the highest justice and offers salvation to all who believe. He is the author and finisher of salvation purchased by his blood and he will rule with everlasting righteousness. He is available to all because he comes lowly, humbling himself for our sakes to the form of a servant, riding upon an ass, so all could approach him, and all are welcome. That’s something to shout about.
2. Believers Should Shout for Joy Because of the Kingdom Christ Erects. He will erect a glorious kingdom in the world, not by weapons of war, or outward force, but by the preaching of his gospel, bowing the hearts of men to submit to his easy yoke; and under his government they shall be safe, not need the chariot, horse, or battle-bow, to defend them. And the heathen shall share the blessings of his government, for to them he will speak peace, sending to them his gospel of peace, and causing them to enjoy in their souls the peace of God which passes all understanding, and making them men of peace and quiet in the land; and his dominions shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth, reaching in process of time from pole to pole, especially in the last days, when all nations shall hear his gospel, and become obedient to the faith. A world without war and a kingdom of peace is something to shout about.
3. Believers Should Shout for Joy because of the Liberty Christ Provides. The great deliverance provided for the church comes through the blood of the everlasting covenant. It is called thy covenant, the church’s covenant because the blessings and benefits of the covenant belong to the church. They are hers, it comes through Christ, who is the great Covenant-head to his people. It begins in the transformed hearts of men. All the Old Testament sacrifices performed by the Jews were just a shadow of what Jesus Christ would do. Jesus comes to set the prisoners free once and for all time. Yes, all were in the same state of guilt and corruption, all were under sin, but now we all are called by divine grace, and quickened by the Holy Ghost to come forth out of the pit, wherein is no water, where they must be sure to perish miserably, unless relieved. And all who are brought out from there look back with wonder, love, and praise, when they consider the horrible pit from which the Lord hath drawn them. Psalms 40:1-3, David said it this way. “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” We really have something to shout about.
4. Believers Should Shout for Joy In Obedience to Christ. The prophet commands them to rejoice in the view of all these tremendous blessings. More than that, to rejoice greatly, all those who have seen the king in his beauty and are made partakers of his great salvation. While we may be living through a period where people around us have lost joy and hope, Christians have much for which to be thankful. We can stand firm in the joy of our Savior and on the hope of the gospel. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” That’s the reality of life in a fallen world. Yet He added, “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
That’s also reality. For those of us who know Jesus, it’s the ultimate, wonderful reality! And we are called to tell people both sides of that reality: we live in a fallen world with sin and its consequences, but we have salvation from sin because our Savior has overcome the world.
As we close out this year, I want to encourage you that together we can relight the candles of hope, peace, love and joy during this advent season, and far beyond Christmas into the new year. We can rejoice in the Lord always. Because of the redemption Jesus brings, the kingdom He is building, the deliverance He provides and the great joy in our heart, we can shine brighter, build stronger, love longer, and bless more. Can you imagine the difference that could be made by all God servants who will shine as lights of joy around the world? We are equipped to proclaim the hope found in Christ and to strengthen others with biblical truth. Now that would be a true gift!
Believers should be passionate about sharing God’s Word. People need God in our broken world! When His Word is faithfully and accurately preached, taught, and lived out, people who respond to Him find real, credible hope and lasting joy. Using your gift will build up and equip others to touch lives now and for eternity by offering truth and hope to all who are seeking to know the Savior. Luke 2:10 “but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” All people including both you and me! These great and precious promises are conditional. The king of glory comes offering salvation, yet it must be received. The hymn reminds us, Joy to the world, the Lord is come, Let Earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. The word “let” is used throughout the entire song because each person must believe and prepare Him room. Our king is full of humility. He will not force His way into our lives. He stands at the door of our heart and knocks. We must invite him in and make room for him to reign. We must choose Him and allow no more sin and sorrow to grow, nor thorns to infest the ground of our hearts. Jesus comes to make His blessings flow like a mighty stream in every area of our life bringing hope, peace, love and joy everlasting. It’s all yours for the asking! Receive Him today. Amen.
