Title: "Overflowing with Love and Joy: The Heart of Christmas"
Text:
Joy: John 15:11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."
Love: 1 John 4:9-10 "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
"Advent joy is the deep, unshakable delight that comes from knowing Christ is near—our hearts rejoice not because of perfect circumstances, but because of His perfect presence."
Advent joy ‘is the quiet thrill of knowing that, amid waiting and wondering, the light of Christ’s arrival draws closer—filling our hearts with hope that cannot be dimmed.
"Let me tell you about a man named Bill. Bill’s life wasn’t easy—he’d lost his job just weeks before Christmas, was living in a small, drafty apartment, and barely had enough to cover the heating bill. One snowy afternoon, I stopped by with a bag of groceries and found Bill humming an old hymn, setting a single candle on his table as if it were a grand chandelier. You’d think he had every comfort in the world.
Curiosity got the best of me. “Bill,” I said, “I know things are tough right now. How can you be so cheerful?” He looked up, smiled, and pointed to a dog-eared page v in his Bible. “Romans 15:13,” he said softly, ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.’ “It doesn’t say God might give it if things go right—it says He will fill me with joy as I trust in Him. My circumstances might not be great, but my God still is.”
You see, Bill understood something critical. Joy isn’t the product of a perfect situation; it’s the byproduct of trusting a perfect Savior. He’d lost a job, sure—but he hadn’t lost Jesus. He had only one candle, but the light of Christ lit his heart. Bill’s joy didn’t depend on getting what he wanted; it depended on knowing who held his future.
That’s what biblical joy looks like: a calm delight rooted in God’s unchanging goodness. When we learn that kind of trust, even a single candle in a drafty room can outshine the gloom of any winter storm.
I. FOUR LESSONS WE LEARN ABOUT ADVENT JOY-
1. Joy Springs from God’s Good News: Luke 2:10, the angel declares to the shepherds, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” True Advent joy doesn’t hinge on our current circumstances but on the reality that Jesus Christ, the Savior, has come. This joy is a gift from God, anchored in the Good News that transforms hearts and lives.
Here are three ways God's Word gives us joy:
* God's Word Reveals His Promises: The Bible is filled with promises of God's love, faithfulness, and salvation. Verses like Psalm 16:11 declare, "You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy." Knowing that God is always with us, that He has a plan for our lives, and that His promises are sure fills our hearts with deep and abiding joy, even in difficult circumstances.
*God's Word Guides Us in Truth: Scripture provides wisdom and direction, helping us navigate life with confidence. Psalm 119:105 reminds us, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Joy comes when we walk in God's ways, knowing we are aligned with His truth. His Word brings clarity and purpose, replacing confusion and fear with peace and contentment.
*God's Word Reminds Us of Our Salvation: Through the Bible, we are reminded of the good news of Jesus Christ and the joy of salvation. Isaiah 12:3 says, "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." The Word assures us of God's love, forgiveness, and eternal life, giving us a joy that transcends all earthly troubles. This joy becomes our strength and our song.
2. Joy Leads to Worship
“Upon seeing the Christ child, the shepherds returned “glorifying and praising God” (Luke 2:20). Their encounter with Jesus filled them with such delight that it overflowed into worship. Advent joy draws our attention upward, prompting us to honor, praise, and thank God for His indescribable gift.
3. Joy Is Grounded in Christ’s Presence
Psalm 16:11 reminds us, “In your presence there is fullness of joy.” Advent highlights that God dwelt among us in the person of Jesus, making His presence accessible and transforming ordinary spaces into holy ground. In Christ, we find a lasting joy that this world cannot replicate or diminish.
“Life can be exhausting and overwhelming. Without even expecting it, our lives can turn from unwavering confidence to unyielding fear. Clarissa Moll shares her of learning to lean again into the safety of Jesus in a world that feels so uncertain. Reflecting on the sudden loss of her husband a few years earlier, she says “With the tenderness of a shepherd, Jesus began to coax open my clenched hands, my fearful death grip on life. I sensed him asking me to step out in faith, to trust his voice calling me forward into my new life as a widow. God’s power and presence had not disappeared with Rob’s death; they were still available for me” Clarissa Moll.”
4. Joy Strengthens Our Hope
Romans 15:13 prays, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.” During Advent, as we anticipate Christ’s coming, we learn that joy and hope are intertwined. The deeper our trust in God’s promises, the more joy fills our hearts, sustaining us through trials and guiding us toward a future secured by His grace.
Hope is transformative. It allows us to envision a future that is better than our present reality. Romans 5:3-5 beautifully encapsulates this idea: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” These verses remind us that hope is not naive optimism but a confident expectation rooted in God’s unchanging love.
Application: Psychological anthropologist T. M. Luhrmann sets out to explain how sensible people believe in an immaterial God. One aspect of evangelical Christianity that she finds particularly compelling is its promise of joy, and Luhrmann talks about the theme of ultimate joy found in the stories of Tolkien and Lewis. She cites from an essay of Tolkien’s:
The consolation of fairy-stories, the joy of the happy ending…a sudden and miraculous grace ... it does not deny the existence…of sorrow and failure: the possibility of these is necessary to the joy of deliverance; it denies (in the face of much evidence, if you will) universal defeat and in so far is evangelium, giving a fleeting glimpse of Joy, Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief.
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"Advent love is the gentle warmth that reminds us God stepped into our darkness, not to judge but to embrace, igniting a flame of hope in every waiting heart.
There was a young couple who were expecting their first child right around the Christmas season. Their small apartment was simple and modest—nothing fancy about the furniture or the décor. But then came the corner they turned into a nursery. Oh, you should have seen it! They painted the walls a soft, warm yellow, set a handmade mobile over the crib, and placed a plush lamb—just one—on the mattress, waiting for the day that tiny hands would reach out in wonder.
They had no idea what day or hour their child would arrive. They couldn’t see his face yet, or hear her laughter. But still, they prepared that space with tender care. It wasn’t done out of duty; it was done out of love. They took delight in choosing every detail, anticipating the little one who would someday breathe the same air, giggle in that room, and fill it with life. Their waiting was active, hopeful, and marked by an overflowing affection for someone they had never even met.
That’s Advent love in action. Long before Jesus took His first breath in Bethlehem’s stable, God was preparing the world for His arrival. He chose a humble place, a humble family, and wrapped the gift of His Son in swaddling clothes of grace. Advent love means God doesn’t just show up at the last moment—He lovingly readies the world, our hearts, and our lives for the coming King. It’s love that patiently waits, carefully prepares, and eagerly welcomes, trusting that when the moment comes, all this love will have been more than worth it.
II. THREE LESSONS WE LEARN FROM ADVENT LOVE:
1. God’s Love Is Initiated by Him
Advent love reminds us that God took the first step in loving us. John 3:16 declares, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.” This shows that even before we sought Him, God offered us love through the gift of Christ, proving His love is always proactive, never earned.
2. Love Is Self-Giving and Sacrificial
Jesus’ birth, humbly in a manger, teaches that true love often involves sacrifice. Advent love challenges us to give generously of ourselves for the good of others, mirroring Christ’s own humility and compassion.
“A pastor stood at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and watched as a man in tears lay a wreath at the base of the memorial. The pastor put his hand on the man’s shoulder, and the man said, “Twenty-five years ago he stepped into the line of fire for me, the least I can do is say, ‘Thanks.”
3. Love Unites Us in Christ
Advent love is not only vertical—between God and humanity—but also horizontal—drawing us closer to one another. In 1 John 4:11, we read, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” As we celebrate Christ’s coming, we learn that God’s love breaks down barriers and compels us to embrace unity, understanding, and empathy.
The Church, as described in Scripture, is not just a building or an institution; it is the living, breathing body of Christ made up of believers from every nation, tribe, and tongue. At its core, what holds this diverse and global body together is not structure, rules, or traditions, but love—the kind of love that comes from God and flows through His people.
How Does Love Unite the Church?
1. God’s Love is the Foundation: The love that unites the Church is not a love that seeks its own interests but one that gives freely and sacrificially, following the example of Christ. As believers, we are commanded to “love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12)
2. Love Overcomes Differences: The Church is made up of individuals with different backgrounds, cultures, personalities, and perspectives. While these differences can sometimes create tension, love acts as the glue that holds the Church together. The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:14, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
3. Love Builds Up the Church: When this kind of love is present, the Church flourishes. Relationships grow deeper, forgiveness replaces bitterness, and selflessness overcomes selfishness. Love enables the Church to function as one body, where every member has a role and purpose.
4. Love is Our Witness to the World: The unity of the Church through love is not just for the benefit of believers; it is also a powerful witness to the world.
Application: "Love transforms everything it touches—it heals wounds, bridges divides, and gives meaning to the ordinary. When we live in love, we reflect the very heart of God and become vessels of His grace to the world."
