Christmas 2024: God of Joy
Luke 1:26-33
Good morning everyone. Christmas 2024-
Calendar spins don’t it, the months fly bye.
Here we are 10 days before Christmas.
I know there are some procrastinators here this morning that will be running out of here to finish up their gift giving.
People who have put it off, didn’t feel like shopping, and now they are at crunch time. Good Luck with that!
How many are excited for Christmas?
How many are hoping for a certain present this year? I see your hands.
How many remember the gift that Ralphie from the Christmas Story wanted?
Not just a BB Gun…He wanted a Red Rider carbon action 200 shot range model air rifle.
I hope you get what you want for Christmas…just like Ralphie.
If you are waiting for a brand new vehicle like the commercial where the car is wrapped up in his living room and the man has his fingers crossed. You might have a little harder time getting what you want.
YOU JUST MIGHT SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT.
Let’s talk Christmas… Christmas is supposed to be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
It is all about Jesus
This same baby Jesus who was born miraculously of a virgin birth, one who died on a wooden cross for our sins, then was resurrected from the grave by God the Father in a supernatural way…fulfilling prophecy and providing our way of salvation.
Not one of many ways, but the only way of salvation. It is provided by Jesus but you have to accept His salvation.
Giving each of us a choice… if Jesus Christ becomes our savior.
He is the savior of the world by what He has done…fact!
But does He become your savior?
At Christmas time, many unbelievers, and even those who procrastinate about their commitment to Him, Christmas is a time that many people struggle for the Joy that God desires us to have.
For the unbeliever, it can be a reminder of the decisions that you have made.
Agnostics who believes if there is a God you cannot know him and if he exists, he does not care or have any factor in your life.
Atheist who flatly says they do not believe in God.
I can understand how they could struggle this time of year as they hear the truth of God’s amazing love for us and they chose to reject it or dismiss it, but what about the believers who struggle this time of year?
Why don’t they have the joy of the Lord?
I want to talk a minute about how we can receive the joy of the Lord that will last all year long.
Happiness that the world offers is temporary. It is based upon external circumstances. “What’s happening now”
Godly Joy is based upon choices internal and long-lasting.
Luke 1:26-38 Read from Bible
The first enemy of Joy- Fear and anxiety
Mary had questions-
Who me! I am to carry in my belly the Son of the living God.
Why me! Angel replies, you have been chosen by God for his purpose.
Frightened and scared- do you blame her? I don’t care how long you were a Christian…that would be scary.
It is supposed to be Merry Christmas not scary Christmas.
The next question she had… how is this possible? I am sure she understood the birds and the bees.
I have never been with a man. I am sure she would know that.
God’s response to Mary-
The Holy Spirit of God will overshadow you and a miraculous conception will take place.
Oh, by the way, your cousin who could not have children and is old, she will conceive also. She is in her sixth month of pregnancy.
They did not have telephones or email.
She was hearing news that had not yet reached her by camel express.
“For nothing is impossible with God.”
Do you believe that this morning?
How would you respond? Would you have a little anxiety! A little fear?
Mary’s response-(38) “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled”
Our Christian faith sometimes takes us to where we have no choice if we are to make the right choice…but to step out in faith. Amen?
He provides as we need it, and usually at the very last minute so that we know that it is God doing it and not anything we do.
The joy of the Lord is the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was born, the angels announced “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10) and by John’s response to hearing Mary’s voice as he “leaped for joy” in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:44).
Jesus described Himself as a bridegroom enjoying a wedding feast (Mark 2:18–20); He “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit” (Luke 10:21); He spoke of “my joy” (John 15:11) and promised to give His disciples a lifetime supply of it (John 16:24). Joy is reflected in many of Jesus’ parables, including the three stories in Luke 15, which mention “rejoicing in the presence of the angels” (Luke 15:10) and end with a joyful shepherd, a joyful woman, and a joyful father.
Nehemiah told the repentant Israelites that the joy of the Lord would be their strength (Nehemiah 8:10). The early church was characterized by gladness and the joy of the Lord (Acts 2:46; 13:52), and “joy in the Holy Spirit” is a distinguishing mark of the kingdom of God (Romans 14:17). Those who are part of the kingdom share in the kingdom’s delight.
Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). In fact, it is our Christian duty to rejoice in the Lord (Philippians 3:1; 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16). In Christ, the believer is “filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8).
Because of its supernatural origin, the joy of the Lord—our gladness of heart—is present even through the trials of life. We know we are children of God, and no one can snatch us away from Him (John 10:28–29). We are heirs to “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade,” and no one can steal it from us (1 Peter 1:4; Matthew 6:20). We see the Author and Finisher of our faith, and, let the enemy rage ever so much, we know who wins in the end (Hebrews 12:2; Psalm 2).
Faith is the victory that overcomes the world, and the joy of the Lord is our strength.
Adverse circumstances, instead of hindering our faith, can actually enhance our joy.
Paul and Silas knew adversity as they sat with their feet in the stocks in a Philippian jail cell. Their legal rights had been violated. They had been arrested without cause and beaten without a trial. At midnight, since they couldn’t sleep, they sang—loudly—the praises of the Lord they were serving (Acts 16:25). A miracle soon followed (verse 26).
The apostles in Jerusalem were arrested—twice—and ordered not to preach in Jesus’ name. The second time they faced the court, they were beaten. Unfazed, they returned home “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” and ready to preach some more (Acts 5:41). Of course, the apostles were only following the example of our Lord, who had “for the joy set before him . . . endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2).
Being a Christian is supposed to be joyful- Jesus own words to us- “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
That your joy may be full…
We sing more than any other religion.
Everywhere you look is the word joy at this time and yet people struggle finding joy.
Just because some radio stations start playing Christmas songs in August will not put the joy of the Lord in your heart.
It can enhance it if it is already there, but not put it there.
Nehemiah 8:10
Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
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.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
(you thought you would not see that verse this week)
John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
God says that we can have “joy unspeakable” and “full” of his glory.
I want that! I bet you would want that too. To experience God in His fullness and have the Joy that we could not even imagine or comprehend. That is fun just saying it let alone experience.
Kay Warren in her book Choose Joy defines joy;
“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of every detail of my life. That gives me joy. It is the quiet confidence that ultimately everything will be alright. It may not all be all right right now, but God is in control, and he is going to work it out. Ultimately, everything will be all right. Joy is the determined choice to praise God, or honor God, to thank God, in all things. That is a whole lot different than just feeling good. Joy is a choice. Joy is a character. Joy is commitment. God wants you to live a joy filled life.”
I think of another lady who wrote a book by the same title- “Choose joy”- Pastor Crystal Smallwood, her and her husband Jeremy co -pastor our Lavelle church where I came from. They both lost a baby and she writes about the experience and shares how she chose joy at her most tragic time of her life.
Illustration-
You stub that little toe in the middle of the night on a road trip to the bathroom… are you praising the Lord? If the wrong words come out, they should not of been there in the first place.
Now, if you want to experience joy, or restore joy, you must identify what steals it.
Some hate Christmas because something happened at Christmas that was life changing.
Some cannot forgive.
Some cannot forgive themselves even though God Himself has forgiven them.
You cannot be stressed out, be an emotional wreck, tense, nervous, worried, scared, afraid… and joyful at the same time.
Heard one preacher say that when “when anxiety comes in the front door, joy goes out the back door.”
The answer to the enemy of anxiety and fear is trusting in God (repeat)
You cannot have both joy and fear dwelling in the same place at the same time.
If joy is going out the back door, you cannot have the joy of the Lord being your strength.
When we look at the manger scene, most don’t even think of the stress and fear that would have had to impact Mary. She was at the most 15 years old and responsible for carrying and caring for the Son of God. No pressure!
Mary was afraid, but she chose trusting God.
She did not understand all that was going on.
Most of the time we do not get the whole picture from God because it would be overwhelming… more overwhelming than what you are experiencing right now.
Maybe just me, but I have asked God in prayer to be honest and let me know what is happening and promised God after hearing that I would do the right thing- Have you done that?
Luke 1:31-33
“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the most high. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever, his kingdom will never end.”
Sometimes, you just have to trust God.
I would have said…Excuse me, but what does overshadow mean?
Will it hurt?
What will happen to my body?
Can I get a little more details?
If you were Mary, you would be nervous too-
You would be afraid, you would be anxious.
Let me end this morning by asking a question.
What are you anxious for this Christmas?
What makes you up tight?
What keeps you up at night?
What are you nervous about?
Is it finances? Health issues? When you will be married? A job you have or a job you want? Your marriage?
I don’t know what your enemy is this morning, but I know the cure.
Just like Mary, you will have to trust God for the things that are out of your control and bigger than you are.
You have got to accept that God has a plan for you.
There can be only one Mary that births the Son of God, but God does have a plan for each of our lives and He does desire that we be in the center of that plan so we can reap all of the benefits of God.
We have to respond just like Mary-
“I am the Lord’s servant”
I belong to God
God has a plan
I am going to trust Him to show it to me and help me fulfill it.
Illustration
I have been guilty of this next example in the past but I am doing better with it. I had so many friends who would put together projects that require putting things together, they would do it without reading the directions and have things bent and broke. they would say that the manufacturer made the pieces wrong. I would say did you read the directions? NO, I JUST LOOK AT THE PICTURE ON THE BOX. You mean you look at the finished picture and try to build the project from scratch without directions.
Just like Mary response- “I am the Lord’s servant.” God has a plan- if you belong to God than you need to read the directions for your life. Your chasing Joy? Why are you chasing it without asking the Lord how to get and keep it?
Scripture reminds us
‘My spirit finds its joy in God, my savior.”
Prayer-
