The Joy of God’s Message
Some messages bring joy and some do not. I remember a 13 year old boy standing in his mothers front room and looking out her window at the weather, it was late November or early December and watching it rain and snow, sleet and thinking what a gloomy day. Suddenly a green Plymouth Valiant slowly pulled up to the driveway and pulled in. Two men got out in uniform, Army, one was an officer you could tell by his ribbons and medals, and one was a Chaplin, he could tell by the cross on his collar. They walked slowly up to the door and rang the doorbell, the boy ran to tell his mother the army was there and when he did she turned white as a ghost and held on the counter. He asked what was wrong and she said to answer the door and let them in. As they entered they said they were from the war department and brought a message that Her son, the boys brother, was missing in action and was presumed dead. She wept and they tried to comfort her but to no avail. They left and she went and closed the front drapes for the first time ever and said I don’t want to see the sun. She keeps the drapes closed only her family opens them and she closes them later. That beloved is not a joyful message to hear.
But today I want to share with you a message of joy, hope and love. That message is that the savior, the Christ, Messiah, the Lord was born, he was here on this earth. Before I can come to the good part we must go through some tuff stuff first. Like a census, travel and no inn to stay in. Let us read..
Luke 2:1-4
1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
3And everyone went to his own town to register.
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
Micah 5:2
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
Now this scripture is important as there was another Bethlehem in Israel at this time in history it was in the northern part of Israel, just south of Nazareth, God was making sure that it would be narrowed down to know the exact place, city, the Messiah was going to be born in.
Luke 2:5-7
5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now some bad news. There is no mention in Luke or Matthew a mean or otherwise inn keeper, sorry to ruin your story of the birth of Jesus.
Now lets get to the JOYFUL part…
Luke 2:8-20
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The birth of Christ brought good news to mankind which was lost in sin and in the bondage of Satan . His coming brought glory to God and peace on earth and favor on men. Even today Jesus comes to us with good news and brings joy to us when we are in pain and need.
Remember the words of the angel to the frightened shepherds in that field outside of Bethlehem. “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you.”
The message of the angels was God’s declaration of deliverance. The promise of God was fulfilled through the birth of the Savior. The message of the angels was God’s announcement of action. The purpose of God was being completed through the coming of the great light. The message of the angels was God’s proclamation of joy. The plan of God was being achieved through the one who was the way and the truth and the life.
You might be saying, "So What?" I know the Bible says Jesus was born but what is that to me?
1. If it was truth for the Shepherds, this birth is still truth today. There are five truths that you can count on. Write them down!
a. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
b. All are loved (John 3:16)
c. All can be saved
d. All will be judged
e. Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
2. It is truth but you must believe it!
3. It is truth and if you believe it, it will impact your life.
Is this gift of JOY for You? Yes it is. And if you believe it, it will change your life.
I must admit that life does not get any better; it is full of sorrows, there are going to be uncertainties, you will have problems.
Life is full of fear-- That is why some men drink, that is the reason some people lie, that is the justification some men use for committing suicide-- to escape that which they are afraid of--LIFE.
However, the angel said; DO NOT BE AFRAID I have something to keep you in perfect peace. I have GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY. You will still have your troubles , you will still have your sorrows, you will still face uncertainties, you will still have problems, BUT---BUT YOU WILL HAVE SOMEONE TO SHARE THEM WITH, YOU WILL HAVE JESUS!!!
Beloved the great JOY is at the birth of Jesus Salvation came. You can not have a death, burial, and resurrection without a birth first.
I would like to now finish the story I started at the beginning of this message.
About 18 months later that same boy was standing in his yard and the same Plymouth Valiant came racing down the street and screeched into the driveway.
The two men got out and ran upto and into the house yelling for Mrs. Ots.
The boys mother. They were yelling Mrs. Ots your son Donald Jay Soulliere is alive and on his way home. My mother broke down and cried as well as I did. That beloved was a message of great JOY but not the message of God’s Joy His son Jesus
Was alive and here for the world to live and never die. He was the gift that keeps giving and giving every year, every month, and every day and every moment of every hour. Do you have joy this year. You can through Jesus the Christ.
