Advent Week 3 - Joy
What is joy? Is it an emotion? A decision? An attitude? Joy is hard to define, but Joy is even harder to have. If we are honest, most of us struggle to find joy in our lives. It is much easier to focus on difficult circumstances, how busy we are, the guilt we feel over our sin, our mental or physical health, or a whole list of things that distract us and capture our emotional capacity.
Yet God commands His people to rejoice. Think about that. We are commanded to have joy. How could God expect us to have joy when our lives are so full of distraction and difficulty? When we aren’t even sure what joy is? Believer, don’t lose faith! God knew that you would struggle. In fact, while He commands that we have joy, He also provides it!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22–23
The Holy Spirit works in your life to provide joy. And this joy is such that it does not rely on our circumstances, our health, or all of the many things that we struggle with. 1 Peter 1 tells us that we should rejoice through all kinds of trials with a joy that is inexpressible and full of glory.
How do we experience this joy?
One quiet night in the hills surrounding Bethlehem, a small group of shepherds found joy.
“In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.” Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!”
Luke 2:8–14
Jesus Christ, the Messiah was born, and the good news of His birth brought great joy!
Here now the truth of joy!
“You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures.”
Psalm 16:11
It is in the presence of Jesus that we find abundant joy. His coming brought great joy to the world, and it is still through abiding in His presence that we can find joy through our struggles and trials, for they pale in comparison to His greatness and eternal pleasures. Jesus promises us that nothing we face will be strong enough to rob us of our assured place in His kingdom, and our faith and trust in His great mercies and mighty promises bring joy everlasting.
This is the true path of joy: to place our hope and faith in Jesus Christ our Savior and in His presence we will have abundant joy.
Church, let us be in the presence of Jesus this morning and just like the angels and shepherds, let us declare His majesty and glory through joyful worship!
