This morning I get to celebrate the Second Sunday in Advent with my brothers and sisters at New Life Fellowship. We who celebrate Christ's Advent get to seize the Joy of this season. Joy isn't about happiness - for happiness depends upon happenings. Joy is that settled confidence that God is in charge...all is going to be ok.
Scripture: Luke 2:10-11 (NASB)
2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
I love the way the Prophet Isaiah explained it - Isaiah 51:11 (NIV)
51:11 The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
The famous Christmas classic, "It's a Wonderful Life" captures the essence of this passage - a ransomed Joyful overtaking...and sorrow and sighing fleeing away - when George comes home at the end of the movie, now aware that the debt and shame of the money is not what matters. What matters is his family and friends. He ends up surrounded by them and they sing together "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the New Born King..." That is not happiness on display, that is JOY! The Joy of a ransomed everlasting Joy upon his head.
May we discover JOY in the Lord as we worship him today, and throughout this Advent.
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