How to Live a Joy Filled Life

Series: “How to Make it Through Tough Times”

Part 5

“How to Live a Joy Filled Life”

Pastor Jerry

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When you woke up this week and heard the news about the invasion of Russia into Ukraine, what did you feel? Shocked? Scared? Sad? We live in a time of unprecedented struggle and upheaval.

Lately, the world seems to be lurching from one crisis to another. We’ve been experiencing a global pandemic, battling political and social turmoil, natural disasters and now we face economic uncertainty from a war on European soil for the first time since WW2. How can you have joy in the midst of crises?

It is no wonder that the daily news kills the joy for many of us. The world is in desperate need of massive doses of joy.

You need joy in your life. You have a fundamental emotional need for joy in your life. Life without joy is overwhelming. overburdened, and oppressive. Studies have actually shown that the more joy we have in our lives, then we are more productive, more energetic, more creative, and the more Peace we have in our life!

For several weeks we’ve been in this series on “How to Make it Through Tough Times.” That includes your need for joy. In fact, one of the names for God in Psalms 43 in the Hebrew language is El Simchathgali which means “I am the God of exceeding joy.”

When you talk about joy, you have to go to the book of Philippians – it only has four chapters. But 16 times in four chapters, Paul says “Rejoice.” The amazing thing is Paul didn’t write this book when he was on vacation. He was in prison in Rome waiting to be executed. In the darkest days of his life he writes the most positive book in the Bible. He gives us his six secrets to having joy.

To help you remember them I’ve put them in an acrostic J-O-Y-F-U-L. Six joy-builders. If you practice these six things in your life, you will find more joy.

J – JETTISON ALL REGRETS ABOUT MY PAST

“Jettison” means “to throw overboard, to abandon as worthless, to discard, to eliminate, to get rid of.” Paul says if you want to enjoy life, there are some things you’ve got to get rid of because they are overburdening your life.

We all have regrets. Everybody’s got skeletons in the closet because nobody’s perfect. The only problem with regret is, you cannot change your past, it just makes you miserable. We get stuck in “if only….” Regretting is just a waste of time. So, What do you do?

The Bible says forget it. How can you do that? You can forget it because God does. The Bible says that when we come to Christ and confess our sins, He takes those sins and throws them in the deepest parts of the oceans. The Bible says, “Their sins will I remember no more.” If God can forget your mistakes and your sins, He can help you do it too. The starting point of joy is to let go of the past. Jettison all regrets – the grief, the grudges and the guilt.

O – OMIT ALL WORRIES ABOUT MY FUTURE

If you’re going to enjoy the present, you must omit all worries about your future. You cannot be joyful and worried at the same time. The more you worry about something, the bigger it gets in your mind. Worry is just as useless as regret. You can’t change the past. And, you can’t change the future.

Paul says in Philippians 3:13 “One thing I do is forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead. Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.”

Here’s his alternative: you can either worry or you can pray. If you are praying you don’t have to worry. So Paul says if you want to be filled with joy, forget the past and don’t worry about the future and just focus on right now. God has a plan for your life. Instead, pray.

Y – YIELD MYSELF TO GOD’S PURPOSE.

A third thing that kills joy in life is having no real purpose at all. We all need a cause greater than ourselves in which to live for. That is what brings us joy. Living for yourself does not bring joy.

When Paul is writing this letter, he has literally lost everything. He’s living in a dungeon in Rome in chains. They’ve taken away everything from him, no ministry, no freedom. But there is one thing that they could not take away from Paul – his purpose in life. Paul says in Philippians 1:21 “For me to live is Christ.” I live for Christ. In 2 Timothy, he says “My only purpose in life is to please Him.”

If you want to have a joy-filled life, you need to get in line with God’s purpose for your life. Romans 6:13 “Give yourselves completely to God – every part of you – to be tools in the hand of God to be used for His good purpose.” I dare you to pray the most dangerous prayer: “Use me.” God is looking for people who will yield themselves to His purpose.

F – FOCUS ON WHAT’S GOOD

As you know, life is filled with ups and downs. We have mountains and valleys, good times and bad times. Of course you have a choice, which are you going to focus on. It is your choice every day. Even on your worse day, life is good. Even on your worse day, you have it better off than many people in this world. You can choose to focus on what is good.

Paul says in Philippians 4:8 “Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Where do you get a list of things like that? Radio? TV? News? No. But there is one place you can count on – God’s word. The more you fill your mind with this book, the more positive and joyful you’re going to be. Fill your mind every day with God’s word.

Paul says if you want to have joy, the fourth joy builder is to focus on what is good. Paul practiced this himself. Even when he was in prison, he had every reason to be bitter and complain. He’s ill, old, in prison unjustly to be executed. Paul says, “I have yielded myself to God’s purpose. I’m focusing on what’s good.” It’s a choice.

U – USE MY LIFE TO HELP OTHERS

Paul was joyful because he was unselfish. He invested his life in others. If you want to have continuous joy in your life, here is the secret. Give your life away in helping others. Stop focusing on your problems and aches and pains and start focusing on helping others. The more you give your life away, Jesus said, the more you find it. The more unselfish you become, the more joyful a person you’re going to be.

Philippians 4:1 he says “Dear brothers and sisters, I love you and I long to see you for you are my joy and the reward for my work.” Paul’s joy was the people he had invested his life in. Paul’s joy were the people he cared about, that he’d led to Christ, that he’d helped grow.

In Philippians 3, Paul says, “For me, living means opportunity for Christ and dying, well, that’s better yet. But if living will give me more opportunities to win people to Christ, then I really don’t know which is better, to live or to die. Sometimes I want to live and at other times I don’t, for I long to go and be with Christ. But the fact is, I can be of more help to you by staying.”

How could death possibly be of benefit to Paul? Paul says, “Either way I win. On earth, my purpose is to live for God. When I die, I get to go be with God.” He has a purpose for living and he has a purpose for dying. Do you? Paul’s last joy-builder…

L – LEARN TO BE CONTENT

Philippians 4:11 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” It wasn’t natural; he had to learn it. Paul’s life was not easy. It was very difficult. 2 Corinthians 11 Paul tells us a little of his biography. He says, “I’ve … been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, three times … shipwrecked….I’ve been in constant danger. … often gone without sleep and food. …. In spite of all this, no matter what happens, rejoice. In all situations rejoice in the Lord. Always rejoice.” He says “I’ve learned to be content.”

Bottom line: Joy is a decision. You are as joyful as you choose to be. You can choose to be joyful because there are many things you can be joyful about. God is saying, if you learn to be content and you choose to make the right decision, you can be joyful.

How can you be joyful when everything is wrong in my life?”

Two reasons: I can always be joyful no matter what happens because I know God is in control. Paul says “I’m going to keep on being glad for I know that … the Holy Spirit helps me, this is all going to turn out for my good.” God’s in control of it all, God will use it for my good. God will give me the power that I need. So what am I worried about? Nothing!

Granted, this isn’t the way that Paul had planned it. He wanted to share God’s love with all the Roman Empire. Instead he has his hands and feet shackled, he’s in a dungeon for two years. Not only that, he did something else while he was in prison. He wrote most of the N.T. We wouldn’t have the N.T. If he’d gone out, traveling all over. Paul had a plan but God had a better plan. Paul said, I trust God’s plan better than my own. also know that God’s going to write the final chapter. “I am sure that God who began the good work within you will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ comes back again.” God has your best interest at heart. Therefore no matter what happens, you can be joyful. Because what He starts, He finishes.

(The second reason you can always be joyful) You were made to know God. You were made to have a relationship with Him. You were made for His purpose and you were made to share the love of Christ with other people. Do that and you will have joy. That is the secret.

Experiencing Joy

Series: “Longing for Christmas”

Part 3

“Experiencing Joy”

Pastor Jerry

Matthew 11:2-6

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“Are you ready for Christmas?” Giving gifts at Christmastime is a beautiful tradition, there is something special about expressing our love with a special holiday gift. However, the real meaning of Christmas is not giving, right? Actually, no. Christmas is so much more than that.

So then, the real meaning of Christmas is about the people in your life that you love – right?

As much as I feel the importance of loved ones every Christmas, no, that’s not the real meaning of Christmas. Many people love their friends and family, but who do not celebrate Christmas.

Okay, so what is the real meaning of Christmas? Well, the real meaning of Christmas is something higher and infinitely better than giving and being with loved ones. But I am going to wait a bit latter to give you my answer to that question.

So, I must ask you again, “Are you ready for Christmas?” People are getting their gifts together to give away at Christmas. You know, however, that the greatest gifts of all at Christmas are the gifts that God gives to us: Hope, Peace, Joy…Love! Today we’re going to take a look together at God’s Gift of Joy and how God wants to give you and me an incredible Joy that we can live our lives with.

Do you have this “Joy” today that God wants to give to you? You know it is easy to write off joy as something that’s just not possible for our lives. We look at a verse like 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Always be joyful.” If you’ve had a particularly tough week, when you hear a verse like that doesn’t it bug you? Maybe you came in today feeling bad. You don’t have any joy.

We sang “Joy to the World” as our opening song this morning. That means everyone and everywhere. Is that really possible (with the pandemic, with the cost of living sky rocketing, with gun violence)—joy in this world? There are a couple of things that keep us from feeling like that’s a possibility. Things that you and I face on a daily basis…

The bad that shouldn’t happen.

A lot of the bad things that happen in our lives, we bring them on ourselves. But there are bad things that happen to us and in this world that just shouldn’t happen. We didn’t bring it on ourselves. Because of that we wonder, “Can joy really be mine in this world?”

The good that doesn’t happen.

The good things that we want to happen that don’t happen in our lives. The dream that we’ve had that doesn’t seem to be able to come true. The prayer that we pray that doesn’t seem to get answered, at least not the way we wanted it to get answered.

The other day when I was searching for a Christmas card, I saw a card that I thought Vonda might buy me. (We’re always teasing each other). On the outside it read: “Sweetheart, you’re the answer to my prayers.” Then inside, it said this: “You’re not what I prayed for exactly, but apparently you’re the answer.”

John the Baptist had been praying for the Messiah his whole life. John’s idea of Jesus was someone who would, preach fire and brimstone. John was confused. Jesus wasn’t like he thought He would be. He sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one to come. Jesus wasn’t exactly what John had prayed for. We sometimes have a hard time seeing Jesus for whom He really is. Because we have our own ideas of whom Jesus should be. We might need Jesus to answer that question for us today too, “Are you the One?”

The message of Christmas is, because of Jesus you can choose to be a joyful person. It’s a choice. It’s something that must be chosen in our lives. But, “How?” You don’t automatically become joyful because you read the Bible more. How does it happen? How do you choose joy? We’ve got to focus on what only God can do, the joy that He can bring. Then, you will see how you can move from where you are to genuine joy in this world.

We’re going to let the Bible show us how to get from here to there today, let some guys who were part of the first Christmas – the shepherds. God brought them a message of joy. They made some choices, some of the same kind of choices that you and I can make today that bring joy into our lives. Three choices that result in joy…

CHOOSE TO HEAR THE GOOD NEWS.

Have you ever been really down and the phone rings and you answer it and it’s some good news? All of a sudden, your spirits are lifted. That’s the power that good news has to bring joy into our lives. It’s the kind of thing that happened to these shepherds the first Christmas. Luke 2:10 says, “But the angel said to them…‘I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’” Not just for the shepherds but for all who hear. God wants to bring you today that message of joy. What’s the good news? That Jesus has come.

The Good News is that Jesus Christ came to tell us that God loves us, offers forgiveness and to make a difference in the direction of our life. That is the Good News that Jesus Christ came to bring.

Romans 1:16 tells us how good this good news really is when it says, “I am not ashamed of this good news about Christ. It is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. Now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way.” The Good News is that God has invited you to have a new relationship with Him. That’s what Christmas is saying. God is calling you. He called to tell you “I love you…I want to forgive you and help you in your life.”

But you may look at your life and say, “My life is full of problems. Where is there any good news in that?” James 1:2-3 “Dear brothers and sisters whenever trouble comes your way let it be an opportunity for joy for when your faith is tested your endurance has a chance to grow.” Joy isn’t in the troubles. The joy is in the fact that God can work even through the struggles of life as I put my faith in Jesus. That’s the good news. Joy is not having perfect circumstances. Otherwise none of us could have joy. The truth is that God is working even in the midst of the problems. The shepherds teach us that. They also teach us a second thing about where joy comes from. It starts when you listen to the good news…

JOY CONTINUES WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO DO WHAT GOD SAYS.

These shepherds heard God tell them to go and find a baby, laying in a manger. They did. And when they did, they found joy. Luke 2:15 says, “When the angel had left them and went 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.’” Why did they go? Because they believed what God said! They trusted what God had said.

Yet, there are a lot of us that have not trusted what God has said. You hear God say to you “Trust Me with your life.” But you don’t. I’m here to tell you this morning that it’s never too late to trust Him. Today may be your day to trust Him again. Christmas is the time that joy can happen in our lives. John 16:24 “Until now you’ve not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete.” The key is “ask.” What do you need to ask God for this Christmas? Joy happens in our lives when you and I decide to do what God has said to do.

Joy comes when you hear the good news. Joy comes when you do what God says to do. Then there’s a third thing these shepherds remind us of.

III. JOY COMES WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO TELL SOMEONE ELSE.

We can bring joy into the life of another by the things that we do and the words that we say.

Good News is not to be hidden. It needs to be shared. These shepherds immediately shared the good news about what God is doing. Luke 2:17 “When they’d seen Him (the baby Jesus) they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.” They went out and immediately told everybody else.

It’s what you and I need to do. With joy we need to tell what God is doing in our lives. Tell someone in your family, at work, at school. If you care about them, you want them to know and to experience the same good news that God wants for you.

Invite a family member or friend to come to church with you this Christmas. People want to be asked. They want to be in church at Christmas. Luke 15 tells us why there’s such a burst of joy when we tell the good news to other people. “I tell you there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes his heart and life than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to change.” The joy of telling the good news is the joy of telling someone everything can change. Not every circumstance, but everything about you can change.

Okay, I told you I would tell you what is the real meaning of Christmas? Earlier, I said the real meaning of Christmas is something higher and infinitely better than giving and being with those we love.

Christmas is about totally unconditional, inconceivably awesome, self-denying …TRUE LOVE. The apostle John said the word gospel means Good News. He wrote: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

God’s greatest gift is: the blessing of Joy that came with the birth of His son. Christmas is about Christ! The center of all that we do this Christmas season should go all the way back to the manger and the birth of Jesus. There will be no gift that we can ever give or receive that will touch what God gave to all of us. Jesus… is the real meaning of Christmas and it fills our hearts and our lives and the world with real joy!

How to Profit from Your Problems

Sermon Series

How to Face Our Future! – Part 2

“How to Profit from Your Problems”

Pastor Jerry

James 1:2-6

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I want to ask you a personal question this morning? Do any of you ever have problems?

Even if you don’t have any personal problems right now, you have the social problems of the pandemic. Yes! We have problems, both personal and socially.

So, today, we’re going to look at “How to Profit From Your Problems”. James is the most practical book in the New Testament. It is the “How To” manual for the Christian life.

How can you be happy if you have problems? The key is the phrase “because you know“. Your attitude is determined by your understanding.

Actually, there are 4 facts of life from James that will help you with the problems you go thru:

I. HERE’S FOUR “FACTS OF LIFE” YOU NEED TO KNOW

Problems are inevitable

Scripture doesn’t say, “If you encounter problems consider it joy” but whenever — count on it, you’re going to have problems. Jesus said “In the world you will have tribulation.” Count on it.

The second fact of life from James that you need to know…

Problems are unpredictable.

James says, “…whenever you face problems …” – it is unexpected. Trials are not planned. We seldom can anticipate the problems we’re going to experience in life.

The third fact of life from James that you need to know…

Problems are of many kinds

They come in all shapes and sizes. There are a wide variety of them. They vary in intensity, they vary in variety, they vary in duration. Some are minor inconveniences. Some are major crises.

The fourth fact of life from James that you need to know…

Problems are purposeful

YES problems have a purpose. Problems can be a warning light that something wrong. Pain can produce change. It has value in our lives. What value?

Three purposes of problems in your life:

1) Problems purify my faith.

James uses the word “testing.” Job said “God has tested me through the refining fire and I have come out as pure gold.” The first things trials do is test our faith. They purify us. You don’t know what’s inside until you face problems. God is much more interested in what’s inside you, in building faith, than He is in building bodies, or homes, or things.

A second purpose of problems in your life:

2) Problems fortify our patience.

“…the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James is talking about staying power, not a passive patience, endurance. We don’t like pressure and we do everything we can to avoid it. People run from it. But God uses problems in our lives to teach us how to handle pressure, how to never give up. Endurance, patience today, is a rare quality.

A third purpose of problems in your life:

3) Problems sanctify my character.

They make me like Jesus. They help me to grow. “The testing of your faith produces perseverance that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” That’s God’s long range goal. His ultimate purpose is He wants you to mature. In the Christian life, character is the bottom line. God’s number one purpose in your life is to make you like Jesus Christ.

The Bible says there are two ways that God makes us like Jesus:

(1) Through the word of God. John 17:17 “Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth.” James 1:22-25 “The word makes us like Jesus” it builds our character, matures us. Reading the Bible, the Word of God, letting it guide us is being like Jesus.

But, God demands even more in the second way.

(2) Through the circumstances of life. So many Christians say, “Everything was going great when I first became a believer. Then all of these problems came. Maybe God doesn’t love me. Maybe I’m not a Christian.” You are exactly where God wants you. You’re in a character course. He’s making you like Jesus. Romans 8:28 “We know that all things work together for good” if we love God and are called according to His purpose.” The secret of Romans 8:28 is 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow He did predestine to become conformed to the image of the Son of God.“ Why do all things work together for good? In order to make me like Christ.

Ephesians says “We are God’s workmanship” — God wants to make a mature person out of you. He wants us to be kind, caring, faithful. That is a picture of Jesus Christ. That’s what He wants you to be like.

These are four facts you needed to know!

Problems are are inevitable
Problems are unpredictable.
Problems are of many kinds
Problems are purposeful

And then there are three things you need to do.

II. HERE’S HOW TO HANDLE YOUR PROBLEMS

Rejoice “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials …” (v2). Don’t misunderstand what he’s saying. He’s not saying “Fake it. God never asks you to deny reality. We don’t rejoice for the problem, we rejoice in the problem. We don’t thank God for the situation. One of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible is I Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus.” If you want to know God’s will for your life it’s simple. “In everything give thanks.” It does not say, “For everything give thanks.”

Why? It means we can thank God because we know that He can even take the bad in our lives and turn it around and bring good out of it. I don’t care where your problems come from. God can use them all for your growth and His glory. What makes a difference? Your attitude! Although I cannot control the circumstances that happen to me in life, I can control how I will respond to them. You can choose to rejoice in any situation. The Bible says choose to rejoice.

The second thing you need to do (to handle your problems):

Request Pray. Of all times to pray, pray when you’ve got problems. What do you pray about? v. 5 “If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him.” Wisdom is seeing life from God’s point of view. Pray for wisdom to understand the problem and see what your part in it can be. Request.

The third thing you need to do (to handle your problems):

Relax Trust God to know what’s best for your life. Co-operate with His purpose so you don’t short circuit the process. That’s what’s called faith. “When he asks he must believe and not doubt.” Let Go! Relax. Let God work.

These are four facts you needed to know! These are three things you need to do!

Problems are inevitable 1. Rejoice
Problems are unpredictable. 2. Request
Problems are of many kinds 3. Relax
Problems are purposeful

My heart breaks when I think about the heartache and pain many people in our church and in the community feel during this pandemic. It’s not always easy to have a joyful heart in the middle of problems. The Bible says the devil wants to use problems to defeat you, but God wants to use those problems to develop you. Which will it be?

God cares. He cares about you very much. God sees everything you’re going through. God has the power to do something about that problem. He could change it in a snap. Why doesn’t He? Because there’s a greater purpose.

God wants you to profit from your problems:

The greater purpose is what He wants to do in you. God is more interested in building your character than in making life comfortable. Once you’ve learned those qualities, He may be free to remove that situation. But, nothing comes into your life without the Heavenly Father’s permission. Come to Jesus, “cast all your cares upon Him.”…it will be well with your soul!

A Time for Joy

Sermon Series

Christmas Long Ago – Part 3

“A Time for Joy”

Pastor Jerry

Luke 2:8-20

(A first person narration/drama – by a shepherd named Jacob)

————————————- Message Synopsis ————————————-

Well, well, well …What do we have here?

Hello, my name is Jacob. I am by trade a shepherd. Oh, do not worry good people I am not a thief or a bandit. I wish to harm no one.

I know, I know—you think shepherds cannot be trusted. That’s what everybody says. Many of my brothers have given surrendered to the views of others. “If they think we’re thieves, then why not live up to their expectations!” Imagine that! Almighty God in his holy scriptures has been called a Shepherd. And now, people hold the profession itself in disdain and discuss.

Even you look quite surprised that a “shepherd” could know holy things of God. Please realize that my heart belongs to my Lord and God. Even though I cannot participate in temple activities, I take great pride in knowing that my work is essential to the functioning of the temple. I help tend the flocks of the Temple.

But good people, I haven’t stopped by here today to justify myself and my profession—I’ve come to give you good news. Last night, the most amazing thing happened. We were out in the fields, taking turns at guarding the sheep throughout the night watches. Suddenly, before us in all of his glory, stood a messenger from God—an angel! A tremendous sense of power and majesty flowed from him.

I do not remember falling to the ground. But there I was—face first in the grass. I knew that my life was over. I had faith in the God of Israel—but I knew that I was unclean. I was so afraid—so unready to meet my God!

And then the angel spoke such a gracious word to us. What did he say? “Stop being afraid!” Somehow I knew in my heart that God was not going to take my life. I knew that God still loved me.

“I bring you good news of great joy for all people! This very day in the city of David, a Savior has been born—Christ the Lord has come. A sign is given to you—you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, all about us, as far as I could see, there appeared a great host of heavenly creatures. They declared with power and love, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”

And then, they were gone. I stood there, dumbfounded—unable to fully grasp the wonder of what I had just seen. “Come on now, let’s go into Bethlehem—let’s go find the child!” The Lord has spoken to us, “we must go and search out what he has shown us.”

We quickly penned the flocks,—and then we left for Bethlehem. I have never been so excited in my life. To think, God chose us! The people of Judea might not want us about; but God sent a choir of angels to celebrate the birth of the Messiah—and HE sent them to us to announce Messiah’s birth! Can you imagine—God chose us and my heart was bursting with sheer joy.

Once we got to Bethlehem, we quickly searched through every cave, every stable in town. And then, we found HIM—just as the angel had promised. Outside an inn, lying in the stable, the Christ had come. When we made our way in we were perhaps a little abrupt in our joy. “Where’s the baby, let me see the baby.” When we saw the child, we began to cry tears of joy.

We told them all about what we had seen and heard. Mary and Joseph (those were their names, you know), were surprised, but not unbelieving when we spoke about the angels. It seems that they, too, had been blessed by seeing the holy messengers of God.

We decided that it was time for us to move on. But I am afraid we did not leave so quietly. People were beginning to stir in the small village—and if they came upon my friends and I, they received a burst of praise and celebration—we told everyone we could see what had happened.

We have just now finished delivering the sacrificial lambs to the Temple. And we still cannot be silent. Please, my good people, I know that it seems hard to believe, but it is true. In Bethlehem, the Christ has been born. This my friends is a time of great joy for all people!

Brothers and sisters, do you understand what this means. No one has to be left out! No one has to be left behind! This is even greater joy now that I understand. All of my life, I have been left behind. Raised in a shepherd’s home, I knew what it was to be an outcast.

People walked by and looked at me as though I were some horrible creature. They looked at me as though I were “unclean.” But praise be to God—He saw me through different eyes! God had room in his kingdom for me! A shepherd could be part of the family of God! I know this—for the angel brought tidings of great joy for all people! This, my good people is incredible. No one is too small! No one is too far gone! This is good news of great joy!

I must say good-bye now—others have got to hear the good news! I know that you have been told to distrust shepherds. This time, please believe. The Messiah is born! Go see for yourselves! You can find the Christ, too. An invitation to joy has been given to you. Everyone who would receive this great news is welcome to come. For God has promised through his angels—this is great joy for all people!

Joy

Series: “All I Want For Christmas”- Part 3

Sermon:“JOY”

Scripture Lesson: Luke 2:9-11

————————– Sermon Synopsis —————————–

Series: All I Want for Christmas is… (Part 3)

JOY

Luke 2:9-11

Pastor Jerry

December 15 , 2019

Today is the 3^rd Sunday of Advent. And we celebrate Christmas Joy! “What brings you JOY?”

There’s a difference between happiness and joy: Happiness we can try to achieve. Joy, we can only receive. “Do you have Joy, today?” The problem is that joy is not a commodity that can be produced, bought, sold or stolen. We can’t earn it. Like all expressions of the grace of God, Joy is a gift that we can only receive.

Do you have joy? Well you can …because it is coming to you, today. From our scripture lesson, we read: “…the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy’…” (Luke 2:10).

There are so many good reasons for us to be afraid in the. But the world can’t steal or take away our joy. Let me give you three good reasons for Christmas Joy this year.

First 1. The Good News of Great Joy is that THE MESSIAH HAS COME!
“The angel said to them … ‘I bring you good news of great joy’ …” (Luke 2:10).

Second 2. The Good News of Great Joy is that THE MESSIAH HAS COME TO SAVE.
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

Third 3. The Good News of Great Joy is that THE MESSIAH HAS COME FOR ALL.
“The angel said to them…” I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people“ (Luke 2:10).

Joy is about God coming to you. It’s a gift! You can’t earn Joy. Joy is something you can only receive. Will you receive it?