“Great Joy!”
(Luke 2:8-20)
Advent Message #3: JOY
Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD
Henderson’s First Baptist Church, Henderson
Video Clip [4:00]
Okay, that was weird, right?! Shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. Not sure that’s how Luke meant it in his Gospel, Luke chapter 2, why don’t you go ahead and find that and we’ll read about it in the Bible. Though I gotta say I liked that double-negative thing: Promise you won’t say “not not!”
While you’re finding Luke 2, many of you know that in New Testament times shepherds were thought of as bad guys, ne’er do wells, miscreants and reprobates, the dredge of society, the bottom of the barrel, the lowest rung of the social ladder. The kind of work they did made them ceremonially unclean and unfit for worship at the temple and they were often sketchy characters whose testimony was inadmissible in court. Put it this way: if you were God and you were going to enter the world as a king, you wouldn’t announce that to a bunch of scruffy shepherds—but then, you’re not God, are you?! And neither am I.
It’s so like God to do this! As the shepherd said in the video clip: “Maybe this Messiah didn’t just come for people that matter. Maybe He came for people like us.” That’s so good! Yes, Luke’s emphasis throughout his gospel is captured in verse 10 of this passage: “Good tidings of great joy which will be to all people,”—all people; Jews, Gentiles, barbarians; the smug, the self-righteous, the sanctimonious, the good, the bad, the ugly, all—including shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night.
Have you found Luke 2? Let’s read it. Stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word. With stark simplicity, Luke records the birth of Baby Jesus in Bethlehem in the opening verses and then we read this, verses 8 and following:
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
- Let’s pray. “Father, help us to marvel, too. Like Mary, help us to ponder this news in our hearts. Holy Spirit, fill us each with your presence and point us to Jesus, and help us to know and experience this ‘great joy,’ great joy which will be to all people—even us—in the name of your Son, King Jesus, we pray, amen.” Be seated.
If you’re a parent, did you send out birth announcements when your baby was born? You get birth announcements: you know, here’s our child, this is his name, and so on.
Well, here’s a birth announcement from God! An angel appears suddenly to a bunch of shady shepherds in the night hour and says: “ A Savior is born in the city of David! His name is Christ the Lord!” And in the middle of the birth announcement is this proclamation: “I bring you good tidings of great joy…” I want to talk about that this morning, about joy.
The third candle of Advent we lit this morning is the candle of joy. The first candle was hope, the second candle was peace, the third candle is joy. Everybody say, “Joy.” This passage is full of joy. Let me give you two main headings for this passage. It breaks down into two joyful parts: Joyful proclamation and Joyful praise. First:
I. Joyful Proclamation (8-12)
(Proclaiming the Gospel)
The joyful proclaiming Christ’s birth is the heart of traditional Christmas songs:
Joyful all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Angels from the realms of glory
Wing your flight over all the earth
Ye, who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth
The Messiah’s birth is good news; joyful proclamation of the gospel; good news.
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were (what?) greatly afraid.
Every time an angel appears in Scripture that’s how it goes. Angel appears. People are greatly afraid. Angels are not like the Hallmark store, elegant ladylike figurines with soft hair, wings and harps, or pudgy babies in loose diapers. That’s not the kind of thing that inspires fear! Angels in the Bible are masculine in gender and more like the angelic creature that appeared to Daniel in Daniel 10:5-6:
5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz!
6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lighting, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.
That’s more like the angel that appeared to these shepherds!
Several years ago Michele and I were in North Georgia and we were climbing to the top of Brasstown Bald, a mountain in North Georgia that is the highest point of elevation in the state. Great views from the top of Brasstown Bald. You can see like four states. So we’re walking up to the top minding our own business and it’s quiet and everything’s nice and then suddenly there’s a loud boom and Michele and I instinctively fell to the ground down on our knees. And we looked up and saw a military jet flying overhead, I guess from Dobbins Air Force Base. Scared the bejabbers out of us! Some of you have experienced that. Boom!
That’s probably like what these shepherds experienced. Luke describes them as greatly afraid, filled with great fear. Verse 10:
10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
And that really is the message of Christmas, that God has enfleshed himself in human skin—incarnation—and has come as Savior, Christ the Lord, the embodiment of good tidings or good news; it’s the word we get “evangelism” from, good news or gospel. The joyful good news is that God has come to save us from sin, sickness, and sorrow by perfectly obeying the law and dying on the cross for our breaking the law. Jesus did not come into this world so much to live in it as He did to die for it.
He is a Savior for “all people.” All who believe can be saved. All. It’s a joyful message, a joyful proclamation because Christ comes not just for those born of Jewish descent. He’s come as Savior for all ethnicities. And it’s a joyful message because this Savior makes a way for us to have peace and acceptance with God Himself! It’s a joyful message because those who believe know that God is pleased with them based on the work of His Son Jesus.
It’s this message from the angel that causes a gazillion other angels to appear and begin praising God for the coming of Messiah. Joyful proclamation leads to joyful praise. Second main division:
II. Joyful Praise (13-20)
(Praising God)
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
By the way, there in verse 14 we have the first Christmas carol ever sung. That’s the Latin: Gloria in excelsis Deo; Glory to God in the highest! When you sing that, that’s what you’re saying: Gloria in excelsis Deo; Glory to God in the highest!
That last phrase there is probably best translated, “And on earth peace among those with whom God is pleased,” or, “Peace to men on whom God’s favor rests.” It does not refer to a political peace or the absence of conflict. The angels are singing about a peace with God among those who know Him. This is a peace with God made possible through the work of this Savior who has come.
It’s what Paul writes about in Romans 5:1, “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”
And I don’t think they said it like that. It was more like: “Wow! Let’s get down to Bethlehem and check it out!”
16 And they came with haste (the first “Christmas rush!”) and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Glorifying and praising God. That’s an important detail for Luke. Verse 13 says the multitude of the heavenly host was “praising God” and Luke ends this section with the same phrase, verse 20, the shepherds returned “praising God.”
Joyful proclamation; joyful praise.
Joy is all over this passage! The joy in this passage inspired the German Christmas Carol, “How Great Our Joy.” You know that one? Written from the standpoint of one of the shepherds:
“While by the sheep we watched at night, Glad tidings brought an angel bright. How great our joy! (point to congregation) Great our joy. Joy, joy, joy! (point) Joy, joy, joy! Praise we the Lord in heaven on high! Praise we the Lord in heaven on high.
Joy, joy, joy.
It’s a good hymn because God is a God of joy. And the joy of God’s creatures is grounded in the joy of their Creator.
A biblical theology of joy begins in the opening verses of the Bible. In Genesis chapter 1 the Bible identifies God as creator who calls His creative work, “good.” Out of darkness God says, “Let there be light” and there is light and God saw the light and “it was good.” And God goes on creating all things and it is as though He is saying, “Sky, that’s good! Land, that’s good!” Birds, that’s good! Men and women, that’s good.” And God looks on all His creation and says, “Very good!” The goodness of God’s creation is grounded in the goodness of God. And the joy of God’s creatures is grounded in the joy of their Creator. “Happy are the people whose God is the Lord (Psalm 144:15).”
Job 38 records the moment when God answers Job out of the whirlwind. Remember this? God asks Job, “Where were you when I created everything?”
Job 38:4, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?”
Job 38:6-7, “To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
Hear that?! When God created all things the stars sang and the sons of God, or the angelic hosts, “shouted for joy.” Jon Tyson calls this “the soundtrack of creation!” It’s the musical score that is playing as God creates all things. The morning stars sing and the angels shout for joy. “Angels from the realm of glory…ye who sang creation’s story.”
Many of the feasts and festivals in the Old Testament reflect the joy of the Creator. They were like Israel’s national “Block Parties” where God’s people gathered together to eat, drink, sing, dance, and joy in the Lord. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.
The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament so we would expect the angel Gabriel to say to Zechariah about the Messiah’s forerunner John the Baptist, we would expect the angel to say, “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth (John 1:14).” And when that little baby John the Baptist is in his mother’s womb, Mary comes into the house and she’s carrying Baby Jesus in her womb and remember what happens? The babe leaps for joy in his mother’s womb knowing the Messiah is near. Joy.
And throughout the New Testament Jesus speaks in parables, reflecting the joy of the Creator. He says things like the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (Matthew 13:44).” Happy are the people whose God is the Lord.
Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like a great banquet, great feast, great celebration. Luke 15, Jesus tells about the lost coin, lost sheep, lost son. And when the lost coin is found there is rejoicing. When the lost sheep is found there is rejoicing. And when the lost son is found there is rejoicing. Jesus says, “There is joy in heaven when sinners repent.” As CS Lewis wrote: “joy is the serious business of Heaven.”
So we’re not surprised to find the angel of the Lord announcing the birth of the Messiah and saying to the shepherds, “Don’t be afraid, for I bring you good tidings of great joy…” The joy of God’s creatures is grounded in the joy of their Creator.
As God’s creatures we have a natural yearning for and a hunger for joy. Joy is life-giving for us.
Christian artist Makoto Fujimura; some of you may be familiar with his art. He wrote once about this innate yearning for joy. Makoto recalled a difficult time early in his marriage when he and his wife, both students at the time, were struggling to make ends meet. They hardly had anything and were often wondering from where the next meal would come. When Makoto’s wife Judy came home one evening, something powerful happened that still resonates with Makoto three decades later. He recalls:
“One evening, I was sitting alone, waiting for Judy to come home to our small apartment, worried about how we were going to afford the rent and pay for necessities over the weekend. Our refrigerator was empty and I had no cash left. Then Judy walked in, and she had brought home a bouquet of flowers. I got really upset. ‘How could you think of buying flowers if we can’t even eat!’ I remember saying, frustrated. Judy’s reply has been etched in my heart for over thirty years now: ‘We need to feed our souls, too.’ ”
Makoto Fujimura, On Becoming Generative: An Introduction to Culture Care (2013: excerpt from forthcoming book).
We need to feed our souls, too. Why? Because it’s part of us. It’s a natural yearning. Because man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Because the creature’s joy is grounded in the joy of their Creator.
By way of application I want to give some food. You’ve heard of “soul food?” Well this is food for the soul, but I’m going to call it “Joy-Food.” I want to give you four things to feast on this week. This is a four-course meal. Joy-Food for our souls.
**Joy-Food for our Souls…
- Joy in Creation
The joy of God’s creatures is grounded in the joy of their Creator. When God creates all things and calls it good, then you and I can see that good as well. And when we slow down long enough to see—really see—God’s creation, we cry out, “That’s good! That’s really good!” Here are ways you can feed your soul and rejoice in God’s creation.
Take a look this week at the beauty of a sunrise or a sunset. Rejoice as you feel the warmth of the sun on your face, especially in these winter months, right?! I smile when I feel the sun on my face. It’s like, “Oh, that’s good!” Joy in creation.
The smell of rain. There’s nothing quite like it, is there? “That’s good.” Joy in creation.
A scenic view of nature. Have you ever thought that when you go somewhere like the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and you’re driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway, you see those places on the side of the road: “Scenic Overlook.” Have you ever thought about the fact that the people who paved the road and put up the sign there: Scenic Overlook.” They knew when they put up that we all would agree. There’s not like some manual that says: “Here’s what qualifies for road signs marked scenic overlook.” You just know it when you see it! Why? Because there’s something in you that goes: “Wow!” The beauty of the mountain tops, the majesty of the rolling hills, the greenery of the fields, the capacious blue skies. Does anybody really look out those scenic overlooks and say, “All I see is a bunch of organic minerals and matter; atoms, hydrogen and helium!” No, but that’s what it is! But it’s a beautiful arrangement of organic minerals and matter, isn’t it?! Joy in creation.
The sound of birds chirping in the morning. They are singing. Rejoicing.
Animals—what is it about a bunch of deer that when you see them you’re like, “Check it out! Deer!” I know some of you guys are like, “Venison! Deer sausage!” That guy in Illinois last month who shot a 51-point buck! But there’s something beautiful about seeing them. Joy in creation.
Nikola Tesla, the famed scientist who helped us understand a lot about electricity, rejoiced in a thunderstorm. I read where, during thunder and lightning storms, he liked to get out a chair and position it just right in front of a window and watch intently. And occasionally, when the lightning struck and thunder boomed, Tesla would applaud—one artist appreciating the work of Another! Joy in creation. Here’s another way to feed your soul this week. Find joy in the common, the common things.
- Joy in the Common Things
There’s a poem that says, “God give me joy in the common things (Thomas Curtis Clark).”
Because the joy of God’s creatures is grounded in the joy of their Creator, we can find joy everywhere if we look for it. It’s amazing how many things you can find just because you’re looking. You see things that were there all along, but you didn’t notice them—like when you buy a particular car model and you didn’t even know there was such a model, but then you start seeing it all over town as other people have the same one. They were always there, but you didn’t see it before.
There are a lot of things, ordinary things, common things, in which you can find joy because you are “hard-wired” for joy; because the creature’s joy is grounded in the joy of their Creator.
Coffee beans—freshly roasted. Freshly ground. The smell! As the water is poured over those grinds, “That is good!” You can actually worship in that moment! “God, thank you for joy in the common things, the ordinary.”
Food; a gift from God! Don’t eat it the way my stupid dog eats dog biscuits—just wolfing them down without tasting them. Slow down, savor the food and thank God. Joy in the common. Cooking, cleaning; a clean room does your heart good because the orderliness of the creature is grounded in the orderliness of the Creator.
An evening walk. Exercise. A good book. The smell of a good book—I know, that one’s weird, but some books smell good!
Think of other common things you can joy in and look for them this week. Joy becomes more spontaneous when you are always looking for it. Feed your soul with Joy-food for the soul. Joy in creation, joy in common things Thirdly:
- Joy in Community
We were created to enjoy relationships.
God is a relational God. God is a community of One. Have you ever though about that? God is a community of one in which are three persons—Father, Son, and Spirit. God is a relational God, a God of community, fully satisfied in Himself as the three persons of His oneness relate to each other.
God needs no one else, yet God creates humanity because it brings Him pleasure to do so. He creates us for relationship with Him and with one another. Our God is a relational God so we are a relational people.
We feed our souls when we relate to others, adding value to their lives and receiving value and blessing from them.
You can joy in community when you get around others. That’s why you feel better when you get around others in worship, or show hospitality, or give to others. The Lord loves a “cheerful” giver. There’s joy in giving; better to give than to receive.
You can joy in community by celebrating the victories of others—and sharing in their suffering, too.
You can joy in community by spending time with your family, relating to your spouse, children, mom, dad. Joy becomes more spontaneous when you are always looking for it.
Joy-food for our souls. Joy in creation, joy in the common, joy in community—and most importantly, the culmination of our joy:
- Joy in Christ
Jesus taught that fullness of joy is found in abiding in Christ. John 15:11: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
We were created by God to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord. And in His presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).
Some of you came to know Christ long ago and you’ve lost something of the joy of the Lord. Rekindle that flame of joy in Christ by spending time with Him this week—talking to Him in prayer, hearing from Him in His Word. It’s a relationship. When you’re in love, you want to spend time with your Lover. Remember when you first loved your husband or your wife, or the first time you experienced love?
You know that scene in the Christmas movie “Elf?” Buddy the Elf has gone out on a date with whoever that girl is in the movie. And after seeing her, Buddy goes to his dad’s workplace and bursts through the door, interrupting their business meeting, and he says, “I’m in love, I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it!”
That’s how our relationship with Christ is supposed to be. We should never lose that feeling of what it means to be loved of God and to love Him back through Christ our Lord. Can you say that about your walk with Jesus: “I’m in love, I’m in love, and I don’t care who knows it?”
Maybe it’s hard to find joy right now. Things are dark for you. Sin is robbing you of joy. If you’re not a Christian, real joy, “great joy” is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The angel said, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11).”
Great joy is found only in Christ. And joy in Christ releases us from fear. The angel said, “Do not be afraid.” The gospel releases us from fear and assures us that God is pleased with us because we are in Christ Jesus. Turn from your sin. That’s what repentance means. Confess your sin to God, turn from your sin in repentance, and rest in Christ Jesus as Lord, Savior, and King.
Others of you are going through hard times. Remember that joy in Christ often includes times of suffering. Look to Jesus in Hebrews 12:2 “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…”
It will get better. Keep your eyes on Jesus and experience the joy that is found in Him.
Joy-Food for the soul. The joy of God’s creatures is grounded in the joy of their Creator. Happy are the people whose God is the Lord. And fullness of joy is found in Christ.
We’re going to reflect that joy in song, as we joyfully sing of our love to our Lord. We’ll say, “Take joy, my King, in what You hear.”
- Let’s pray.
RESPONSE:
I love You (2nd-praise), Lord, and I lift my voice to worship (2nd-honor) You; Oh, my soul, rejoice! Take joy, my King, in what You hear; May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.”
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