Joy to the World our Savior has come! God had a plan over 2000 year ago when an angel appeared to the shepherds bringing good news. God had a divine plan for our salvation and Jesus was born to lay down his life for all people. The promised Messiah, the Savior had been born. The good news of the Savior’s birth is the reason for great joy and celebration!
And today, we are still celebrating great joy of our Savior’s birth. For me, the joy of knowing Jesus, having Him for my own, knowing He is in control, felt big and joyous contrasted against the difficulties in our world, and contrasted against the looming darkness that will surely come before Christ makes all things new.
Yes, the last few years has been difficult for the world in so many ways. This is all the more reason to celebrate Christ’s birth with joy. Against the contrast of a difficult year, Christ, His love, and His presence shines bright!
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What is the True Joy of Christmas?
Finding the true joy of Christmas comes not in the hurrying, the hustle and bustle to get more done. We find the real true joy of Christmas when we make the Savior the focus of the season.
How much better the world would be if we all gave gifts of understanding and compassion, of service and friendship, of kindness and gentleness.
As the Christmas season envelops us with all its glory, may we, as did the Wise Men, seek a bright, particular star to guide us in our celebration of the Savior’s birth. May we all make the journey to Bethlehem in spirit, taking with us a tender, caring heart as our gift to the Savior. May one and all have a joy-filled Christmas. And may your life and your families be shiny bright.
This Christmas is an amazing time to celebrate the light of Christ that has come into the world, the promise that we will be saved in every way, and that in the end, all things will be made right because Christ came, because God came as Immanuel. (God is with us)
When we are undergirded by these truths, when we keep our eyes firmly fixed on the promise of goodness in the future, we can look through present difficulties to a hope-filled future, grounded in the truth that nothing will ultimately destroy us, and no darkness will overtake us—and we can experience joy!
The joy that Christ gives cannot be taken away. His love cannot be taken away. Kings cannot remove it. Presidents cannot destroy it. Governments cannot annihilate it.
It’s joy that is rooted in truth that there is one King who truly reigns. One King who has the world in His hands and one King whose agenda is not power for the sake of dominating, but power because He defends those He loves. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. His Name is Jesus.
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11).
Related: Experiencing Joy in Your World this Christmas
How Did Jesus Bring Joy to the World?
Christmas is a reminder that God has always had a plan. From the beginning of time, God had a plan for our salvation. It was a foolproof plan that the devil didn’t see coming. Because of God’s Love for us, Jesus, the Anointed One and His Anointing, was born into this world, a gift from the Father to you and me (John 3:16)
Jesus’ birth made a way for us to not only know Him, but also for us to receive The Blessing into our lives, and to live victoriously each and every day.
What is joy? As Christians, what is the source of our joy? What does joy look like in our daily lives? Should a believer’s life be marked by joy? And what if it isn’t?
Merriam-Webster defines joy this way, “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” I think this is a useful definition.
Joy is that wonderful feeling we get when you know you’ve found
What you’ve been looking for,
No more searching no more looking around. To find something worth living for;
I’ve found Jesus and there’s no doubt about it He’s everything I wanted and more, and it’s a wonderful feeling when you know you’ve found what you’ve been looking for.
It’s that sense of happiness when our family is gathered together for the holidays. Joy is that emotion we feel when we get a raise or a promotion at work. It’s the feeling comes with knowing we are loved.
It’s even that sense of anticipation we have when we look at the presents under the Christmas tree. Of course, ultimately, joy is more than a transient emotion or feeling.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV)
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit’s work in the life of believer. That means that it is something more than an emotion we have in the right circumstances. Our joy, as Christians, is rooted in something much deeper. Its source is in the work of Christ for our salvation.
Consider the angel’s declaration when Jesus was born:
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11 ESV)
What is this “good news of great joy?” The Savior has come! Jesus has been born. Of course, that is not the whole story. Jesus’ birth was just the beginning. He lived and died for us. And most importantly, He rose again, and living in your heart.
Through His life, death, and resurrection, He has saved us from our sins! What a glorious thing! What a joyous occasion. We are forgiven. We are made new. He has won the victory and secured our future. Nothing can separate us from His love.
The Savior has come, and He will come again. In the face of this truth, how can we be anything but joyful? No matter our circumstances, no matter the struggles, no matter the pain, sorrow, grief, fears, dangers, heartaches we face, we are His, and He will never leave us. And one day, He will come and take us home. That is the source of our joy. And it cannot be shaken.
Joy does not mean that we go through life with happy-slappy attitudes and smiles plastered on our faces. There is a time for rejoicing and a time for sorrow. It is appropriate to grieve and cry at times. But in those times, we have not lost our joy. We still have that sense of anticipation. Christ is the only joy that lasts.
So, what should joy look like in our daily lives? First, our lives should be filled with worship and praise. We have been saved from our sins. They are remembered no more. We are loved, adopted, children of God. We have hope in our resurrection. Our response should be to worship the One who has called us, redeemed us, atoned for us. Saved us.
Second, we should share our joy with others. Because of how much we love our families, friends, and neighbors, we must share with them the source of our joy. There is no gift more precious in the world than the salvation we have received through Jesus. There is nothing more joyful in this life than seeing others come to Christ. How can we keep silent?
Related: What Does the Bible Say About Joy and Why We Should Embrace It
How Can We Experience the Joy of Jesus?
In Psalm 28:7, we’re told that the joy of the Lord is our strength.
It says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore, my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.”
In Galatians 5:22, we see that joy is one of the fruit of the Spirit.
And in Psalm 100:2, we’re called to serve the Lord with joy:
“Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.”
The reality is that joy is a key component of the Christian life, and we need to experience God’s joy every single day. We can get into a rut, simply going through the motions of the Christian life instead of serving the Lord with gladness.
So how do we experience the joy of the Lord every single day? Here are two simple ways.
- Experience the joy of the Lord every day, by starting your day with quiet time in god’s presence.
- Experience the joy of the Lord by fixing your eyes on Jesus.
Given the source of our joy, the reality of His resurrection, the security of our salvation, how can we not be joyful? But what about Christians who are not? I am sure we all know Christians who don’t exactly embody joy.
The world around us is full of reasons to fuss and complain. Our jobs are not going well. Our families are crazy. Our health is failing. The government is not doing a good job. The politicians we voted for did not get elected.
The ones we elected broke their promises. The weather is bad: too hot or too cold. There are so many reasons to be in a bad mood. But when we are tempted to give in to our emotions, let’s remember the source of our joy.
Let us sing for joy this Christmas! Joy to the world, the Savior has come! And He will come again!
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11
So, Christmas is a day for joy and gratitude, a day for generosity and peace. A child is born to us, a son is given to us.
God’s Word is living and active and will get to work in your heart more deeply than anything else: giving you the strength to trust in God’s goodness; the joy to celebrate the significance of Jesus coming to earth; and the reason to celebrate more than ANYONE the gift of eternal life.
As our family gathers this Christmas season and celebrates Jesus, you will be with us, in our prayers, thoughts and in our hearts. We are so thankful for you. God loves you, and we love you. Always remember Jesus Is Lord!
Prayer
Lord, as I celebrate you through the seasons, you are the gift of life. I praise you for the light that you are, and that you brought when you came into the world, and the joy that you bring. I celebrate your presence. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Christmas Song: Joy to the World!
Free Printable Christmas Hymns and Lyrics
Feel free to download the lyrics to this Christmas hymns as you sing the praises of our newborn King this season!
The Christmas hymn Joy to the World is a favorite of many people all over the world. It’s one of my favorites. I love the part of the song that says, “let every heart prepare him room”. Have you made room in your hearts for our king? It is sometimes easy to forget the power and the true meaning of Christmas when we spend so much time focusing on the Christmas, wrapping gifts, baking cookies, hustle and bustle of running in and out of all the stores, Christmas decorations, and lights. Let’s make sure that we do not forget the reason for the season and let us make room in our hearts for our wonderful Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ!
Lyrics:
Joy to the world,
The Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare him room
Let heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ
While fields & floods, rocks, hills & plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
Scripture: You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11
