The Joy of Christmas

The Joy of Christmas

Luke 2:8-20

"Do not fear". Be full of joy. The advent season and a Christian life are to be characteristic of joy. The angels bring joy with them in their announcement to the shepherds. That joy does not rest on Herod or the shepherds or anyone making it of their joy...so whether they are joyous or not, there is still joy. This joy is the joy of The Lord. In the Christian's life joy is not always an emotion, though it can be an emotion. Rather, it is a quality that we display. 

1) the joy of the pivotal event of Christ's birth: we have long awaited this announcement and coming of the promised Messiah. This joy and anticipation is compared to a bride and her wedding day, a long awaited day and the on the actual day, there is even more joy. Here is the one who is promised. God kept His promise and here is our Redeemer who has come to set up apart and save us from death and doom. This redemptive announcement to the shepherds remains with us even today. 

2) the joy of the coming of God's glory due to Christ's arrival. Dark night had been at work and with the coming of Christ, the "now" is the front row and the "not yet" has taken a back seat. The serpent has been cast out. There was an entrance of a new kingdom casting out the old evil kingdom. This gives us a great reason to be joyful! We can have joy because the change and new order has come in. Mary's words come true, those of low birth are highly esteemed. Even with the shepherds, those of low birth are first to get the news, their fear is to be replaced with great joy. 

3) personal joy for the individual and individual joy. The shepherds took the news and spread it everywhere (verse 17). They could not hold it in, but rather give it away. Once you've given it away you are given even more joy! It was a double joy for them. This joy is personal and they own it and you see that they own it by how they went out and could not hold it in. Joy is cheated when you cannot go out and "blab" it to others. And so we also are to go out and spread this great tiding of joy to everyone. What a mission statement that is. This emotion of joy is to take over our fear and fright, just as it was to the shepherds. We get so afraid for the battle that is already own thanks to Christ and His bringing of joy.