Southside Baptist Church JC
2025_12_14
  • Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

      • Jeremiah 33:14ESV

  • Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

  • The Arrival of Joy

    The birth of Jesus was cause for great joy in and amongst the people of God who had been waiting so long for their Messiah to come. During the season of Advent we reflect on this great joy and recognize that we too have great reason to be filled with joy as we celebrate the arrival of Jesus. 
    Scripture: Luke 2:10-11
    Luke 2:10–11 ESV
    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.
    Prayer: “Jesus as we celebrate your birth we are reminded of the great joy that all who witnessed your first moments on earth must’ve experienced. I wonder how your arrival in that stable changed the atmosphere of that place? I wonder how your arrival has changed the atmosphere of our lives? We are filled with joy this holiday season just knowing that you have already arrived and that you came to bring redemption, forgiveness and salvation to all.”
    Today we have reason to celebrate as we’re officially half way through our annual journey back to Bethlehem. Back to where the miraculous birth of Jesus changed the world forever… As you’re probably aware by now, we celebrate this journey through the season of Advent, which is derived from the Latin word "adventus," meaning; "coming" or "arrival."
    Arrival, that’s the focus of our Advent series… The moment when Jesus arrived, and with Him all the prophetic hope and promise of a Messiah to redeem the people of God. His arrival also gave great cause for JOY in and amongst the people of God who had been waiting so long for their Messiah to come. And today we will examine this great joy and recognize that we too have great reason to be filled with joy as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. As the old Christmas song goes;
    “Joy to the world, the Lord is come
    Let Earth receive her King!
    Let every heart prepare Him room
    And Heaven and nature sing”

    Today, as we consider the joy that comes with Jesus, I’ve chosen a passage from Luke 2 that describes an interaction between some angels and shepherds. For context, here is how the passage begins;
    Luke 2:8-9
    Luke 2:8–9 ESV
    And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
    I think it’s understandable here to imagine that if it were you in the same place and time as these shepherds, and an angel showed up out of nowhere, you’d be terrified too… However, even in this tender moment, the angel speaks tenderly and kindly to the shepherds;
    Read Luke 2:10
    Luke 2:10 ESV
    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.
    Good News and Great Joy
    “Do not be afraid,” says the angel, “I bring you good news of great joy…” And immediately the “great fear” that the shepherds must’ve been feeling is balanced by “good news and great joy.” What could this “good news” be? What would those shepherds have been thinking about or imagining in the presence of this angelic messenger? What would you have been thinking about?
    As we’ve discussed earlier in this series, the arrival of Jesus brought with it the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and promises about the birth of a Savior. A promised Messiah who would rescue and redeem the people of God. The birth of Jesus was an incredible sign of “hope,” which we talked about in week 1, that God had not forgotten His people or His promises.
    So, it’s clear to us as we look back in time and see how these events unfolded to understand that the angels were pronouncing the birth of their promised Messiah… And it’s this specific fact that was THE cause for great joy and celebration. In fact, it’s the reason we still celebrate today, that Jesus was born.
    He is both the “good news” and the reason for “great joy” that the angel proclaimed in Luke 2.
    The Reason for the Season
    I love this phrase, the reason for the season, because it’s a quick and easy way to remember that Jesus is the source of our joy through the holidays. It’s a reminder that the true meaning of Christmas is HIS BIRTH and the celebration of HIS ARRIVAL is the central event of our holiday festivities… Or it should be.
    The difficult truth is that Jesus can often get lost in the hustle and bustle of parties, presents, and gift-wrapping that need to be done… I know I’m not the only one here today who feels that the holidays are TOO HECTIC… The pace from Thanksgiving to New Years is such that we need the constant reminder; Jesus is the reason for the season. Are you like me? It seems that the fall decor in stores is only out for a week and then Christmas is out for a week and then Valentine’s decorations and then swimsuits. We must slow down and take time to enjoy this season. Our society won’t. Our enemy wants this to be just another thing to do. He doesn’t care if we celebrate Christmas. He wants you to give gifts and go to events. That’s what he wants to be your focus. He doesn’t care if you celebrate as long as you don’t concentrate on what you are celebrating.
    It’s also a reminder that Christmas is not about the gifts, presents, wish lists, or stockings stuffed on the mantle. Let’s be honest, Christmas has become highly commercialized in many parts of the world, with its emphasis on gift-giving, consumerism, and holiday decorations. I’m not saying this to point fingers but simply to recognize that this is the reality and culture we’re living in… Just another reason that we need to keep front and center WHY we celebrate. Why do we give gifts? Why do we plan parties? Why do we go out of our way to make others feel seen and special?
    We do all of this because Jesus has already given us the greatest gift of all time. An eternity of worship is going to be the greatest party ever thrown. And Jesus saw us in our sin, and still humbled himself. He still traded His life so that we could have eternal life. He showed up for humanity in a way that o other human ever could’ve.
    He’s the reason for the season… Forever and all time… For everyone.
    Joy to the World
    At the beginning of our time together I quoted a few lines from the popular Christmas carol; Joy to the World. I want to share them again here;
    “Joy to the world, the Lord is come
    Let Earth receive her King!
    Let every heart prepare Him room
    And Heaven and nature sing”
    These words remind me of the most popular and oft-quoted bible verse of all time, John 3:16.
    Read John 3:16
    John 3:16 ESV
    “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
    In these words we are reminded that the plan was always for the salvation of the world. The “good news and great joy”of Luke 2:10 was for “for all the people.” These are the people that “God so loved…” These are all the people that Jesus came for… And the good news is this;
    Read Luke 2:11
    Luke 2:11 ESV
    For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
    This is the news we share with others… When they ask us why we celebrate Christmas the way we do. When they ask why we go to church on and why we get so emotional about putting the nativity up every year. The Savior, Christ the Lord, has been born. He has arrived.
    Of all the messages in the world being shared and all the news being streamed on one platform or another, this is the only news that can save… He alone is the reason for the season.
    And The good news that brings great joy is for all the world to hear.

    Conclusion

    As we come to a close, I’ve got a good old fashioned Christmas Story for you from Reader’s Digest about the joy of Christmas. The writer shares this;
    “It had been a tough year for my family. Whenever my mom looked over at the tree and scattered presents, she would sigh and warn us, “There won’t be as much for Christmas this year. Try not to be disappointed.” Christmas had traditionally been a time for my parents to spoil us. In years past, the presents would pile up and spill out from under the tree, taking over the living room. I had heard the phrase “giving is better than receiving,” but thought that whoever had said that must have been out of their mind. Getting presents was the whole point! It was the reason I couldn’t get to sleep on Christmas Eve.
    On Christmas morning, we eagerly waited in the hallway until Dad told us everything was ready. We rushed into the living room and let the wrapping paper fly. We made weak attempts to wait and watch while other family members opened their presents, but as the time passed we lost our self-control.
    “Here’s another one for you,” said Mom as she handed me a package. I looked at it, confused. Having spent so much time examining the presents before Christmas, I recognized this one. But it had not been mine. It was my mom’s. A new label had been put on it, with my name written in my mother’s handwriting.
    “Mom, I can’t…”
    I was stopped by my mother’s eager, joyful look—a look I could not really understand. “Let’s see what it is, honey. Hurry and open it.”
    It was a blow dryer. Though this may seem but a simple gift, to me it was so much more. Being an eleven-year-old girl, I was stunned. In my world, where receiving outweighed giving by light years, my mom’s act of selflessness was incomprehensible. It was a huge act. Tears filled my eyes and I thought in disbelief about how much my mom must love me to give up her Christmas so I could have a few more presents.
    I have always remembered that Christmas fondly. It had such an impact on me. As an adult with children in my life whom I adore, I can now understand my mom’s actions. I see how she was not “giving up her Christmas” as I had thought, but was finding an even greater joy in her Christmas because giving truly is better than receiving. My mom’s simple act meant the world to me.[1]”
    Jesus “gave up” His life so that we could find ours… So that through Him, we might find eternal joy and salvation.
    POINTS TO PONDER:
    What about the reading from Luke 2 resonates with you the most?
    How can you share this good news with others?
    How can your family be an example of the JOY we receive through Jesus?
    How can you make sure that Jesus stays in the center of your celebrations?
    He is the reason for the season.
    [1] Accessed here: ​​https://www.rd.com/article/christmas-stories-wonder-love/

      • Luke 2:10–11ESV

      • Luke 2:8–9ESV

      • Luke 2:10ESV

      • John 3:16ESV

      • Luke 2:11ESV

  • O Little Town of Bethlehem
Southside Baptist Church JC
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