SENT: JESUS IS JOY
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
(S1)—JOY to the World...
“10 the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid! I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”
Sometimes Joy can be difficult to find unless we are looking for it
MOVIE “SHIFT”—Joy in the midst of chaos
…experiencing a time of joy, prior to it life was either one of two ways...
—Simple—Sailing along…get a call—JOY
— Difficult…get some good news—JOY
Blue Christmas—Managing loss, grief, loneliness…
John 16:22 You have sorrow now but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.”
The advent of Jesus that brought joy to the world, was meant to bring JOY to our hearts and lives, so we in turn would share that joy to others
John 17:18 “Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world.”
Today’s scripture lesson—How the advent of JOY changed everything for three persons
— A young girl…finds joy in the new life inside her
— An unborn child…finds joy in another not yet born
— A woman well into her years…finds joy in the joy of her unborn child
Each would experience the JOY of Jesus, who was SENT to be joy to the world
(S2)
SENT: Jesus Reconciles—Sets us Free—Jesus God with us — Jesus is Joy
Where do you look to find the joy that Christmas brings?
...Jesus is JOY
Pray—Bibles—Notes
(S3)
How the ADVENT of JOY came to Mary
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.
For both Mary and Elizabeth life was most likely fairly simple before…the news of two coming births had implications for them both
—Feeling Joyful, but not yet feeling joy-filled
The challenge with Advent a time of waiting and expecting. Feeling joy when you don’t yet feel joy
Driving to Florida—3 grown kids
Four ways the coming of Jesus brings joy — Four implications of this joy for our lives
(S4,5) — The advent of Jesus brings...
I. JOY…through Mary’s OBEDIENCE
I. JOY…through Mary’s OBEDIENCE
“38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.”
Notice, her obedience to God’s plan was a precursor to her experiencing joy
Young boy’s first hunt with dad—LOOK a DEER!
Writer Steven J. Cole, raises a question in regards to joy and obedience
“They don’t seem to fit together. Joy seems liberating; obedience sounds restrictive. Joy conveys lightheartedness; obedience sounds burdensome and heavy. Most of us would never think that the way to true joy in life lies on the path of obedience to God.” Copyright 1994, Steven J. Cole
God never forces His love or will on anyone, but God delights in our obedience. This kind of willful obedience is not a burden like the law can be, but a pathway to experiencing the Joy of heaven
(S5)
Joy is the serious business of Heaven. C.S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
When we align our lives with the will of God, joy is the product of our obedience
“When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:10-11
When we are obedient to God’s plan over ours, we find joy in Jesus
As a child life was much better when I obeyed my parents
Its the same in our obedience to God
Is there an area of your life that you need to bring inline with the will of God?
Mary experienced joy through her obedience. How do we know? She was eager to share the Good News with others
“39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived.
Why she would be in such a hurry? The only explanation is JOY. Perhaps she understood that the news of the one being sent to her was not for her alone
I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.”
Just as Jesus was SENT to be Good News to the world, she went as one who was SENT., without delay, and with great enthusiasm,
Jenny so excited to tell of our engagement—two different color shoes
Through her obedience Mary found so much joy, she couldn’t help share it with others
Are you that enthusiastic about sharing Jesus? If not then why?
(S6,7) — The advent of Jesus brings...
II. JOY...upon the HEARING the Good News
II. JOY...upon the HEARING the Good News
41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her
“Though the mothers of John and Jesus meet, the account is portrayed as a meeting of the two children, since John reacts to the meeting as Elizabeth makes clear.”
It only took the sound of Mary’s voice to bring joy into this moment.
Think of a time when someone's voice brought you great joy...
Slippery roads-Jenny’s arrival home
Words can lift up and encourage or cast down and discourage…Christians are to be better at this than the rest of the world
“In Genesis there is internal tension between two who are unborn, as Jacob and Esau struggle for supremacy in the womb. Here there is a total absence of tension: John leaped for joy at the words of Jesus’ mother, who bears Jesus in her womb.”
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4:6
…for an unborn child to perceive whats going on outside the womb, the joy of Jesus had to have been so overwhelming, causing him to DANCE…leapt with joy
Some of us Christians have lost our mojo....forgotten our reason to dance…lighten up a bit
A Harbin child colored on our TV
What if we were to speak more of the joy of having a relationaship with Jesus?
Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation……
(S8,9) — The advent of Jesus brings...
III. Joy...in the PRESENCE of God
III. Joy...in the PRESENCE of God
“41 and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit…44
She knew that this was a Holy moment! Mary was blessed, John was blessed, Elizabeth was blessed all because God was present in the joy of Jesus…she could not keep from shouting it…
— Elizabeth’s Song
“42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.”
The blessing of this joy filled moment that came to this family by faith…because God was present
How much better would families be, if we through faith invited, and acknowledged God’s presence into them?
The advent of Jesus brings joy in the presence of God
(S10,11) — The advent of Jesus brings...
IV. Joy...in the FULFILLMENT of God’s promise
IV. Joy...in the FULFILLMENT of God’s promise
45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Zechariahs encounter with the angel—Promise of God fulfilled in Elizabeth bearing this child—The unborn John the baptist, forerunner to the advent of Jesus
Luke 1:76-79
In Mary the promised Messiah who would bring great joy to the people. Jesus’ birth the fulfillment of God’s promise
Isaiah 9:1-3, 6
What God says, God does—Problem today, many have stopped trusting in the word of God as the promise of God’s fulfilled joy in Jesus
Person of integrity—you can trust what they say
The PROMISE of God’s plan was always Jesus—Only in Him and His word, should we put our complete trust in. Know God’s promsies fulfilled in jesus and you will know joy
How can you better trust in Jesus through his Word?
(S12)
JESUS IS JOY—in him we find Joy in our OBEDIENCE to God—HEARING the Good news—The PRESENCE/FULFILLMENT of God’s promise
46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
Mary’s song of Joy...
Joy ment to be shared by all who are SENT…like Mary, John, Elizabeth, you and me and all who claim Jesus as Joy to the world
What implications does the JOY of Jesus have for us?
The joy of Jesus...
(S13,14)
1. Jesus Joy...helps us OVERCOME
1. Jesus Joy...helps us OVERCOME
Notice how JOY seems to covers over all the anxiety surrounding the two unsuspecting births……
John 16:20–21 “20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world.”
(S15,16)
2. Jesus Joy...gives us the COURAGE to share the Good News
2. Jesus Joy...gives us the COURAGE to share the Good News
To see ourselves as being sent —Courageous joy is contagious!
(S17,18)
3. Jesus Joy...fills us with GRATITUDE
3. Jesus Joy...fills us with GRATITUDE
43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?
(S19,20)
4. Jesus JOY...fills our hearts with PRAISE
4. Jesus JOY...fills our hearts with PRAISE
Where do you look to find joy? How are you looking to Jesus who is Joy? How has Joy changed your life?
(S21)
JOY: OBEDIENCE—HEARING—PRESENCE—FULFILLMENT
Do you see yourself as one who is sent? How will you respond to the joy of Jesus?
Let the joy of Jesus help you overcome...give you courage...fill you with gratitude...fill your heart with praise…this Christmas