God Make You Mighty: Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Devotional

Day 1: Christ rescues and transfers into God's kingdom

Paul declares that Jesus has delivered believers from the jurisdiction of darkness and relocated them into the living reign of the Son, giving a real change of address: redemption, the forgiveness of sins, new affections, and the call to live as citizens of his kingdom. [58:22]

Colossians 1:13–14 (ESV)
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you still feel “at home” in old patterns or darkness; tonight write it down, pray and ask God to claim that corner of your life, and share that specific struggle with one trusted person for accountability by tomorrow.

Day 2: Good news of great joy for everyone

The angel’s announcement to shepherds shows that the gospel breaks through social barriers—God chose common people to receive the tidings of a Savior, demonstrating that the good news of great joy is offered to all and invites ordinary lives to return glorifying and praising God. [48:18]

Luke 2:10–20 (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. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Reflection: Think of one person or group you tend to overlook—someone “ordinary” in your context; send them a text today offering to pray for them and invite them to coffee or to church this week.

Day 3: God's love gives eternal life through Jesus

The familiar words of John 3 remind that the gift of Christmas is the outworking of God’s love: he gave his Son so that whoever trusts in him is rescued from perishing and receives everlasting life, showing that redemption was God’s initiative toward helpless sinners. [54:51]

John 3:16 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Reflection: Choose one person who needs hope; today share John 3:16 with them—either send the verse with a short personal sentence about what it means to you and ask if you can pray for them right now.

Day 4: Unbelievers are held in the devil's deceptive domain

Scripture exposes that apart from Christ people live under the power and deception of the evil one, who speaks lies and opposes truth, which underscores the urgency of the rescue Christ accomplished in coming to free sinners from that jurisdiction. [59:59]

John 8:44 (ESV)
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Reflection: Write down one lie you currently believe about yourself (e.g., “I’m beyond hope”); then write a biblical truth that counters it, pray over both now, and speak that truth aloud every morning this week.

Day 5: God casts sins away; shows redeeming compassion

The promise of Micah points to the divine mercy at the heart of Christmas: God will have compassion, tread our iniquities underfoot, and cast our sins into the depths of the sea—assuring believers that the forgiveness won by Christ removes remembered sin entirely. [01:09:04]

Micah 7:19 (ESV)
He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Reflection: Bring to mind a particular sin or regret you’ve been carrying; write it on a piece of paper, confess it to God in prayer right now, thank him for casting it away, and then tear up or dispose of that paper as a symbol of his removal.

Sermon Summary

We stepped into Advent by listening to the familiar carol, “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” and then letting Scripture open its meaning. I invited us to hear the song as the church first heard it—born not from somber religion, but from people hungry to celebrate the real joy of Christ. We learned that “merry” once meant mighty, and “rest” meant make or keep; with the original punctuation, the line reads, “God make you mighty, gentlemen.” That simple recovery brings Christmas into focus: in Jesus, God makes weak people strong with a strength rooted in grace, not bravado.

From Luke 2, we remembered that the first announcement of the King didn’t come to palaces, but to shepherds. The gospel moves toward the overlooked and ceremonially unclean and declares joy for all people. The shepherds met the Savior, then returned to their flocks with praise—a pattern for us: meet Jesus, go back to our ordinary places, and carry glory into them.

Then Colossians 1:13–14 gave us the backbone of that “merry”—that might. In Christ, God has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Christmas is God’s decisive move to free us from Satan’s power, to redeem us by the blood of Jesus, and to forgive our sins so fully that they are cast into the depths of the sea. The cross shattered the devil’s claim; the resurrection sealed our new address.

This changes how we live the season. Christmas often exposes what rules our hearts—our lists, our wants, our hurried grasping. But the King who rescued us is also the King who reigns in us. If He is our Savior, He is our Lord. So we resist the idolatry of “I want” and receive the joy of “He has given.” We worship, we submit, we become truly “merry”—made mighty by grace—to shine Christ’s light in an ordinary world deeply loved by God.

Key Takeaways

1. God makes us mighty in Christ The carol’s original wording announces a gift of strength that God Himself supplies. This is not self-help or seasonal cheer; it’s a changed identity anchored in Jesus’ finished work. True might is measured by rescue—by being transferred out of darkness and into His kingdom. [46:01]
2. Good news comes to the lowly Heaven’s first Christmas announcement came to unclean, overlooked shepherds. God is not impressed by status; He delights to put joy in ordinary hands. Expect Him to meet you in your routine and send you back into it with praise. [50:41]
3. Christmas initiates a kingdom transfer In Christ, God rescues and relocates us—out of the devil’s jurisdiction and under Jesus’ reign. This new address brings new desires and a new way to live. The King who saves also rules, and His lordship is our freedom. [58:22]
4. Freedom is from Satan’s power We were not spiritually neutral; we were bound. Jesus shattered the enemy’s claim at the cross and opened the way to forgiveness and life. Joy at Christmas is not sentiment—it’s emancipation. [53:59]
5. Resist consumerism; adore the King The season can reveal our cravings, but grace retrains our loves. We’ve been redeemed not to do as we please, but to please the One who freed us. Let worship, obedience, and generosity replace grasping. [65:57]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:15] - Welcoming Jerry and Vivian
[33:41] - Advent begins; songs of Christmas
[36:59] - Scripture as our foundation
[38:18] - Introducing “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”
[41:29] - From folk rebellions to carols
[45:27] - The comma and “rest” redefined
[46:01] - “God make you mighty, gentlemen”
[47:35] - Luke 2: Good news to shepherds
[53:01] - Christmas as freedom from bondage
[58:22] - Rescued and transferred: Colossians 1:13-14
[64:19] - Living under Christ’s kingship
[68:26] - Redemption and forgiveness explained
[71:19] - Be made mighty in Christ
[73:06] - Closing prayer and sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Colossians 1:13–14 — For he has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Observation Questions

What two things does Paul say God has done for believers in Colossians 1:13–14? (be specific about the language Paul uses)
The pastor reinterprets the old carol line as “God make you mighty, gentlemen.” How does that image of being “made mighty” help clarify what Paul means by being “rescued” and “transferred”? [46:01]
According to the sermon’s reading of Luke 2, what did the shepherds do after they met Jesus, and why is that detail important for how Christians live in ordinary places? [52:20]
Which phrase in Colossians 1:14 names the result of the transfer, and how does that phrase connect to the sermon’s claim that Christmas is about real freedom, not merely sentiment?

Interpretation Questions

How does Paul’s description “domain of darkness” shape the pastor’s claim that Christmas initiates a kingdom transfer rather than just being a sentimental holiday? [58:22]
The pastor emphasizes that the angels announced the birth to “lowly” shepherds rather than rulers. What theological point is the pastor drawing from that choice, and how does it affect the church’s understanding of who the good news is for? [49:29]
Paul links “redemption” and “forgiveness of sins.” How should one interpret the relationship between being rescued from Satan’s power and receiving forgiveness—are they two sides of the same act or different aspects of salvation?
The pastor says, “If He is our Savior, He is our Lord.” What does that statement imply about the believer’s everyday decisions and priorities during the Christmas season? [01:04:19]

Application Questions

The shepherds “met the Savior and went back to their flocks” carrying praise. Name one ordinary place you spend most of your week (work, school, home). This week, what is one practical way you will intentionally carry praise or Christ-shaped witness into that place? (Be concrete: a short conversation, a simple act of service, or a prayer you will offer there.) [52:20]
The sermon warns that Christmas often exposes the “I want” consumerism in our hearts. Identify one specific item, experience, or impulse you are likely to spend money or time on this season that you could forego. What will you do with the money or time instead (give it, serve someone, invite someone to church)? [01:05:57]
Paul says believers were “transferred” into the kingdom of the Son. Name one habitual attitude or practice in your life that still reflects the “domain of darkness” (fear, greed, envy, bitterness, uncontrolled anger, etc.). What is one concrete step you will take this week to surrender that area to Christ’s rule? (Example: remove a tempting app, begin a daily 5-minute prayer, speak with an accountability partner.) [58:22]
The pastor and Scripture say sins are forgiven and “cast into the depths of the sea.” Is there a particular memory of guilt or a repeated shame you are still carrying that you need to let go of? What practical action will you take in the next seven days to receive that forgiveness (confession to God, confessing to a trusted Christian, writing a letter of repentance, counseling)? [01:09:04]
“Made mighty” by grace contrasts with trying to be strong by one’s own power. Name one situation where you try to “be strong” in your own strength (parenting, performance at work, reputation, answering criticism). This week, what single, measurable act will you do to depend on God’s strength instead (scripture to memorize, a short prayer before acting, asking someone to pray for you)? [46:01]
The sermon urges worship, submission, and generosity rather than grasping. Choose one specific spiritual practice you will adopt this Advent to re-center on Christ (for example: 15 minutes of Scripture each morning, a weekly Sabbath evening, serving one family in need, or giving a percentage of your holiday budget). What exactly will you do and when will you start? [01:04:19]

Sermon Clips

Anyway, for us, there is a great reality as we come to the message of Jesus being born into the world. The central message of Christmas is one of freedom. It's not about getting gifts. It's not about having time off of work or school. It's not just about family getting together. Rather, the central message of Christmas is that God has set us free, that he initiated the steps that it would take for an enslaved, sinful mankind to be set free. For us, we embrace this message of freedom and this song that we sing encapsulates what that freedom is. [00:52:39] (52 seconds)

there is a great reality as we come to the message of Jesus being born into the world. The central message of Christmas is one of freedom. It's not about getting gifts. It's not about having time off of work or school. It's not just about family getting together. Rather, the central message of Christmas is that God has set us free, that he initiated the steps that it would take for an enslaved, sinful mankind to be set free. [00:52:42] (38 seconds)

Because in verse one of the song, we sing that God makes us mighty because we have been saved from Satan's power. I don't know if we truly understand that. We may delve into the theological realm of it and consider, okay, I know that I lived in darkness and I know that, you know, sin was a part of my life and in a theological sense, I can define it. I can understand what that means. But to understand that every part of our lives was imbued with darkness and death and selfishness and sin, that everything that we were was dead. And God stepped in to that darkness with great light and that he came for a specific purpose to free us from Satan's power. [00:53:31] (63 seconds)

Listen, people are not spiritually neutral before they come to Christ. People that are living apart from Christ are dead in their sins and trespasses. They are connected in their heart to the deception of sin, not just that Satan brought in, but that we were involved with, even from the beginning, as Adam and Eve fell in the garden. And that sin brings death and separation. It brings mankind to its knees in judgment as God's wrath is directed towards them because the Holy One has been violated. But then we have Christmas and the message of Christmas, that even in our sin, God was working a plan of redemption. [01:00:34] (58 seconds)

And so when we come to Christmas each and every year, it's a reminder to us that God did for us something unique. Something that we could never attain on our own or by our own effort or trying to tip the scales and say, I'll try to be a better person. I'll try to be more good and I'll try to tip the balance in my favor. It doesn't work that way. Christmas reminds us that we were dead and Christ came, that he came to heal us and restore us and to bring us back to the father as redeemed, rescued people that have a new address. [01:01:47] (48 seconds)

Jesus has rescued us through the cross. Jesus forever shattered Satan's power by his death on the cross. Jesus forever shattered Satan's power by his death on the cross. Now, I'm not sure how this transfer took place, but it's as if God just picked us up and moved us over and placed us in his kingdom. That at the moment that you became a follower of Jesus Christ, by God's grace, he moved you to a new home where you have new affections, where you have a new heart. He's given you to a new spirit, he's given you to a new spirit, you have a new spirit, you have a new spirit, you have a new zeal and desire that you never had before. [01:02:34] (73 seconds)

Not only do we have a new address, but God has taken our sin from us and has forgiven it. He took us away from the kingdom of darkness and paid the price for our lives to set us free, not to enslave us to another burdensome life of sin, but so that we could be enslaved to him, the good king, and willingly and wantingly want to desire to serve him. We were on the slave market and Jesus paid the price for us. Not so that we could be free to do whatever we want, but so that we could be free to serve him as Lord and King. There is no better master than Jesus. [01:06:53] (68 seconds)

If you're free this morning, if you're free this morning, are you free to do whatever you want? No. If you're free this morning, God has given you the freedom to be truly set apart for him. The results of our redemption is the forgiveness of our sins. That word forgiveness is a compound word in its original language. And it means to send away from. In a very real sense, through the death of Jesus Christ, God has sent our sins far away from him. Micah 7.19, and I love this because it's in the Old Testament. This isn't just a New Testament verse about what happens in the reality of Christ, but it's an Old Testament verse that points us to the promise of the Savior that was going to come, that was going to lay down his life to be the Savior of the world, to set man free. [01:08:19] (61 seconds)

So how much of our sin does God remember when we come to life through Jesus Christ? None of it. You live in a new home. You're not in darkness anymore. How free are you today in Christ? Completely. Where's your home? His kingdom. What are we waiting for? The inheritance of the saints in light. So I ask you again this morning, after considering the gracious reality of what has taken place in our lives because of Jesus being sent in the world, are you mighty this morning due to the gift of Christ? [01:09:31] (50 seconds)

``If you know what it means to know Jesus personally, that he is Lord and King in your life, because by faith you have accepted what he has accomplished on the cross to redeem you, to ransom you, to bring you back to the Father, and that your sins are forgiven through the shed blood of Christ on the cross. What news of comfort and joy that is. To be free from Satan's power. Comforted to know this was done for us while we were astray. Far from God. Knowing that we, as Jonathan Edwards said, have done nothing to contribute to our salvation, except the sin that made it necessary. We've done nothing. Christ has done it all. [01:10:25] (57 seconds) #FreedomInChrist

And so let's be merry this morning. Be mighty. Because God has made you mighty through his son. Use Christmas. Use this season to remind yourself anew of the grace and mercy of God that has been given to you through a baby that was born in a manger. But follow that baby through his life on earth that led him to a cross to die as a payment for your sins. And follow that life from the cross to the grave. And three days later was resurrected. And when he was resurrected, he defeated the power of sin and death. Oh, we have a great opportunity to be merry. [01:11:22] (56 seconds)

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