Joy: The Light Amidst Darkness in Christmas

"Joy, joy is a central theme of the Christmas story, of the text that we're going to look at this morning, and certainly of the Christian life. But if we're honest with ourselves, when we read this song like that, say, all right, Christmas is here, joy to the world. Joy is not a very simple concept, even though we think, yeah, I just want joy, I want happiness." [00:04:37] (21 seconds)


"But sometimes we think that if we're going to have joy, therefore everything in our lives have to be, we're going perfectly, which we know we'll never have joy if that's the reality. And also, sometimes joy coexists with sorrow and sadness in a very mysterious way that even makes our joy greater than we anticipated." [00:04:57] (19 seconds)


"The characters in our Christmas story they encounter the joy of the lord in some of the most unusual circumstances and in some of the most dark times and some of them anticipated the ultimate joy of the lord even while they walk through those dark times because as we'll look at the other candle of hope hope ignited joy in the present reality despite their circumstances." [00:05:16] (23 seconds)


"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them a light has shone. Listen to this. You have multiplied the nation. You have increased its joy. They rejoiced before." [00:08:11] (22 seconds)


"That's what he says. The prophet says this is why we were walking in deep darkness and a great light has shown which will see literally fulfilled in Jesus but there is an anticipation of the light of the Messiah of the Sun that will be given of the child that will be born that will give birth to great joy and great rejoicing in the world." [00:08:16] (26 seconds)


"Because here's a man who was called, Isaiah chapter 6, you'll remember, to the throne of grace, the throne room, and given the hardest assignment in the world. He said, whom shall go for us? Whom shall I send? He said, here I am, send me. He was a man of unclean lips and dwelled among a people with unclean lips." [00:12:16] (19 seconds)


"One of the great reasons that jesus came of course is to forgive us of all of our sins that's why he's a great savior but he's also come to give great multiplying joy to overshadow the sin of sin and to forgive us of all of our sins that's why he's a great savior overcome our misery through our own fallenness and through the brokenness of the world to overcome sadness and sorrow with joy." [00:17:38] (20 seconds)


"Joy is not only predicted. Not only proclaimed. Joy here is experienced. They experienced the joy in the moment. The angel said this is a message of good news. A great joy for all the people. When now we see the gospel. The good news of Jesus. Jesus breaking forth from Israel to the other nations. For all the people. As they experienced the joy of the Lord." [00:22:07] (25 seconds)


"The joy of the Lord is our strength. Christian, are you walking in the joy of the Holy Spirit? Now, as our video alluded to, Paul, who was the king of joy, right, in Philippi, when he was locked up in prison, wrote the book of Philippians. Read it on your own. It's all about joy, joy, joy in prison." [00:24:16] (23 seconds)


"So the secret of Christian contentment is not stuck in our circumstances, and Paul shows us that perfectly. But it also doesn't mean that when we have joy that he wouldn't be sad, and you won't be sad either. We will. These will coexist in the Christian life, but there will be a line, a golden line, and a golden thread of joy that carries you from your salvation to that day of glory." [00:24:46] (28 seconds)