Saturday, December 21, 2019

Advent 2019: The Joy of Salvation

December 22, 2019                  NOTES NOT EDITED
Advent: The Joy of Salvation
Luke 2:1-14; esp. v11
SIS:    The true source of “mega joy” is the salvation delivered to us by Jesus Christ on Christmas Day.
Today, on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, on we lit the candle reminding us that the birth of Jesus brought us JOY!  Joy is to life what hollandaise sauce is to eggs benedict, or gravy is to mashed potatoes.  Without joy, life is like Laurel without Hardy, or Two Stooges, or peanut butter without jelly.  Joy is the spice of life.  Joy, and its cousin happiness, are actually good for your heart. The Bible says, “A merry—or joyful—heart is like medicine”  (Prv. 17:12).  So many people are like “Scrooge” in Charles Dickens’ famous story, “A Christmas Carol.”  Everyone else was full of joy.  All he could do  was wrinkle his brow and screech, “Bah!  Humbug.”
But as cranky as old Scrooge could be, he’s still good for a few laughs.  For example,  “Why did Scrooge buy a pet lamb?  Answer:  Because it could say, “BAAAAAAA Humbug.”  Do you know why Scrooge doesn’t like birds?  Because, when he walks by they alwast say, “Cheap, Cheap, Cheap.”  Do you know what Scrooge’s favorite Christmas song is?  Answer:  Grandma Got Runned Over By a Reindeer! 

Besides listening to a preacher’s bad jokes, there’s so many circumstances in our lives that could turn us all into a bit of a Scrooge if we let them.  We need to resist the despair so common in our world and embrace the magic and power of Christmas joy. 

One of the ways we celebrate joy at Christmas time is to buy each other gifts.  Unfortunately, most men are really not that good at it. A safe bet is always jewelry.  One Christmas, two men were talking.  Joe said, “Hey Fred, what did you finally get your wife for Christmas.”  Fred showed Joe this huge, two-carat diamond ring.  Joe was really surprised because he knew Fred was a cheapskate and was always pinching his pennies.  Joe said, “Wow! That is really huge.  But I thought you said your wife wanted one of those new four-wheel drive vehicles.”  Fred replied, “Well, she did.  But where was I going to find a fake Jeep?”
But, you have to be careful, men.  Being efficient at Christmas shopping could land you in jail!  Yes, really.  I read just the other day about a man who was standing in front of a judge to answer for his crimes.  The judge asked, “What are you being charged for?”  The man replied, “Shopping for Christmas early.”  The judge replied, “Why, son, you shouldn’t be charged for that?  How early were you shopping?”  The man answered, “Before the store opened.” 

Well, we all know that Christmas involves a lot of giving and receiving of gifts.  The greatest gift, of course, doesn’t come wrapped in paper and tied with a bow. The greatest gift came wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  This is the gift we heard about when we watched the children tell the Christmas story.  It is the gift mentioned in Luke 2:10-11:
{10} But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. {11} Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Salvation brings us real joy.  In fact, it brings “GREAT JOY!”   The Word calls it “mega joy!”  The original word is:  megalen charan—joy multiplied by great!  There is the greatest gift:  : great joy gift-wrapped in “swaddling cloths!” Not only is joy multiplied by the adjective “mega,” but it is also a part of the “chara” family of words in Greek.  This is the group that includes “charis” or “grace.”  Grace and joy are inseparably linked.  One will never know true joy apart from salvation.  Momentary happiness may come, but they will surely go, as sure as night follows day.  Joy rests on the secure foundation of the “grace of God that brings us salvation.” As someone said once, “No Savior, No joy! Know the Savior, Know Joy.”  
Many people may be asking, what IS the big deal about Christmas anyway? Where’s the “great joy” the angels sang about.  Dozens of presents under the tree which gives moments of happiness, but where’s the lasting, meaningful joy?  You won’t find joy wrapped up and under a tree. You won’t find joy in perfect circumstances dangling from your life like shiny ornaments on a tree.  Joy, true joy, is on found in one place.  Look again at the Scriptures.  What was the source of “great joy.” Verse 11a Savior has been born to you!”
“A Savior! Salvation came wrapped in “swaddling cloths.” There’s the joy—in one special gift, “A Savior.”  The angels declared, “a Savior has been born to you.”
Notice that God did not send us a Doctor, to eradicate our diseases.  God didn’t send a Teacher to eliminate our ignorance.  God didn’t send a soldier to exterminate our enemies.  These are all uses of the term “savior, or soter, in the ancient world. It was a term associated with the Greek gods, especially Zeus.  The gods were supposed to “save” mortals from times of peril.  Like Hercules in the popular T.V. series.  The word Savior was also used to describe doctors.  Doctors were supposed to save men from disease.  Greek philosophers were sometimes called “soter” (soh tair) because they delivered mankind from ignorance.  The most common use of the term “savior” was reserved for politicians and rulers.  The idea of a savior was a very important concept in the Graeco–Roman world. 
Salvation bring joy even to heaven.  There are at least three reasons salvation brings great joy! What we are saved FROM; what we are saved FOR; and what we are saved TO.
1.  Because of what we are saved from: HELL.
The Bible tells us that “one special event that causes heaven to celebrate:  (Luke 15:10)   there is rejoicing [joy] in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
As I have mentioned, mankind—you and I—face many situations and circumstances from which we need to be delivered or “saved”—disease, ignorance, or enemies who would enslave us or oppress us.  But, there is one “situation or enemy” that we all face and from which only Jesus Christ can “save us.”  That is “hell.”  Jesus spoke more about hell than anybody else in the Bible. I could spend hours expounding upon the doctrine of hell.  I’ll narrow it to two points.

1.  Hell is a “bad place.”

In 42 years of preaching I have talked to many people who object to the idea of hell.  The very concept is repulsive to the human mind.  Think about it, hell means suffering horribly every day for all eternity. Images of burning in eternal flames but never being burned up, or being eaten by the worms of death but never being consumed are two very difficult for human minds to accept. As a preacher I’ve never had any one object to people going to heaven, but going to hell is a different matter altogether.  Even as a boy I was not allowed to say the word, “hell.”  It was a “bad” word.  It is even a “badder” (to coin a phrase) place.  Jesus described hell as a place where
“their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Mk. 9:44).
Jesus uses a real place in this world to describe another real place in the unseen world.  It is a picture of how people disposed of trash in the ancient world.  Garbage, mostly organic was cast into a heap and burned. Many commentators refer to a specific area outside of Jerusalem where the fires continually burned.  Organic material would be left their to decay. The worm refers to the maggots that would eat rotting flesh of both animal and man.  You can almost smell the stench of these perpetual places of decay. That was “Gehenna” or “Hell” in the words of Jesus.  A horrible bad place. Whatever we know or do not know about heaven we know this:  heaven is a bad place—eternally bad.
Anybody that has had even a minor burn can relate to what it must be like to feel that intense pain over one’s entire body for all eternity.  The very word, “maggot” is repulsive to most people.  “Hell is not a happy place.”  It is a place of great loneliness.  It is a place of great torment.  It is a place where there is never any hope of a brighter or better day.  It a million times worse than living your worst day of life every day for all eternity!

I’ll admit that hell isn’t the “happiest topic” to bring up during a Christmas message, but it is actually at the very heart of the message of the season—knowing what Jesus will “save” us FROM HELL tells us how much God really loves us. And here’s the “good news” about hell:

2.  Hell is an “optional” place.
Many times people I have been witnessing to have said to me, “I cannot believe that a loving God would send anybody to hell.”  Well, in short, I don’t believe that either.  There’s a little more to a thorough Biblical answer to this issue (judicial aspects), but in short, “God doesn’t send anyone to hell.”  We make that choice ourselves.
Listen to the words of the Angels that first Christmas on the hillside overlooking Bethelehem: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you” (Lk. 2:11).
Jesus was born in a manger, lived a sinless life, died a horrible death in our place, and rose from the dead after three so that we would not have to go to hell.  Jesus experienced our hell on the cross so we could experience His heaven for eternity.  It is as simple as Jn. 3:16:
16 “For God loved  the world in this way:  He gave His One and Only  Son,  so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish [go to hell when they die] but have eternal life. 

Hell is not a popular topic in churches these days–especially at Christmas time. I understand why:  it’s a bad place.  But, what joy to know I do not have to go to that horrible place when I die.
There is great joy because of WHAT WE ARE SAVED FROM.
2.  There is great joy because of what we are saved FOR–SERVICE.
If the primary purpose for the Coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas is to save us FROM “sin,” why doesn’t God just remove us from this terrible, sin-filled, trouble-ridden world when we accept Him.

The short answer:  Service.  God leaves us in this world to “serve” others, particularly serving them by telling others about the saving gift of God through Jesus Christ. 
The very essence of the life of Our Savior Jesus Christ is to serve others.  He, in fact, served the “whole” world.  Jesus said,  whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (Mt. 20:26-28).
Serving Jesus by serving others brings immeasurable joy. Sadly, most people do not know this.  The fastest track to depression is to constantly think about yourself. The fastest track to lasting joy is to constantly think about others.
Service adds balance to our lives.  Service is God’s exercise plan to keep us from getting spiritually “fat.”  The Pharisees were examples of “spiritually fat” people—stuffed full of religion but too fat religiously to be of any good to others, or bring glory to God.
[QUOTE]  “Service is God’s exercise plan for His saints!”
[Quote] If you give out spiritually but you don’t take in devotionally, you become FAINT.  If you take in spiritually but don’t give out in service you become FAT.
Many people are FAT– both physically and spiritually.  Doctors constantly remind people that the solution is “diet and exercise.”  The same is true spiritually.  We need a healthy diet of God’s Word and plenty of exercise in God’s service.
Not long ago a man prayed.  He prayed.  And, he prayed.  Finally, he said, “Enough of this.”   The man lifted his eyes to heaven and shouted, “God, if you are up there then tell me what you want me to do with my life!”   A voice from heaven thundered back: “I WANT YOU TO HELP THE NEEDY AND GIVE YOUR LIFE FOR THE CAUSE OF THE GOSPEL!”   The voice of God shocked the man.  This is not the answer he was hoping for.  When he regained his composure he replied, “Actually God, I was just checking to see if you were up there for me.”   The voice thundered again, “THAT’S O.K.  I WAS JUST CHECKING TO SEE IF YOU WERE DOWN THERE FOR ME!”
Joy escapes most people because they have nothing to “live for” beyond their own selfish needs and wants.  Bob Dylan said it well, “It may be the Devil; it may be the Lord; but you’re goin’ serve somebody.”  Either you are passionately serving Jesus and experiencing  “mega joy” or you are serving the Devil and he is consistently “stealing your joy.”  Jesus saves us FROM hell and FOR service.  
3.  The great joy that the Savior brings is the joy of knowing what we are SAVED TO–HEAVEN
We are saved from sin, for service, and TO HEAVEN.
“H E A V E N.”  Is there any more wonderful word in the human language than this word, “heaven?”  I have no idea what it could be.  The very thought of going to heaven one day—sooner than many people think—is the wellspring of enormous joy—mega joy.  The hope of heaven brings joy even when the circumstances are as dark they are for a blind man in a deep cave.
Now, if the thought of going to heaven does not bring you great joy, then I am pretty sure that nothing you unwrap at Christmas time will bring you lasting joy either. 

What will heaven be like?  It is impossible to know really.  There are the standard descriptions:  gates made of pearl, streets of polished gold, walls trimmed with precious jewels of all kinds.  To consider these as anything like a full and accurate description would simply make heaven nothing more than some Emperor’s Castle. 
Here is the description that man gave of heaven (2Cor. 12): I know a man in Christ who was caught up  into the third heaven 14 years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know, God knows. I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know, God knows— was caught up into paradise.  He heard inexpressible words, which a man is not allowed to speak.
The word, “inexpressible,” refers to things that either “cannot or should not” be spoken.  It refers to that which “cannot be put into human language” (NET Bible).  In other words, The best way I can describe heaven is “INDESCRIBABLE!” – words are insufficient.
Paul also declared this about heaven, (2 Cor 2:9)   However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”
I did read somewhere of a description of heaven as the “Land of No More.”  No more tears.  No more pain.  No more sadness.  No more crying.  No more death.  Heaven will be all of what we want and none of what we don’t want.”
Even the most stupendous joys we have experienced, like looking into the eyes of your life partner and saying vows of matrimony, or like the birth of our children or the joy of walking your daughter down the aisle at her wedding, or watching your son swear the oath of military service, or living to see your grandchildren born, or a million other such glorious events all stacked up on each other would not tower high enough to reach the sublime heights of heaven.  Such human experiences of happiness are mere crumbs compared to the joy we will have in heaven.  
This is how “Old Mr. Johnson” felt about heaven.  Shortly before he died at the incredible age of 102, he was working in his garden, something that gave him great joy. With his deep bass voice he was singing praises to God.  At that time his pastor was walking down the street and heard Old Mr. Johnson singing.  Mr. Johnson was known to many as “Uncle Johnson.”  The pastor stopped and peered over the fence saying, “Uncle Johnson, what are you so happy about today?”  Uncle Johnson replied, “Oh, I was just thinking.  If the crumbs of joy that fall from the Master’s Table in this world are so good, what will the great loaf in glory be like?”
Many of you have heard of the great traveler, “Marco Polo.”  He made many trips to China and the Far East in the 1200's.  He would bring back to his Venetian home treasures that cause people in his home town to dream of faraway exotic places.  The stories Marco Polo would tell were spell binding and breathtaking.  Many people thought the stories of the orient were too fabulous to be true.  On his death bed, some of Marco Polo’s friends called upon him to recant, or retract the stories he told about the mysterious and wonderful things he saw on his travels.  As he lay dying Marco Polo said, “I have not told half of what I saw!”
Heaven is simply a wonderful place, more wonderful than words can describe.  Just as I summed up the doctrine of hell with two truths, I can do so also the doctrine of heaven with two truths.
One, heaven is a great place.  Two, just like hell, heaven is an optional place.  You must decide whether you will make Jesus the Lord of Your life so that He becomes the Savior of your life.  You must choose heaven as your eternal home.  Otherwise, joy is nothing more than a word.
The Angel Chorus called out upon that hillside to shepherds on that first Christmas night, ““Don’t be afraid,  for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:  11 Today a Savior,  who is Messiah  the Lord,  was born for you in the city of David.”
 Not a Teacher.  Not a Doctor.  Not a Philosopher or Politician.  God gave us the greatest gift of all, a Savior which brings us great joy.  Our souls sing out with joy the moment we are saved FROM hell.  Each day upon this earth, our joy is magnified as we experience opportunities FOR service.  And, we can barely contain our great joy when we contemplate that we are saved TOheaven.  Saved FROM hell, FOR service, and TO heaven.  This results in “great joy.”
Let those wonderful words of the Angelic Host fill your hearts with unspeakable joy this Christmas season and throughout the year.

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