Chippie's Christmas

 

December 26, 2020                   NOTES NOT EDITED
Chippie’s Christmas
Matthew 2:1-12

SIS— Receiving joy is a gift from God—maintaining it takes inspiration and effort.

Some time ago I read about a parakeet named, “Chippie.”  Chippie was a chipper bird and loved to whistle and chirp.  All that ended one fateful day we will learn about later.  About 6 years ago a movie came out roughly based upon and award-winning children’s book titled, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” Unlike the book, the movie is not likely to become a classic though it did well at the box office. I think people can related to “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.”  Certainly, Chippie can.

In March, our nation plunged into a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day,” that continues now ninth months later and there is no real hope in sight these “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days” are going to end anytime soon.  As a result, many people have lost their song, just like Chippie. 

Families have suffered with the loss of loved ones. Restaurants are closing for good.  Businesses are going bankrupt.  Families have lost their income.  Even churches have succumbed to the Covid Virus Response. One such church in a neighboring county finally closed after just one too many, “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.”  Their pastor of 3 decades just died after a two-year battle with cancer.  This faithful church was caught in a transitioning neighborhood.  The Covid craziness magnified the weight of the burden on this small church, and their doors are not shuttered for good.

My theme for this Sunday’s service is “joy.”  I believe joy is a gift we were promised by God throughout the Bible, and that promise reached a climax with the angelic announcement to the shepherds, “I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people:  Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David” (Luke 2:10-11).

And, that’s that!  Notice the tense of the verb, “was born.”  It is “past tense.” (historic present is sometimes used to translate).  The promise has reached its fulfillment.  The long-awaited Messiah, the Deliver has already come.  Joy came with Him.  A promise made was a promise kept. 

I will be honest with you, I’m not feelin’ the joy like I have in previous Christmases.  However, joy is not a feeling based upon my circumstances but a promise secured by My Savior, Jesus Christ.  Joy is my inheritance as a child of God.  Joy is much like the sun.  When the day comes to an end and my world is cloaked in darkness, it does not mean the sun is “gone.”  The sun is still shining but my place in the spin of the earth simply keeps me from seeing it.

Joy, for a believer, a deep sense of well-being, is always there.  Sometimes, joy shines bright and we experience the warmth of its rays upon our lives.  Other times, joy is hidden by our situation, and all we can do is wait for “joy to rise in the morning.”  This is what the Scriptures promise in Psalm 30, verse 5:  “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning!”

Morning cannot come too soon for me these days.  I am waiting expectantly.  I go to sleep with a prayer on my lips.  I wake with a prayer on my mind.  I pray throughout the day.  My prayers are awash with hope that “joy cometh in the morning.”

So, exactly what happened to “Chippie” and how are so many people this year having a “Chippie-type Christmas?” Well, as I said before,  Chippie is a parakeet.  He loved to whistle and chirp.  One Christmas season, that all changed.  It happened when Chippie’s owner decided to clean out his cage with a vacuum as part of her regular Christmas cleaning.  She stuck the nozzle into the cage to clean up the bottom of the cage. Suddenly the phone rang. She reached for the phone with her free hand and not realizing it… her hand holding the nozzle rose slowly upward and sucked Chippie into the vacuum cleaner. Realizing what she had done, she dropped the phone and turned off the vacuum.

She loved Chippie and was horrified by what had happened.  Quickly, she opened the vacuum bag to rescue the poor bird. Chippie was stunned and covered head to foot with gray dust… but thankfully he was still alive. She grabbed him and rushed him to the bathtub, turned on the cold water full blast, and held him under power washing him to remove the vacuum debris. Then it dawned on her that Chippie was soaking wet and shivering, so she did what any compassionate pet-owner would do. She snatched up the blow dryer and blasted him with hot air.

Surprisingly, Chippie survived all this. He survived, but he lost his song.   He didn’t sing or even chirp for a long time after that. Even now, he mostly just sits there in his cage eyeing the closet where the vacuum cleaner is kept. Being sucked up, washed out, and blown over had stolen the joy from his heart. Brothers and sisters… can you blame him… one could easily understand why Chippie doesn’t have much joy when Christmas time comes around.

There are a lot of people like Chippie.  Life has sucked us up, washed us out, and blow-dried the song from our hearts.  Joy is difficult, almost impossible, for some people to come by. 

The story of the visit of the Wise Men from the East teaches us that “joy ain’t that easy to come by,” but it is possible if you meet certain conditions. Let’s read the story of the Visit of the Magi. (Mt. 2:1-12)

1.  You have to know WHO and “WHY” to look for v2

Summary:  Joy comes from a devoted relationship with Jesus Christ.

 Wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem,  ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

I see a lesson in the story of the Wise Men who made a long, arduous, and dangerous journey to find the Messiah, born on Christmas Day.  But, at the end of their long, arduous journey they did find the Messiah, and they did find joy.  The Bible says, “[The star] led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure (Mt. 2:9-10).  The overwhelming joy the Wise Men experienced wasn’t easy to come by.  Let me explain.

The Wise Men from the East have secured a very important place in the Nativity Story.  Much about who they were and where they came from is conjecture, or even myth.  Nothing in the story, for example, says they were Three Kings.  They were probably not kings, but more like priests or soothsayers; and though they brought three gifts, nothing indicates there were only three of them.  They often are seen worshipping with the family and shepherds around the manger, but they would not have arrived for months after the birth. 

There is much that we do NOT know about these “Wise Men.”  There is much we DO know.  We do know their profession.  The word translated “wise men” is magoi.  We get the word, magic from this word.  The original Middle Eastern term referred to a very important (and rich) class of priests that practiced an ancient version of astronomy, which was mixed with astrology.  A brand of magic.

We also know that their trek from the point of origin in the Middle East (perhaps Iraq or Iran, or some say, Yemen) would have been very long (500 to 1000 miles depending on point of origin), and very dangerous.  Not only were there no smart phones to provide GPS, they would travel across brutal terrain and territory controlled by thieves and constantly experiencing war and strife. 

After many weeks, perhaps months, The Wise Men would eventually follow that strange, dancing star to the house where Jesus and His family were now residing. Jesus is no longer the infant (brephos) in a manger, but the young child (paidion) in a house. 

The joy that the Wise Men would eventually experience was very hard to come by.  Something, or in this case, SomeONE, had to give them an almost supernatural motivation to risk life and limb on such a perilous trek. The journey was long, hard, and dangerous. Experiencing joy is often like that.  Joy is often “hard to come by” but when we are motivated by a passion to “know and worship the King of the Jews, nothing will hinder our quest.  Circumstances and personal issues can rob one of his or her joy as surely as the Grinch plotted to steal Christmas from the town of Whoville unless we know “WHO” it is we are seeking and WHY—The Messiah, the Savior.

Experiencing joy is not automatic.  Having joy may mean taking risks.  Having joy may be a longer process for some than for others.  Some may have to wrestle joy away from terrible circumstances or personal challenges.  Joy may be hard to come by for you at this time of year—or at any time of year.  While it may be hard to come by, joy can be had if we know what we seek, where to seek for it, and how to maintain it.  Life doesn’t have to be perfect for our joy to be full.  

These Wise Men knew to follow a star that would lead them to a person who they called, “King of the Jews.”  How did they know about such a King, and how did they know His birth would be attended by a mysterious star? A star that cannot be explained by any known astronomical conjunction or condition.

How did these Wise Men know to look for, and how to interpret this strange astronomical anomaly?  Well, over 1400 years before the Bible says, “I shall see him, but not now:I shall behold him, but not nigh:  There shall come a Star out of Jacob” (Num. 24:17).

Balaam, was a “Wise Man” from the same area as the Three Wise Men of the Nativity.  The most plausible answer to how pagan Star-gazing Diviners from the area of Iraq or Iran, would know of a prophecy in the Jewish Bible would be this caste of astrologers from had interaction with the Jewish exiles in Babylonia, some of which remained for six centuries since the exile.  This would make them aware of the Jewish prophecies in regard to a coming God-King called the Messiah.  Balaam, a non-Israelite, Middle Eastern (perhaps Canaanite) prophet, is recorded in the Bible as saying 

Notice the words of Balaam, “I perceive him but not near.”  Balaam’s prophecy, though delivered through a pagan prophet is sanctioned by God by appearing in the Bible, occurred over 1400 years before the birth of Christ.  This is a “Messianic” prophecy meaning it refers to the coming Deliverer, which is Christ the Lord.

About 1200 years after Balaam, we have the writing of the Dead Sea Scrolls.  In one section, scholars of the community that produced the scrolls confirm this prophecy of Balaam refers to the coming Deliverer (Damascus Document 7, 18-21; Testimonia 9-13).  

The Wise Men were not seeking a “what” but a “Who.”  Most often people seek joy in “things” or “circumstances” and as a result, they do not find it, or find it and lose it.  Joy that is based upon circumstances is “happiness,” not joy.  Happiness comes from the root word, hap, an English word probably related to Scandinavian.  It means “luck or chance.”  It is unpredictable and fickle as in “haphazard.” Happiness is a response to favorable stimuli, or pleasurable circumstances.  Lasting joy cannot be found in circumstances or seeking personal pleasure.  Joy is found in meeting a person—the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Think about it.  How many of us still have the first toy we received for Christmas?  Many toys not only don’t last decades, some don’t even survive beyond the snow melt of the season.  No matter how expensive—or durable—any gift might be, things will never bring us lasting joy. Other people can never be the source of our joy.  Relationships change. Loved one’s die.  Other people cannot be the source of our joy.

Discovering and maintaining lasting joy requires that we know WHO we are looking for and WHY. We are looking for Jesus because He is the Savior.  The Wise Men were seeking Jesus and found true joy.  Wise Men (and women) still seek Jesus today.

A second condition that must be met to have true joy is we must,

2.  We must know where to look (Matthew 2:1-11)

Summary: Joy is found through Spirit-inspired Bible Study

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 

It is not enough to know “WHO,” is the source of true joy, but we must know where to look to find that true joy.  The Wise Men arrived in Jerusalem.  Jesus wasn’t there.  The Jewish leaders said Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.  True, but incomplete.  Jesus wasn’t there. The mighty, self-absorbed, evil king told the Wise Men—look in Bethlehem. They wisely decided to follow God’s leading—the star. 

Here’s some good advice:  Don’t get your Bible teaching from Bible teachers who don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ! 

Now, let me be clear of one thing about “finding Jesus.” On our own without the faith that God Himself gives us, we would never find Him.  In fact, we would never even think to look for Him.  There is a bit of irony to Christianity that I don’t fully understand.  We don’t find Jesus—He finds us.  The Bible says, “No man can come to the father unless the Spirit of God draws Him.”  But the Word also says, “Seek and you will find.”  God must give us the very faith He requires of us in order for us to be saved.  OK.  Now, back to our lesson on joy.

I’m going to assume that since you are here today, in a church, you are on a Spiritual Quest—whether you know it or not.  My prayer is that God would open your heart and shine His light into your soul so that you will first, seek Him, and secondly Look for Him in the right place. The right place to look is in the Spirit-led study of God’s Word,  as represented by the miraculous “star.”

Think about this: had the Wise Men travelled north, or south, or east they would never have found the object of their quest.  Luke 2:39 tells us the Wise Men found Jesus in Nazareth, because that’s where the star led them.  Without the star, they would have looked in the wrong place and never found the Lord.

This is why Herod never found joy, and never found Jesus because Herod rejected the Light and Guidance of God and Herod looked in Bethlehem, based upon what the Scribes and priests, who rejected God’s Messiah, told him (see verse 6).  But, that is where Jesus was “born” not where he remained.  Luke 2:39 says, “ And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.  Herod used what little knowledge he gained from the Jewish leaders.  He only missed the mark by about 65 miles, but close does not count in a relationship with God.  To be “almost persuaded” is to be “totally lost.”  Herod missed heaven and its eternal joy because he looked in Bethlehem when Jesus was in Nazareth. 

God’s logic is not our logic.  God’s ways are not man’s ways.  It defies human logic that a King would be born in a stable, and not the nursery of a palace.  Isaiah declares (55:9):

“For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Had the Wise Men followed their logic and learning (that said Jesus would be born in Bethlehem) instead of following the guidance of God’s star, they would have missed Jesus.  They would have been in the wrong city.

Hell will be populated by a great many good, religious people who LOOKED for God in all the wrong places.  Some will look for Jesus in philosophy—and not find Him.  Some will look for Jesus in morality—and not find Him.  Some will look for Jesus in good works—and will not find Him.  Some people will have even look for God “in church,” but will not find Him.  God is not found at the end of a philosophical or even religious quest.  In fact, God is not “found” at all.  It is God Who seeks.  It is God who guides.  It is God who provided that special star. Many people attend church regularly and never meet God.

One Sunday Evening a little boy from a very religious family knelt by his bedside to pray.  This family went to church every time the doors were open.  The little boy had literally grown up in church.  His prayer stabs me like a dagger in my heart.  The little boy prayed, “Dear God, we had a good time in church today!  I wish you had been there!”  Even church can be the wrong place to look for joy.

To experience joy we must know ❶“WHO” to look for, that is Jesus, and WHY, He is the Savior.  We must know ❷“WHERE” by diligent, Spirit-led study of Scripture. 

3.  how to keep it going (10-11) 

¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. ¹¹ Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

A key condition to experiencing great joy is “great giving.”  Trying to maintain a joyful life by seeking better circumstances is like trying to get out of a hole with a shovel.  You need a “ladder” not a shovel to get out of a hole. Worshipping Jesus with an open, giving heart is God’s ladder for climbing out of despair.

So much of the emphasis in the world at Christmas time is giving and receiving gifts.  I don’t want to be a Scrooge and suggest we should not give gifts to each other.  I like gifts.  I will accept your gifts graciously, but my greatest joy comes from giving, not getting.

I am aware, however, that receiving a thousand wonderful gifts will not bring as much joy into our lives as giving people one special gift:  presenting people with the gift of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  You see, when you analyze the gifts the Wise Men gave, what they were doing was outlining Who the little child was and what he would do.  

One Wise Man gave a gift of gold.  This is a gift fit for a King.  The Bible tells us that this young child, born in a manger and not in a palace, was in fact a king—the King of Kings. Another Wise Man presented Jesus with the gift of frankincense.  Frankincense was an expensive incense used by priests.  The Bible calls Jesus Our “Great High Priest.” The third Wise Man gave Jesus myrrh.  This may be the most significant gift, and most unusual.  It is a very expensive substance that was used to prepare a dead body for burial—a strange gift for a child just starting the journey of life.  Myrrh reminds us that Jesus was “born to die.”  The real meaning of Christmas comes when we celebrate Easter.  The gift of myrrh is “prophetic” because it points ahead three decades to the death of Jesus on the Cross.

The Wise Men maintained their joy of meeting Jesus by “opening the  treasure of worship and giving.”  Passionate worship leading to sacrificial service is a key condition to maintaining joy. 

We cannot control our circumstances.  We cannot completely control our feelings.  We do have a measure of control in regard to our joy.  Once we have received God’s joy by responding to God’s grace, we can determine to a great measure how much joy we experience from day to day.  We must know WHO, is the source of our joy.  We must know WHERE to look to better understand that joy, which is the Word of God as we are led by His Spirit; and we must keep our joy going and growing by giving:  giving worship to God and service to others.

At least part of being full of joy is to be gracious in giving.  The more we give away love, peace, hope, and joy, the more room in our heart to receive the same from God.

In this sin-darkened world it doesn’t take long for us to realize,  “joy ain’t that easy to come by and it is harder to hold onto!”  We need to be like the Wise men.

So many people experience a “Chippie Christmas” without the abundant joy the Wise Men and others who have discovered the Lord experience.  A Chippie Christmas allows circumstances to suck the joy out of the celebration.

Don’t be a “Chippie.”  Find joy by receiving Christ.  After all without Christ in Christmas, all you have is “mess.”

Joy ain’t that easy to come by, but if you allow God’s star of grace to guide you to Him, you will have joy

 

Christmas Eve 2020: OTHERS!

 

December 24, 2020                   NOTES NOT EDITED
“Others!”
Philippians 2:3-8

 SIS—The entire meaning of Christmas, indeed the entire summation of all Christian theology, can be reduced to one word, “OTHERS!”

 One of the oldest memories I have of Christmas is the mental picture of a man in a thick woolen jacket with a thick woolen hat standing beside a big red kettle ringing a bell.  Of course, that was a Salvation Army volunteer collecting money for poor people.  I’ve not seen a Salvation Army bell-ringer this year. In fact, a few years ago I started noticing fewer and fewer bell ringers and red kettles. It is a sad commentary of the times we live in.  People simply don’t have compassion for “others” like we used to.

The Salvation Army was started in 1865 by William and Catherine Booth on the East Side of London.  William Booth was a Methodist minister.  His mission was to “convert poor Londoners such as prostitutes, gamblers and alcoholics to Christianity (Wiki).”  His organization was called the East London Christian Mission until it was changed in 1878.  In 1878, Booth was writing a letter to another volunteer in the East London Christian Mission.  In the letter he wrote, in part, “we are a volunteer Army of God.”  The person reading the letter protested in a response, “No, we are not a volunteer army, we are an army of regulars.”  Booth crossed out the word, “volunteer,” and inserted the word Salvation, and the organization has been known as the Salvation Army now for nearly 150 years.

My Dad was saved at a Salvation Army church in Moundsville, W.Va., in about 1946 when he was fifteen years old.  Dad grew up on the “poor” side of town. The Salvation Army church was just a block up from a Civil War Era maximum security prison.

William Booth patterned his church after the military.  He took the rank of General and served as the leader of the Salvation Army until his death at the age of 83 in 1912.  In a 2002 poll by the BBC Radio Network, Booth was voted as one of the top 100 Britons of all time.  The Salvation Army is, and has been, one of the largest distributors of humanitarian aid in the history of the world.  But, at its core is the concern for the salvation of souls.

The Salvation Army has always gone anywhere they saw others in need, including the American soldiers in France during WW1.  Over 250 Salvation Army ladies went to France in 1917.  They cooked donuts for the American soldiers in their steel helmets.  The became known as the “Donut Lassies” and are given credit for popularizing doughnuts in America.  In fact, since 1938, the first Friday of June is celebrated as “National Doughnut Day” in honor of these Salvation Army “lassies.”

In the true spirit of Christ, and the true spirit of Christmas, William Booth and the Salvation Army is about giving to others.  Toward the end of his life as General Booth marched into his eighth decade of life, he became weak and nearly blind.  For over 34 years General William Booth presided over the annual meeting of the Salvation Army Church.  It was Christmas Eve, 1910.  After the busy Christmas season the church would be meeting soon. For the first time William Booth would not be able to preside at the meeting.  In fact, those close to him feared he’d not even live to see another Christmas.

Somebody suggested that General Booth send a telegram or a message to be read at the opening of the convention as an encouragement to the many soldiers of the Salvation Army that would be in attendance following Christmas and their many hours of labor ministering to so many others through the holidays and the cold winter months. Booth agreed to do so.

Knowing that funds were limited and desiring not to use any more money than necessary so that as much money as possible could be used to help the many people in need. Telegrams cost per word. General Booth decided to send a ONE-WORD message. He searched his mind and reviewed his years of ministry, looking for the one word that would summarize his life, the mission of the Army and encourage the others to continue on.

When the thousands of delegates met, the moderator announced that Booth would not be able to be present because of failing health and eyesight. Gloom and pessimism swept across the floor of the convention. Then, the moderator announced that Booth had sent a message to be read with the opening of the first session. He opened the telegram and read the one-word message:

Others!
Signed, General Booth.

“OTHERS!”  In one word, that’s what Christmas is all about.  “OTHERS!”  That is, in fact, what the entire message of the Bible is all about, “OTHERS!”  Jesus came to the world to be born in a manger for, “OTHERS!”  Jesus lived a sinless life of selfless service, healing, teaching, and loving “OTHERS!”  Jesus died on a cruel cross to pay the horrible penalty of sin for “OTHERS!”  Jesus conquered the grave and was resurrected to life for, “OTHERS!”  Jesus is coming again to earth for “OTHERS!” 

William Booth and the Salvation Army perfectly summarized all of Christianity with one important word, “OTHERS!”  This is exactly what the Bible says about Who Jesus is and Why He came.  The Apostle Paul writes, 

Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3-8).

The true spirit of Christmas, indeed the true meaning of Christianity, is to live for “OTHERS!”

 

Advent: Joy

 

December 24, 2017
Experience Joy! 
Matthew 1, Luke 2      NOTES NOT EDITED

 SIS – Joy is not only something we experience but it is something we practice—what we do enhances or distracts from our sense of joy.

 My Christmas preaching story is to always save the topic of “joy” for the last Sunday of Advent, after speaking about love, hope, and peace.  For me, joy is the sum of all those other great gifts of Advent. First, let’s get a few things settled about Christmas.  ❶What do you get if you cross a snowman with a vampire?  FROSTBITE!  ❷Why do crabs hate giving gifts at Christmas?  Because they are SHELL-FISH.  ❸Why couldn’t the skeleton go to the Christmas party?  He had NO BODY to go with.  ❹What part of the body is most popular at Christmas?  ❺The mistle-TOE.  That reminds me of something I read this week.  An ELEMENTARY TEACHER on the last day before Christmas break asked her Zoom class, “What’s something your family really needs this Christmas?  Jenny spoke up saying, “A computer.” The teacher replied, “Well, that certainly would be very useful.”  Johnny spoke up next and said, “A new lawnmower to cut the grass in the Spring.”  “That is also a very useful item for a family,” the teacher responded.  The teacher called on Jimmy, “Jimmy, what is something your family needs this Christmas?”  Jimmy sat silently for a moment and then said, “Nothin’.”  “Nothing,” the teacher said, “but every family needs something.”  Jimmy’s eyes lit up and he spoke with boldness, “Oh, no Ma’am, we don’t need a thing.  I know, because on election night I heard my Dad shout, “Great, Biden got elected.  That’s the LAST THING WE NEED!”

It’s good to laugh. Joy is a remarkably powerful thing.  Scientists have actually studied the experience of joy and find it to be highly beneficial—as if any joyous person needs a scientist to tell them that.

An article in Executive Digest says, in part:  “Scientists have been studying the effect of laughter on human beings and have found, among other things, that laughter has a profound and instantaneous effect on virtually every important organ in the human body. Laughter reduces health-sapping tensions and relaxes the tissues as well as exercising the most vital organs. It is said that laughter, even when forced, results in beneficial effect on us, both mentally and physically.”  Find something to rejoice in every day—it will do your body good!

Joy is indeed very powerful, but a little hard to hold onto at times.  Joy allows us to transcend the “ordinariness” of life and its many troubles.  Even a casual reading of the Christmas Story reveals that a captivating, invigorating, and motivating joy was stirred up in the heart of all those who recognized that Jesus was special—a gift from heaven.  Let’s read the angel’s announcement regarding joy, and then look at how joy affected several people in the Christmas Story.

 LK 2:1-11

 What is joy?  The Greek word for joy has an extensive usage both in the Bible and in the secular world.  The range of its meaning is both broad and deep.  Now, keep in mind that the word, “joy,” in Greek (the language of the N.T.) is part of a very large word group, or family. In my theological dictionary it is listed with 10 other related words, one of which is the word, “charis,” or grace. The explanation of this word group encompasses 56 pages of scholarly text.

So, what did I learn after wading through all of this study of “chara, or joy?” Three insights summarize my study of joy.  ❶One joy ain’t that simple! Sometimes, being joyful is like catching a greased pig at a County Fair. If you weren’t blessed to have such an upbringing, you’ll have to use your imagination. You see it.  You pursue it.  You get a hold on it.  But, it can slip away.  Joy is hard to define, and even harder to hold on to.  ❷Second, joy is more than a feeling, it’s an action.  In Greek outside of the New Testament, it could simply mean a “self-contained feeling of euphoria.” It did not need any instigating object. It was a feeling. This usage did not pass into the Bible.  Considering the Old Testament, upon which the New Testament is founded, one scholar points out, “Joy is not just inward. It has a cause and finds expression.” See that? "Finds expression." Joy leads to action, such as the idiom, "jumping for joy." When Baby in the Womb, John, met Baby in the Womb, Jesus, the Bible says, “The baby leaped for joy!” (Lk. 1:44).  Hold that thought.  ❸Third, joy is closely related to the issue of “grace.”  They share the same Greek root letters.  Grace is the unmerited favor of God that brings our salvation, and joy is the result of God’s gift of forgiveness.

We see this relationship between grace and joy manifested in the Christmas story and the announcement of the angel: Luke 2:10–11 ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹FOR today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (NASB95)

Did you see the connection between “salvation by grace” and “joy?” Circle that first word of verse 11, “for.” It is a conjunction. It connects (joins together) the promise of joy with the foundation for it—“a Savior’s birth!” Many modern translations omit the little conjunction to make it read more smoothly. Now, recall earlier I mentioned "grace" was also in the "char root" family. Joy is a matter of receiving the grace, or favor, of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Now that we have at least a basic understanding of what “joy” is, let’s look at a sampling of those who experienced joy as they experienced the Christ child that first Christmas. 

❶ Simon—SEEK for it (Lk. 2:25-32)

Before we examine Simeon’s joy at finally seeing the Messiah, let me point out some interesting facts regarding this event.  First, we are talking about two time periods after Jesus’ birth.  Verse 21 speaks of the “eighth day” which would be the prescribed time for circumcision.  This demonstrates that Jesus was “born under the Law to redeem those under the curse of the Law” (Gal. 4:4).  In fact the Law is mentioned five times in this passage to establish this fact (Luke 2:22, 23, 24, 27, 29) This clearly identifies Jesus as the “sacrificial lamb that would take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). The Lord’s identity as the “Messiah” is essential to interpreting the Christmas Story.  Between verse 21 and 22 pass 33 days—“days of purification for Mary” after giving birth (Lev. 12:3-4).  Simeon meets Jesus as He is brought to the Temple for consecration (setting Him aside for service to God).  Finally, we see Mary bring an offering of “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” These “doves” (or pigeons) were prescribed as “burnt offering and sin offerings” (Lev. 12:6-8).  This offering demonstrates two important truths about Mary.  One, she was sinner as much in need of a savior as anyone else, contrary to the teachings of the Catholic church (since 1850).  Two, they were poor and could not afford a lamb which was the typical sin offering.  All this identified Jesus with the O.T. Messiah promised to take away the sin “once for all” (Heb. 10:10; also Rom. 6:10; 1Pet. 3:18; and referenced dozens of other places). 

Into this event of Jesus in the Temple enters the character called, Simeon.  ²⁵ There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation,  and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. 

We are told Simeon had been “expectantly looking forward to the fulfillment of God’s promise.”  We are not told how long he had waited, though it implies he had been seeking the Messiah for some time.  Verse 29-30 tells us that Simeon’s patient seeking resulted in an experience of great joy and peace:

²⁹ Now, Master, You can dismiss Your slave in peace,
as You promised.  ³⁰ For my eyes have seen Your salvation

Joy results when we live “devout and righteous lives in anticipation of one day seeing Jesus face to face.  Joy comes from SEEKING it.

❷ Mary—to have joy we must SING for it (1:46-55)

⁴⁶ And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness [megalynei, magnifies] of the Lord,⁴⁷ and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

 Mary goes on to overflow in praise about the immense joy and satisfaction she feels because of her relationship with Almighty God.  I may be spiritualizing the text a bit calling Mary’s response, “singing” but it seems obvious that Mary’s heart had too much to say that mere prose could not express.  This, called the “Magnificat,” is one of many songs in the Bible (commonly referred to as such in commentaries though it doesn’t specifically state they are musical tunes).  Zechariah also had a song.  It demonstrates how joy simply cannot—should not—be suppressed but must be expressed in some way—such as singing.  I cannot stress strongly enough how important a place singing has throughout Scripture.  I’ve said before, the largest book in the Bible is the Book of Psalms—the Hebrew songbook.   

In one situation, of many, as the nation Israel entered into battle they did not lead with heavy artillery, but with choirs.  2Chron. 20 details one such battle between Israel and an arch-enemy, Moab:  

²¹ Then he consulted with the people and appointed some to sing for the Lord and some to praise the splendor of His holiness.  When they went out in front of the armed forces, they kept singing.

We have the same examples from the American military as our cavalry would charge into battle at the buglar’s call.  During the Civil War a drummer and fife player would lead the march.  Music has also been shown to be quite effective in medicine as well.  Multiple studies have shown that calming music can lower blood pressure rates and can even lower the stress hormone cortisol just as much as anti-anxiety medications (www.thefix.com).  Singing and music are powerful ways to call up feelings of joy from deep within our souls. 

When God touches your soul you must not suppress it.  Remember earlier, I quoted the Theological Dictionary of the N.T. explains,  “joy is not just inward. It has a cause and finds expression.” You will enjoy great delight and experience deep joy if you “sing for joy.” Or, as I suggested on a FaceBook post, “jump for joy in the supermarket checkout line.” By singing we normally think of harmony, melody and music.  We would all do well to find some form of “musical expression” in order to draw up from deep within us sounds of joy arising from God dancing upon the strings of our heart.

There are many ways to sing about what God is doing in your life.  One is to simply sing.  Some are not as “delightful in song” as others.  Perhaps you could play an instrument.  OK, some are not as talented musically as others—then play a radio (or mpg player these days) and sing along, or hum along.  But, one way to experience joy is to sing about it.  Let music draw up from deep within your soul feelings of rapturous delight that mere prose or common speech cannot elicit.

I think too many Churches underestimate the power of music to produce, not only joy, but greater devotion in general.  In too many churches the music is sort of an “hors d’oeuvre” before the main meal of the sermon.  This turns church music into little more than a musical performance rather than true worship which will increase our joy.

The key is this:  what God does deep within us, we must get out of us!  Joy bubbles up from deep within when we sing.

❸ Elizabeth—SHARE it.

Joy is never a solo performance.  Look at Lk. 1:57:

⁵⁷ Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. ⁵⁸ Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her His great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.

The NIV says, “and they SHARED her joy.” 

Let me summarize the story leading up to this joyous occasion.  Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin.  Six months before the angel announced to Mary that she would have a son an angel appeared to Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah the priest, and said,

Luke 1   ¹³ But the angel said to him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. ¹⁴ There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth. 

This baby would be John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the ministry of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Jesus said of John, “Among those born of women no one greater than John the Baptist has appeared” (Mt. 11:11).  So, when John was born it was truly a remarkable and wonderful occasion, not only because of who John was but because Elizabeth and Zechariah were old and beyond child-bearing years (Lk. 1:18).  So, the joy from Elizabeth giving birth to the fore-runner of the Messiah was powerful and contagious. 

When it comes to truly experiencing joy the principle seems to be, “the more the merrier!”  We all have experienced this phenomenon.  When our children are born we are filled with joy.  As family and friends come to see the new baby, we experience the joy of birth all over again.  A room full of people and a new baby generates an explosion of joy.  This is true for every major event or accomplishment in our lives.  The more we share a joyous event, the more joy we experience ourselves.  Joy is like a snowball rolling down a hill—it gets bigger and bigger as it goes. 

I have a little plague hanging on my wall that my Mom sent me many years ago.  It is a poem that talks about “love” but I believe it also applies equally to “joy.”  I’ll change the words to make my point: 

The joy in your heart is not just there to stay
Joy is not joy ‘til you give it away.

Sharing multiplies our joy.  Isn’t that what Christmas is really all about—sharing the joy we have in knowing Christ with others?  Gifts, decorations, and such are nice, but Christmas is really about friends and family sharing the joy of Christ.  That’s where we find real joy. 

❹ The Three Wise Men—SACRIFICE for it (Mt. 2:1-2, 11)

 2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem,  ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Then verse 11 . . . Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

 The true spirit of Christmas is giving.  God gave His Son.  The Wise Men gave the Son gifts, and we can give the world the joy that comes from hearing the gospel message of Jesus Christ.  The first “Noel” or the first Christmas carol talked about “joy and giving.”

¹¹ Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. 

Two key words appear in that verse: “for you.”  I have said before, “the greatest Christmas gift is not UNDER a tree, but ON a tree.”  Christmas is about God “giving His Son, Jesus” who would die on an old rugged cross to be the Savior of the world—to be the Savior “for you.”  Jesus, and the joy He brings, is a gift from God just “for you.”

The Wise Men’s action of “giving gifts that first Christmas demonstrate that the joy of meeting Jesus just cannot be suppressed—true joy must be Expressed.

Over and over in the story of Christmas we see that joy is a feeling that just cannot be contained—it must be expressed in some tangible way.  The gifts from the Wise Men represent a great sacrifice, not so much because they were gold, a precious metal, or frankincense and myrrh, expensive fragrances, but also because they travelled over 500 miles to deliver their gifts.  They literally risked life and limb travelling over harsh and dangerous regions to get to the Messiah.  It represented a journey of perhaps months, perhaps a year.  We know this because by the time the Wise Men arrive Matthew says that they “entered a house” (v11).  Jesus and His family were no longer in the stable. Also Jesus was now a “young toddler” (paidion) and not a newborn baby (brephos).

The journey of the Wise Men was long, arduous, risky and expensive.  The gifts they brought were expensive.  The Wise Men’s actions represent a great sacrifice.  True joy always involves great sacrifice.  It costs something to follow Jesus and to share his love with others, but it is through sacrifice that we experience the deepest and most meaningful joy in our relationship with Jesus.  In fact, James says,

^1:2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials. 

Jesus also experienced how joy increased through great sacrifice.  Hebrews 12:2 gives us this remarkable description of true joy:  Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses  surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance  the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus,  the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him  endured a cross and despised the shame  and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne 

My definition of joy is “delightful expectation.”  Hebrews describes this virtue as “the joy that lay before Him” – delight and expectation, or “expectant delight.”  How could it be that Jesus is described as both a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3) and at the same time as a man “anointed with the oil of gladness (joy) above all His fellows?” (Psa. 45:7). 

Here’s what we must grasp:  sacrifice does not diminish our joy but multiplies it.  This principle is repeated many times throughout the Scriptures.  If we want true joy, we must SACRIFICE for it. Just like it takes both a “positive” and a “negative” post on a battery to make electricity flow, so both positive and negative events in our lives contribute to our joy. 

It costs something to give away the “joy of knowing Jesus.”  Many, many people who claim to be Christians exhibit “zero” joy in their lives.  The reason is simple:  they sacrifice little or nothing in service to the Kingdom.  The may give a little of their time.  They may give a little of their talents and treasures.  But, most Christians, especially in America know “little” of real sacrifice.  Consequently, they experience little joy in their lives. 

Yet, in the Underground Church in China (as well as in other areas of the world where Christians are persecuted heavily) the joy of worship and service make the sacrifices they face almost melt away.  The persecuted church in China is so full of the joy of salvation that they will often meet from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening to worship and listen to a sermon—a 12 hour sermon!  They must meet in caves or in remote forests just to keep from being killed or imprisoned.  Far from diminishing their joy, their sacrifice fans the flame of their joy into a raging inferno of praise and an unquenchable thirst for God’s Word!

The Christmas story is filled with people experiencing a supernatural joy:  Simeon, Anna, Mary, Elizabeth, the Wise Men and more.  They all have one thing in common.  The source of their joy was meeting Jesus Christ.  Focusing on Jesus Christ is the only source of deep and abiding joy.  Experience Jesus this Christmas and experience joy.