Joy to the World

From Advent: A 25 Day Countdown to Christmas on YouVersion

Imagine a cold, snowy night, drinking hot chocolate next to a roaring fireplace, surrounded by friends and family. People are laughing, sharing stories, and maybe even singing a Christmas carol. Kids are crowding around the evergreen tree, surrounded by presents wrapped in every shade of red and green with bows of silver and gold.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. – 1 Peter 1:8-9 ESV

For hundreds of years, people have gathered to celebrate Jesus’ birth with a few consistent elements: song, food, and gifts. Yes, a red-nosed reindeer got thrown into the mix somewhere along the way. But for the most part, the key ingredients have remained the same.

But why? What’s motivated billions of people throughout hundreds of years to say, “This event is worth celebrating”?

Let’s start two thousand years ago with a group of shepherds in a field. Shepherds were men and women who managed herds of livestock, often traveling along with their families. They had the messy, monotonous, and occasionally dangerous work of moving sheep around the countryside to find food.

We don’t know much about these shepherds, how many there were, or even their names. But it’s easy to imagine a few of them with their children gathered around fires, laughing and telling stories, while those on watch wandered among the sleeping sheep, keeping an eye out for lions, wolves, or thieves.

Then, one of the shepherds noticed a stranger, not in the sky (like in the popular imagination) but in the midst of their camp. The stranger, an angel sent by God, terrified the shepherds because he was glowing brighter than the most well-lit Christmas tree. He gave a simple message: something had happened that would bring great joy to the world!

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 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. – Luke 2:8-11 ESV

Of course, you probably know the message, but let’s pretend for a second that you don’t. Let’s imagine what it would be like to be part of those shepherd families thousands of years ago. You’d probably ask yourself a few questions, like, What could bring joy to the whole world? Why bring this message to us shepherds? And what even is joy?

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. – John 12:46 ESV

Over the next few days, we’ll explore these questions and more. Together, we’ll see that joy is a resilient cheerfulness anchored in the goodness of God.

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 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. – Colossians 1:9-14 ESV

Pause and Pray:

Lord, as I seek You and prepare to celebrate the arrival of Jesus, please draw close to me. As I focus on You, please give me Your gift of joy and help me to share it with the people in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Reflect or Discuss:

What does joy mean to you? What is something that’s easy for you to have joy about? What’s something that makes it hard to be joyful?