Posts Tagged ‘ Joy ’
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Micah 5:2, ESV
We find joy in Christ, realizing our God became a smalltown human to join in our suffering and redeem us through His own suffering for the joy of eternity.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14, ESV
We find joy in Christ, our God who became one of us. He came as a baby, but He grew into a man who took our sin and shame to draw us into relationship with God. Let us rejoice!
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”
Jeremiah 23:5, ESV
We find joy in Christ, the promised wise King from David who saves us from sin and reigns forever in righteousness.
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
Isaiah 11:1, ESV
We find joy in Christ, the one who was promised to King David and to bring us into relationship with God, our Creator and Savior.
I enjoy the Christmas season. I enjoy celebrating Advent.
The first week of Advent can be found here. The second week of Advent can be found here.
The third week of Advent is traditionally seen as being a time for looking at joy. This year, I am using some of the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary.
Let’s get into
Sing for joy, Daughter Zion;
Zephaniah 3:14-17, CSB
shout loudly, Israel!
Be glad and celebrate with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
The Lord has removed your punishment;
he has turned back your enemy.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is among you;
you need no longer fear harm.
On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will be quiet in his love.
He will delight in you with singing.”
We saw previously that God is our hope and peace, that Christ is our faithful Priestly King prophesied centuries earlier and proclaimed at His birth and before His earthly ministry began.
This week we see the joy that Christ brings. Jesus came to His people, to Jerusalem at the proper time to take away our sin and shame. Our heavenly King came to dwell amongst us, to save us, and to give us full hope of eternity where He will rejoice with us, not condemning us but delighting in us. Let us join in the rejoicing!
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7, CSB
As we await Christ’s second coming, we cast all our anxieties on Him through prayer and thanksgiving, rejoicing in the Lord who saves, giving us hope and peace and eternal joy. Let us worship the King who has come! Let us love our God who dwelt among us and dwells within us by His Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father!
Lord, prepare our hearts for joy by the power of the Holy Spirit that others may see the joy and peace You grant us. Help us to see Your goodness in all things and to proclaim the joy of the cross to a lost and hurting world until Your return!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23, ESV
The cost of following Christ is dying to self everyday, but the rewards are eternal life and the Spirit guiding and moving through us in amazing ways that bless others as well.
All this happened
Psalm 105:45, CSB
so that they might keep his statutes
and obey his instructions.
Hallelujah!
God showed His faithfulness and goodness by redeeming Israel and showing His nature through His commands. He has shown us His love and expectations, and He proved them through Christ. Now He empowers us to love, rejoice, and obey while sharing this gospel with the world.
For he remembered his holy promise
Psalm 105:42-43, CSB
to Abraham his servant.
He brought his people out with rejoicing,
his chosen ones with shouts of joy.
God showed His faithfulness and goodness by keeping His promise to redeem Abraham’s descendants. We can rejoice like Israel that God has remembered His promise and saved us through Christ and empowered us to rejoice and share this good news in this world.
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Hebrews 12:11, NASB
Many of the difficulties we face in this life come from our own bad decisions, but God uses those difficulties to overcome them and to grow us in Christlikeness. It does not feel pleasant, but like Christ conquering death through His death and resurrection, we see the hope of peace on the other side, the righteousness of Christ that is made ours.
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah 3:17, ESV
We know our world and ourselves better when we seek God, and even in the midst of a wicked and dangerous world, we can see God moving with us, giving peace, joy, and wisdom
a simple man of God 