12/16/18 - Joy For All People - Luke 2:8-20

As of the late 20th century, "Joy to the World" was the most-published Christmas hymn in North America. But it might surprise you to know that when Isaac Watts wrote it he didn’t intend for it to be this way. It’s not really about the birth of Jesus. It’s not about His first coming, it’s about His second coming. The song is filled with the language of Jesus reigning and ruling over the earth and it’s based on Psalm 98. However, if the question is: how should we respond to the birth of Jesus? Luke says the response is clear: Joy! And this is what the very first word of Watt’s song shouts. Joy to the world the Lord is come, let earth receive her king!

For this joy to be received it must first be heard. Mary heard and contemplated all that the shepherds were saying about Jesus. Three words described her baby like no other: Savior, Christ, Lord. Mary would listen to angels but she also had the humility to listen to ordinary shepherds. God speaks in ordinary ways today lest we miss it. They had angels but we have a book.

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 2:10-11

Christmas means God looked at us and saw the mess we were in and wrote himself into the story. He didn’t just write himself in, He came and died for us. Jesus gave up His joy so He could become our joy. Joy is a person, the person of Jesus Christ. That’s what the angel announced to the shepherds and the shepherds told Mary and she treasured and pondered it all. This season let's do what Mary did by taking it to heart and asking, "How does this announcement fit in with what I know and what I do and how I live?"