Unencumbered Joy
Joy and the Shepherds, the Third Advent Candle
By Pastor Dan Kennedy
© December 11, 2016
“Good News of Great Joy”
Today we are remembering the third event in the five weeks of Advent – before the time we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This week we remember the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem and their encounter with the angel and the angelic host, recorded in Luke 2:8-20.
The shepherds were terrified by the appearance of the angel. There was no joy in the angelic appearance, but there was to be great joy in fulfillment of the announcement they brought!
Luke 2:10–14
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. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
Joy, in the shepherd’s field that night, was a matter of perspective. The angels had an astounding and amazing announcement which would be an occasion for unabated joy for all people. They brought this message symbolically, breaking the pitch-black night with the blazing light of the glory of God, to an utterly shocked group of shepherds, who moments before were trying to keep their eyes open in the darkness of the night, to protect their flocks from predators. The angelic host brought the earthshaking news that “the Lamb of God” had been born in Bethlehem. They would find Him in a manger.
How is “joy” associated with the shepherds?
Let me ask a simple question. Would shepherds be an occupation known for the exuberance of joy? I don’t believe so.
Were the angels telling the shepherds to have more joy, or was joy about the news which the angels were bringing?
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
After the angels departed the shepherds looked at each other and said, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see!” They found Mary, Joseph and the Baby, lying in the manger…in the barn enclosure next to the fully occupied Inn, just as the angels had said!
“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” Luke 2:20
The shepherds only understood the joy of the angelic message after they had experienced the affirmation of the truth of what the angels had told them. If they had rushed down to Bethlehem and had found an empty manger in a typical barn for animals with no human present, the shepherds would have experienced no joy – only profound disappointment! When they found it as the angels had said, and realized that THE Savior, Christ (THE Messiah), THE Lord had been born that night, in a place they were well accustomed to…in a manger. Well, they experienced joy…a joy that came from God Himself from witnessing and verifying the human birth of His Only Son. They witnessed the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies given seven hundred years previously, by Isaiah the prophet.
Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (God with us).
Micah 5:2
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
Doesn’t the recounting of the prophetic messages, the encounter of the angelic messengers and the experience of the shepherds bring you and I a depth of joy, just reviewing it again?
This kind of “joy,” that the shepherds experienced and that we identify with them, is not a matter of occupation, personality, style, ability, status, or income. It is focused on the announcement of an event which is transformative. A comprehension of the coming of the Messiah to earth! What a joy to understand this revelation, even in the simplest form!
God the Son, has become a man and He came to redeem us from our sinful and fallen condition. Understanding this is cause for amazing joy!
So, we see, the “3rd Candle’s” association of joy and shepherds reveals that a joy has been passed on to us and to all the world through the astounding proclamation given to the shepherds by the angelic host.
Human beings experience the emotion of joy through many avenues, but this spiritual joy, initially proclaimed by the angelic host, was disbursed into all the world through a breadth of spiritual means:
· The Worship of God
· The Understanding and Knowledge of Who God IS
· The Delight and Awe of God
· Glorifying God through Music
· The Protection and Provision of God
· Endurance during Trial
· Victory following Trial, Dilemma and Battle
· Salvation revealed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ
· The hope and promise of Eternal Life
There are some 439 verses in the Bible which identify joy (247), rejoice, and rejoicing (192). [The verses used in this message are only a sampling of the Scripture available.]
Spiritual Joy is often experienced by those who sincerely worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
· Worship: Joy and Rejoicing in Worshipping God – the Creator God over ALL. Lev. 9:24; 2 Chron. 30:26; Ezra 6:16, 22; Neh. 8:17, 27, 43; Ps. 16:11; 33:1; 43:4; 47:1; 66:1; 67:4; 89:12; 96:12; 98; 100; Is. 44:23; Is. 55:12
Psalm 16:11
11 You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 47:1
1 Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
Psalm 66:1
1 Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
Psalm 67:4
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth. Selah
Psalm 98
1 Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made his salvation known
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
(see also Psalm 100)
· Understanding and Knowledge of Who God IS often is cause for a rising of spiritual Joy.
o There is Joy in seeing Who God IS, and what God has done!
Psalm 92:4
4 For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord;
I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
Psalm 95:1
1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
o There is Joy in the instruction and comprehension of God’s Word.
Psalm 19:8
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
Psalm 119:111
111 Your statutes are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
Jeremiah 15:16
16 When your words came, I ate them;
they were my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
O Lord God Almighty.
· Delight and Awe in God
“The Stars sang and the angels (sons of God) shouted for joy” – God! Job 38:7
Job 38:7
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
o Splendor, majesty, strength and joy are in God’s dwelling place.
1 Chronicles 16:27
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy in his dwelling place.
· Music and musical Instruments contribute to Joyful Worship.
1 Chronicles 15:16
16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.
Psalm 27:6–7
6 …At his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Psalm 33:1, 3
1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
Isaiah 44:23
23 Sing for joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done this;
shout aloud, O earth beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,
you forests and all your trees,
for the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
he displays his glory in Israel.
Psalm 47:5
5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.
· We Rejoice when God’s Protection and Provision is Seen. Joy is experienced to those who trust in God and take refuge in Him.
Psalm 5:11
11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
Psalm 20:5
5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.
Psalm 126:2–3
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
· Victory over enemies of God, and deliverance from great difficulty brings joy.
2 Chronicles 20:27
27 Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies.
Psalm 71:23
23 My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you—
I, whom you have redeemed.
Psalm 105:43
43 He brought out his people with rejoicing,
his chosen ones with shouts of joy;
Psalm 107:22
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.
Psalm 126
A song of ascents.
1 When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion,
we were like men who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
Isaiah 51:11
11 The ransomed of the Lord will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
· Trial. Joy is given even in extreme trial... brought from the deepest resources of a heart of faith.
2 Corinthians 8:2
2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
1 Thessalonians 1:6
6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 10:34
34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
Hebrews 12:2
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
o Struggle to have unencumbered joy when under the oppression of captivity.
Psalm 137
1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
2 There on the poplars we hung our harps,
3 for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
may my right hand forget its skill.
6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.
o Joy is the opposite to sadness and mourning.
Psalm 30:11
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
Psalm 51:8
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Psalm 51:12
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
o Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds.
James 1:2
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds….
What Can Rob our Joy?
· Our Flesh can be Mesmerized by Sin
Instead of seeking fulfillment of joy in relationship with God, the carnal soul searches for the fulfillment of hedonistic pleasure.
2 Timothy 3:4b
4 … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—
Proverbs 10:23
23 A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct,
but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
· Our Emotions can be Traumatized by Adverse Circumstances
Temporary spiritual joy.
Matthew 13:20–21
20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
· Our Mind and Heart can be Hypnotized by the World’s Attractiveness
John 3:19
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
2 Timothy 4:10
10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica….
· Our Faith can be Demoralized by False Teaching, Spiritual Deception, and Pseudo Spiritual Promises
2 Timothy 2:16–19
16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
Salvation
· God’s Salvation brings joy.
Isaiah 12:3
3 With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.
o Finding and obtaining that which we consider to be treasure, causes joy.
Matthew 13:44
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
o Joy in belief in Christ for salvation. Acts 16:34; 1 Pet. 1:8
Acts 16:34
34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.
1 Peter 1:8
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…
o Joy is part of the Christian’s heritage.
Romans 12:12
12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit…
o Joy is part of the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22–23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit…
Romans 15:13
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
o Seeing Believers in Christ Grow in their Faith. There is joy on behalf of those reaching out to others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, when those who have accepted Christ continue walking in the Truth, as the Father has commanded us.
2 John 4
4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.
o Jesus Christ gives us Joy, and we can present our requests to Him.
John 15:11
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
John 16:24
24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
o We can joyfully anticipate the Inheritance our Heavenly Father has made us qualified to receive. Col 1:12
Colossians 1:12
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
· The Hope and Promise of Eternal Life
o Salvation in Christ gives us the privilege of being presented before the glorious Presence of God, without fault and with great joy!
Jude 24
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—
Human beings experience the emotion of joy through many avenues, but this spiritual joy, initially proclaimed by the angelic host, was disbursed into all the world through a breadth of spiritual means:
· The Worship of God
· The Understanding and Knowledge of Who God IS
· The Delight and Awe of God
· Glorifying God through Music
· The Protection and Provision of God
· Endurance during Trial
· Victory following Trial, Dilemma and Battle
· Salvation revealed through the Gospel of Jesus Christ
· The hope and promise of Eternal Life
Joy from God cannot be fabricated. It is a work which begins with a transformational relationship with God and continues as a deep resource for us as we travel the ups and downs, twists and turns of life’s circumstances. Joy rejoices in seeing the work of God in our lives and the lives of others who trust in Him.
It all began with the Good News of Great Joy for All the People!
But the angel said to [the shepherds],
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10