2023.12.17.Sermon Notes. 3rd Advent – JOY
William Akehurst, HSWC
BIG IDEA: Advent 3rd week – JOY. The Advent of CHRIST brings JOY to the WORLD. Too often we get all wrapped up in the busyness of the Christmas Season and miss the whole meaning of CHRISTMAS. Take time and stop and pause, and consider the TRUE JOY we are celebrating.
SCRIPTURES: Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:8-14, Psalms 98:1-9, John 1:14,
Romans 5:8, Luke 15:10, Revelation 19:11-16, Deuteronomy 10:17-18, 1 Timothy 6:11-16, Genesis 3:17-19, 2 Corinthians 5:17
THE PROMISE OF “GOD WITH US”
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son,
and shall call His Name Immanuel.
THE BIRTH AS PROMISED
Matthew 1:18-25 (Luke 2:1–7)
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.
GLAD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY TO ALL PEOPLE
Luke 2:8-14
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
THE PROMISED “JOY TO THE WORLD”.
Psalms 98 (KJV)
1 O sing unto the LORD a new song;
for he hath done marvellous things:
his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
2 The LORD hath made known his salvation:
his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel:
all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth:
make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp;
with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
6 With trumpets and sound of cornet
make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;
the world, and they that dwell therein.
8 Let the floods clap their hands:
let the hills be joyful together
9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth:
with righteousness shall he judge the world,
and the people with equity.
PSALMS 98 is one of the Royal Psalms (Psalms 93-100). In it we see GOD as the KING of ALL CREATION with emphasis that our JOY is in CHRIST THE KING.
It’s from Psalms 98 that comes the song we celebrate “JOY TO THE WORLD” by Isaac Watts.
Psalms 98 is made up of 9 verses containing 3 stanzas of 3 verses.
Stanza 1 from verses 1-3 tell us to rejoice in GOD as SAVIOR of HIS people.
Stanza 2 from verses 4-6 tell us to rejoice in GOD as KING over all the earth.
Stanza 3 from verses 7-9 tell us to rejoice in GOD as JUDGE over all the nations.
1. REJOICE IN GOD AS SAVIOR TO HIS PEOPLE. Vs. 1-3.
The Psalm begins, “Sing to the LORD a New Song.”
Isaac Watts wrote his new song “Joy to the World” based on this passage.
Vs. 2. The LORD has made known HIS SALVATION.
Vs. 3. All the ends of the earth have see the SALVATION of our GOD.
Exciting news!
When you put your faith in Christ, you become a new creation, one of GOD’s Children. And you too will want to sing a new song.
STANZA 1.
Joy to the World; the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing.
HE CAME TO DWELL AMONG US.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
HIS LOVE WENT THE FULL DISTANCE.
GOD COULD NOT SAVE US WITHOUT LEAVING THE THRONE OF HEAVEN, AND COMING DOWN TO THIS EARTH, TO DIE FOR US.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF ANGELS WHEN ONE CHANGES, TURNS, REPENTS.
Luke 15:10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
2. REJOICE IN GOD AS KING OVER ALL THE EARTH. Vs. 4-6.
Vs. 4-6 Make a Loud and Joyful noise to the LORD.
MAKE SOME NOISE, MAKE SOME MUSIC
SING, REJOICE, BE GLAD BEFORE THE KING of Kings and LORD of Lords.
STANZA 2.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields & floods, rocks, hills & plains
Repeat the sounding joy.
HE IS FAITHFUL AND TRUE, RIGHTEOUS IN JUDGMENT.
Revelation 19:11-16 11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
3. REJOICE IN GOD AS JUDGE OVER ALL THE NATIONS. Vs. 7-9.
REJOICE IN THE GOD OF ALL CREATION.
LET THE SEA ROAR, LET THE FIELDS, FLOODS REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY!
STANZA 4.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.
Deuteronomy 10:17-18
17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. 18 He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, AND EVERLASTING
1 Timothy 6:11-16
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
4. NO MORE LET SIN AND SORROWS GROW
While the 3rd Stanza in Joy to the World doesn’t come from Psalms 98, it does speak of the blessings of CHRIST extending victoriously over sin including the Restoration of Creation to what it was before the curse of Sin began in the Garden.
THE CURSE OF SIN
Genesis 3:17-19
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”
IN CHRIST, ALL THINGS BECOME NEW – A NEW CREATION
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
DELIVERANCE. THE CURSE REMOVED AND THE CAPTIVES SET FREE!
Romans 8:21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
STANZA 3.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.
THE CURSE HAS BEEN REMOVED, WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE.
JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME.
HE IS FAITHFUL AND HE HAS DONE IT.
IT'S A GIFT TO ANYONE, WHOSOEVER, WILL RECEIVE IT.
UNWRAP THE GIFT OF SALVATION AND LET THE JOY OF THE LORD FILL YOU THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON.
Take time to stop and pause, and consider the TRUE JOY we are celebrating.
ILLUSTRATION: THE CHRISTMAS SCALE Link below:
Google: The Christmas Scale |by Igniter Media | Christmas Church Video (youtube.com)
JESUS CHRIST THE LORD HAS COME – GOOD NEWS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD!
WE’VE GOT THE TRUE MESSAGE TO TELL, AND THE WHOLE WORLD NEEDS TO HEAR IT AND KNOW!
Be blessed and be a blessing,
BILL
