This week Luke is looking at joy in the Christmas story! We'll dive deeper into how joy can be a regular part of your life and a tool with which you can minister to others.
This week Luke is looking at joy in the Christmas story! We'll dive deeper into how joy can be a regular part of your life and a tool with which you can minister to others.
Hello, and welcome to the Luke Miller Podcast. I'm glad that you're able to join me today. On this week's episode, we're taking a look at joy, something that we can find ourselves searching for a whole bunch during the holidays, we're going to take a look at it. And really the history of joy as we go from Old Testament into the story of Christmas and the announcement of Jesus's birth. I'm excited as we take a deeper dive into the idea of joy in life, I hope you are too. So grab your Bibles. And let's dive in. This week, we find ourselves in one of the passages that we often hear during Christmas, and it's read often on Christmas Eve, and we've been spending a good time in Luke chapter two. And we're going to read just the first 11 verses of Luke chapter two, which again, is something that we hear so often. And, and when we look at that second chapter of Luke, it's obviously one of the most familiar passages in Scripture. Even among those who are unchurched we seldom hear and voice hear these verses read, other than during the Christmas season, though. And even Christians probably seldom see this excerpt or passage being read any other time during the year outside the Christmas season. And so, you know, I think it's good for us to take a broader look at this and to get a full understanding and the feeling of the significance of the events on the night of Christ's birth and understand the joy that we can see here as we take a little bit of a time travel and go back in time to Old Testament and understand this, but let me read Luke chapter two, from verses one through 11. And before we take that little journey back into the Old Testament, in those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman Empire. This was the first census that had that took place in a while, and Quirinius was the governor of Syria, and everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house in the line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting child. And while they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. And she gave birth to our firstborn, a son, She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over the flocks at night and an angel the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you he is the Messiah, the Lord. So we read this passage quite often. But if we go back further, we can understand that mankind has always been looking for a redeemer even since long before there was a Jewish nation. In Genesis chapter three, verse 15, God promised Adam and Eve that through the the seed of the woman, a Savior would come to crush the serpent's head and save men from their sin. And from that moment on, the one and only distinction between men in in God's eyes has been that they believe that promise and live accordingly. Or they do not believe in unfortunately, do not live accordingly. At first we we kind of get hints of faith in a specific promise. Again, we see angels offering of blasts of blood sacrifice over canes unacceptable sacrifice without blood is one of them. And as the accounts of Genesis unfold, we see other indications that that God continued to believe in the promise given in the garden, that covenant that was given in the garden. And we know these, we know these things, that that God said to the first couple in Eden had been carefully preserved and passed down from one generation to the next. Meaning that that that promise given in Genesis chapter three, verse 15, despite the turmoil that was going on, as they were getting kicked out of the Garden of Eden, there was still that promise that God wouldn't leave them and that God would send a Savior. And, and when the time finally came to repeat his promise it was to Abraham, who was told that through his descendants, all nations would be blessed. In in Genesis chapter 12, Abraham understood this promise to mean that he and Sarah would have a son in their old age and that through that son, God would eventually bring his promised Redeemer. And it may seem like a vague message to us. But if you take some time to contemplate, as we take a look at this, we can understand as Abraham did, that the only way for all the nations of the earth to be blessed through one man's son, is, if one was going to come through that son, whose very existence would have a significant impact on all men, everywhere, not just in that tiny little circle of Abraham and Sarah, that could only be the Promised Messiah. Because the only three things that that everyone everywhere have in common, are a common ancestor, Adam, I common problem, which is sin and a common destiny, which is death. Those three things we can understand now, when we read what Abraham has promised, and understand that in light of the promises of Genesis chapter three, see how it's all starting to work together. Only God's son could address all of these three issues in a significant way. Isaac could not do that. Or Abraham son could not do that, right? How would one person address all of these things are something that everyone has in common, the same ancestor, the same problem sin, the same destiny, which is death. Abraham was sign received the sign of circumcision and then became really the first Jew. And through him came Isaac and Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel. And, and to these people, the promises concerning the coming Messiah and the Redeemer were all of a sudden now a lot more pointed, in a lot more specific. Because through Israel's prophets, God revealed the facts of his virgin birth in Isaiah, and Bethlehem as his birthplace in Mica. His priesthood from the book of Psalms is rejection by the people in Isaiah, a triumphant entry into Jerusalem from Zechariah chapter nine, betrayal and more specifically, betrayal for 30 pieces of silver, which we see in Matthew chapter 27. And it is in connection with Zechariah chapter 11. The prophets tell it false witnesses and his trials and his silence before those false witnesses, His suffering, His piercing, again from Zechariah, and his prayer for his enemies from the cross, as the soldiers cast lots for his robe, being buried with the rich, His resurrection, all of these things, including his second coming. We're all now a lot more specific, after that, that moment with Abraham. And, and I think it's important for us to notice that because the joy that people were looking for, and even as we talk in the terms of advent of hope, joy, peace and love, something that was sustainable, something that could give them that perpetual hope, and, and that answer for sin, and, and death that could only come through Christ, we see that, that there's a long history of this. And so as I've only given just a sampling of the prophecies talking about Jesus from the Old Testament, yet, yet, we can see that there is probably growing excitement as they get to know more and more about this Messiah, the location, and the different things that he would do it so down through history, from the confrontation in the Garden of Eden to the time, God shot Malik eyes mouth, in every generation, there's this verbal declaration that we would see a Christ come or a messiah come. Always in very understandable terms. God wasn't just dropping little hints he was providing the only means to escape from a life of death, and to have eternal life, which was that solution from sin? And, and there's only one way for that to happen. God wasn't hiding this, he was providing the only means of escape in many ways. And for all of these Jesuit generations, God's chosen people, the Jews, and God, fears from every nation had looked for the fulfillment of this promise. The Jews had their scriptures which they searched diligently and, and Jew and Gentile alike had a common resource for prayer, which was simply saying how long Lord till you come how long till we see a redeemer? For the most part, they misunderstood what the mission of that redeemer of that Messiah would be. And they did not understand the words of the prophets, but they still looked for the Messiah, they were looking for someone to save them from the Greeks and from the Romans, but instead, it was someone who was coming to save them from themselves. And so as we focus on the on a few verses of that, Luke chapter two, and there's some things I want to take a look at first, and we've touched upon them. I've touched upon them on Sundays, but I think it's good to examine a bit more one, it's whom the angels came to, which is the shepherd. Secondly, what their message was, and, and also what that message means today. And in the same region, there were some Shepherd staying out in the fields, keeping watch by night, is what we read. And a lot has been told, as I, as I've given some historical background, as to the shepherds life, it was not a glamorous one, it was not just days out in the field, it was months out in the field, they were considered ceremonial, Lee unclean. And, and oftentimes they were not trusted. And yet, we have to ask the question, Why did God choose these people to deliver that message? Not only because they could understand and intok in the language of the common folk, not the scribes and, and I've mentioned that right, is that, that we don't read the story. And there's a purpose why we don't read the story that says, and there were scribes out in their, their homes, watching over their squat, or watching over their scrolls by night. And an angel appeared to them. No, it was it was shepherds. And it's interesting to me that in many places in Scripture, we see God coming to people, when in the midst of they're in the midst of their daily routines. And I love that, because that's a challenge for us as well. It is not, it's not when they are already out seeking or doing something great for mankind, it's when they are just going through their daily chores. When God visited Moses at the burning bush, Moses was tending his father in law's sheep as usual. When when he sent Samuel to anoint David David was out in the fields, tending his father's sheep. When he visited Gideon, Gideon was threshing wheat behind the wine press. And yeah, he was hiding in fear from the Midianites. When, when Jesus called us 12, he found them out out fishing, he found Matthew at his tax table. And there are many other examples of this. But what I want us to understand is that God finds people while they're doing their regular, what they might perceive as mundane chores of life. God says I've got something great. And, and notice that the angels write they were not sent to kings or princes or or religious leaders, they were not sent to the mayor of Bethlehem. They were sent to the village, the people from the village of Bev lambs, the people who were those diligently working the watchers, those out in, in the pasture. And, and the angels were sent to the shepherds because they were the most in nature, like those who would receive Him as the sacrificial Lamb of God, I think they understood, you know, and would later on sees so much of what is talked about as Jesus being that sacrifice for all. Verse 10. And 11 actually goes on to say in the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, something angels always say to everybody, yet everybody's always afraid, probably for a good reason, but says, we bring good news of great joy that shall be for all people for today in the city of David, there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. If we break this down a little bit, of course, there's them dispelling the fears. But, but it's more that idea of joy that I want us to, to focus on. They had watched and waited and suffered at the hurt of the Romans. And yet now, it was good news of great joy, and it was God's joy. This wasn't something that was just going to make them happy in a moment. And this was something that God had determined from the beginning of time, that the word had become flesh and would now go forth and carry out God's perfect and complete will, he would dwell among men, he would be the light of the world, he would carry the burden of all sin for all time, on on his shoulders. And when that time finally come, he would be able, he would completely drink of from the cup, and that sacrifice in order for all to be reconciled to God. That is, what is God's joy, that people be reconciled with God. It was the joy. It was the joy of the Israelites, although as a nation, they had rejected him still, he was no less the fulfillment of all of their hopes. He was the glory of their nation, he was the purpose for their existence, he was the vindication for all the suffering and oppression and rejection by all the other nations throughout the ages. They had kept the law and they had and held dearly to the promises that we talked about in from Genesis chapter 12. And Genesis chapter three. And now they would say Emmanuel, God with us, that this news of joy of the Israelites, and so is for the Israelites, it was God's joy. It was the joy for the Israelites for those who saw and heard and believed and we're looking as we a great example of this as we look at it Simeon and Anna, and we look at them as they bring Jesus later on in our story to the temple. And they've been waiting and waiting for, for Jesus to come, and for the child to be to be born. So, yes, there's that joy, but it is also meant to be our joy, a joy for all people. And that's what the message says. That's what the angels tell them. We bring you joy, it great news and joy for all people. So what does this message mean today? Right, we can understand what it meant as as for the Jewish people at that time, as they've been waiting for the promise of God to be fulfilled. But what does that look like for us? And I think part of it is understanding that this is God's joy, that people be reconciled in Christ, that people know Christ. And all the Jews in Jesus day and even today have held that the coming Messiah would be for only the Jews. There is much scripture, both in Old Testament and New Testaments that contradict that theory. And but, but the many Jewish people still hold on to that. And I won't attempt to list all the passages but but as we take a look at this, the thing that I love is this is for all God's joy is our joy. You'll notice that joy is one of the fruit of the Spirit, and something that that is found when you are reconciled in God. later in the chapter, Simeon holds the infant Jesus and in his hands and calls him a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of His people Israel. So there's that joy there, that is our joy. Good. The good news of Christ coming in the flesh was the joy for God, a joy for the waiting nation of Israel and the joy for each and every one of us. And a joy for the world still, that is searching. We're not waiting anymore. We're not searching anymore. By God's grace, the good news came to each and every one of us. That's what this good news means today, and what it means for each and every one of us. The good news is that in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David, according to the ancient prophecy as certain day in history, according to God's great plan, a Savior was born, who was the Christ, and is the Lord. He was the Savior, He would come for all and die and pay the price for sin. He was the Christ, the anointed one, the one sent from God the promised one of and the long awaited Messiah, and he is the Lord, the King of kings, and the government will rest on his shoulders and he will reign in justice and mercy forever and ever. That's what it means to us today is that you may have joy that is inexpressible and full of glory, because God became flesh and dwelt among us. It means that God has identified himself with you and you were unable, when you were unable to identify with him when you were in sin. He said, I came for you. And, and so much of it is being able to say I realize I have that joy. I recognize God's joy, but I realized there's others who need to hear it as well. You can have joy, those around you can have joy even in the worst of circumstances, because it's something that is real and have lasting significance that goes far beyond just a night in Bethlehem, but has an impact. For eternity, your joy will become full. And it will be a joy that no one can take away. While well a humble birth in Bethlehem was still the first step in fulfilling God's plan for salvation, and because of that one event and that one special night so far and so long ago, you may live now under the sheltered wing of God Almighty. And, and be assured that of place, if you call him Christ, if you call him your Lord, if you call him your savior, that you know, you have an assured place in his presence for eternity. That's what joy is. That's why we express joy. That's why Paul exhorts believers to rejoice and be full of joy. Because he talks about rejoicing, he talks about the joy that comes from hearing the victories in the lives of other believers. Paul recognizes this, the true joy is the Lord's. And it's reflected in the way that we live and the way that we speak. I think that's a great place to end as we we wrap up joy. And next week, we'll talk a little bit more about love and the last part of Advent. But it'll be Christmas before I talk to you again. So let me just say before we wrap up here, wherever you're listening from and wherever you're joining us from weekly, I'm glad that you're able to join me and I wish and pray that you have a very Merry Christmas and you are filled with the joy that we talked about God's great joy, and I look forward to talking to you after the holiday. Take care. Have a great week. I'll talk to you next time.