Advent Week Three: JOY—Preparing for CHRISTmas 2020
Advent Week Three began yesterday--Sunday, December 13—with the JOY candle.
JOY—transcendent joy—the kind the shepherds experienced when the glory of God shone bright in the darkness of the nighttime—is fully realized in Jesus, the Light of the World who came into our darkness and has overcome it for all time. Rejoice. Joy is represented by a pink candle—sometimes also referred to as the Shepherds’ Candle.
The Lord is coming, always coming. When you have ears to hear and eyes to see, you will recognize him at any moment of your life. Life is Advent; life is recognizing the coming of the Lord --Henri Nouwen
The word advent means "expectation." What advent can do for us is create a sense of hope. --Louie Giglio
Defining Biblical JOY— reflect on the following passages. What do they say to you about JOY?
Isaiah 55:12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
1 Chronicles 16:27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.
Job 8:21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
Psalm 5:11 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 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
Psalm 30:11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
Psalm 65:8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.
Psalm 65:13 The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.
Psalm 90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Psalm 92:4 For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.
Psalm 94:19 When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.
Psalm 126:3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Isaiah 35:10 and those the Lord has rescued 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.
Isaiah 52:8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. 9Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, 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 heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 10:21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
Luke 19:37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
John 15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
John 16:20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy…24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 15:13 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.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The JOY promised to us as followers of Christ--transcends happiness, is not temporal, is rooted in Jesus, is one of the generous gifts of/from God to us, and we are offered “complete joy” in Jesus. You may have noticed a pattern—that God-generated Hope, Peace, and Joy are all transcendent…transcend circumstances…and are an echo of God’s character and kingdom in this world—in spite of this world.
Old Testament reading what do these say about the coming Messiah and what kind of Kingdom He brings?
Isaiah 35 Joy of the Redeemed
New Testament readings what do you notice anew about these familiar nativity story readings? Put yourself in Joseph and Mary’s place. Note the hardships they experienced.
Luke 2:1-20 The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2:21-35
Reflect:
· Go back to the “joy” verses above. Did you notice a connection with “peace” and/or “hope” in several of the passages?
· Think of the word “rejoice”—can you recall a time when you wouldn’t have simply described yourself as “happy” but as “rejoicing”? What were the circumstances?
· Take time to see Jesus’ birth story anew and to rejoice in the true meaning of Christmas—Christ came here, Christ comes near.
For the rest of Week Two, read and reflect on these Scriptures. What do you notice about joy? What do they say about the coming Messiah—Jesus and about God and His promises?
Old Testament readings
Isaiah 40:9-11
Psalm 72:1-7
Psalm 72:18-19
New Testament readings
Matthew 1:1-17 The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah (Circle the names of the women mentioned in Jesus’ lineage. Do you recall the stories about them? It is highly unusual for anyone female to be listed in an ancient genealogy. To have FIVE is unheard of. What might these inclusions say about God/Jesus?)
Matthew 1:18-25 Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son
Next week: LOVE
Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and leaders in a diversity of fields for over 30 years. She has also been EquipConnectServe Director at her 1,200 member church since 1999. Contact Shirley.
Photo © Shirley Giles Davis, All Rights Reserved.