Joy To You And Me

I am excited over our Christmas Eve Morning & Evening Services tomorrow! I look forward to this every year! This year in our December 24th Evening Service, we will open with one of my all-time Christmas favorites: Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come. Here is why I like it so much: Joy is an essential part of the Christmas season—and for good reason! The first announcement of the birth of Christ came with joy when the angel said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Indeed, Christmas reminds us: “Joy to the world the Lord is come…” Christmas is joyous, and that is in keeping with the life Jesus promised: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy might be complete” (John 15:11). Jesus means joy to the Christian!

C. S. Lewis in his classic allegorical work, The Chronicles of Narnia, describes the land of Narnia in this way, “It was always winter, never Christmas.” Life apart from Jesus is a life separated from joy—and the source of joy.

However, life with Jesus brings joy on all levels of life. John Calvin wrote, “There is not a blade of grass or a star in the heavens that is not placed there to give us joy.” Even so, the birth along with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is purposed by God to bring us joy. Therefore, it should be no surprise that Christmas is joyous for that is what the Christ of Christmas brings us!

Christmas Blessings,
Pastor Ron