Great Joy

How do I respond to this good news?”

Luke 2:15-20 (CSB), “15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

The birth of Jesus really is good news of great joy.

Proverbs 15:30 (CSB), “Bright eyes cheer the heart; good news strengthens the bones.”

The Lord wants us to be glad, and to be joyful.

Psalm 32:11 (CSB), “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”

Psalm 37:4 (CSB), “ Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”

Matthew 5:12 (CSB), “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven….”

John 15:11 (CSB), “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (CSB), “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

God is concerned about both your holiness and your happiness.

What is the source of your happiness?

Matthew 6:21 (CSB), “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Many time, we seek to derive happiness from the wrong source.

Those who have put their faith in Jesus are forgiven of all sin.

Hebrews 10:10-12 (CSB), “10 By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 11 Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. 12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”

Those who have put their faith in Jesus are no longer slaves to sin!

Hebrews 10:14-18 (CSB), “14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. For after he says:
16 This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, the Lord says, I will put my laws on their hearts and write them on their minds, 17 and I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts.

Those who have put their faith in Jesus now enjoy communion with God.

Hebrews 10:19-23 (CSB), “19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— 20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— 21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.

Psalm 16:11 (CSB), “…in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.”

Christ-followers can be sorrowful or grieving, but always rejoicing (2 Corinthians 6:10).

Hebrews 13:8 (CSB), “Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Those who have put their faith in Jesus hope for a greater future.

Revelation 21:3-5a (CSB), “3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. 5 Then the one seated on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new.’”

What is the source of your happiness?