The Promise: Joy

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable to thee, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer and Lord, give us here today, eyes to see and ears to hear so we can learn your word together as a family. We offer you all the praise, honor, and Glory for it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good morning, my fellow encouragers! Through the season of Advent, we learn to expectantly wait in hope, peace, joy, and love.

In the first week, we saw Simeon embody expectant hope as he held the promised Messiah, Jesus, in his arms and gave us the “Song of Simeon” or the Nunc dimittis. Last week, we explored the promise of peace given to the shepherds, signaling a new government bringing peace to the world. Today, we focus on joy—an emotion meant to be shared highlighting that it’s a gift meant for others, not just ourselves.

The incarnation—Jesus’s birth, when God came to earth as a human—is the greatest gift ever given to humanity. It surpasses even the creation of the sandwich, the printing press, or the beloved pumpkin spice latte. The scriptures convey God’s excitement for the hope, peace, joy, and love that Jesus’s arrival would bring.

I want to make three points today about Christian joy. First, Jesus’ birth is the source of true joy. Second, it’s a joy to prepare others to experience God. Third, our joy comes from the grace of God.

In our OT lesson this morning, Isaiah prophesied that someone would come to prepare the world for the arrival of the messiah. He proclaims, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” This prophecy, fulfilled hundreds of years later, is one of God’s joyful promises about the future.

God assures us that there will be a time of preparation before Christ’s birth, a moment when straightening will occur, making God’s glory in Jesus accessible to everyone. We can feel the joy God has to share—that what was once made crooked by sin will be restored. Indeed, preparation is the key to fully experiencing any significant event.

The promise is that the people of God will see this preparation take place. He places a signpost in the middle of the desert to signify what is to come so we won’t miss it. Any barriers to experiencing the joy of the miraculous birth are removed. There is no desert, no mountain, no valley, no rugged place that will stand in the way of the revelation of Christ.

In the New Testament, we encounter a character named Zacharias. He is a priest who serves in the temple of God. In the 1st chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel, we find him in the temple burning incense in worship while people are praying outside.

Suddenly, the angel Gabriel appeared to him—the same angel who appeared to Mary, Jesus’ mother. Like any interaction with angels in the Christmas stories, the first word given to Zacharias is, “Fear not.” He was told that even though he and his wife Elizabeth were, quote, “stricken in years” and did not have any children, God would bless them with a son, and they were to name him John.

The angel Gabriel adds, “And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord … and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.”

The boy was undeniably special, and God had a purpose for him that would bring joy to his family and the entire world through how he lived his life. He would lead many people back to God and prepare them for something extraordinary…something just over the horizon.

Then Gabriel says, “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

We can see the connections between this verse and what Pablo read in Isaiah. This child of Zacharias and Elizabeth will prepare the people for the arrival of the Lord. John will be a joy to his family and the world because he will be the one calling in the wilderness and making way for the arrival of the Son of God. Jesus’ birth is the source of true joy.

This leads me to my second point. One of the most reflective joys of the Christmas season is the chance to help others discover Jesus for who He truly is. The most joyful individuals during this time are those who have personally felt the hope and peace of God through their faith in Jesus. Their words, their acts of kindness, and their treatment of others all serve to pave the path for others to encounter Jesus.

People all around us are struggling with despair. They are weighed down by sin, navigating heartbreak from life’s challenges and feeling hopeless amid suffering. This is our moment to share the joy of Jesus with those who need it most. Just as this was John’s mission, it is also ours.

Let’s continue with St. Luke 1:18–20. “And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.”

Zechariah responds skeptically to Gabriel’s message. Because of his unbelief and distrust, he is silenced and can’t talk until John is born. We receive the good news of a God who comes to us in the flesh to rescue us, not with skepticism, but with deep faith and joy. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” When we trust God, we can speak and share it with others. It’s a joy to prepare others to experience God.

Let’s get back to our story. St. Luke tells us that when it was time to name the boy, the priest wanted to name him after Zechariah. Elizabeth said no, his name is to be John. So the priests turned to Zechariah for the final word. St. Luke, 1:63-64 says:

“And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.” Elizabeth and Zechariah agreed that his name would be “John,” as the angel foretold.

The name “John” in Greek translates to “graced by God” or “Jehovah has been gracious,” reflecting the reflective joy linked to the life of the “Baptist.” Elizabeth and Zechariah experienced God’s grace through the gift of their son. Furthermore, John’s life represents God’s grace in preparing the world for the arrival of the Messiah and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This brings me to my last point of discussion today: Our joy comes from the grace of God. God’s grace overjoyed both Elizabeth and Zechariah in the birth of their son. John’s life is surrounded by joy in the Lord’s work among the people. We now know that John the Baptist went on to “prepare the way” for Jesus, baptize Jesus, and die a martyr’s death for speaking truth to the ruling authority in his life. John was full of the Spirit of truth and rejoiced in serving God the Father.

The grace that covered John’s birth and life is the same grace given to all of us. We can never earn God’s grace … it’s a gift given through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. That should make us want to “Rejoice,” especially on this Gaudete Sunday, so named for our Introit on this third Sunday in Advent. Gaudete is Latin for “Rejoice.” “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.”

I want to close this morning with the lyrics from “Gaudete,” a 400-plus-year-old Christmas Carol written in the 16th century and published in 1582. This up-tempo and joyous melody likely comes from the late medieval era, with harmonies added in the 15th century. It is written and sung in Latin; if you want to hear it, I’ll happily play a recording after service.

Here is the English translation to “Gaudete.”

Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born of the Virgin Mary – Rejoice!

The time of grace has come—What we have wished for; Songs of joy, Let us give back faithfully.

God has become man, with nature marveling. The world has been renewed by the reigning Christ.

The closed gate of Ezekiel is passed through. Whence the light is risen; Salvation has been found.

Therefore, let our assembly now sing in brightness. Let it bless the Lord: Greetings to our King.

Reading about Zechariah, Elizabeth, and the baby John helps us remember and embody the joy Grace gave us through the Christ child. It poses reflective questions about our displays of joy, our understanding of Christmas joys, and our ability to rejoice amid challenges. Finally, it urges us to consider how, as “Encouragers for Christ,” we can share the good news of this season through our actions and spread the joy of Christ to those around us.

As the “Gaudete” Christmas Carol reminds us, The time of grace has come—What we have wished for; Songs of joy, Let us give back faithfully.