“Celebrate the Joy of Jesus”

Series: Celebrate the Joy of Jesus [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

December 29, 2019

Kids Kingdom Truths:

Ask kids, “Who can tell me what joy is?” (allow time for kids to answer) Joy is a feeling of great pleasure or happiness in something. Joy is a stronger feeling than regular happiness. 

Ask kids, “What’s something that gives you joy?” (allow time for kids to answer) 

I got a new belt buckle for Christmas. My new belt buckle makes me happy, but it doesn’t really bring me joy. It’s just a belt buckle. Some things that bring me joy are when I get home from work and I get to see my wife, or when my children do kind things for others, or when I see people in our church loving others. Those things bring me joy. 

Do you know what (or who) brings me the greatest joy? Jesus! That’s right, Jesus brings me the greatest joy. Today, in our sermon we’re going to learn about the greatest joy in all the world: Jesus! 

We’re going to celebrate the joy of Jesus!

Go find your seats now and take good notes as I preach the sermon to you. 

Introductory Comments:

We are continuing and concluding our series today called “Celebrate the Joy of Jesus.” This morning’s sermon is a summary sermon on the entire series. Everything we’ve learned thus far has led to this moment of celebration. 

Let’s pray together as we prepare to learn and celebrate. 

(prayer)

At Christmas, we celebrate that Jesus came to the world. We sang earlier in the service, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!”

In our series, we’ve celebrated the deity of Jesus, we’ve celebrated the coming of Jesus, and we’ve celebrated the sacrifice of Jesus. Today, we’ll conclude this series by celebrating all of the joy that Jesus brings us. 

As we celebrate, we will celebrate three applications of the joy of Jesus in this world and in our lives. 

To begin, let’s . . .

I. Celebrate the incarnate joy. [on screen]

Do you remember what the word incarnation refers to? It refers to the coming of Jesus into the world. It refers to the fact that God became man and came to the world. 

God incarnate came to the world as Jesus Christ and He brought with Him great joy! We can experience and celebrate joy incarnate!

We’re very familiar with this passage by now, as it’s one of the most popular Christmas passages, but it’s worth looking at again. Luke 2:8-12 says: 8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” [on screen]

Jesus’ coming to the world brought great joy for all people! Joy incarnate came to the world!

Jesus brought joy with Him and He considered it a joy to come to the earth and fulfill His mission. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us, “1 Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” [on screen]

Jesus is the very source and perfecter of our faith and our joy. Not only that, He considered it a joy to be obedient to the Father to lay His life down on the cross. 

Jesus brought joy and He did so with joy. 

Joy came to the world through Jesus. Celebrate the incarnate joy. 

Second, . . .

II. Celebrate the inestimable joy. [on screen]

Since joy came into the world, we can now experience a new joy