We trust the Christmas season will bring great joy to you. Life is stressful and there's a lot of anxiety about the future. Christmas has always been about restoring lasting joy. The first message of Christmas joy came to a group of shepards. Watching over sheep in the heat of a Middle Eastern day or the dark of night is a dirty, smelly, job without much joy. Until the night angels showed up and joyfully announced the birth of the king. When Isaac Watts wrote the Christmas carol favorite Joy to the World in 1719 it was a year of plague and fever in Europe. Despite that his lyrics got right to the real joy of Christmas. Not sentimental feelings or the celebration of a good year with family and friends, but proclaiming the Lord is come, let earth receive her king.
The real lasting joy of Christmas is the arrival of the king. The creator God himself stepping into the human world to begin re-establishing his rule over his creation. Of course our human race has been rebellous since the beginning of time, rejecting the rule of God and choosing our own way, thinking our way would bring more us joy. When Jesus came that first Chritmas he was met with rejection and put to death to rid the world of this one who claimed to be our king. But, in his Easter resurrection he defeated death, the one enemy no earthly ruler or human effort could ever defeat, and he confirmed his own authority to rule. He came that first Christmas not to condemn us, but to save us from the condemnation we deserved for our rebellion.
The last verse of Joy to the World says he rules the world with truth and grace. We don't see much of his rule in our world today, and those we do see ruling seldom do so with truth or grace. That is because Jesus returned to his place in heaven and has been building his kingdom behind the scene these past two thousand years with people willing give up their rebellion, accept the pardon he offers, and embrace him as their ruling king. Isaac Watts was not just looking back at the first Christmas, but writing about a future day still to come when Jesus will visably step into our world again.
On that future day he will judge and condemn those who never gave up their rebellion or accepted the pardon, and fully establish his kingdom with those who repented and embraced him as king. Then they will sing with Isaac Watts joy to the world the Savior reigns... no more will sin and sorrow grow or even thorns infest the ground... instead he will make his blessings flow. Are you ready to receive Him as your king and prepare yourself for his kingdom? There is no better time to embrace him as your king than this Christmas! Click for more...
The real lasting joy of Christmas is the arrival of the king. The creator God himself stepping into the human world to begin re-establishing his rule over his creation. Of course our human race has been rebellous since the beginning of time, rejecting the rule of God and choosing our own way, thinking our way would bring more us joy. When Jesus came that first Chritmas he was met with rejection and put to death to rid the world of this one who claimed to be our king. But, in his Easter resurrection he defeated death, the one enemy no earthly ruler or human effort could ever defeat, and he confirmed his own authority to rule. He came that first Christmas not to condemn us, but to save us from the condemnation we deserved for our rebellion.
The last verse of Joy to the World says he rules the world with truth and grace. We don't see much of his rule in our world today, and those we do see ruling seldom do so with truth or grace. That is because Jesus returned to his place in heaven and has been building his kingdom behind the scene these past two thousand years with people willing give up their rebellion, accept the pardon he offers, and embrace him as their ruling king. Isaac Watts was not just looking back at the first Christmas, but writing about a future day still to come when Jesus will visably step into our world again.
On that future day he will judge and condemn those who never gave up their rebellion or accepted the pardon, and fully establish his kingdom with those who repented and embraced him as king. Then they will sing with Isaac Watts joy to the world the Savior reigns... no more will sin and sorrow grow or even thorns infest the ground... instead he will make his blessings flow. Are you ready to receive Him as your king and prepare yourself for his kingdom? There is no better time to embrace him as your king than this Christmas! Click for more...
Wishing you joy at Christmas
and in the 2025 New Year
and in the 2025 New Year
