Sermon - 2018-12-16

Today, as we continue on our journey of Advent.  We have a new word that gives us focus on our journey, Joy.  Now this is a word that we feel like we know but it is hardly a word that we experience.  More often than not, we focus on a different word in this world, Happy. Well how are Joy and Happy different?  Joy last so much longer. So a question may be what truly brings you joy??

Maybe we should start with the outward appearance of these two.  For happiness, we may smile, we may sing or dance, it is something that is short lived.  Joy goes so much more beyond that, not only do we smile, but we are overwhelmed with an excitement and we can not stop talking about how amazing things are because all we want to do is share that joy and wonderful as the true blessing that it is.  And that is what Joy is, a blessing, a gift of God. A gift that God gives to us because we deserve it and to let us know that God is indeed with us in this world. However, this happiness is what we often talk about striving for within this world.  Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. To be happy or merry is less than to be filled with Joy so why don’t we wish each other Joy? The only time that we say Joy to the world….well we can’t say that yet, because the child has not yet come.

For many of us, it is not something but experiences and people.  We may recall a time with grandparents, parents, children or grandchildren as a time that we experienced joy.  It is for this reason that we so often encourage people to get together with family and friends this time of year to experience Joy.  

Today, we receive and bear witness to the Joy in this world as we bear witness and are reminded of the one way God has given us Joy.  Through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, we are called and claimed as God’s very own child. We are called by name so that there is no doubt. Yes, the same baptism that John delivers to Jesus, we receive and it makes us die to our old sinful self and come out of the water cleansed and anew.  Yet the person coming out of the water does not have a new body and still that person may make a mistake and sin. Yet it is here to font that they may return and hear the joyful proclamation that you are a beloved child of God and God himself forgives you. Oh but there is still so much more to this experience, this moment of joy that overwhelms us that we call Baptism.  It would take hours, days, years and even your whole life to experience the fullness of this joy and realize it’s blessing.

Now still we talk and experience happiness in our life more often than joy and so it is this that we often talk about and focus on.  So today, I am going to challenge you. Take some time to realize where and how God is giving Joy in your life. Now think of ways that you can bring joy into someone else’s life.  Amen.