Tidings of Great Joy

Like 2:10

In a time when there is so much bad news or negative press, we are all eager to hear some good news. To hear of someone’s engagement, or going to have a baby, an acceptance letter from one’s favorite college or a long awaited promotion is always refreshing no matter how bad of a day or week you have had.

Israel had been oppressed for such a long time and many had lost heart prior to the coming of their messiah. It has been thousands of years since the promise and over 400 years since God had spoken. But all of a sudden, just before the dawn of a new day, the sky lit up and an angelic chorus began to sing the praises of child being born in Bethlehem. This was done with such an outburst of joy that the shepherds who observed it were astonished by that first Noel.

What was the news? “For unto you a child is born in the city of David, which is Christ the Lord.” Many would wonder how the announcement of another child could bring so much joy, but this wasn’t any ordinary child. This was God becoming flesh, born of the Virgin Mary as he invaded and intervened into human history to redeem it. But better than that, this child, who would grow up to die on a cross and raise again from the dead, would also enter into human hearts and change the lives of untold millions since then.

The joy that was heard and expressed that night is the same joy that we feel in our hearts this advent season. Having lost so much in this year, experiencing many disappointments, and with so much uncertainty as to what lies ahead , it is comforting and reassuring to know that God is with us. This joy we received from him is the strength of the Christian; “for the joy of the Lord is our strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)

I will close by quoting Matthew Henry from his commentary on Matthew 1:23. Speaking of Christ as Emmanuel he said, “In nature God is above us, in the law God is against us, but in Emmanuel God is with us.” This is the good news of the Gospel and that good news never grows old!

Pastor Robby