John 15:11(NKJV)
11“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Yesterday we talked about taking back December 25th as the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ. It is important to remember that we are not celebrating the date of Jesus’ birth. Instead we are celebrating the fact of His birth. In the early days of the church, Christians coopted a secular holiday and reassigned it to the celebration we call Christmas. Today it seems that Satan has been working to take back this celebration. It has become increasingly secular. It has become the holiday season as opposed to the Christmas season. I find this unacceptable. I believe we should not just abandon the 25th of December giving it back to the world and the devil. It is our holiday. Time is divided by the birth of Christ. We need to take it back for Jesus.
This also involves using it to spread the message of the wonderful gift given to us at this time of year. As the season has become more secular any mention of Jesus has been deemed insensitive and unacceptable. This is still a free country and we don’t have to abide by that rule. People are still more open to the message of Jesus during this season. I believe the controversy over the secularization of Christmas has itself opened up the door even more. Let Merry Christmas on our lips be an open door to share the Gospel
There are three ideas that the secularists have tired to incorporate into the “holiday” celebration that are part and parcel with Christmas. They want to emphasize these things without involving the birth of the messiah. This is, of course, not possible. Once again, however, I think this can be to our advantage. These three things are joy, peace and love. These three virtues are extolled as part of this “holiday” season. They have not been cast aside because the world needs them. They want them, but we have them. They don’t understand them, but they are, or should be, a part of our everyday lifestyle. Since the world is looking for them during this season, we have the opportunity to show the world where they reside: In the church of Jesus Christ and it’s people.
If we are going to be able to follow through with this opportunity we need to understand these three spiritual forces and have them functioning in our lives. The world is doing our advertising. We just need to make sure we have the product in stock and on display. The first one I want to talk about is joy.
The world speaks of joy during this season, but they have it completely confused with pleasure. Unfortunately our whole society, including most of the church, is geared to pleasure rather than joy. Pleasure is dependent on outward things. A good movie brings us pleasure. Sex and relationships can bring us pleasure. Drugs and alcohol can bring us pleasure. During this season getting and even giving the right gift can bring us pleasure. Unfortunately, just as the new Christmas toy soon becomes just another cast off in the toy box, pleasure is fleeting. It is only as strong as the moment and constantly needs to be renewed by finding another source. There is nothing wrong with pleasure as long as we understand it’s traps and limitations.
Another word related to pleasure is happiness. Happiness carries a broader connotation. Where pleasure is only in the moment, happiness can be a longer term condition. Happiness, however, has the same limitation in that it is dependent upon outward circumstances. When the outward circumstances change, the level of happiness changes. In our world this is a problem. There are not many outward things that will make us happy and there is much in the world to erode our level of happiness. The only solution is to seek pleasure which masks our unhappiness. In the end, if all we have is a happiness based on passing pleasure we are in a weak position that will eventually find us in some form of depression.
In today’s scripture Jesus tells his disciples that there is another emotional condition that can remain with us. This condition is not based on outward things. It is not even ours per se. It is His joy. Joy can result in happiness. Joy can be a source of great pleasure. However joy is not exactly the same as either of these temporary things. At least not in the context of the Christmas message. Joy comes from God. Joy is a byproduct of knowing Jesus.
Joy is one of the most precious gifts of Christmas. It is desired by the world but it is not possible to understand or access it without knowing Jesus. Therefore the world is looking for something, advertising something and, in a way, preaching something it cannot attain. At least not without help. We have Jesus, therefore we have Joy. We will look at this truth and build faith for it from the Word through this week, but let’s start by realizing it’s potential right now.
Once again, the world wants it and we have it. Let’s show it. You may not feel it so much, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have it. You do, because it’s part of salvation. Put a smile on your face and a “merry Christmas” on your lips and let the world know that there is a place to find something more lasting then a present. Something more enduring than holiday happiness shared with friends and family. Those things are good, but there is something much better. There is the Joy that Christmas promises. Joy that comes from knowing and being know by the savior born to us as celebrated during this season. Let them see in you what they long for and be ready to help them open this precious gift of the Father.
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