2024 Advent Series - Sermon 3: Christmas JOY
Galatians 5:22-26 - Victory Fellowship
December 15, 2024 – Rev. Roderick Grabski
3rd Sunday of Advent
I. One Word Advent Series: Hope, Love, Joy, Peace, then GOD with US
(Jingle Bells EEE EEE EGCDE)
II. Introduction: Start by playing finger 5 of the right hand on treble C. Next play, B, A, G, F, E, D, C. Next play G, then A twice, B twice, then C. There is GOOD NEWS in playing the musical scales on the piano. (hold on 1 2 4 8)
a. JOY. It makes you happy just to say the word. Try it – “say Joy”
b. Christmas is all about JOY (Luke 2:10-11)
c. Maxie Dunham: Joy is expressed on two levels...
1) Joy is a gift of the Spirit that becomes a condition of the heart which is confident of its relationship to Christ AND… 2) Joy becomes the expression of celebration which empowers us to be Christian.
III. Not everyone has JOY. There are things that rob us of our Joy:
a. Joy cannot be imitated for long. If we have no joy it’s because there is something in our life stealing it from us.
b. Sins of the Flesh (previous vv. 19-21)
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
IV. JOY does not equal HAPPINESS:
a. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage around 258 AD was anticipating death as he penned these last words to his friend Donatus: “It’s a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are the Christians—and I am one of them.” Moody Bible Institute’s, Today In The Word, June, 1988, p. 18
b. Joy recognizes the promise of blessing, despite the present circumstances.
John 16:21-24 "Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. "Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. "In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
c. If there is to be more joy in our lives we must eliminate behavior that robs it and we must ask in Jesus’ name for our joy to be full.
V. Conclusion:
a. Today the PINK Advent candle represents the JOY of Christ breaking into a dark world. The angels comforted the frightened shepherds out on the dark hillside with the joy of the good news.
b. On a more personal level, the light represents Christ breaking into our hearts, producing repentance for sins - offering forgiveness and bringing JOY through eternal life.
PRAYER
SONG: Joy to the World (Third Day)
Galatians 5:22-26 (NLT) 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
