JOY TO THE WORLD
If you haven't already watched and listened to the above Youtube video of the Christmas carol "Joy To The World", why not do so now - and be blessed as popular Christian singer/ songwriter, Chris Tomlin sings with the backing of the Waitoto Children's Choir from Uganda in Africa.
The song echoes the wonderful news told to a group of shepherds tending their flocks in fields in Galilee, one night a little over 2000 years ago.
Luke the Physician in his Gospel recounts the event:
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
"And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth, peace, goodwill to all men." (Luke 2: 8-14 NKJV)
Luke goes on to describe how the shepherds went to Bethlehem and just as the angel had said, they found the baby Jesus lying in a manger (in a stable) together with Joseph and his mother, Mary. The shepherds were so excited that they told many others of the revelation concerning Jesus' birth and how they had seen him. They then returned to tending their flocks, praising God for all they were privileged to see and hear.
In his popular book "The Harvest" by pastor and author, Rick Joyner, Founder and Director of MorningStar Ministries based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, in one of the chapters he has a section headed "God Was Born in a Stable".
Quoting from this passage, he writes: In Biblical times, the stable was a most offensive place.....................By today's standards, they would not be fit even for animals. That the Lord of Glory would choose such a place to make His entry into this world is one of the more profound revelations of His message to man. We would do well not to miss His point as He has not ceased to use such places to make His appearances.
Human reasoning would never lead us to a stable to find God. The only way He could be found was by revelation; only those who were led by the Spirit would come. This has not changed. That which has been born of God is usually found in a place that is repulsive to the pride and presumptions of carnal men. As the Apostle Paul stated it: "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
that no flesh should glory in His presence.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption -
that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NKJV)
After His birth, Jesus was then raised in the most despised town in the nation. Even his physical appearance was such that no one would be attracted to Him (Isaiah 53:2)
He left this world after the most degrading torture and execution yet devised by the demented schemes of fallen men. This gospel is foolishness to the natural man and always will be. It will never attract those who live by human wisdom. Only those who love truth more than anything else in this world will walk with Him in the reproach of the true gospel.
The birth, life and death of Jesus put the axe to the root of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.It is the most powerful message the creation has ever heard; it is the most profound testimony of the character and nature of God. When we embellish this gospel to make it appeal to carnal men, we destroy its power to set them free and we ourselves begin to drift from the path of life. For this reason Paul preached nothing but Christ and Him crucified. He knew that if one were compelled to come by any other message, it would be a false conversion.
Like the humble shepherds who had the revelation concerning the birth of Jesus, which would be Joy To The World to those who would receive Him as their Saviour and Lord, each one of us today has the wonderful opportunity afforded by our Creator God to be restored to fellowship with Him - a fellowship destroyed by the entrance of Sin into the world.
This Christmas, as we remember the birth of Jesus in a dirty barn in Bethlehem, over 2000 years ago, let us also know that He is no longer a baby in a manger. He grew up and at the age of thirty three He hung on a Cross of wood for us with nails through His hands and feet, and a crown of thorns on His head. He suffered and died in our place, that, through His death, we might experience new Life in Him. He rose from the dead the third day, defeating all the powers of Sin and Death.
He is the triumphant King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are told by Jesus in Matthew 6:33 that our priority in life should be to : Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything we need will be added to us.
The Apostle Paul in Romans 14:17 says The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
YES, the Lord is declaring at this Christmas season of the year that His desire for each one of us is that we would know His True Joy. BUT, deep abiding Joy comes out of our quest for Righteousness, becoming more like Jesus as we are changed by His Life within us.
2014 is just around the corner. The time for compromise is over - for us individually, and for the Church of Jesus Christ. The King is Coming! The King is Coming! Let us be ready for His return.
If you have read the above, and would like to know how you can become a Christian, I suggest you go to : www.vision.org.au Click on the Resources button at the top of the page, and from the drop-down menu, click on Christianity, or
go to: www.wayofthemaster.com and check out the resources there to help you to become a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke the Physician in his Gospel recounts the event:
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
"And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth, peace, goodwill to all men." (Luke 2: 8-14 NKJV)
Luke goes on to describe how the shepherds went to Bethlehem and just as the angel had said, they found the baby Jesus lying in a manger (in a stable) together with Joseph and his mother, Mary. The shepherds were so excited that they told many others of the revelation concerning Jesus' birth and how they had seen him. They then returned to tending their flocks, praising God for all they were privileged to see and hear.
In his popular book "The Harvest" by pastor and author, Rick Joyner, Founder and Director of MorningStar Ministries based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, in one of the chapters he has a section headed "God Was Born in a Stable".
Quoting from this passage, he writes: In Biblical times, the stable was a most offensive place.....................By today's standards, they would not be fit even for animals. That the Lord of Glory would choose such a place to make His entry into this world is one of the more profound revelations of His message to man. We would do well not to miss His point as He has not ceased to use such places to make His appearances.
Human reasoning would never lead us to a stable to find God. The only way He could be found was by revelation; only those who were led by the Spirit would come. This has not changed. That which has been born of God is usually found in a place that is repulsive to the pride and presumptions of carnal men. As the Apostle Paul stated it: "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
that no flesh should glory in His presence.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption -
that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NKJV)
After His birth, Jesus was then raised in the most despised town in the nation. Even his physical appearance was such that no one would be attracted to Him (Isaiah 53:2)
He left this world after the most degrading torture and execution yet devised by the demented schemes of fallen men. This gospel is foolishness to the natural man and always will be. It will never attract those who live by human wisdom. Only those who love truth more than anything else in this world will walk with Him in the reproach of the true gospel.
The birth, life and death of Jesus put the axe to the root of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.It is the most powerful message the creation has ever heard; it is the most profound testimony of the character and nature of God. When we embellish this gospel to make it appeal to carnal men, we destroy its power to set them free and we ourselves begin to drift from the path of life. For this reason Paul preached nothing but Christ and Him crucified. He knew that if one were compelled to come by any other message, it would be a false conversion.
Like the humble shepherds who had the revelation concerning the birth of Jesus, which would be Joy To The World to those who would receive Him as their Saviour and Lord, each one of us today has the wonderful opportunity afforded by our Creator God to be restored to fellowship with Him - a fellowship destroyed by the entrance of Sin into the world.
This Christmas, as we remember the birth of Jesus in a dirty barn in Bethlehem, over 2000 years ago, let us also know that He is no longer a baby in a manger. He grew up and at the age of thirty three He hung on a Cross of wood for us with nails through His hands and feet, and a crown of thorns on His head. He suffered and died in our place, that, through His death, we might experience new Life in Him. He rose from the dead the third day, defeating all the powers of Sin and Death.
He is the triumphant King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are told by Jesus in Matthew 6:33 that our priority in life should be to : Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything we need will be added to us.
The Apostle Paul in Romans 14:17 says The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
YES, the Lord is declaring at this Christmas season of the year that His desire for each one of us is that we would know His True Joy. BUT, deep abiding Joy comes out of our quest for Righteousness, becoming more like Jesus as we are changed by His Life within us.
2014 is just around the corner. The time for compromise is over - for us individually, and for the Church of Jesus Christ. The King is Coming! The King is Coming! Let us be ready for His return.
If you have read the above, and would like to know how you can become a Christian, I suggest you go to : www.vision.org.au Click on the Resources button at the top of the page, and from the drop-down menu, click on Christianity, or
go to: www.wayofthemaster.com and check out the resources there to help you to become a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.
