We trust the Christmas season will bring some joy to you.  Life isn't always joyful, and when it is the joy often seems short lived.  Christmas has always been about restoring lasting joy. The first message of Christmas joy came to a group of shepards.  They lived in a land occupied by a foreign army where the local ruler had absolute authority, and would soon order the slaughter of all baby boys in their town.  Watching over sheep on a hillside in the heat of a Middle Eastern day or the dark of night is a dirty, smelly, job without much joy.  Until the night angels showed up and announced the joyful birth of the king.  Isaac Watts and George Handel composed the Christmas carol favorite Joy to the World in 1719, a year of plague and fever in Europe. Their lyrics got right to the real joy of Christmas. Not sentimental feelings or the celebration of a good year with family and friends, but proclaiming the Lord is come, let earth receive her king.

The joy of Christmas is about the arrival of the king.  The creator God himself stepping into the human world to begin re-establishing his rule over his creation.  Of course our human race has been rebellous since the beginning of time, rejecting the rule of God and choosing our own way thinking our way would bring more joy.  When Jesus came that first Chritmas he was met with rejection and put to death to rid the world of this one who claimed to be its king.  But, in his Easter resurrection he defeated death, the one enemy no earthly or ruler or human effort could ever defeat, and he confirmed his own authority to rule.   He came that first Christmas not to condemn us but to save us.

The last verse of Joy to the World says he rules the world with truth and grace.  We don't see much of his rule in the world today, and those we do see ruling in the world seldom do so with truth or grace.  That is because Jesus the king has been building his kingdom these past two thousand years with people willing give up their rebellion, accept the pardon he offers and paid for with his own death, then embrace him as their ruling king.  Isaac Watts was not just writing about that first Christmas, but about the future day still to come when Jesus will visably step into our world again.

He will judge and condemn those who never gave up their rebellion or accepted the pardon, and fully establish his kingdom with those who repented and embraced him as king.  Then they will sing with Isaac Watts joy to the world the Savior reigns... no more will sin and sorrow grow or even thorns infest the ground... instead he will make his blessings flow.  Are you ready to receive Him as your king and prepare yourself for his kingdom?  There is no better time to embrace him as your king than this Christmas! 
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Wishing you Joy at Christmas
and in the 2023 New Year