Good News - Great Joy!

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Dec. 29, 2014 Monday Message:

Angel of the Lord to shepherds: “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people.” Luke 2:10 GNT

With Jesus, we all expect good news and great joy. “Gospel” translates as “good news.” And we also expect joy, as in “joy of the Lord.” (Remember that happiness depends on circumstances; happiness comes and goes. But the joy of the Lord is derived from things of substance, things eternal. When you call Jesus “Lord and Savior,” you can be filled with the Holy Spirit and you can be filled with perpetual Joy of the Lord.)

What we don’t emphasize in the Christmas story, is that prior to Jesus’ arrival, there was big shortage of joy in the holy land. Herod the Great is the villain in the story, and there was no joy about him. He was a schemer who clawed his way to the top of the regional Roman government by oppressing the Hebrew people.

Herod saw the baby Jesus as a threat, since people were referring to Jesus as, “King of the Jews.” A common greeting at the time was, “Caesar is Lord,” and Herod was Augustus Caesar’s man in charge of Israel and the Jews. Herod had no tolerance for another “King” of anything.

Herod was an insecure, angry, mean man, totally lacking in joy. And day-by-day, the Hebrews lived in this land with no joy in its leadership. They were really looking for someone to be nice and kind, someone with a good disposition – someone to emphasize love.

And so even though Jesus was poor, born in a stable, his birth fulfilled many prophecies, which gave the people hope, which filled them with joy!

Merry Christmas!

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship Together! Each Sunday Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers at 10 a.m. in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week, Jan. 4, we’re in Acts 13:1-12, the Holy Spirit sends Barnabas and Saul, and we’ll look at prophets and prophesies. Bring your Bible!