JOY -- THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT


Image result for three candles burning in the dark
Nehemiah 8:9-10

            And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy Holy Face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy Birth!
Jesus, Lord, at Thy Birth!

"Silent Night, Holy Night"; Words:  Joseph Mohr; Lyrics: Franz Xaver Gruber; 1818.

Friday, December 21, is the first day of winter and the longest night of the year.  With the dawn of December 22, we look forward to the days getting longer, and even though there's still three months of winter, we know that spring is coming with warmer weathers and dreams of summer vacations.

After seventy years of the dark day's of Israel's exile in Babylon, they were allowed to return to the city of Jerusalem.  A new day was dawning as the Jews began their new life back in Israel.  Under the spiritual leadership of Nehemiah, God's people were about to celebrate the Festival of Booths for the first time in almost two generations.  Before it began, many heard the Word of God and have it explained to them for the first time.  Feeling convicted of their corporate sins, many began to weep.  Nehemiah said to them, "Go home and prepare a feast, holiday food and drink; and share it with those who don’t have anything: This day is holy to God. Don’t feel bad. The joy of God is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10, The Message)

So, what is the joy of God, of the Lord?  I believe that what Nehemiah is talking about is redemption -- restoration, forgiveness and new starts.  The Jews' return to Israel is a sign of God's forgiveness.  God did not forget them and kept the promises God made to them through the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah.  The land God had promised them and their identity as the people of God had been restored.  This time was a dawn of new beginnings and rebuilding Jerusalem, the temple and their relationship with God.

The joy of the Lord, redemption, is our strength.  With the birth of Christ, came the dawn of our return to God from captivity to sin and death.  The self-giving, self-sharing of God as expressed in Christ assures us of the unconditional, inclusive nature of his love.  We find both hope and strength in knowing that even though we are imperfect we are loved and we are forgiven.  We are God's people and God is our God.  Through God's transformational and redemptive love, our lives are given worth, meaning and purpose.

"We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."  (Romans 8:28, NRSV)

The joy of the Lord is our strength in all aspects and circumstances of our lives.  Even when tragedy strikes, even when our world falls in on us, even when the night is dark and long and hopeless, God's redemptive power works for good and sustains us.

Our joy, our strength is in Emanuel -- God with us.  God loving us.  God keeping God's promises.  God's forgiveness and mercy.  God loving us enough to give up His son for the sake of our redemption and transformation.

In the dawn of God's redeeming grace is joy and our strength.




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