You Shall Go Out With Joy!

Sermon Meditation for Sunday, December 15th

“I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.” (Luke 2:10)

This is Christmas; an angel proclaimed the birth of Messiah to be “Good news of great joy that will be for all people!” But the holidays often produce only stress and depression. So where’s the joy?

The truth seems pretty bleak - we have no joy of our own. We can’t buy it, we can’t earn it, and we can’t fake it. The best we can hope for is momentary pleasure masquerading as eternal joy. So where’s the good news in that?

For those who believe, we have the joy of Christ living in us! As Jesus comes to make His home in our hearts, we experience His eternal, unstoppable joy through knowing Him (Ephesians 3:17).

Joy us this Sunday as we learn how to experience the powerful, eternal joy of Christ one day at a time.

Because of Him,
Pastor Steve

Week of December 16th


Q: What is your favorite junk food? How would you feel if that was all you had available to eat?

READ FIRST: Isaiah 55

Q: What is the expiration date of the covenant God is making with the exiles? (vs. 3) What is its purpose? (Vs. 4, 5)

Q: What does it mean to “seek the Lord,” and what hopeful promise is associated with doing so? (vs. 6, 7)

Q: Joy and peace are the fruit God’s word produces. (Vs. 11-12) At what stage of development is this fruit in your life? Just starting to spout? Buried seed? Ripening fruit? In need of weeding?

Q: What’s the most impressive mountain range you’ve ever seen? How do you imagine they would sound if suddenly they burst into song? How would you feel as you realized that they were singing for joy over what God has done for you? What does that say about your importance to God?