JOY TO THE WORLD!
It’s pretty gloomy out there.
Usually there seems to be a general optimism toward the New Year. But, frankly, I don’t sense that this year. Most prognostications do not indicate that the coming days will be merry and bright. With so many families fractured, jobs lost, and hopes destroyed, some pensive Christians wonder if it’s appropriate in our tortured world to be celebrating – even at Christmas.
But we have every reason to rejoice. Jesus invaded a world much like ours. The world was blanketed in repression, despair, and darkness. But then – “the people who sat in darkness [saw] a great light” (Isa. 9:1).
Everything surrounding the Incarnation bubbles over with joy. When the angel Gabriel brought his annunciation to Mary, he said, “Rejoice, highly favored one” (Lu. 1:28). When Mary extolled the Lord in her Magnificat she said, “My spirit has rejoiced in God, my Savior” (Lu. 1:47). When the pre-natal John the Baptist encountered the pre-natal Christ, his mother said, “The babe leaped in my womb for joy” (Lu. 1:44). When the wise men saw Jesus, “they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” (Matt. 2:10). The angels said to the shepherds, “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Lu. 2:10).
Why all this joy? “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lu. 2:11). We were doomed – but God has come to save us!
No religion in the world comes even close to the Christian faith when it comes to music. No religion has reason to rejoice as we do. We know God is with us. We know our sins are paid for. We know our Redeemer lives. The only rational response to this Good News is to rejoice, praise God, and worship.
Do you know what a “carol” is? It is a song or dance of joy and praise. Listen to those old Christmas carol lyrics again (all the verses). You have something to sing about!
Isaac Watts was the Matt Redman of his time. He called on all creation to rejoice – because God has come to us in Jesus Christ. God is with us! God is for us!
Let all humanity rejoice in the Incarnation!
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing.
Let the creation rejoice in Jesus, our Savior and Lord!
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.
Rejoice that sin’s curse is broken by our almighty Christ!
No more let sin and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessing known
Far as the curse is found.
Rejoice that Jesus reigns supreme!
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.
It’s time to sing! It’s time to dance! Rejoice – the Lord has come!