The Gift of Joy
"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.'" - Luke 2:10
In the business of this season, it’s easy to lose sight of what Christmas is all about. But Christmas is really about one beautiful thing: a God who loved you so deeply that He sent His one and only Son so that you could have real, lasting joy.
On the night Jesus was born, the Bible tells us an angel appeared to shepherds in a field, delivering a message that would change everything: “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Jesus had come, and with Him, joy had entered the world in a new way.
Joy is at the heart of Christmas, and Jesus came to offer a joy that’s different from any you can find anywhere else. It’s a joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances or come and go with the highs and lows of life. It’s a joy that’s found only in knowing Him.
I remember a time when I was young, maybe eight or nine, and a group of us were having a blast at church. We’d just finished up a night in R.A.’s (Royal Ambassadors), a program where we learned all kinds of hands-on skills, earned patches, and just enjoyed time together.
That particular night, we’d been working on pinewood derby cars, cutting them from blocks of wood, adding wheels, painting them, and finally, racing them down tracks. Afterward, we took those cars out to the slick hallway floors and had an all-out race, our laughter echoing through the church as we enjoyed that simple joy.
Suddenly, a door down the hall flew open and out stepped one of the older ladies from church. She looked absolutely appalled, marching toward us with fire in her eyes. When she got to us, she pointed her finger and said, “Boys! This is church! You’re not supposed to have fun at church!”
Her words might have been meant to calm us down, but I remember feeling confused, even sad. Why wouldn’t church be a place for joy? And maybe you’ve felt that tension too. Sometimes there’s a sense that being close to God is more about following rules than experiencing joy. But that’s not the God we see in Scripture, and it’s certainly not the heart of Christmas.
The truth is, joy is exactly what God wants you to experience, especially as you come to know Him. The angel’s message on the night of Jesus’ birth wasn’t just about peace or good behavior; it was about joy—a joy that can fill you no matter what because it’s rooted in Jesus. This Christmas, let yourself experience the joy that God gives, and let that joy remind you of the gift of His Son. So laugh, celebrate, and rejoice! God sent Jesus for you, and that’s reason enough to let joy fill your heart, not just at Christmas but every single day.
In the business of this season, it’s easy to lose sight of what Christmas is all about. But Christmas is really about one beautiful thing: a God who loved you so deeply that He sent His one and only Son so that you could have real, lasting joy.
On the night Jesus was born, the Bible tells us an angel appeared to shepherds in a field, delivering a message that would change everything: “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Jesus had come, and with Him, joy had entered the world in a new way.
Joy is at the heart of Christmas, and Jesus came to offer a joy that’s different from any you can find anywhere else. It’s a joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances or come and go with the highs and lows of life. It’s a joy that’s found only in knowing Him.
I remember a time when I was young, maybe eight or nine, and a group of us were having a blast at church. We’d just finished up a night in R.A.’s (Royal Ambassadors), a program where we learned all kinds of hands-on skills, earned patches, and just enjoyed time together.
That particular night, we’d been working on pinewood derby cars, cutting them from blocks of wood, adding wheels, painting them, and finally, racing them down tracks. Afterward, we took those cars out to the slick hallway floors and had an all-out race, our laughter echoing through the church as we enjoyed that simple joy.
Suddenly, a door down the hall flew open and out stepped one of the older ladies from church. She looked absolutely appalled, marching toward us with fire in her eyes. When she got to us, she pointed her finger and said, “Boys! This is church! You’re not supposed to have fun at church!”
Her words might have been meant to calm us down, but I remember feeling confused, even sad. Why wouldn’t church be a place for joy? And maybe you’ve felt that tension too. Sometimes there’s a sense that being close to God is more about following rules than experiencing joy. But that’s not the God we see in Scripture, and it’s certainly not the heart of Christmas.
The truth is, joy is exactly what God wants you to experience, especially as you come to know Him. The angel’s message on the night of Jesus’ birth wasn’t just about peace or good behavior; it was about joy—a joy that can fill you no matter what because it’s rooted in Jesus. This Christmas, let yourself experience the joy that God gives, and let that joy remind you of the gift of His Son. So laugh, celebrate, and rejoice! God sent Jesus for you, and that’s reason enough to let joy fill your heart, not just at Christmas but every single day.
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