Church bulletin:
In the superb book, A Call to Christian Formation – How Theology Makes Sense of our World, the authors John Clark and Marcus Johnson, say this –
“Our passion for truth and understanding should be marked by a passion for joy. For the fundamental fact of the Christian faith is the birth of the God-Word, our Theos-Logos, and that is news of great joy (Luke 2:10-11). In the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus’s richest and most robust theological teaching in the Gospels, He says, ‘these things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full’ (John 15:11). Indeed, Jesus promises on precisely the same occasion that in this world we will have tribulation (John 16:33). But our call is not to be sullen and surly in the now, shuffling drearily toward the not-yet. To share in the mind of Christ, is to share in the joy of Christ, and we dare not foster a passion for the former but not the latter. Dorothy Sayers quip is worth heeding: ‘the worst sin – perhaps the only sin – passion can commit, is to be joyless.”
The experience of joy is not a secondary issue when it comes to the Christian life. Nor is it something that only the spiritual elite can attain to. Joy lies at the heart of what it means to be saved. Christ’s words are arresting – these things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. In response, the authors of the book are correct – our passion for truth and understanding should be marked by a passion for joy.
We will not pass through this world without pain and sorrow. We will shed tears for many reasons. But to be characterised as morose, dour and joyless is a contradiction in terms. To receive the Word of Christ is to receive the joy of Christ. He suffered and He wept, yet He was not joyless. As we enter the Christmas season and our thoughts are drawn to the incarnation, let us understand that Jesus Christ is the very incarnation of joy itself. He became a man of sorrows so that we can become people of joy – partakers of the divine character.
Let us pursue joy by pursuing communion with Him; by meditating and praying over the wonderful truths that are ours through Him. Whatever happiness the world provides, it is temporal and transient. Christ alone brings true and lasting joy along with all other related fruit – peace, contentment, satisfaction, hope, etc. Joy belongs to those who make it their business to know Him and walk with Him in fellowship.
As we give particular thought at this time to the birth of “the God-Word, our Theos-Logos” how appropriate it is to sing and celebrate –
1 Joy to the World! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. And heaven and nature sing. And heaven and nature sing. And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
2 Joy to the earth! The Saviour reigns. Let men their songs employ. While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains. Repeat the sounding joy. Repeat the sounding joy. Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
3 No more let sins and sorrows grow. Nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow. Far as the curse is found. Far as the curse is found. Far as, far as, the curse is found.
4 He rules the world with truth and grace. And makes the nations prove. The glories of His righteousness. And wonders of His love. And wonders of His love. And wonders, wonders, of His love!