Advent Week 3 – Joy

Theme of Joy
This week we relit the first two candles of the Advent wreath. The candles of HOPE and PEACE. We
also lit the candle for the third Sunday in Advent. This is the candle of JOY.

Scripture and Reflection
As the coming of Jesus, our Savior, draws nearer, our joy builds with our anticipation of his birth.
From the Book of Isaiah we read the words of our Lord:

Isaiah 65:18, NIV
“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create
Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.”

From the Gospel of Luke we read,

Luke 2:10-11, ESV
“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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.’”

The shepherds hear the angel’s proclamation, and indeed are filled with both awe and joy. They are
mere shepherds, considered by some as the lowest of the low. But the angel comes to them. No one
else, but to them and gives them the news of a momentous event, the birth of the Messiah. Filled with
joy they careen down the hills into the town, find the stable and manger, and kneel before the Christ
Child.

Joy is an emotion of exaltation that comes from a new realization, an event of blessing, a state of
blessedness. And surely the shepherds feel that. But as the years progress and they tell the story to
their children’s children, the sense of wonder and joy remains. An angel has spoken to them! The
angel spoke of a physical birth. But there is also a spiritual dimension – the joy that breaks upon us
when we finally grasp that Jesus loves us in spite of ourselves, forgives all our sins and past failings,
and takes up residence in our lives. Then the initial joy melds into an enduring joy of companionship
with the Lord.

Bible Project Video: JOY

Reflection Questions

1. The Israelites choose a path apart from God. As a result, they get exiled from their land and
   dominated by foreign nations. But the prophet Isaiah knew that sorrow would not have the final
   word with these people. He looked forward to the day when Yahweh would end pain and
   corruption to lead them into endless, joyful living. Read Isaiah 49:13 and Isaiah 51:11. What
   does Isaiah tell us about God’s character in these passages? What does Isaiah say will
   happen to God’s people?
2. The prophet Isaiah looked forward to the coming of Israel’s redeemer. His prophecies were fulfilled with the arrival of Jesus. Read Luke 2:9-11. Why were the shepherds afraid? What reasons did the angels give for them to rejoice instead?
3. Joy can persist in the harshest of circumstances because it depends on God and his promises. Read Matthew 5:11-12, Acts 13:50-52, and Hebrews 12:1-3. According to these passages, what specific truths about God can sustain joy even through painful or dire situations?
4. When we see how Jesus’ loving way of life has overcome death itself, joy starts to become strangely reasonable. But this doesn’t mean it is wise to ignore or suppress sorrow. Read 2 Corinthians 6:3-10. How did Paul integrate both joy and sorrow?
5. Take time to discuss any other themes, questions, or key takeaways from what you learned together.