News Joy People

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.
- Luke 2:9-10
 
Good news. Great joy. All the people. That’s what Christmas is all about.
 
The good news is that God has come to rescue his people. He joined our human predicament, took up our weakness, suffered, and turned the tables on sin and death and the devil. Jesus stands triumphant on the other side of life and death, alive again forever and wildly at work for us in the wide, wide world.
 
Our great joy is to be included with Jesus. We’re welcomed into his family. He wants to keep company with us. He went searching for us until he found us and then carried us to safety with him. He never gives up on us. He will bring us all of the healing and restoration and strength we need. We can speak with him every moment of every day and he will listen to us. He has become our advocate and friend. Our great joy is that the good news is good news for US!
 
But it’s more than just us. This good news causes great joy for all the people. All different kinds of people are included in the family of God. Rich and poor. Every tribe and tongue and nation. Men and women. Young and old. Hippies and yuppies and hipsters and Boomers and Millennials and people who don’t like labels. And together we engage our world for good.
 
The shockwave of this good news wraps great joy around the world. Can you feel it?
 
As you connect with Jesus today, meditate on how the good news of Christmas – “God is with us” – plays out in our experience of salvation, community, and mission. God is with you to save you, to include you in a bigger family, and to work through you to engage the world for good.
 
Try preaching a little sermon to yourself today. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones encouraged his congregation to preach the gospel to themselves as a means to finding joy in every season of life and beating back what he called “spiritual depression.” Do you have a sermon in your heart to preach to yourself? Will you listen to the best version of yourself as you speak to yourself the best news anyone’s ever heard: God is with you and loves you and has a purpose for you?

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