Watch
Listen
Read
Joy to the World: Those in Waiting
Pastor Rollan Fisher
Focus: God brings joy to those who wait on his consolation.
What are you waiting for?
Joy in the waiting
What is God waiting for?
What are you waiting for?
We are all ultimately waiting for consolation from life’s pain.
Luke 2:1-21
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 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. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
The first thing we need to acknowledge is that God is constantly at work behind the scenes to bring about his spoken Word, including great joy to those who would receive him in the world.
At the beginning of this recounting of Christ’s arrival, we see the historian Luke making reference to the events that would fulfill ancient prophecy.
A contemporary of the prophet Isaiah, the Israeli prophet Micah wrote the following words approximately 700 years prior to the arrival of Jesus:
Micah 5:2
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
It was also significant that Jesus was born of the kingly Davidic line, as it was written:
Jeremiah 23:5-6
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness’”
So God would order national affairs to fulfill the predictions spoken by the prophets as to the birthplace and lineage of His Christ.
The point over and over again is that every word of God will be fulfilled.
This includes God’s consolation and joy for his people who’ve experienced pain.
Among other things, consolation means comfort.
Though God wants to bring consolation, be careful what you allow to be that for which you most long, that which you think will give you comfort and joy.
“Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels that he is finding his place in it, while really it is finding its place in him.”
-C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
And so it is interesting that God chose to first reveal himself to those who were ordinary men who were outside of the power circles in their society.
The shepherds were those who would have been familiar with stigma, but were vital to Israel’s ongoing economy at the time.
God thus declared that no one is too great or too small to meet his anointed king.
The shepherds had observed the oppression of Roman rule from the wilderness, the outskirts of society.
And God met them there.
Now the shepherds rejoiced and travelled together to meet the Savior.
* It was good news of great joy that was to be for all the people.
Joy in the Waiting
We find joy in the waiting as we together put our trust in God’s promises.
The shepherds found Jesus just as they were told.
Just as at His first coming, so we will find God’s words true of his second coming.
Yet as we wait the message of Christmas is clear.
Fear not.
Jesus is the savior that the world needs.
“You never know God is all you need until God is all you have.”
-Rick Warren
Why?
“Every person has something that concerns her ultimately and whatever it is, that object of ultimate concern is that person's God.”
-Ronald H. Nash
And over and over again, these things in place of God that we hope to achieve and satisfy so often fail us.
Yet God wants to put all of our concerns in right perspective.
For every need that we have during the Pandemic, Jesus is the supply.
Comfort and joy come from truly knowing who Jesus is.
Jesus was proclaimed by the angels to be (Luke 2:11):
1. A Savior
2. Christ (the Greek word for the Hebrew “Messiah”)
- it was a title speaking of the anointed deliverer of God’s people
3. Lord
- proclaiming to the shepherds that Jesus was God himself
Just as Jesus grew to fulfill the words of his prophesied miracle ministry, so our understanding of Christ can grow to meet him in new ways as we travel together.
There is joy in togetherness as we collectively remind one another of those most important promises from God.
As He grew:
Jesus would bring stability in turbulent times and His authority would calm storms.
Jesus would Himself know fatigue, hunger and thirst in his human frame, and so can understand and console us in our suffering.
He is a miracle worker providing for those with felt needs, financial or otherwise.
Jesus is gentle and humble in heart, inviting those who are weary and heavy laden.
Jesus is a healer of sickness, pain and disease.
Jesus is the Creator who calls us and knows our way when we feel lost.
He is the builder of his church, setting the lonely in family.
Jesus provides peace for those who’ve been under mental and spiritual oppression.
Jesus is forevermore a resurrector of the dead.
He provides forgiveness of sins to those who have gone astray
He is Lord of the harvest rescuing a world set against God by turning them back to Him at the cross.
God intends good for the world.
God sees you when no one else does.
He sees you in isolation, in wanderings and in your own personal wilderness.
God meets you right where you are and brings you to to meet his Christ.
During the pandemic, it has been an amplification of the fact that people are desperately looking for peace and joy.
* Yet this is important - the peace that Christ brings is among those whom God is pleased, not just everyone.
This was true then.
It is true now.
It will be true at the second advent, Christ’s ultimate return.
Not everyone will find Christ’s peace or joy, though it is offered to all the people.
What makes the difference?
What is God waiting for?
God is waiting for a people made ready for Christ’s return.
Luke 2:22-40
And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Sometimes you are drawn to meet Jesus, sometimes he comes to meet you.
Either way, respond when he comes.
“I do not know why there is this difference, but I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait. When you do enter your room, you will find that the long wait has done you some kind of good which you would not have had otherwise. But you must regard it as waiting, not as camping. You must keep on praying for light: and of course, even in the hall, you must begin trying to obey the rules which are common to the whole house. And above all you must be asking which door is the true one; not which pleases you best by its paint and paneling.”
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Details matter here as God is described as the great equalizer among men.
Mary and Joseph are described as bringing offerings appropriate to those of modest or poor means according to temple requirements.
They brought a pair of turtle doves and two young pigeons which were more affordable vs. the lamb that the well to do would have brought.
At the same time, though we do not know Simeon nor Anna’s station in life, we know that God chose to define them by their proximity and relationship to him.
They made choices that should matter to us as well.
Neither Simeon nor Anna were said to be priests or of a priestly line, but because they were righteous and devout, found themselves right in the middle of the action of Christ’s coming to the world.
May you have the same experience, regardless of your pedigree or profession because you have the same heart.
Jesus brought joy to Simeon as a faithful follower of God looking for Him to fulfill his prophetic promises regarding the Messiah.
Jesus brought joy to Anna who was affirmed that her life’s work in prayer for the Kingdom of God to come was not in vain, but a stewardship that God would reward.
What are you waiting for?
What is God waiting for?
Christ came and He is coming again.
Like Simeon, will you be waiting?
Like Anna, will you be ready?
If so, there is joy on the waiting.
And because of Christ’s coming and his finished work at the cross, you will know God’s consolation as we together look to speed his return.
So what should we do while we wait?
1. Believe the words of God like the shepherds, Simeon and Anna
2. Make haste like the shepherds to meet Jesus.
3. Once you do, worship him and make known this good news of great joy for all the people.