All I Want For Christmas... JOY

Summary:
Joy... the angels talked about it, the shepherds experienced it, the wise men found it, and Mary sang about it.  So how can we have joy?  Scripture gives us great insight into how we can experience joy as we look forward to 2015, and how our response to this joy will shape the outlook of our lives.


1.  Read Luke 2:8-12.  Are you looking for joy?  Where are you looking for it?  The shepherds were simply living their normal lives, and when God showed up they experienced joy.  Did you know that you can have joy in your current job, relationship, marriage, income level, professional level, and social status?  If the shepherds can have it, then so can you!

-Joy was given to us by God.  You can't buy it, earn it, be optimistic enough to obtain it, or get lucky enough to win it.  Yet, so many people spend their entire lives trying to find something that God has already made available for them right where they are.  The message from the angels was "Good News of Great Joy."  How can you get this great joy?  By understand that the "Good News" is personal to you.  What is the "Good News" and how is it for you?


2.  READ Luke 2:17-18.  Joy should always be shared with others.  If someone asked you to tell them about the joy that Jesus gives you, what would you share with them?


3.  Read Matthew 2:10.  The wisemen had been traveling for 2 years to find the new King that had been born.  When they finally arrived, they were filled with joy.  Part of their joy experience included a 2 year journey.  What do you think were the difficulties they experienced along the way.  Can you imagine having to wait 2 years for a pay-off?  What faith!  What patience!  What endurance!

Read Psalm 30:5 and John 16:20.  Think about a difficult "journey" that you have had, where you allowed God to lead in your life during difficulty.  How did God shows up in the journey, and how did you experience joy in the end?


4. Read Luke 1:29-30.  How does Mary respond to the Good News of Great Joy when she first hears it?  Now read Luke 1:46-48.  How does she respond to the same news later?  So what changed?

-Joy is a choice for us, and oftentimes a hard choice.  Read Hebrews 12:2.  Jesus made the hard choice to endure the cross.  Do you think that decision was hard for him?

-Read John 15:11.  Since Jesus died on the cross, what does that mean for us?  Who is the source of joy?  Who defines it? (Jesus is the source, and he defines it!  Therefore, he is the only place to get it from!)