Intro:

• Brief recap - HOPE, PEACE
• Gaudete Sunday - GOW-DAY-TAY - Latin for rejoice Sunday

JOY at Christmas

• This is a season of joy 
  • “Joy to the world”
  • “Joyful joyful we adore thee”
• The joy of children
• The joy of gifts
• For some it is not equivalent to joy - We will get into that towards the end

Joy for Christians

• Is joy just supposed to be at Christmas or ALL THE TIME?
• God is a God of joy
  • “The one who sits in heaven laughs” - Psalms 2:4
  • “At that time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit” - Luke 10:21
  • “There is joy in the presence of God’s angels” - Luke 15:10
• The Spirit gives Joy
  • “The fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control” - Galatians 5:22
• Jesus promised joy 
  • “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow” - John 15:11

Questions:

• Is Christianity a faith of sadness or joy? JOY
• Is joy dependent on current circumstances? NO
• Should I experience the joy of the Lord in my life? YES

Let’s turn to the Scriptures

• Philippians 4:4 (ESV) — 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
• Luke 1:46–55 (NLT) — 46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. 51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. 52 He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. 55 For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

The MAGNIFICAT

• Women rejoicing in the Bible
  • Miriam after the Red Sea
  • Deborah after defeating the Canaanites in Judges 5
  • Hannah after getting pregnant with Samuel 1 Samuel 2
  • Mary in Luke 1
• Joy is firmly planted in the belief of what God has done and will do! 
• Joy is expressive

Mary gives us 7 reasons to rejoice:

1. Rejoice because He SEES - “He took notice of his lowly servant girl”
   1. Like a stranded person on an island being seen
2. Rejoice in the BLESSING - “From now on all generations will call me blessed” 
   1. Like a person winning the lottery
3. Rejoice in SALVATION - “He has done great things for me”
   1. Bella the squirrel
4. Rejoice in His MERCY - “He shows mercy from generation to generation”
   1. Like a class saved from an exam
5. Rejoice in VICTORY - “His mighty arm has done tremendous things” 
   1. Like fans celebrating their team
6. REJOICE in JUSTICE - “He has scattered the proud and haughty ones” 
   1. “I saw Satan fall like lightning” 
   2. He INVADES, INVOLVES, INVERTS
   3. Pictures of World War 2
   4. He is the great equalizer 
      1. Pulls down princes, lifts the humble
      2. Feeds the hungry, sends the rich away with empty hands
7. Rejoice in His PROMISE - “He has remembered His promise to Israel” 
   1. Like a dad getting ice cream

So many don’t have joy... What’s the problem

• James 1:2 “Consider it all joy when you face trials of many kinds”
• Our problem is our ACCOUNTING 
• Pause, reflect, weigh out the whole, put on JOY

There is a Joy that is directly connected to salvation

• David said restore to me the JOY OF MY SALVATION