3rd Sunday of Advent - Joy

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

Psalm 126  or  Luke 1:47-55

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

John 1:6-8, 19-28

Many people try to put joy and happiness in the same camp.  They think that they are just different ways to say the same thing or convey an idea.  However, that is not the case.  Unlike happiness, joy has nothing to do with circumstances, joy comes from hope.

It is hard to talk about joy without talking about hope.  As Christians our joy flows out of the hope we have in Jesus Christ.  Many who have no hope live lives of utter desperation without happiness, joy or satisfaction.

We we have hope because Jesus Christ has saved us from our sins.  But, that hope only comes when we know what we are saved from.  We are saved from the eternal consequences of our sins:  separation from God.  This hope brings us joy.

We have a hope that we will spend eternity with God, in a place where, as Isaiah tells us,  ‘sorrow and sighing will flee away’ where ‘the lame will leap like a dear and the mute tongue shout for joy.’  The hope that this brings gives this life meaning and purpose.  It makes this life bearable and it brings to our hearts joy.

The scriptures above are from the Revised Common Lectionary copyright ©1992 Consultation on Common Texts for Year B, the Third Sunday in Advent.