Christmas At Bonita – Part 2: Christmas Joys!

[1] The good news is Christmas Joy… is for !

 

Luke 2:10 (GWT)

The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with .”

 

Revelation 7:9-10 (ESV)

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

 

[2] We need to know the of joy!

 

• Joy flows from a !

 

Psalm 51:12 (GWT)

Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.

 

• The source of joy is in one person!

 

John 17:13 (GWT)

“But now, Father, I’m coming back to you. I say these things while I’m still in the world so that they will have the same that I have.

 

• No one in the universe is than Jesus!

 

• Joy is important… because it us to get through life’s biggest challenges!

 

Hebrews 12:2b (NIV)

For the joy set before him he endured the cross…

 

• One of the devil’s greatest lies… is that Jesus is !

 

John 15:11 (GWT)

I have told you this so that you will be as joyful as I am, and your joy will be complete

 

[3] The secret of joy… Is knowing that God is always at in your life!

 

Luke 1:5-7, 11-17 (GWT)

… There was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division of priests named after Abijah. Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth had God’s approval. They followed all the Lord’s commands and regulations perfectly. 7 Yet, they never had any children because Elizabeth couldn’t become pregnant. Both of them were too old to have children.

… An angel of the Lord appeared to him. 12 Zechariah was troubled and overcome with fear.

13 The angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you will name him John. 14 He will be your pride and , and many people will be glad that he was born. 15 As far as the Lord is concerned, he will be a great man. He will never drink wine or any other liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring many people in Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord with the spirit and power that Elijah had. He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children. He will change disobedient people so that they will accept the wisdom of those who have God’s approval. In this way he will prepare the people for their Lord.”

 

Luke 1:18-19, 23-25 (GWT)

Zechariah said to the angel, “What proof is there for this? I’m an old man, and my wife is beyond her childbearing years.”

¹⁹ The angel answered him, “I’m Gabriel! I stand in God’s presence. God sent me to tell you this good news. ²⁰ But because you didn’t believe what I said, you will be unable to talk until the day this happens. Everything will come true at the right time.”

23 When the days of his service were over, he went home. 24 Later, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and didn’t go out in public for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me now. He has removed my public disgrace.”

 

Luke 1:34-38, 46-48 (GWT)

³⁴ Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”

³⁵ The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.

³⁶ “Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn’t have a child. ³⁷ But nothing is impossible for God.”

³⁸ Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”

Then the angel left her…

⁴⁶ Mary said, “My soul praises the Lord’s greatness! ⁴⁷ My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior, ⁴⁸ because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant.

 

• Joy is a choice… between and !

 

• Joy is a choice… between and faith that God is still !

 

[4] Because it has enemies, joy is something we have to for!

 

Ephesians 4:31 (NIV)

³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 

 

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

 

• Pray over your !

 

Psalm 51:10 (LB)

Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires.

 

Psalm 51:12 (GWT)

Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.

 

Luke 17:1-2 (HCSB)

He said to His disciples, “Offenses will certainly come…”

 

• Practice the kind of you want to receive!

 

Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV)

³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger… ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

 

Proverbs 19:11 (AB)

Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger, And it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense [without seeking revenge and harboring resentment].

 

• your believing heart!

 

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NIV)

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

 

Matthew 5:8 (NLT)

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

 

[5] It only takes one of obedience!

 

Luke 1:57-65 (GWT)

57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her, and they shared her joy.

59 When the child was eight days old, they went ⌞to the temple⌟ to circumcise him. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother spoke up, “Absolutely not! His name will be John.”

61 Their friends said to her, “But you don’t have any relatives with that name.”

62 So they motioned to the baby’s father to see what he wanted to name the child.

63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed.

64 Suddenly, Zechariah was able to speak, and he began to praise God.

65 All their neighbors were filled with awe. Throughout the mountain region of Judea, people talked about everything that had happened.