Advent at Home: Joy to the World
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
1 Sing a new song to the Lord ! He has worked miracles, and with his own powerful arm, he has won the victory.
Psalm 98:1
Memory Verse
Luke 2:10
10 But the angel said, “Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy.
When you have fantastic news to tell, who do you tell first? Usually, we run and tell the most important people in our lives.
The first people to hear about the birth of baby Jesus were not the rich and famous. It wasn’t the emperor or even the priests in the temple. The angels shared the good news with ordinary shepherds caring for sheep in the fields. Being a shepherd was not an important job. They ate and slept with sheep. They probably even smelled like stinky sheep. So why would God care enough to announce the birth of his one and only Son to such ordinary people?
Because Jesus came for all people!
The angel declared that they had news of “great joy.” That joy would change the world!
Being joyful is very different from being happy. When our parents take us out for ice cream or when we score the winning goal, we feel happy. But a moment later, our ice cream can fall off the cone, or we can twist an ankle and be out for the soccer season. We no longer feel happy.
Joy lingers even when sad things happen. Joy lasts because God is with us, and his peace lives inside us.
For years, God’s people had been waiting for the Messiah, who would come to save them. The angel told the shepherds, “This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Finally, God would save them from the darkness and pain of this world and from all sin and shame. And so the shepherds ran to see this Prince of Peace who was born to bring joy to the world. Their lives were never the same again. And with Jesus' birth, we are also changed by his life-saving joy.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, In you there is no darkness, for you are the light of the world. Our world needs your good news. Thank you for coming to save us all. Help me to make room for you in my heart so that the joy of knowing you can guide my life. May my heart sing your joy to the world just as the angel shared news of great joy so long ago. Amen.Related Resources
Holly Sperling
Holly Sperling teaches grade 2 at Edmonton Christian School in Edmonton, Alberta. She loves journeying with children and their families to discover God’s redemptive love and role in His story. Holly and her husband, Burke have a blended family of five, enjoying being grandparents and are attempting to train their very active Pyrenees Poodle.