Advent III with Kevin Harvey

​Opening Prayer:
 
Light of the World, Come
 
In this Advent season we await the coming of Christ.
Light of the World, come,
Come to the oppressed and exploited,
Come to the despised and rejected,
Come to all in whom the divine image is distorted.
 
We wait in joyful expectation.
Come not as a man of power, but in love and compassion,
Come to the outcast – like the shepherds in the fields,
Come to foreigners – like Magi watching from afar,
Come to rich and poor, young and old, male and female,
 
We wait in hopeful anticipation.
Come to bless all creation with your love,
Come to bring salvation on the earth,
Come to rule with justice and in peace.
Come Light of the World, illuminate our path.
 
We wait with all the peoples of the earth,
Light of the World, we welcome your coming.

CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not
           overcome it.   
All: We are easily distracted by our world’s darkness of despair 
       pessimism. Source of light, God, please shine in our lives and in
       your world with your life-giving joy.
​

ADVENT III
THE CANDLE OF JOY
More than 2000 years ago the Glory of God was revealed to us through the birth of Christ Jesus. A glorious miracle sent down from heaven. But many people refused to believe in this miracle, even though they had been waiting for it for so long.
That night, the Lord came to live with a humble and poor family – a family with room in their hearts and faithfulness to the Lord. A family who was ready to receive a miracle of joy.
This morning, we light the Candle of Joy. This light reminds us that not only do miracles happen around us every day, but that every day we are called to show God’s miraculous love and joy to others.

Let us pray:  Lord God, we need Your help today. Help us to make room for the miracles and joy in our lives that the Light of Christ might shine through us again. Amen.

​ADVENT SKIT

​“O Little Town of Bethlehem”          Joe

Offertory Prayer
 
Generous God, we thank you for bringing us to this season of faith, hope, and love. As we look at our lives, we see evidence of the countless ways that you have provided for our needs. Let gratitude well up in our hearts and overflow in generosity to others. Draw us outward to see ways that we can joyfully share what you have given. Let our acts of kindness as a church bear good fruit in the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (Luke 3:7-18)
​

ANTHEM:     Shepherds Heard          Choir

SERMON:              “ Joy to the World “    ​Kevin Harvey

Joy to the world!

Luke 2:10-11 New International Version (NIV)10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Introduction. The song "joy to the world" is a familiar Carol with a powerful message based in Scripture. I will let the first opening verse be the outline for today's message.

A : Joy to the world
B: The Lord is come
C: Let earth receive her King

JOY TO THE WORLD.

The word joy or the idea of joy is found throughout the Scriptures. it is a prominent idea and justice pertinent as "love and it should be and must be a characteristic of every believer who puts his or her faith in Christ.
Below are some verses that speak on joy or joyfulness. They're wise words from Peter and Paul, and King David and others. We get to see The context in which "joy or joyfulness" is being used

Peter says "be joyful in sufferings" 1 Peter 4 vs 13
Paul. "joyful in persecution". Colossians 1 vs 11
Paul, "Fruit of the spirit". Galatians 5 vs 22
David "fellowship with God". Psalms 63 vs 6-9
Matthew "inheritance of a servant". Matthew 25 vs 23
Sorrow and suffering is temporary. While Joy is in inheritance that is eternal!

THE LORD IS COME

The Lord did, as a child. We celebrate that each Christmas, but the message of the Lord's coming is so much more than that, for the Scriptures speak of a twofold coming, that is the Lord comes the Lamb to take away the sins of the world, by way of birth death burial and resurrection. And He also comes as A righteous King to rule and judge his people and the world. 

Luke 2:8-14 New International Version (NIV)
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Micah 5:2 New International Version (NIV)
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
    from ancient times.”

Daniel 9:25 New International Version (NIV)
25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

Isaiah 7:14 New International Version (NIV)
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING

This final part and message is the most important message for all mankind. It is the reason for our existence, that is to know God.To worship Him in spirit and truth.To receive Him as King.

We all love innocent baby Jesus. We all respect Jesus as a teacher Rabbi. But we forget, that our Lord Jesus, ultimate role is to be King..
Handles Messiah, got it right, when he quoted the Scriptures. "King of kings, Lord of lords"

Hallelujah Hallelujah Joy to the world, also has the message right. let's look at a few scriptures

A - Matthew 21:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
    ‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’

B-  Matthew 25:31-36 New International Version (NIV)

The Sheep and the Goats
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

C-  1 Timothy 6:11-16 New International Version (NIV)
Final Charge to Timothy
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

But today our world as a whole, rejects the authority of God, we don't want Him interfering in our life. Basically we want to be, masters of our own domain, rulers of ourselves. That! Is the issue.

Psalm 2:1-6 New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 2
1 Why do the nations conspire[a]
    and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains
    and throw off their shackles.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
    the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger
    and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain.”

Man reject God and God laughs

Revelation 19:11-16 New International Version (NIV)
The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: 
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Conclusion
Ultimately God and His people win in the battle over good and evil at Christ's return, when he will rule as King of kings and Lord of lords.
This is the good news of Christmas. It is Gods message of hope for all mankind.
Amen...