It’s the Third Sunday of Advent: Joy, or as the picture has it, Rejoice!

Again, it’s a word that’s been there from the beginning:

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” (Luke 1.39 – 44, ESV)

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people…” (Luke 2.10, ESV)

All the people? All the people: Jews, Gentiles, rich, poor, men, women, slave, free. That’s worth getting excited about…I’m included! And you are, too!!

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3.26 – 28, NIV)