Here’s an interesting take on joy from Jesus’ interaction with his disciples after they had returned from a ministry trip excited that they had power over evil spirits:

“Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. (Luke 10.20 – 21, ESV, emphasis mine)

Jesus challenges the disciples’ source of joy: NOT that they have power over evil spirits but that they’re on God’s team!

Then Jesus experiences joy over the ones God has given him – NOT the “wise and understanding” but to “little children.” Often we would like the “big names” on our side, those who are prominent in the world and also (seem to) follow Jesus. And there are some who do. But most of us are ordinary. It has always been so, and Jesus found that something to be excited and joyful about.

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? (James 2.1 – 7, ESV, emphasis mine)

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1.26 – 31, ESV – I have heard that one of the English queens said, “Saved by an ‘m.’ The text doesn’t say, ‘Not any of noble birth,’ but ‘Not many of noble birth. I’m saved by an ‘m.'”)

We’re looking at JOY this week, and a blog I wrote last year is too good not to run again. It should become an Advent/Christmas tradition here at the Ewellogy. It’s the Wise Men rediscovering the star and the song that describes it.

The Wise Men were journeying from the East, following the star toward Judea, when they took a side trip to Jerusalem. They didn’t know it was a side trip – they just assumed that Jerusalem would be the place to find a newborn king. But in the process, they apparently lost the star. Upon being briefed by the religious scholars that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5.2), we read:

And so they left, and on their way to Bethlehem, suddenly the same star they had seen in the East reappeared! Amazed, they watched as it went ahead of them and stopped directly over the place where the child was. And when they saw the star, they were so ecstatic that they shouted and celebrated with unrestrained joy. (Matthew 2.9, 10, Passion Translation)

Ecstatic…shouted…celebrated…unrestrained joy. Their goal was in sight. That’s a source of joy! The Passion Translation note explains:

The Greek is hard to translate since it contains so many redundant words for joy in this one verse. It is literally “They rejoiced with a great joy exceedingly.” They were ecstatic! (Note on Matthew 2.10, The Passion Translation)

The King James Version says simply:

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

This brings us to the song about this event. If listening to this version of Matthew 2.10 doesn’t fill you with joy and put a spring in your step, I don’t know what will! When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy. Enjoy! Rejoice!

We’re thinking about JOY this week, and, once again, John’s gospel comes through. Chapter 16 opens depressingly:

I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. (John 16.1, 2, ESV)

But we can’t get through the chapter without JOY:

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16.24, ESV)

If we’re not experiencing JOY, maybe we should pray more!

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice…Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4.4, 6, ESV)

Friday night our son Matt took us to LIGHT, the extraordinary display put on by Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, CO (in the Denver metro area), to help celebrate my birthday, which happens to be today.

We’ve never seen anything like it. These are a few of the (low quality) pictures I took through Matt’s windshield as we drove through the many “scenes” they put together. Each scene was accompanied by a soundtrack you listened to through an app on your smartphone. Technologically, it was a marvel, and that it was put on FREE by a local church as a gift to the community, truly sparks joy. The large Christmas tree was a drive-through!

The show reminded us that Christmas is not just about lights and presents, but about Jesus’ gift of himself. Rather than try to cram the whole gospel story into a Christmas light show, the simple takeaway was, “We’re Cherry Hills Community Church. Come back for our Christmas Eve service to learn more.”

I also experienced joy in watching a very complex event managed flawlessly. I estimate at least 300 cars/hour driving through the display. Our time on site was a little more than an hour but even the wait time for our turn was artfully orchestrated with singing Christmas candles and Christmas trees.

If you’re in the Denver area, I strongly recommend. There are three time periods per night (6:00 – 7:30, 7:30 – 8:30, and 8:30 – 9:30), and the following shows are still to come: December 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, and 23. Go here for more information. It is a joy-inspiring event pointing to the REAL joy-inspiring EVENT:

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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2.10 – 12, ESV)

Joy: that’s something else we have a shortage of. Advent seems to be the answer to everything, doesn’t it? Teen suicide is up, for example: no Hope. And a lot of folks spend a good bit of their time sniping at others on social media: no Love. And Joy? As they say in New York, Fuhgeddaboudit!*

The world was just as messed up when Jesus came, and he brought Joy:

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15.11, NKJV)

* Forget about it!

This may be a story in search of an application, but the end of last Saturday’s game between Baylor (ranked #9) and Oklahoma State (ranked #5) for the Big 12 Championship is worth thinking about. Baylor jumped out to a 21 – 3 lead in the first half and scored NO points after that. OK State chipped away: 21 – 6, 21 – 13, 21 – 16. Then came the last few minutes where the (usually) higher-ranked team does its final drive to win, much like Alabama came back against Auburn the week before. Anyway, down the field came OK State. With about 90 seconds left, they were first and goal on the 2. Just two yards for a touchdown and the win.

• They ran the ball twice with the offensive and defensive lineman doing their best to push each other out of the way. The result? Third and goal from the 1. One yard for a touchdown and the win.
• Third down was an incomplete pass.
• Now with about 30 seconds left, OK State has one play for a touchdown and a win. This time their running back sprints to the left, and there are only two guys involved in the play. The runner and the Baylor defender. They are step for step until the runner dives for the pylon with the defender hanging on. The runner goes out of bounds six inches short.

Sometimes somebody has to take a stand. Sometimes you’re surrounded by like-minded folks taking a stand with you. Sometimes, you’re on your own. Just you and the adversary.

So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. (Ezekiel 22.30, NKJV, emphasis mine)

And next to him was Shammah… The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the LORD worked a great victory. (2 Samuel 23.11, 12, ESV, emphasis mine)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,… (Ephesians 6.10 – 14, ESV, emphasis mine)

To him who conquers… (Said in each letter to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3)

We’ve been thinking about Love, during this second week of Advent, including important concepts like loving by serving, love empowering obedience, and loving even our enemies.

Today, let’s just go back to basics: “Love your neighbor as yourself” – here are some suggestions, courtesy of The Navigators for how to do that. (Click the chart to see a larger version you can download for yourself.)

Seven simple things:

• Greet people
• Go out front (instead of hiding in your backyard)
• Go first
• Gather contact information
• Give and receive
• Get creative
• Go before God in prayer for your neighbors

I’d add one more that’s helped us: Get a dog! I meet more neighbors and have more conversations with neighbors while walking our dog than at any other time. These simple steps remind me of the Sugar Cubes illustration I wrote about a couple of years ago: simple actions add up.

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5.13 – 16, ESV)

We’re into the second week of Advent: Love. Monday we observed Jesus’ example of washing the disciples’ feet and Tuesday we noticed Jesus’ explicit command that we go and do likewise. Yesterday we saw where the power to do that comes from: right back to love.

Love God, love people – nothing to it, right? Not so fast. Jesus came into a world dominated by Romans who wanted nothing more than to stamp out all allegiance to anyone or anything other than the Roman emperors. His prescription?

You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? (Matthew 5.43 – 47, ESV)

I was motivated to write this blog by an article in the Sunday Colorado Springs Gazette. Mikey Weinstein, enemy of all things Christian, is at it again. Here’s the start:

A nationwide tradition viewed by some Americans as a patriotic display recognizing service and sacrifice represents for others a sectarian religious symbol amounting to desecration.

Complaints about the popular Wreaths Across America Day, when fresh evergreen wreaths are placed at gravesites of military veterans at national and local cemeteries, are climbing in the weeks leading up to this year’s event, says the founder of a civil rights advocacy organization that’s protesting the practice.

“We have no problem if people reach out and want a wreath on their deceased veterans’ graves, but to put them everywhere, to blanket them without permission of the surviving families is unconstitutional, an atrocity and a disgrace,” said Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Debbie Kelley, The Gazette, December 5, 2021

According to Jesus, our response is clear: we need to love Mikey Weinstein and pray for him. It might help to remember that Mikey is no worse than Saul of Tarsus, who became the Apostle Paul:

I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. – Paul, speaking to Agrippa, Acts 26.9 – 11, ESV

We’re into the second week of Advent: Love. Monday we observed Jesus’ example of washing the disciples’ feet and Tuesday we noticed Jesus’ explicit command that we go and do likewise. Today we see where the power to do that comes from. You guessed it: right back to love.

Loving me empowers you to obey my commands. (John 14.15, TPT)

Love God, love people, and obeying the “first and greatest” commandment empowers the second.

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12.28 – 31, ESV)

We’re into the second week of Advent: Love, and yesterday we observed Jesus’ example of washing the disciples’ feet. And Jesus was careful to make the connection to us clear:

After washing their feet, he put his robe on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I just did?” Jesus said. “You’ve called me your teacher and lord, and you’re right, for that’s who I am. So if I’m your teacher and lord and have just washed your dirty feet, then you should follow the example that I’ve set for you and wash one another’s dirty feet. Now do for each other what I have just done for you. (John 13.12 – 15, TPT)

John 13 opens with love and closes with love so we can’t miss the connection between loving and serving. Here’s the familiar love command:

So I give you now a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers (John 13.34, 35, TPT), emphasis mine

We don’t feel love, we demonstrate love…by serving as Jesus did. This Advent emphasis on love reminds us that we are to not only experience God’s love (“For God’s so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” (John 3.16)), we are to obey Jesus and pass it on. More on that idea tomorrow.

I can’t miss it: the idea of loving and serving is in my Revelation reading too!

Now to the one who constantly loves us and has loosed us from our sins by his own blood, and to the one who has appointed us as a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father… (Revelation 1.5, 6, TPT, emphases mine)