JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME!
This morning, the Advent Candle of JOY was lit, as we mark our approach to Christmas Day. And, what better carol to remember than the one we just sang—“Joy to the World.” I recently attended a pastors’ conference in Richmond put on by the Focus on the Family foundation. The morning and afternoon presentations each began with a gentleman who led the group in some contemporary Christian songs. The man was a wonderful singer, music leader and keyboard player. He did a fabulous job in setting the spiritual mood for all that followed. Now, what I am about to say is no reflection on him. Again, the guy was great. But, the contemporary lyrics to those particular songs that were sung pale in comparison to the scriptural content of most of our traditional Christmas carols. “Joy to the World” is one of those carols whose words are not only poetic and lyrical, they are packed with biblical meaning that leaves many chanted-filled contemporary songs in the dust. (Or, maybe there’s a better explanation for my less-than-favorable assessment of contemporary Christian music: Perhaps, I am just getting old!) In any event, it would be difficult for anyone to argue that “Joy to the World” lacks meaningful scriptural content. So, to understand why this is the case, let me provide a little background to the writing of this amazing Christmas carol.
It's hard to believe “Joy to the World” is a carol that’s 304 years old. Yes, it was written by Isaac Watts and initially published back in 1719. And if you are looking for scriptural content, then this carol certainly has it. In writing its lyrics, Watts was inspired by the words of Psalm 98.[1] You can almost hear “Joy to the World” echoed in the following verses of that Psalm:
1 Sing a new song to the LORD; He has done wonderful things! By His own power and holy strength He has won the victory. 2 The LORD announced His victory; He made His saving power known to the nations. 3 He kept His promise to the people of Israel with loyalty and constant love for them. All people everywhere have seen the victory of our God. 4 SING FOR JOY TO THE LORD, ALL THE EARTH; PRAISE HIM WITH SONGS AND SHOUTS OF JOY! 5 Sing praises to the LORD! Play music on the harps! 6 Blow trumpets and horns, and shout for joy to the LORD, our king. 7 Roar, sea, and every creature in you; sing, earth, and all who live on you! 8 Clap your hands, you rivers; you hills, SING TOGETHER WITH JOY BEFORE THE LORD, 9 because HE COMES TO RULE THE EARTH. HE WILL RULE THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD WITH JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS. Psalm 98:1-9 (TEV)
What inspiring words for Christians today! We are to “sing for joy to the Lord”—not just you, not only this church, or this state or nation. No—the ENTIRE WORLD is called upon to sing praises to God for sending His Son to this earth! But, not everyone is willing to sing. Some are particularly reluctant to sing “Joy to the World” because they just cannot submit to its lyrics. They are especially offended by the words: “Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room.” The last thing they would ever consider doing is to allow Jesus to be their King. And, they stubbornly refuse to make any room for Him whatsoever in their hearts.
Now, you might think that such a negative attitude toward the words of this Christmas carol is a modern phenomenon, but it’s not. In fact, in 1838, a group of agnostics decided they liked the tune to this carol, but couldn’t stand its words. So, what did they do? Well, they decided to change its words. Instead of singing, “Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing,” they completely revised the lyrics. Instead, they sang: “Joy to the world! The ‘light’ has come the only lawful King. Let every heart prepare it room, and moral nature sing.” In this edited version of the carol, the “light” of the world didn’t refer to baby Jesus, it referred to secular, human reasoning.[2] If you want to match that attitude up with Scripture, it would be like the corrupt people in the Book of Judges who “did whatever seemed right in their own [secular] eyes.” Judges 21:25 (NLT2)[3] This attitude of rejecting the true “JOY” God gave to the world with the birth of His Son continues today.
Awhile back, a marching choir was performing during a major televised parade. So as not to offend anyone, the choir opted to sing only the first four words of the song. So, they sang “Joy to the world,” but merely hummed the remainder of the carol.[4] Isn’t it strange that some people will hum Christian lyrics, but wouldn’t be caught dead actually singing the words acknowledging Christ as Creator and Savior of the world? You’d never hear them bellowing out: “He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove. . . the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love.”
That’s too bad for them because “Joy to the World” also addresses something of eternal importance. Its lyrics also proclaim: “No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found.” Do you know what that refers to? It is a reference to Genesis 3, when God told Adam and Eve that their disobedience had serious consequences. They had been accustomed to the lush and plentiful crops that had grown in the Garden of Eden during their time of faithfulness. But, their unfaithfulness, as expressed in their rebellious sin, changed all that. After their initial sin, they began to reap a very different crop—one composed of the thorns of sorrow that naturally accompany sin.[5] That was the terrible curse that would infest the soil of human hearts from that time on.[6]
But, the Christmas carol tells us of Someone who came to change all that—for when Jesus was born in the manger, and later died on the Cross, the curse was reversed. For those who repent of their sins and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, the weeds of sin are extracted from their hearts. For those who accept Christ, there are no more thorns and thistles. Now, that doesn’t mean that life for a Christian is going to be a rose garden. In fact, Jesus tells us that our Christian life in this world is going to be difficult.[7] There will be trials and troubles for sure. But, here’s the difference—you won’t have to face them alone. The Holy Spirit will be with you. With the Psalmist, you can sing for joy: “I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. 9 NO WONDER MY HEART IS GLAD, AND I REJOICE!” Psalm 16:8-9 (NLT2) Yes, because Jesus came to this earth, the eternal deadliness of sin can be averted “as far as the curse is found.” And the peace we receive in knowing that truth sustains us through whatever troubled times we will face.
And, because of that, humanity received an infinitely great gift on that first Christmas. The gift is described in another Christmas carol that we will be singing in a few minutes. It’s a familiar one entitled, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Watch for the words in that carol which proclaim: “Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, BORN THAT MAN NO MORE MAY DIE; BORN TO RAISE THE SONS OF EARTH, BORN TO GIVE THEM SECOND BIRTH. Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!” This carol expresses just how much love God has for you. It puts this into perspective by telling us that baby Jesus was born for the specific purpose of one day dying. It was His sacrificial death on the Cross that assures those who believe in Him of that “second birth” leading to salvation.
That is what gives true “Joy to the World.” Christmas is a time to show that kind of JOY. We don’t change the words nor merely hum the tune. Rather, we are called to live out our faith by daily proclaiming that “the Lord is come, let earth receive its King!” Let Jesus Christ be your King today. Let Him reign over the kingdom of your heart: Yes, “let every heart prepare Him room.” If you will prepare room for Jesus in your life, He will fill that space with hope.
The hope that comes with faith in Jesus Christ is the core of the Christmas story. It is a hope that isn’t diminished by the circumstances around us—no matter how good or bad those surrounding circumstances may be. Imagine the tremendous faith of Mary and Joseph in the face of all that they experienced. They experienced total awe. Both came face to face with angels—Mary, directly, and Joseph in an “all-too-real” vision. The messages the angels gave them must have been overwhelming. Mary was told that she would become pregnant without ever knowing a man. Not only that, but the angel further informed her that the child she would be carrying would be “very great” and would “be called the Son of the Most High.” He would reign as King over Israel forever. And perhaps, the hardest thing to comprehend was the angel’s disclosure that her baby would actually be the “Son of God”! [8]
Before the angelic vision, Joseph was struggling with the thought that his virgin bride wasn’t a virgin after all. On top of that, Mary and Joseph had the experience of dealing with frowning family members and friends who weren’t buying any explanations over Mary’s pregnancy except that she must have been an unfaithful bride-to-be. Furthermore, we cannot imagine the pain and anxiety of a young girl, who was fully pregnant, making an 80-mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem[9], riding on a donkey over a rough and bumpy road. And poor Joseph—he was tasked with having to get her there safely and finding whatever shelter might be available once they entered the little town of Bethlehem. And then there was that cold night spent in what amounted to a stable for oxen, lambs, donkeys and camels—and no cradle for the newborn child except a feed trough filled with hay. Though none of it made sense. . . though they could not see how any of what was happening around them could possibly work out, their faith remained strong as their hope matured into reality. You see, they believed what the angel had said to Mary: “Nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 (NLT2) It is what gave them a sure hope in the face of the painful and threatening world that surrounded them.
Things haven’t changed very much in the past 20 plus centuries since Jesus’ birth. We still live in a very painful, threatening and thoroughly dangerous world. Every day, the news media gives constant updates on the conflict in Gaza or the war in the Ukraine. And, as violent and bloody as they are, those struggles are not the only ones going on today. Worldwide there are about 25 other military conflicts raging with their own related misery, death and destruction. Here at home, we are not involved in armed conflicts (yet), but people face some quite daunting fears. A recently survey conducted of 2,000 Americans by a group known as SafeHome.org found that the greatest fears of Americans in 2023 are as follows:
- Fear of loved ones dying or becoming seriously ill.
- Fear of personally becoming seriously ill.
- Fear of not having enough money for retirement.
- Fear of mass shootings and gun violence.
- Fear of losing physical mobility.
- Fear associated with corrupt government officials.
- Fear of high medical bills.
- Fear of the U.S. getting involved in another major world war.[10]
Wow!—That’s a lot of fear to deal with. But, we need to follow Mary’s lead by paying attention to the angel’s introductory greeting: “Don’t be afraid!”[11] Those are not empty words. They are supported by that very same blessed gift that God gave humanity on that first Christmas—the gift of His Son, Jesus.
Elizabeth Tabish is the actress who plays Mary Magdalene in the popular faith-based series, “The Chosen.” Ms. Tabish was recently interviewed regarding the movie of the Christmas story that will be released in theatres this coming week and how it relates to having hope despite the rising fears of our world today. This is what she said, “There's so much pain going on in the world right now. There’s so much tragedy. . .” [The movie] is about the birth of Jesus. And it’s told through a few different perspectives. But all of it comes down to this BEACON OF HOPE, which is the Christ child and the peace and joy and freedom that comes with that and with Him.” In confronting the fears of this world, people need to hear that message of hope today—the “beacon of hope” that Christ shines so brightly and powerfully in the lives of those who trust in Him. When our hope rests in Jesus, the fears of this world are scattered and replaced by the peace, freedom and JOY that comes through Christ alone.
Satan wants to rob you of that joyous hope. Satan’s mode of operation is to make you focus on your fears instead of the hope God offers. Satan want you to fear all those things listed in the recent survey I mentioned, and add to them the fear of the unknown, the fear of death, fear of failure, fear of God, fear of tomorrow, and as many other fears as he can draw your attention to. Why does he do this? Satan wants to “create cowardly” and “joyless souls.” [12] The last song he wants coming from your lips is “Joy to the World” because Satan wants to steal the joy in your life that you can have through Christ Jesus. And Satan certainly doesn’t want you singing, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”—especially those lyrics I mentioned earlier: “Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, BORN THAT MAN NO MORE MAY DIE; BORN TO RAISE THE SONS OF EARTH, BORN TO GIVE THEM SECOND BIRTH. Hark! the herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!” But, we don’t care what Satan wants, or does not want. As Christians, we want what God wants for our lives. So, pay attention to that announcement the angels sang.
So with that in mind, I am going to ask you to turn to page 88 in our hymnals, and when you get to that final verse of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, sing it like you mean it! And, let go of your fears as you claim that beacon of hope we have through our JOY in Jesus Christ!
Let us pray.
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
December 10, 2023
©2023 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] Dr. Robert Pyne, “The Theology of Christmas Carols–A Godly View of This Sacred Holiday—Joy to the World,” Probe Ministries, https://probe.org//the-theology-of-christmas-carols/ (May 27, 1991).
[2] Ibid.
[3] Judges 21:25 “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” (NLT2)
[4] Dr. Robert Pyne, “The Theology of Christmas Carols–A Godly View of This Sacred Holiday—Joy to the World,” Probe Ministries, https://probe.org//the-theology-of-christmas-carols/ (May 27, 1991).
[5] Genesis 3:17-19 17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. 19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return." (NKJV)
[6] Dr. Robert Pyne, “The Theology of Christmas Carols–A Godly View of This Sacred Holiday—Joy to the World,” Probe Ministries, https://probe.org//the-theology-of-christmas-carols/ (May 27, 1991).
[7] John 16:33 [Jesus said:] “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (NLT2)
[8] Luke 1:30-35 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. (NLT2)
[9] “Journeys of Mary and Joseph Map,” Bible Study, https://www.biblestudy.org/maps/the-journeys-of-mary-and-joseph.html (accessed December 6, 2023).
[10] Rob Gabriele, “What Americans Fear Most: 2023 Fear Ranking,” https://www.safehome.org/home-safety/american-fear-study/ (October 25, 2023).
[11] Luke 1:30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!” (NLT2)
[12] Draper, Edythe. Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World. “Fear”—quote of Max L. Lucado, Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
