Joy to the World

So what is your favorite Christmas Carol? 

No, really what is it? I would like to know. Email me - patrick@bridgeschurch.net and let me know and why. I would like to know. 

The number 1, most published Christmas Carol is Joy to the World. 

However, it is actually not about Christmas; it’s actually about the second coming of Christ based on Psalm 98 and Genesis 3. Written by Isaac Watt in 1719, it was set to music much later and released at Christmas time and with its emphasis on joy it was considered to be related to the birth of Jesus, not the return of Jesus. 

Many times the first line is written incorrectly to reflect this idea. “The Lord has come”, instead of “The Lord is come!.” You can see this mistake in a lot of graphics. In all reality, it can represent both. Because of this, it is a great song for Advent which is a celebration of the birth of Jesus and the anticipation of the return of Jesus. It helps us look backward and forward at the same time. Either way, it is about the joy we can find in Christ entering our world. 

Joy is a central theme of the Christmas Story. The Angels told the shepherds about the Good News of Great Joy. The word for “good news” is the same word we get the word “evangelism” from. It is the sharing of Good News of the birth of Jesus Christ which is to be a great joy for all people. The Savior, Christ the Lord has entered the world just as promised. 

One of the greatest things we can do for others is to share the Good News of Great Joy with them. The angels shared this Good News and then the shepherds shared this Good News and then the Gospel writer, Luke shared this Good News, and then it comes to us for us to share with others. 

It is the Good News that the King has come. Jesus is that King. He came as Lord. When we give our lives to Him we recognize Him as King in our lives, and we submit all to Him. That is really what this relationship with Him is all about - His great love and care for us and our giving ourselves to Him. 

That is the source of our joy. 

Christmas is a time of Great Joy! His Return will be a time of Great Joy! 

May we all find Great Joy in our relationship with Christ this Christmas and everyday after. 

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!