WELCOME
Good morning First Baptist. We welcome you to worship this morning. Be sure to remember your brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the week as you pray for them, and as the Holy Spirit brings their faces to your mind. Be sure to also connect with them in the ways that are possible. And if you have any questions or would like to talk to someone, please don’t hesitate to contact the church through the church telephone and leave a message. (519-733-4144)
Songs
Monologue & Advent Candle Lighting
Luke 2:8-20 – Shepherd
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 Saviour 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.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Monologue:
A manger! Did you see it? A manger!!! A MANGER!
This night keeps getting more and more incredible! (takes a breath) Where do I even begin?
It was a pretty typical day in most cases. True, there’s been a bit more energy and bustle in the air with all the people in Bethlehem for the census. But out on the hills, the sheep don’t really notice that too much. We do what we’ve always done. Get the sheep out of the pen, find some good grass for them to eat, keep our eyes out for any robbers. Of course, we were a little more on guard with so many strangers around. More travelers is always riskier for shepherds and sheep out at night. You never know who is coming through. So, we were definitely a little more alert than usual.
But we didn’t even need to be alert for what we saw – I don’t know how anyone will EVER believe us, but we were just sitting there, when the sky…OPENED. Okay, I admit, I screamed at first. It looked like the sun had exploded and I won’t say his name, but I wasn’t the only one who screamed.
But you know what I noticed next? The sheep weren’t making any noise at all. You’d think, right, that with the sky exploding that the sheep would start to bleat and run – they’re so easily spooked – but I swear on my life, they all just stopped and stood perfectly still. Not a sound.
That’s when I noticed what I thought was the sun was people – well not people I realize now – but… ANGELS! Real life, honest to goodness ANGELS. Like in the SCRIPTURES. And you know what?
Nothing I could say could describe them to you – nothing. Except that it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen – and then – the angels were SINGING – Glory to God in the highest, they said. And I felt every word of that, let me tell you. I don’t know when I happened, but eventually I realized I was on my knees – in fact, all of us were. All on our knees, looking up at these angels, us and the sheep stunned into silence. I could have stayed there forever. And then they told us – a baby was born in Bethlehem, who was Christ, and we should go and look for him in a MANGER.
Then they were gone! And we looked at each other and started laughing. I mean we knew we had to go find this baby, but we had to look in a manger! That is hilarious. We knew all about mangers.
Sheep gotta eat after all. But babies in mangers aren’t so common, you know? But we had just seen angels, and they told us there was a baby in a manger and trust me you don’t doubt what angels say.
Well, we got into town in about a minute and we started asking around: Anyone seen any babies? We were knocking on doors and asking people on the street. And finally, someone mentioned that they heard of this couple who came for the census who’d been asking around for a place to crash and hadn’t been able to find one and apparently, they’d had a baby. We got pointed in one direction and then another, and now HERE WE ARE, and LOOK!
(Points excitedly at manger) LOOK!
There the baby is! IN A MANGER!
Friends, the angels said this was the son of God! And you know? He’s like ONE OF US, you know? I mean I’ve heard the teachers talk about the Messiah coming back. I’ve been hoping just like the rest of us. I figured there would be a big announcement one day, we’d hear of this fancy general taking over the army, or a King would step out and impress all of us. But this is a baby in a MANGER.
And you know what I’m thinking? If God sends angels to shepherds like us, and if the Messiah is born in a place just like the rest of us – maybe God is a lot closer than I ever thought. I think that’s what the angels meant when they were singing, and they said that there was good news for all people. All people includes me!
And now that I’m here – at the manger – I can hardly contain my joy! (Rushes over to kneel at the manger as candle lighter comes forward)
Candle Lighting:
Today on this third Sunday of advent we light the candle of joy. Joy can often feel like an elusive feeling, even at Christmastime. The realities of our lives can make Christmas joy feel far away. But today we light this candle not because our lives are without sadness, but because Christ has come to bring joy to the world, a joy that is not contingent on circumstance, but found in the hope of eternity.
Songs
Prayer
CONFESSION
It is getting more and more difficult, Lord, for us to keep our attention on the holy things. Our lives are caught up in the planning, parties, gifts, and other such matters. We get side-tracked too easily and exhausted, we fall into restless sleep. The cries of those in need abound and we are overwhelmed by the need. Too often we turn a deaf ear because we feel we just can’t meet all the needs that are presented to us. Heal our hearts and spirits, Lord. Help us understand that you do not ask us to heal everything but rather to find a simple way in which we might lighten someone else’s burden, as you have lightened our lives. You have brought hope and peace to us. Now cause us to rejoice in the wondrous things that you have done. Teach us to use our gifts for the common good, and that in helping, we find great and abundant joy. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. AMEN.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
The messenger has been sent to you, proclaiming that there is One who is Coming who will heal and lead you. Know that this is a great gift from God, who has always and will always love you. AMEN.
The Start
A Journey of Joy
Today's Message: Pastor Dave Page
Today is the third Sunday of Advent, and we are glad you’re here journeying with us through this season. If you haven’t been with us the past couple of weeks, we have been walking through the season of Advent. It’s a season of preparation and expectation and purposeful focus as we move toward the celebration of Christmas and of Christ’s arrival.
Our guiding symbol through the season is the star. Just as that Star of Bethlehem drew the wise men toward the Savior thousands of years ago, the star guides our focus on a spiritual journey of hope, love, joy, and peace that all connect us to the Morning Star, the light of the world, Jesus.
As we continue to follow the star toward Christmas, it leads us today to focus on a journey of joy. Joy can be the fuel that brightens our journey, and it is a fascinating concept. Joy is often misunderstood; it is often confused with happiness and it regularly shows up in situations where it may be least expected.
Speaking of which, have you ever noticed that just about every time an angel shows up in Scripture, the first words out of the angel’s mouth are “Do not be afraid”? The phrase is so common in the Bible, you might think it was a heavenly language for hello. In the Christmas story, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds all heard that message.
Those shepherds give us a particularly good picture of the experience. These were no cowardly men. They were a rugged lot used to living outdoors in wild areas. They fought off predators to protect their sheep and would have been prepared to ward off any bandits or thieves if necessary. In the biblical account, they had strength in numbers that night out on a dark hillside watching their sheep. Even so, when that angel appeared in the night sky, they went weak at the knees with fear.
Here’s how Luke described the scene:
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:9-14
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger’”.
The angel had good news for these guys, news that would “cause great joy for all the people.” The angel and his group came in peace with the world’s greatest birth announcement, but first he had to help the shepherds get over their fear. After he had told them the good news, suddenly the whole sky was filled with angels. They erupted with joy. Luke continued, “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’”
This is our starting point as we follow the star today on a journey of joy. As we do, I want us to walk through three aspects of joy: first, that joy and pain co-exist; second, that joy brings connection with others; and finally, that joy leads us to worship.
1. Joy and Pain
As we journey through Advent, we are reminded of the paradoxical nature of this season. It is a time of joyous expectation as we celebrate the coming of our Savior, yet it often unfolds amidst the pains and struggles of our daily lives. In this tension, we find a profound truth: joy and pain are not mutually exclusive; they can coexist and even illuminate one another.
Consider last week’s example of the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus. When the angel proclaimed that she would bear the Messiah, her response was both joyful and deeply sobering. Her words, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” resound with faith and gratitude. Yet, Mary also faced the fear of societal rejection, the uncertainty of her future, and the foreknowledge of the suffering her Son would endure. Her joy in God’s promise did not negate her pain, nor did her pain diminish her joy.
This advent, can be a timer for us to embrace this divine paradox in our own lives. We can carry the ache of unanswered prayers, loss, and waiting while also rejoicing in the hope and peace Christ offers. The manger reminds us that God does not demand perfect circumstances to bring forth joy. He enters our brokenness, transforming it with His presence. Joy is not the absence of pain but the assurance that Emmanuel—God with us—walks beside us in it.
It’s a strange thing about joy. It seems the natural reaction for most of us is to think joy could only come when pain is removed, but the truth is, in our fallen world, joy and pain exist side by side. In fact, there is really no way to separate them. Our lives are a constant balance of joy and pain as we walk through the experiences of life. In fact, it is often the pain or struggle that magnifies the power of joy, and it’s here in this dichotomy that the message of the angel is for us as well: Do not be afraid!
What circumstances in your life are causing you fear? What do you feel afraid of? Where is the pain of life seeming to overshadow the presence of joy? What feels like it is spinning out of control?
Those places are exactly where the words of the angel can penetrate the most deeply and powerfully. This message is for you: Do not be afraid. You don’t have to fear. There is good news of great joy, and it is for you!
In the Bible book that bears his name, James takes this concept a step further when he said we are to consider the trials we face as pure joy.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2–4).
Really, facing trials is pure joy? This sounds totally contradictory, but it isn’t a suggestion that you fake it and slap a smile on the deep pain of life. It’s an encouragement that even in the midst of hardship there is a longer, broader view, a perspective that shows us that our trials can lead us to grow and become mature in our faith. And while growth isn’t easy, it can be filled with joy. As we walk in relationship with God, we can grow to experience a sense of joy that comes from understanding there is more than the pain we’re facing. There is a deeper reality at work. There is an unseen source of life flowing within us that can nourish and refresh and cleanse and renew us, much like that clean water in a place of hardship, sickness, and death.
What exactly does this joy look and feel like in our daily lives and in our reality? We’re getting there.
2. Joy and Connection
Brief discussion about Revitalization Cohort and discussion about belonging and community. How often in your life are you joyful by yourself?
Examples of Joy and projects in the Church include:
- Missions team projects,
- Thursday evenings, and
- Community service.
The same is true about the good news of Christ and Christmas. The good news of great joy is for all people. Life-giving joy is meant to bubble over and touch others. It can’t help itself. Everyone has the chance to embark on a journey of joy because Jesus came to save us all.
In fact, the coming of Jesus and the promise of His second coming are the source of joy to all of creation. Jesus came to set things right and redeem the entire world from sin and death. The good news isn’t just for all shepherds or all Canadians or all Christians. The good news is for the world—everyone. Joy is unconfined and unconfinable by borders or governments or nationalities or races.
The psalmist conveyed such resonating joy in Psalm 96:
“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes”
Psalm 96:11–13
Fear and pain isolate us, but joy brings connection. And the joy of Jesus’s coming goes out into all the earth, connecting us to Himself and to each other.
3. Joy and Worship
What then is our response to joy? What do we do when joy interrupts our everyday lives and sets up camp alongside the mundane and the painful? How do we live in the balance of joy and pain until Jesus comes again? How do we foster and experience this joy that is offered to us?
Sometimes it’s easy to embrace joy. Sometimes our struggles and hurts are so overwhelming that we are trapped and bound by our fear. Joy can feel so far away, so distant, maybe even impossible.
The Bible shows us that the appropriate response to joy is always worship. I would suggest that worship can also jump-start joy as we fix our eyes on God and His greater reality rather than on immediate problems or the fears we are facing in the moment.
In the Christmas story, the angel announced the good news of great joy, and then the entire host praised God. The shepherds immediately went to see the baby Jesus, worshiped Him, and then left telling everyone they met about what they saw.
Matthew told us the wise men also responded to joy with worship:
“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him”
Matthew 2:10–11
Think about all that for a minute. What might it have looked like? Shepherds breaking into song? Wise, exotically dressed sages kneeling and bowing or praying aloud? As they let God’s message of joy penetrate and sweep away their fear, they were drawn joyously toward God Himself. It drew them in and lifted them up into God’s life-giving flow of joy.
We can experience the same this advent season as we journey toward the birth of Christ and live in the truth that the good news of His arrival is the salvation He brings. Peter told us our walk of faith in Jesus brings us a sense of joy:
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls”
1 Peter 1:8–9
You may be sitting here today thinking, “That’s all great, but I’m not experiencing any joy in my life.” That is okay. I get it. The brokenness of our fallen world stands at odds with Christ’s joy, and in our life on earth, we straddle the tension of our physical and spiritual realities. This season that is about good news and great joy that leads to connection and worship can also be a very difficult and lonely time for many of us. So, what can you do when you find yourself there? I’d encourage us all to step into the journey in three ways.
First, take the time to connect with others. Joy can be contagious. Just like the angels were messengers who sparked joy in the various humans, a friend or loved one—or even a complete stranger—can be the spark or bringer of joy. That person’s experience and sense of joy can rub off on us. Instead of letting your own situation, fears, or pain isolate you, allow yourself to step into and connect with the joy of others. This room is a great place to start if you need to find someone to listen, to pray, and to worship with.
Second, take time and make the choice to be purposefully, intentionally, thankful. Gratitude has a way of reminding us of joy and the reasons we have to rejoice even in the midst of pain. Isn’t that a great word: rejoice? It’s a verb, an action, and it carries the prefix of repetition. It is joy practiced and repeated. When has God filled you with joy in the past? What are His graces and good gifts to you today and in your current life? Focus on the ways He has and is showing you His goodness. Make a written list if you need to. Read and re-read it. Carry it with you through the day and let it prompt prayers and expressions of gratitude. Then, when you do those things, don’t be surprised by the growing sense of joy filling and shifting your heart.
Third and finally, worship God for who He is. The circumstances of life can steal our joy, but, even in the darkest of times, we can worship God, not for what He does, but for who He is. His eternal love and faithfulness never change, despite the ever-changing events of our lives. His goodness and mercy never run out.
Will you continue to journey toward Christmas and open your heart to the God of the universe who came to earth so that we could live in relationship with Him and experience the joy He brings?
Prayer
God, thank You for the good news of great joy that is for everyone—that Your Son, Jesus, has come to save us. Please help us to experience joy alongside the pain of life and to respond to joy in worship.
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” The music swirls toward our ears from countless speakers in stores, on the radio, and on TV. But we aren’t so sure about that. We have been so wrapped up in preparation for this “wonderful season” that we can’t seem to find the joy. So many people are in need. We have friends and family members who are suffering from illnesses, loss, alienation. We want them to be happy, but we can’t make that happen. We bring the names to you, Lord, for your healing mercy and we rest in the assurance of your loving presence with them. That is a comfort to us, but we also stand in need of your healing restoration. We are feeling depleted, discouraged, and exhausted. Slow us down, Lord. Help us to feel the joy of your love from the “inside out” and in every direction! Remind us that your gift of love is freely given so that we may be healed and be a blessing to someone else. Touch our hearts and spirits so that your joy may spring from our lips and our lives. For we ask it in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.
Song
Benediction
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)
God has indeed made us glad; for God will send us a Saviour who will teach us how to live joyfully, peacefully, hopefully. Rejoice people of God, for such is God’s great love for us.