Joy is an exceptionally common theme around Christmas. From nostalgic songs sung, to cards hung on the side of the fridge with good tidings, to themed wrapping paper ready to cover thoughtfully selected gifts—joy itself has become a typical Christmas expression both in language and common desire. Who doesn’t long to experience joy?
In an episode of Ask Pastor John, John Piper expresses that "Joy in God is not a choice. It is a God-given, spontaneous experience of the beauty, worth, and greatness of God. But there are choices that we can make that may lead to that experience."
If this is indeed true, you could quickly see that there cannot be an experience of true joy without God’s intervention. Maybe you’ve noticed, like me, that you long for sustained joy more during the holidays than at other times of the year. If longing for joy is a common experience, especially around the holidays, consider how many people, both Christians and not, will celebrate Christmas this year without true joy because they are looking for it in the wrong places? While I recognize this seems a common concept, we have a great opportunity to review what might feel common with the hope of refreshing souls with the joy longed for.
I would place before you that joy through the celebration of Christmas is a unique experience of the greatness of God. The angels themselves proclaimed it to us in Luke 2:10-11 as they shouted that they had “good news of great joy” for all people. This experience of the greatness of God, in all its beauty and worth, is that Jesus came into the world to bring salvation to all who would believe. The significance of this experience of joy cannot be minimized or made commonplace because it changed the reality of eternity for mankind.
We experience Christ, our God, as he came to dwell with us, know us, and allow us to know true joy in him.
The church has the opportunity, might I even say obligation, to share the eternal joy of knowing Christ in high contrast to the temporary joy of holiday emotion. Practically, there are intentional choices that churches and Christ-followers can make this Christmas to share joy with the world around us.
Someone in my life often says, “You can’t take people where you haven’t been yourself.” To share joy this Christmas, you must personally be reminded of the joy you have in Christ and feel afresh in the experience of this eternal reality. Take time to be in the Scriptures that tell of Christ’s coming and meditate on how that changes you personally. Consider the depths of the gift of Christ and how this might motivate you differently this season.
It could be helpful to grab an advent study to guide your time. I have gathered a few options that you can find below! To share joy with your local church, you must first let it saturate your heart and mind, changing the lens through which you live, work, and celebrate this season.
When it comes to Christmas in the local church, holiday services are one of the most significant opportunities in the building to share joy through the telling of the Gospel. It's not unfamiliar to us that Christmas and Easter are the most highly attended services during the ministry year. Believers and unbelievers, regular attenders and guests, will fill your lobby with the sounds of church-goers, dressed in holiday sweaters and holding their candles aloft. Not many times a year do you have such an opportunity.
So how can you steward the message of great joy? I would commend to you the choice of beginning with prayer. Before the planning meetings, theme decisions, building decorations, graphic choices, or building of song lists—pray. Pray for people to experience true joy in Christmas this year because they see afresh the gift of Christ through the Word, the Spirit, and his people. Pray that people experience Christ in an undeniable and heart-transformative way. Pray that the good things of Christmas pale in comparison to the beauty of why it is celebrated. Pray that those who long for joy will find it sustained in Christ.
Moving in more practically, the local church can share the joy of Christ by being Christ-focused instead of nostalgic or habitual. Nostalgia is a powerful tool, it can well up emotions and memories long forgotten. I, like most, love the warm glow of a candle-lit Christmas Eve service. But consider the traditions in your church family and evaluate their effectiveness in the proclamation of Christ. Choose to be Christ-focused over nostalgic. In essence, don’t be afraid to change it up for the sake of seeing the greatness of God in a new way. You might find it helpful to review our article on Christmas planning as you prepare your staff and church family this year.
As you prepare for the Christmas season, shepherd your church family towards sharing joy with their communities. Exhort them to intentionally choose to share where true joy is found by starting with their neighbors. This seems simple and profoundly obvious, perhaps. But how easy is it to blaze through Christmas in a flurry of family gatherings, frantic shopping trips, and themed Christmas parties without stopping to acknowledge the joy of Christ’s arrival with another? To choose your neighbor, whether it is a literal neighbor, co-worker, or grocer, is to break through the craze of the season to show them they are valuable not only to you, but to Christ. You and I cannot be content with a church that keeps the joy of Christ within the walls of a service or the reading of the Christmas story on December 25th. You and I, and the church, must be like the shepherds in Luke 2, who upon hearing the angels' proclamation, left their responsibilities to see Jesus and upon seeing him, spread what they had experienced with all.
If you cannot experience true joy without God, then believers have a profound responsibility, highlighted by the holiday that celebrates the ‘good news of great joy,’ to share it. Churches can share joy this Christmas by choosing to prioritize the Gospel joy in their hearts personally, services corporately, and neighborhoods intentionally. Let the common longing for joy this Christmas be met with the eternal significance of Christ.
