War for Joy (1)

One of my favorite movies of all time is "It’s a Wonderful Life." There’s a scene in the film that I find gripping.

George Bailey’s world is falling down around him. He goes home and one of his kids asks, “Daddy, how do you spell ‘Hallelujah?’” He says, “How should I know? What do you think I am, a dictionary?”

His daughter is practicing a Christmas carol on the piano. George says, “Janie, haven't you learned that silly tune yet? You've played it over and over again. Now stop it! Stop it!”
They are all looking at him with confusion and fear. Then he asks, “What's the matter with everybody?”

Now, George feels bad that he asked Janie to stop playing the piano. “Janie, go on. I told you to practice. Now, go on, play.”

Finally, Mary, George’s wife, says, “George, why must you torture the children?”

I think that what’s so arresting about this scene is that it’s a picture of what happens in lots and lots of homes at Christmas time. The words are different. The circumstances are different. But the same kind of angry, joyless daddy (or mommy or brother or sister) shows up.

I don’t know if you dreamed of a white Christmas or not. But I bet your family is dreaming of something about you. They are dreaming that you will have a heart that’s joyful. They are dreaming that you will get joy and give joy.

Maybe you are carrying a heavy load right now and as you look around at all the holiday excitement your load gets heavier. Maybe it seems like everyone is full of joy, except you. You’re just trying to get things done. You’re anxious, stressed out, tense, in a hurry, worried, concerned, uptight. Where has your joy gone?

It’s time. It’s time for us to…

war for joy

The joy that the world is experiencing outside of Christ is not working. People are mad out there in those malls. They are unhappy.
 
Think about the songs we sing during the holiday season: "Happy" holidays. We wish you a "Merry" Christmas. God Rest Ye “Merry” Gentlemen. “Joy” to the World. Have a Holly "Jolly" Christmas. We sing these songs, but we don't have joy.

Families would like to have smiles from dad more than they would like stuff from dad. You need joy. We all do. More laughs, less stress. More fun, less fights. More smiling, less stressing.

Christ has come so we can war for joy. Jesus came at that first Christmas to give us joy.

An angel announced the birth of Jesus to some shepherds. Shepherds were in their fields keeping watch over their flocks.

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.
Luke 2:10-11 (ESV)

great joy = (charas megales) mega joy

I wonder, “Are you filled with mega-joy?” Christ has come to bring us great joy. But have you missed His joy? Do your spouse, children, parents, friends at work, teammates see a person of doom-and-gloom or a person of joy?

I remember visiting with a man who used to be one of our custodians, Dominic Guthridge. He was fighting cancer. Typically when you asked him, “How are you doing?” he would say with a smile, “I’m blessed and doing well.” He said that for years. But what would he say now that he had cancer? I asked, “How are you doing?” He said the same thing! “I’m blessed and doing well.” He had walked with Jesus long enough to know that He works all for good in every situation. He was an example of someone who had “mega joy” in spite of his cancer.

How about you?