Good News Of Great Joy

Good News Of Great Joy

The angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!” –Luke 2:10

Many people see God as a cosmic killjoy. They suspect that he needlessly limits our enjoyment of life. Because of this misunderstanding, they view anything having to do with God as infinitely boring. Their view of God is grim, and their expectation of any experience with God is gloomy. What a tragedy that so many people cannot see that God is full of joy, that he is in fact overflowing with joy. This is the good news the angel brought to the shepherds that night. “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Luke 2:11). Jesus is good news of great joy. Jesus is the joy overflow of heaven spilling upon us the very joy of God. Jesus is not a bummer or a bore or a burden. He is a great joy, our greatest joy.

Certainly the announcement of his coming and the experience of his glory were both exciting and terrifying to the shepherds. Their response to the great news the angel proclaimed was utter fear. And the truth is, because God is holy and sin is consumed in his presence, they had reason to be afraid. And so do we. But that’s why the angel’s message was such good news for them and for us. Jesus wasn’t coming to consume them, but to save them. Jesus replaces our fear with joy. He doesn’t want to take away our joy in living. He wants to be our joy. Jesus is good news of great joy because he is the answer to our deepest need. We think we need a physical cure, a financial windfall, a relational breakthrough, a political upset. But God knows that what we really need most is a Savior. We can point out the problems of the world all around us. But God knows that you and I are the problem. We have good intentions, but they are not strong enough or pure enough to overcome our evil impulses. We need a Savior to rescue us from ourselves. So he sent his Son to save us.

Won’t you embrace Jesus as the best news you’ve ever heard, the highest joy you will ever experience? Matthew says that when the wise men saw the star that would lead them to Jesus, “they were filled with joy!” (Matthew 2:10). Hear the good news; seek out Jesus in your darkness. Let Jesus fill you with his joy!

Joy of heaven and earth, what good news of great joy you are. If I have you in my life, I need nothing else in order to be filled with joy.

DIGGING DEEPER