Scandalous Joy

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

The dichotomy of the first Christmas is that through struggle comes great joy. Pain comes first, but is followed by joy. It’s a story of a young virgin girl who chose to risk everything, the respect of her community, her parents and her fiancé, to be obedient to the Father’s call on her life. It’s a story of a young man trusting the child his fiancé is carrying is a miraculous gift from God. It’s a story of a journey from the comfort of their home to a dirty stable. It’s a story that is all too familiar to every mother who has given birth, the pain of child bearing. Yet this pain and struggle is soon lost in the joy of the newborn child’s cry.

Few things in life bring a greater joy to me then to hold a newborn baby! I love babies! They are a precious miracle, every one of them. I have 5 nieces and 4 nephews in my family, not to mention my church family and my many friends who have had kids. I’ve had the wonderful privilege for some to be at the hospital and greet the new little one on day one. Every time I hold a baby and I see the amazing handiwork of our God, I am mesmerized by the truth that God wrapped Himself in flesh to identify with us and came as a little baby.

Christmas is not just the story of the struggle and joy Mary and Joseph, it begins much earlier then that. We read in the Scriptures that since the Fall of man, all of creation groans for the redemption of all things. We see the struggle of sinful humanity in a lost and lonely world. We see a people called out by God, yet continue to fail Him. We see judges, kings, priests and prophets beg and plead with the people to seek the one true God, yet their message fell on deaf ears. The story we read is humanities labor pains building and hoping for joy.

That moment in time when the voice of a baby crying broke the divine silence brought the hope of joy once again into this dark world. The birth of Jesus Christ is the message of great joy to all people for He is the Savior of the World.

Yet that quiet night in the stable that brought a young virgin mother and her husband great joy, would also be the beginning of another kind of birth pains. The joy of that night would give way to the anguish and expectation of sacrifice. This perfect young baby would grow into a perfect man, completely sinless and impeccably obedient to the Law. Which makes the way in which he died all the more scandalous. Yet He chose to endure struggle, to suffer and die for our joy (Hebrews 12:2). He chose rejection and humiliation knowing that the pain of death would soon give birth to new life for all who believe in His resurrection.

As J.R.R. Tolkien said,

“The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe (good catastrophe) of Man’s history. The Resurrection is the eucatastrophe of the story of the Incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy.”

The Joy we celebrate on Christmas is not just a baby born more then 2000 years ago, but about a resurrected and living man, Jesus Christ! It is this living Savior who invites you into a relationship with Him. Knowing Jesus bring the greatest joy.

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11).

 

So this Christmas season, don’t allow yourself to be discouraged, but hope in the joy of Christ. In Christ, your suffering is not wasted, but will one day come to a joyful end and He will redeem your pain. Jesus says, “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22). One day sorrow will be done away with, sickness and dieses will be gone forever, tears will be wiped away and our joy will never end in the presence of Jesus.