Everybody wants to be happy, a desire that’s understandable and expected when we remember what Scripture teaches about human origins. In the beginning we were made good creatures by a good God to enjoy his goodness unendingly. Certainly a joy-filled start!

But when Adam and Eve believed the lie that something greater existed outside of what had been provided, they turned their backs on the source joy, God himself, moving immediately from shameless to shameful. Graciously, even before these first rebels left Eden, God had already provided a hope-filled promise that, one day, this perfect joy would be restored through an individual. And, since then, God’s people had been on the lookout for the One who would defeat evil, restore creation, and reconcile now-fallen humanity to an always-holy God.

Centuries later, against an underwhelming backdrop, comes an announcement that this promise was being fulfilled—the Christ had arrived!

SERMON MANUSCRIPT

Everybody wants to be happy. The pursuit of joy is baked right into the humanity cake. As Bible-believing Christians we know this is because we were created for exactly that. We were made good creatures by a good God to enjoy his goodness unendingly (see Gen 2:7, 15, 18, 25).

Humanity was given everything we desired, free from all hinderances, guilt, stress, loneliness, and need. They had perfect relationships with one another, with the rest of creation, and with the Creator. But, believing the lie that a greater joy existed outside of what had been provided, they turned their backs on the Source joy: God himself.

And ever since that terrible decision, humanity has been groping about, trying to experience that joy that was tarnished. And we leave no stone unturned. We look for happiness in family and friends, experiences and adventure, stuff and stability, credentials and fame, philanthropy and physical therapy. Many of these are not inherently evil; they are, however, fundamentally inadequate. Why? Because it wasn’t any of those things we primarily lost in the fall. It was a fractured relationship with the Source of joy. As Augustine brilliantly prayed centuries ago: “Because you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee.”

It’s amazing how gracious God is. Before the first rebels even left Eden, God had already provided a hope-filled promise that, one day, this perfect joy would be restored. Speaking to the Enemy who deceived the people, God said: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel” (Gen 3:15). While perfect joy was lost that day (along with so much else), God declares it will not always be the case.

And ever since Genesis 3:15, humanity has been on the lookout for that Seed, that One who will defeat the Enemy, conquer evil, restore and redeem creation, and reconcile humanity to God, the source of all joy.

Centuries later, against an underwhelming backdrop, comes an announcement that that promise is starting to be fulfilled.

Ordinary Circumstances

Before we marvel at the extraordinary joy announced in this text, let’s dwell for a moment on the very ordinary circumstances into which it comes. For such a dramatic, long-anticipated, eternity-shaping event, the setting is underwhelming.

First, verses 1 and 2 report that Caesar Augustus, the ruler over the Roman empire, wanted to count his people probably to develop a more ‘comprehensive’ taxation programme. And, to do that, he commands all in his jurisdiction to travel to their birth place and register for the taxation. A secular ruler making a secular decree.

And, let’s face it, that secular decree made by a guy some 2500 kilometres away made for some tedious inconvenience (see verses 3–5). Because of this governmental mandate, everyone who wasn’t still living where they were born had to stop, pack up, and return.

Travel was dangerous and expensive, particularly for a guy like Joseph. He has to make the nearly 150-kilometre trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem. That’s like us walking from here to Peterborough or London, or Rochester. It’s a tough enough journey alone, but Joseph has Mary with him, his pregnant fiancé. 

By God’s grace, Mary doesn’t go into labour on the journey, but it doesn’t take long once they reach Bethlehem that “the days were completed for her to give birth” (v. 6). [Birth-plan] If the couple had a birth plan, I’m sure this wasn’t it. And all this because some ruler wanted more money. Talk about tedious inconvenience. 

Finally, it’s hard not to notice the striking humility of the scene. Not only do we have an unmarried pregnant woman, no doubt a social pariah, but consider verse 7. There’s no new onesie or cute baby blanket to welcome the King. He’s wrapped in strips of cloth and, as one author writes, his “first crib had usually served as a dining table for animals. Where they had eaten, he now slept” (Butler, Luke, 29).

Luke, the author, quickly shifts from the baby laying where animals eat to men protecting animals in the fields (v. 8). Shepherding was, by this time, a despised line of work, hard, dirty, and lonely.

Do you hear the remarkably unremarkable setting the first eight verses of this chapter describe? Absolutely ordinary circumstances: a secular decree, tedious inconveniences, and striking humility. It’s almost like Luke is setting us up, lulling us into a false sense of apathy or indifference. “Surely, nothing major can happen at a time like this, to people like this, in a situation like this!”

Before we move on and celebrate the fact that something major indeed did happen, can we just acknowledge that often this is exactly how God works, when God moves, and who God uses? The ordinary—or, even the sub-ordinary!—has never been an obstacle for God.

Think of Israel (Deut 7:7). Think of David (1 Sam 16:1–12). Think of the cross (1 Cor 1:18). God revels in using the ordinary, sub-ordinary, and unremarkable. He specializes in working in the unimpressive. He shapes priceless gems out of useless rocks. That’s his modus operandi. It’s how he works.

Maybe you don’t think you’re that impressive. Maybe life and the people around you have convinced you of that. Well, praise God. Because that’s who he uses. Obedient, submissive, broken, ordinary (and sometimes sub-ordinary) men and women.

Extraordinary Joy

Luke 2 opens with a description of an unremarkable setting: governmental mandates, relatable hassles, and unimpressive people. But, its into these very ordinary circumstances that shoots an announcement of extraordinary joy. That’s what the angel says in verse 10.

Into the ordinary comes the extraordinary. Into the mundane shoots the profound. The glory of the Lord shining into a shepherds’ field announcing that the Saviour of the world is laying in a feeding trough.

The angel can announce that the good news he’s been sent to herald is one of great joy for at least three reasons. First, because of the source of the news. It has divine origins. He is the angel of the Lord (v. 9), after all, and accompanied by not his own glory but the glory of the Lord.

And the shepherds do what all people do in the Bible when faced with an angel of the Lord: they shake in their sandals. This is not a pudgy toddler with blue eyes and a tiny harp. These angels are otherworldly, unspeakably powerful messengers of the Most High God. 

And this angel, wrapped in glory by himself and stirring fear in these men, is suddenly joined by a host, praising God for the good news he’s sent them to announce. This good news is one of extraordinary joy, for one, because of its source. It’s news from the God that Israel hadn’t heard from for centuries, the God from whom real, lasting joy comes. He’s the source of this good news.

Second, it’s joyful news because of its scope. The angel makes that clear (v. 10b). I had a professor that once commented that, “God has constructed us such that, joy shared increases, and sorrow shared decreases.” Well, the announcement being made here is joy that is to be shared because of its scope: it is an announcement for all people. 

Finally, this is a message of extraordinary joy not only because of its source and its scope but also because of its subject (read verse 11).

Now, there is a ton of meaning packed into that short verse. “Today” this has happened. “In the city of David” connects this announcement with past promises of God of a coming Messiah and eternal King (see Mic 5:2 and 2 Sam 7:12–13). And, in case there was still any confusion, this is the announcement of the birth of “a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”

This is the grand subject of the good news the angels were privileged to announce to the world: The long-awaited, often-promised, much-needed Christ, Messiah, Redeemer, King, and, yes, Serpent head-crusher had arrived. The only fix for the joy-stealing, relationship-marring, death-bringing sin of Adam and Eve was sucking his thumb wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. There is nothing more joyful than this announcement. Glory to God in the highest, indeed!

The significance of the incarnation of Jesus Christ cannot be overstated. The joy of the reality that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us cannot be over-celebrated because it is through this baby who came in ordinary circumstances that extraordinary joy can be found; a lasting joy, the joy that all humanity longs to have because it’s bake right into the cake but that we’ve lost because of our sin

Feel the joy of this announcement afresh, brothers and sisters. Against the blandness of the moment, God-sent, glory-filled, awe-inspiring, expectation-fulfilling, eternity-shaping news erupted into the world.

Behold, Good News of Great Joy!

As I was studying this passage in preparation for today, I was struck by this one phrase: Behold, Good News of Great Joy! And I found myself praying that I, that my family, and that my church family would indeed, in the month ahead, behold, good news of great joy. 

That we would all look back and remember the great joy of Jesus’s birth—the extraordinary cutting into the ordinary. That we would realize that nothing in our lives—no hardship, no health issue, no pandemic, no political strife, no family fracturing—can change that joyful announcement. Remember its source, its scope, and its subject. From the lips of the God who cannot lie to the ears of every man, woman, boy and girl: The Saviour, the Christ, the King, the Lord has come. Behold, good news of great joy! 

At the same time, I pray we would all look forward and remember the great joy of Jesus’s soon return, when he will come again—this time not as a baby but as a conquering King—when he will make all things right. When that Garden of Eden joy will be finally and totally and irreversibly restored. That we would realize that nothing in our lives can change that joyful anticipation. Behold, good news of great joy!

Finally, I pray for those of you and those in our family’s, workplaces, and schools who have never trusted in Jesus for the eternal life he came to secure, the salvation he purchased, the peace he guarantees, and the joy he offers. I pray that you accept the great joy of Jesus’s salvation. Behold, good news of great joy!

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