Jeremy McGarity on Sunday Service 50:41

And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2.10 Lord, thank you for the perfect love that casts out all fear. Your love is perfect, kind, generous, and only desires the best for us. You loved me and all humanity so much you sent your Son to make a way for us to spend eternity with you.

This is the good news that brings great joy to those who will believe in your truth. Lord, I pray that revelation will open the hearts and minds of those who are blinded from that truth. Open their hearts this holiday season so they can encounter the true spirit of Christmas in Jesus. Amen. Thank you for listening to today's daily prayer.

For more inspiration and an incredible message from our feature pastor, stay tuned to Pray.com's Sunday service.

This is Holly Frey from Stuff You Missed in History Class. The national sales event is on at your Toyota dealer, making now the perfect time to get a great deal on a dependable new SUV, like an adventure-ready RAV4. Available with all-wheel drive, your new RAV4 is built for performance on any terrain, from the road to the trails. And with plenty of passenger and cargo space, plus available tech like wireless charging, you and your entire crew can stay connected.

Or check out a stylish and comfortable Highlander with three spacious rows of seating for up to eight passengers. And with available features like the panoramic moonroof, you can sit back, enjoy the wide open views with your whole family. Plus, both RAV4s and Highlanders are available individually.

in hybrid models. So no matter your style, you can drive efficiently and save on gas. So visit your local Toyota dealer and check out amazing national sales event deals on RAVs, Highlanders, and more when you visit buyatoyota.com. Toyota, let's go places. ♪

Have you made the switch to NYX? Millions of women have made the switch to the revolutionary period underwear from NYX. That's K-N-I-X. Period panties from NYX are like no other, making them the number one leak-proof underwear brand in North America. They're comfy, stylish, and absorbent, perfect for period protection from your lightest to your heaviest days. They

They look, feel, and machine wash just like regular underwear, but feature incognito protection that has you covered. You can shop sizes from extra small to 4XL. Choose from all kinds of colors, prints, and different styles, from bikinis to boy shorts, thongs to high-rise. You've got to try NYX. See why millions are ditching disposable, wasteful period products and have switched to NYX.

Go to knix.com and get 15% off with promo code TRY15.

That's knix.com, promo code TRY15 for 15% off life-changing period underwear. That's K-N-I-X dot com. Hi, this is Nikki Glaser from the Nikki Glaser podcast. Say yes to summer and get cash back on many of your favorite brands with PayPal, which, let's face it, comes in very handy during the summertime. Everyone is ready for summer activities, which is why using PayPal is a great way to say yes to summertime fun.

Say yes to those concert tickets to go see that band you were into back in high school. Say yes to that bikini that you are too scared to try in at the store because the lighting might be bad and you might get discouraged, but that you know you'll look amazing in when you try it on for the first time at the resort when you get there.

You can also send money to friends via PayPal, which means going halfsies with your best friend when she visits this summer. With even more cash back in your pocket when you pay with PayPal, saying yes to summertime fun just got a whole lot easier. Make sure to download the PayPal app. An account with PayPal is required to send and receive money. Redeem points for cash and other options. Terms apply. How do I have the inner joy to where it overflows? It's an outward expression. I mean, I don't care who you are. People struggle with that.

It always goes back to doing what God says. If we'll do what he says, we'll have joy in the midst of whatever circumstance that we're in. We'll have it. I think even during Christmas season, we all love to have the Christmas feels. It's one of the reasons we do Christmas nights. We want those Christmas feels. This is why we do this. Well, that brings joy. Joy that I'm supposed to have on the inside is actually supposed to overflow.

Love our church family. Well, our stained glass series wrapped up, and if you want to know more, because we didn't get to all the foundational things

fundamental themes of Christianity, but that's why we have what we call our core four and more, our classes that are really discipleship classes to help you grow in your faith and to understand Christianity and what it means to live it out. You can sign up for that because we go into deeper themes of like the Trinity and we talk about omniscience of God, we talk about the deity of Christ, we get pretty deep in there. So,

♪♪

So we certainly hope and pray. And I tell you that because we had a great first meeting last week. It's just we're gathering interest right now. And if you know somebody who lives out there, once I posted it on social media, we've been getting people emailing us and direct messaging me on social media about them moving out there as well. Even people from a church I used to serve in years ago. And it's like, this is awesome. And so obviously a lot of people are moving to Tennessee and, um,

And we would love to be able to minister to people that move there because there's a lot of transplants. And the folks from Skyline Church that have moved there have certainly noticed that in their neighborhoods and in their jobs. And they're saying, man, we need a church like Skyline out here. So we're in that process. If you would like to sign up for information, be on the communication list, wherever you might be, whether you're here or out there already.

You can go to our website, and there's a spot on our banner right now called Skyline Tennessee, and you can sign up to receive more information. Also on our app, you'll notice a button there that you can press, and you'll be able to sign up for communication. Also, if you just want to email us at Tennessee at SkylineChurch.org, we'll put you on the communication list so you know if you have someone in your family that's out there. We just want to keep reaching people wherever they might be. Amen?

Amen. So we're going to do that. Well, we're beginning this Christmas teaching series. But before we do that, every December it's so important as we

come to finish the year, we look at this idea of setting us up for success in the new year. And that means we want to finish strong financially as a church. And so as you consider your year-end giving, as you look at coming to the end of the year, we'd really appreciate it if you would give to your church and think about a year-end gift to Skyline Church. We want to finish strong and really be set up in 2023 to really make a huge difference

not just here in this area, but everywhere that we can. We want to do more, and so we appreciate you considering us and finishing strong. And don't forget, every single penny you give to the Lord, really, through this church is tax deductible. So you're either going to give it to God or the government. So please don't give it to the government. Please don't give it to the government. Okay, so we're starting this series called Unwrapped, and I think it's always important to talk about the main themes first.

of Christmas, when Christmastime comes, but traditionally these themes are known as the Advent themes. If you grew up in church or you are at least familiar with the traditional church, you might have a candle that is lit every week leading towards Christmas. And whether we light a candle or not,

I want to make sure that we understand the themes of Christmas and that we celebrate those themes. And don't miss this, that we absolutely apply the themes to our lives. Scripture is so clear about this. So as we talk about unwrapped, we're going to unwrap those gifts that God has for us at Christmastime. And we want to make sure we unwrap them. Because so many people go through life and they don't unwrap the gifts that God has given.

In Scripture, there's over 7,000 promises from God, and they're there for us to unwrap and apply to our lives, but so many people, they never do that. They never unwrap them. They just kind of go through life, and so we want to make sure we unwrap these key promises and these key gifts from God this Christmas. What we're going to do is continue what we've been doing in terms of reading God's Word, and today...

reading it together. Today what we're going to do is have a little bit of corporate reading. So I'm going to read a verse, you're going to read a verse, a little bit of responsive reading. If you wouldn't mind and if you're able, could you stand for the reading of God's Word? We're going to read in Luke 2, 8 through 20, and your part is going to come up on the screen. It's the

odd verses. I'm going to read the even verses. And so I'll start and we're going to be in Luke chapter 2, as I mentioned, beginning in verse 8. And you'll see it in the highlighted part will come up and that'll be your part. Beginning verse 8, the shepherds and the angels. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. I love that because that's the whole idea of Christmas. Don't be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. And this will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth. Peace to those on whom his favor rests.

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Well done, church. The reading of God's word. You may be seated. Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for...

Your word, thank you for your promise. Thank you for all that you're doing in our lives. And even at this Christmas season, we always come to this time and it's a time to reflect, it's a time to remember, it's a time to praise you and thank you for coming to earth. And Lord, today, as we talk about this subject that is so important to really understand how do we live this out? How do we apply it to our lives? Would you open our hearts and our minds? And as we always ask, Lord,

Everybody comes in with a different week behind them, things that happened this week. And you know each and every situation. And so we pray through your Holy Spirit that you minister to us in only the ways that you can. We are open and ready to receive it. We thank you and we praise you. It's in Jesus' name. And everybody said amen. Okay, if you have your notes, I'm going to have you write down several things, and I'm going to go pretty quickly through this. But the greatest gifts...

of all at Christmas time are really the gifts that God gives to us. As much as we appreciate the fruitcake that comes, I don't know if you saw this, but obviously this month is National Fruitcake Month. The 27th is National Fruitcake Day. I'll give you some other useless trivia. Jay Leno, on his show back in the day, he actually

took a sample of a fruitcake that was originally baked in 1878. Point being, fruitcakes keep. Like literally, the way they're made, you can just keep them for literally, like if you go buy a fruitcake, it may have an expiration date of 25 years on it because of, you know, the sugar, the way they make it, and the sugar and stuff like that. I know several of you are now, I'm going to put that in my bunker.

Why not, right? You should, because it'll last through Armageddon. But I want you to think about the best gift, especially when we were kids, you know, we'd think about these gifts. The best gift that you ever received at Christmas. Go ahead and shout it out, all campuses, shout it out. What was the best gift? Was it a bike? What was it? What'd you get? A BB gun. Go ahead, shout it out, all campuses. Horseback ride, okay, good, that's good.

Now, think about this. A gift that was given to you, what if you never opened that gift? Think about that. Something maybe that you wished for, you hoped for, it was given to you, but you never opened it. This is the thing that happens with people all year long. God has all these gifts for us, but we need to unwrap these gifts. We need to actually take time to unwrap them and see what God has for us. And that's the purpose of this series.

We want to take a look today at God's gift of joy, and I'm going to teach you through Scripture the importance of choosing joy. We want to look at choosing joy today. We look at a verse like Thessalonians 5.16, and it says, read it with me, always be joyful. Now, I'm just going to highlight this real quick. Notice this. It says, sometimes be joyful, always.

It says always. Now, let's be honest. We look at a verse like this, and it's easy for us to kind of scoff at it a little bit, like, always be joyful. You know who I live with, right? I mean, we look at that. That's kind of our reaction is like, you don't know me, what I got to deal with. But yet the Bible tells us always be joyful. And we look at our world and we kind of go, I don't know. I mean, we know the joy acronym, right?

J-O-Y, you know, Jesus first, others second, yourself third. And maybe we're doing that, but we're still not experiencing joy. And we're going, what is the deal? Is it even possible? I'm supposed to have joy always, but we look around in our world and we question that. And there's, especially if we had a particularly tough week or maybe a particularly tough year.

And we come to the holidays and we're going, hold on a second. This is the first holiday season without that loved one. And I'm supposed to have joy? Like how does that work? Or for some people it's called seasonal affective disorder, literally SAD. And every time around this year, it's not a happy time. It's not a joyful time. It brings back bad memories. And yet we look at a verse like that and it says always be joyful. Well, how do we do that?

We sing joy to the world, right? At Christmas time, joy to the world? Our world? What world is he talking about? Because it's hard when we look around us and we think, is that even possible? Well, what are some of the things that steals our joy? I'm going to share a few things that steal our joy. There's several, but these are just a few. Several joy robbers. The first one I want you to write down is the bad things. Bad things happen that shouldn't happen, right?

We look at that in our world and we think, you know, that's not right. And let's be honest, you and I bring a lot of our own bad into our lives just because of poor decisions and things like that. But we look around our world and there's a lot of suffering and poverty and hunger and homelessness. And we're going, man, that just shouldn't happen. And that can be a real joy robber. Another one, though, is the good things. Good things don't happen that we feel like,

Should happen. Like there's a lot of things in this world we're going, man, that dream didn't come true. That person I wanted to love me didn't love me or that heart that I wanted to see changed didn't change. That person that I prayed for, they still ended up dying.

And you're going, wait a minute. There should have been some good stuff that's happening. That could rob our joy. But maybe the biggest one of all is the Padres losing to the Phillies in the NLCS. I mean, if you want to talk about a joy robber, that's just something that could really suck the life out of you if you think about it. But then what do you do? You just remember the series before. And you say, we beat the Dodgers. Right? And you go, I'm happy again. Life is good. Right?

I got no worries. But then another joy robber, let's write this one down, is focusing on the negative. Focusing on the negative, right? Negative people can rob your joy. They just always are constantly, right? They're the type of people that light up the room when they leave. It's like, all right, now we're good, right? I think of negative people...

you know, like glow sticks. You just want to snap them in half and shake them real good until the light comes on. You know, it's like, man, they could rob your joy. Negative, negativity. The negative news, right? Negative news. If you turn on the news,

I mean, constant downers, constant. The murders that happened and the car accident and the things. You just look at that economy and all these things and the inflation. You're just going, man, that could really rob my joy if I just constantly am thinking about that. But then another joy robber, like I mentioned, is the bad news. There's bad news all around us, constantly hitting us. I don't know if you heard about the lady that went to the animal rescue.

And she went to the animal rescue, and she walked in, and she saw this unbelievably beautiful parrot, like the most beautiful parrot she'd ever seen. And she was like, wow, that's beautiful. And it said $20. She thought, $20? And so she asked the attendant, is this right, $20 for this parrot? And the attendant said, yeah, it is because we got it from a brothel. And so it's, you don't know what's going to come out of its mouth. And so it's beautiful, but we're not sure. And she's like, oh, but for $20, it's unbelievably gorgeous.

So 20 bucks, she takes it home. It's at home and she walks out of the kitchen one time into the room and the parrot says, pretty lady. And she's like, oh, that's nice. Her daughters come home from school that day and they walk in the door and the parrot says, pretty girls. Oh, that's sweet. Then her husband walked in and says, hey Gary. Now that's bad news. Like if you think about that, that's bad news, right? Not good. That's going to hurt.

I mean, you talk about robbing your joy. That's a problem, right? That's a problem there. But seriously, that's all you're going to remember from this message today. I shouldn't have said that joke, right? But it is bad news will rob your joy. And when we look at this world and we see a verse like that, we're like,

always be joyful, how do I go about that in this life? Now, I'm not here to give you a string of Christmas platitudes and cotton candy theology to cover up the reality of our difficult world and just say, well, just be joyful. You know, that's what we're supposed to do. That's not the goal today. When we talk about joy, we're not going to pretend that everything's all right.

We're not here to pretend that, you know, my life is great and my relationships are perfect. And no. So when we look at Scripture, obviously, we look at what the Lord has to say to us. It is very clear that joy must happen in an imperfect, often ugly world. That he had that intention. As a matter of fact, when he came to earth...

It was an imperfect and often ugly world, and yet we're told to always be joyful. So if it's going to happen, then it's going to have to happen in our circumstances. It's going to have to happen in the world that we live in right now, because it wasn't to be separated. It wasn't something where he said, okay, you know, always be joyful, but, you know, just deal with your stuff and that's it. He said, no, no, there is a process that

that you have to choose, and it's a very practical process that we're going to look at. Because of the kind of world that we live in, you can choose to be a discouraged person. You can choose that. You can be discouraged every single day. Because of the world we live in, you can choose to be an angry person. There's a lot to be angry about in our world. And because of the world we live in, you can choose to be a cynical person.

Do you know any discouraged, angry, cynical people? Of course you do. They're called Dodger fans. But other than that, you know what I mean. You can choose that kind of a response in life and you'll be miserable. And so joy has to come in the midst of our lives as we live them, in the midst of our circumstances. So I want you to write this down. These are all choices we have to make. So number one, you've got to remember joy is a choice. It is a choice.

I have to choose it. I have to choose it. But along with that, the next thing I want you to write down is that joy must be practiced. So you have to choose it. I want joy. I choose joy. And then you got to put it into practice in the midst of everything that's going on in our world, in the midst of everything that's going on in our life. Now, whenever you give a message, whenever a preacher preaches a message, God always tests the preacher.

It's the way it works. So if you ever want to be a pastor that speaks, guess what? You have to live a lot of this stuff out first. And so today I'm getting ready to speak on joy. And what happens? I get in my truck. I'm getting ready to go to church. It's very early on a Sunday morning. Now, when I drive the freeways that I have to drive to get here during the week, I expect traffic. I expect it. And it's no fun. I don't like traffic. And I don't like bad drivers. Nobody is as good of a driver as I am.

Anyone else feel that way? You're out there, why are they such bad drivers? I'm the best, right? Yeah. So I'm thinking, usually on a Sunday commute, it's awesome. I have a 20-minute drive into this campus, and it's just usually smooth as can be. This morning there was traffic. How? How could there be traffic this morning on the way to this church from 20 minutes away? How? There was. I get up to where I used to get on the freeway, and here comes a line of cars. Where are you all going?

They're coming to Skyline, baby. And I get on there, and then a car comes. I can go on and on, but you get where I'm going. And I'm like, I'm being tested. Are you going to choose joy in the midst of this challenge on your way to speaking about joy? Are you going to start yelling at these cars?

So I said, oh, I see, Lord. I have to practice what I'm preaching. And it was in the notes. So we have to practice it in the midst of all this stuff that is going on. We actually have to look for things. Pastor Chris Torres last week was talking about gratefulness and thankfulness. And he talked about going through cupboards, right, and picking stuff out to look at and be thankful for. Even his Papa Smurf couch he talked about. It was awesome. And it's like, what do you start doing? You're practicing that idea. You're practicing that.

Being thankful. It's the same thing with joy. I've got to practice being joyful and taking in the midst of the circumstances that I'm in. And that's what being joyful is all about. So how do we choose it? Because it's not automatic. And even those of you who have been believers a long time, you know this. You're like, yeah, I know I'm supposed to choose it, but how do I do that? I was doing some research on this whole idea of joy, and I noticed that over the last couple decades in the United States, there's been over 200,000 studies of

on depression. There's only been a few hundred on joy. So consider this a study on joy, a research project on joy for you today. Because it's easy to focus on the negative. It's so easy.

But we're going to look at the shepherds. We're going to look at what did they do that we can do that can cause us great joy if we live it out on a daily basis. So if you want to have joy, there's three choices we have to practice. And this is what I want you to write down. Three choices that result in joy. Number one is we have to choose to receive that good news. We've got to choose to receive the good news. The good news. The good news of Jesus Christ coming to earth...

Born for you and me to die for our sins and to rise again on the third day. We have to receive that. You look in the Bible and it's called the Gospels. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. That word is simply good news. The good news, according to Matthew. The good news, according to Mark.

The good news, according to John, the good news in Luke. We look at that and we go, man, that's the good news that we get to receive. But we have to receive that good news. The good news that God offers forgiveness for the wrong things I've done. The good news that God has purposely created me for his plan, for his purposes.

Have you ever been down, just kind of struggling with this idea of joy, and then you get a text message with some good news? Or you get an email with some good news, and it just lifts your spirits? That's the same idea of Scripture. God has sent us a text message. Think about that. It's right here. He's just waiting for our response. We have to respond to what he is saying. We have to choose to receive it. Look at this. Luke 2.10 says this.

Yeah, yeah, that's the thing, right? It says it's not going to make you go, oh, that's nice. He says it's going to cause great joy for some of the people.

all the people. He says, it's for everybody. Now this word is so key, joy. I'm going to break that word down for you in the Greek. When you look at this word in the Greek, it's the word kara, and it's important in the Greek because of what it actually means. So this word right here, if you transliterate it, you would say it kind of like this, but it's pronounced more of a kara. And you go joy, deep inward feeling of

It's this inside where, man, I'm just so excited. I'm so excited. Because I have a greater perspective, I'm so excited. It's expressed by what? Outward evidence. That's the key right there. I know something. I've received the good news, and so I'm able to live this life, no matter what comes at me, with this abundance of joy. Have you been around people like that? Yes.

I'm telling you, that makes all, that's the best witness too, by the way. It's how I came to Christ. It's a guy that was joyful in the midst of all this junk that was going on. I'm like, what do you got that I don't have? It was this. He understood joy. He understood kara, this depth of joy that you can't even help, but it exudes. And I'm not saying you walk around, I'm joyful. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about, it's just so powerful in you that it comes out through you.

and there's a radiance about you. That's the depth of Kara. It's the depth that's in your gut, and it overflows. And it says that's the kind of joy that this news should bring, but it has to be received. It has to be unwrapped. And here's the beauty. When we look at what these shepherds did, they didn't did more than just sit there and go, hey, that sounds good.

They did way more than that. Romans 1.16, it says, I am not ashamed of this good news about Christ. It's God's powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. Now, everyone is what? Invited is the key word. Everyone is invited. It's like, here it is to come to God in this same way. I want you to circle invited in your notes. It's so powerful. It's happened. God has invited us

And some people think, well, I'm not going to send that text message back to God or I'm not going to respond to God's email. I'm not going to respond to God's word because he's just going to tell me the 75 things I've done bad. I don't want him to list out all the stuff in my life. And that's not the way God is. That's not the way God operates. He wants to give us that forgiveness. He wants to give you that purpose and that peace that only he can offer. Only he can offer.

James 1, 2, it says, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. Because here's what I know. People are dealing with troubles and trials all the time. And he tells us right here, he goes, don't look at it as a way of stealing your joy. He goes, but see it as an opportunity that you're going to grow and that you're going to change because of it. And guess what? The last one, you're going to become more like Christ because of it.

He says, so see it as an opportunity. Man, that's a whole other level of faith growth. When you see your trials and your troubles as opportunity, Christ says, now you're getting it. Now you're understanding what it really means. How could he say this? Well, you have to understand the early Christians. They suffered great persecution. Unlike anything we've experienced yet here in America. They experienced unbelievable persecution. Nero was a Roman...

Caesar, who for sport was killing Christians. For sport. Bring him into the center of the Colosseum, see how long they could survive. They were placing bets on how long the Christians could survive the lions and tigers and the animals that they would throw in and have them torn apart. He had them lit up, dipped in oil and lit up like candles to light the roadways.

I mean, he was a sick, sick human being. And all this stuff was happening to early Christians when this next verse was written. Hebrews 10, 34. It says, you even had joy when all that you owned was taken from you because you knew that you had something better and more lasting. Christians weren't allowed to own property for a while. If you claim to be a Christian, he said the only way you can survive is if you bring any scriptures that you might have

You can bring them and you renounce Jesus Christ, you'll survive. We'll let you live. And not only renounce Christ, but then you would say, and you bow to this pagan God, whatever one he had at that moment for them to bow to. So you'd have to give up everything to follow Christ. And he says, you even had joy when all that was taken away from you. How do you do that? You have a perspective that's different than the world has.

You have a perspective that says, this isn't all there is. I have an eternal joy that's coming. That eternal joy gets me through anything that I go through on a daily basis, even bad traffic on a Sunday morning. It doesn't matter. There's an eternal joy, even sickness, even the loss of loved ones. I have an eternal joy that I look forward to where there's no pain, there's no sorrow. We get to look forward to that and it changes everything.

But joy continues in this next one when I choose to take action on what God says. So you have to choose to receive it. Then you say, okay, God, you're telling me that. Now I have to decide if I'm going to do it. Because joy doesn't come in the knowledge, John 13, 17. Joy comes in the action. Now that you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. You're not blessed just because you know what God's telling you to do. That's the start. You're blessed when you do it.

When you say, okay, I'm going to choose that action. Because why? Because I trust that what God has for me is better than what I think I'm supposed to do. It's this incredible faith journey where I say, God, I believe you know what's best for me. And so I'm learning from his word. I'm hearing from God and I'm absorbing it. And then I'm making a decision. I've received it, Lord. Okay, I've read it. I've heard a message about it. I'm reading a devotional, whatever. I'm praying. I'm sensing that.

But now it's my chance to experience joy is when I act on it. I'm actually going to take you at your word, and I'm going to act on what you're telling me. And listen, listen. When you do that, you act on what he says, and you see him come through because of what he said, and you stepped out on faith, and you did it. The joy. The joy. It is such an inexplicable joy. It's a ca-ha-ha.

It just comes out of you that you're so excited. Look what the shepherds did. Luke 2.15 says, He said, He said, And see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. Why did they go? Because they believed God, right? Why?

They went because they believed what they just heard from God. They could have stayed. They could have just hung out and said, whoa, hey, was that the eggnog, Marty? You know what I mean? And just been like, did you hear what I heard? Did the angels go? They could have stayed. Now understand, doing what God says, there's great risk in that too. The shepherds had a job to do. Remember, it says it was at night. So what are they doing? They're watching the sheep.

Now sheep are boring when they're awake, but when they're asleep, they're just sitting there. And the shepherds, it was their job to tend the sheep. They're like hired hands typically in those days. And so what are they doing? Well, they're making sure there's no predators coming, there's no wolves, no coyotes. They have to make sure. If they leave and those sheep are killed or stolen,

then that was charged to the shepherds. So they do a great risk by just leaving the sheep there. Not only would they be charged with it, most of them wouldn't have been able to afford paying back that flock. And so back in those days, you had something called debtor's prison. If you couldn't pay your debt, you go to prison until it's paid up. What happens? Your family is sold into slavery. All that happens. So they have massive debt.

And it was a huge risk for them to go. They could have been stuck in the fields, just kind of hanging out there, wondering, what if we had done what God said? Now, figuratively speaking, many people do that. Many of you have heard from God, or you know what you're supposed to do, but you're still back in the fields with the sheep. And you're kind of going, what if I would have done that? What if I would have taken God at his word?

I wonder what would have happened with that. Now here's the good news. It's not too late. It's not too late to respond to God. And we'll talk more about that in a little bit. It's not too late to trust him. Not too late to give your life to Christ and to find hope. You don't have to wonder any longer. Joy happens in our lives when I decide to do what God tells me to do. Look at this psalm. I love this psalm. It says, the commandments of the Lord, they are what?

Okay, they're right. So when I read God's word, he tells me to do something. It's the right thing to do. It's not your opinion. It's not my opinion. It's not a political figure's opinion. It is God's opinion that matters because he's right and he's true. And so whatever he tells us is right. And here's what happens. It brings what? It brings joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are

clear, giving insight. Anybody want insight? It gives insight for living. What does that mean? It helps us to navigate life, to navigate life to the full. And when he gives us insight for living, when it's clear and it's right, we can't help but have joy. We're doing what you told me to do. I'm navigating this life now as if I have a map, a roadmap in front of me. I'm choosing to do what you said, God, and what happens? I get joyful. I

Can't help but have that joy overflow in my life. See, his commandments are right, they're clear, and they're for you. And you think about this, why? He knows how you're wired. He created you. And so the things that he tells us to do when we follow them, they bring us joy because they're fit for us. They're how we're supposed to operate in life. And when I walk in him and I trust what he's saying, it's perfect. It's like, okay, I've got the joy.

If you're struggling with joy, you can't seem to find it. Let me ask you this, and you don't have to answer out loud on all campuses, just in your own heart. Is there something that God has told you to do, but you haven't done it? Because that's the other joy robber, is you know there's something you're supposed to do, but you've resisted God. It might be a relationship. It might be financially. It might be something. You just resist it. You know you're supposed to do it, but you're resisting it. That's a joy robber. It's stealing your joy.

And I want to encourage you, whatever you need this Christmas, ask God for it. I'm not talking about Santa. I'm talking about God. I'm not talking about making God a genie. I'm talking about he tells us to ask him. It might be for joy. You might be asking that specifically. God, help me. Help me have more joy. It might be a relationship. You might be saying, help me in this relationship. Help me reconcile that relationship. It might be a material thing.

And if it's a wrong ask, he'll let you know. He will. But I want to encourage you to write down something that you're asking God for this Christmas. Why? Because when it's answered, your joy is complete. It's an incredible thing. We love hearing answers to prayers.

Write it and tell us. And if you want us to pray with you for that thing you're asking for, let us know. Write it on the prayer card. We want to pray with you for that. Why? Well, look what it says in John. He tells us, until now you've not asked for anything in my name. This is Jesus talking. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be what? That's how it becomes complete. Look, I love to ask things of God, but that's not where I get the most joy. The most joy is when I receive it.

That's when I'm like, wow, it just always confirms, one, my relationship with the Lord, two, that he hears, that he's listening. And I love that. It's such good confirmation. And when it's answered and I write it down on my prayer book that he answered this prayer, I hope you do that, by the way. Have a journey. Write down when he answers prayer. Don't just have a prayer list. Write down when he answers prayer.

And then when you're in that dry valley that every Christian goes through from time to time, go back to your answered prayers. And it's just a great reminder. Yes, he's there. He's answering. This one is just a not yet. This one's a not yet. It's going to happen. It's going to come. It might be answered in a different way. It might be answered in a more dynamic way. But that time before it's answered is preparation for you.

But man, the joy that comes when you do what God says, just like the shepherds, just like the shepherds. Here's the last one. The last one, if you want joy to the full, is you have to choose to spread the word. You have to choose to spread the word. When you tell someone else this good news, when it can't be bottled, that's how it gets fresh. If you've been a Christian a long time and you've never told anyone the good news, you've never told them maybe your story of how you came to Christ, and you just don't share it,

It tends to rot. It tends to go bad in you. It can become stale. And so we're commanded as Christians to share the good news. And we always, always want to make sure we start with those 8 to 15 people in our oikos. That list that's in the seat back in front of you. You start with these people first because there's some credibility there with you. They know you. Luke 2.17 says this, When they had seen him...

they kept it to themselves about what had been told about this child. What does it say? It says they spread the word. Why? Because Kara had hit them. This joy was inside them, and they're like, we can't keep this to ourselves. The Savior has been born. Like, this is such important news. We're not going to keep it to ourselves. In this antagonistic culture, this atheistic culture in so many ways, so many people have been silenced about their faith.

And I just want to encourage you to be more outspoken in your faith. Not a jerk. We don't ever advocate you being a jerk. But to be able to spread the news, to be able to share your story, to be able to start with an invite. As we always say, an invite can change a life. It's such a powerful testimony. And we've had thousands of people on this campus this weekend for Christmas nights. But we're going to have thousands more for Christmas Eve services.

And we have these invites out in the lobby for you to pick up and take and just hand them to people. Who knows that invite that you hand to somebody, it could just change a life. Who knows that invite that you put on someone's car and you run away might just change a life. I know you introverts. I get it. You're just like, we did our evangelism. That's fine. Guerrilla marketing, whatever it takes.

invite people, put it on their door, walk away. But this is an incredibly powerful tool that tells people that you care. It just tells people you care, that you would love to see them at church. And those eight to 15 primarily, you'll be surprised at how many during Christmas will say yes. You say, oh, they're so far from God. They would never come to church. You'd be so surprised that when you ask them, yeah, thank you. I'm glad you asked.

Choose to spread the word. Psalm 107, 22 says, with joy, they should tell what he has done. I love the idea of us being Christians that live by example in front of people. We're supposed to do that. We walk by example and people are supposed to know that we're Christians. And that's a great start. But at some point you have to tell people. At some point you have to use your mouth. They might think you just go to the swap meet every Sunday. They don't know why you leave your driveway. They don't know. At some point you got to share it. You got to say it.

Don't keep it to yourself. It'll dry up. So Christmas Eve service, and we have a separate Christmas Day service. Yeah, we're doing it on Christmas Day, the day. And so listen, I want to know who the Christians are. So who's going to be here? Come on. Okay. We're going to have a great one. It's going to be a great opportunity. Luke 15, 7. This is the importance of this idea of spreading the good news. Luke 15, 7 tells us,

that there's more joy in heaven, this is Jesus talking, over one sinner who changes his heart and life, over one, than over 99 good people who don't need to change. He says, we look through the context of scripture, obviously he loves our strong, long-time saints, there's no question about that. But he says, you know how a party is started in heaven? He says, when somebody gives their life, makes a decision,

And we've had over 1,480-something or 76, 1,400 decisions for Christ. You think about that. Yeah, that's exciting when you look at that this year. Almost 1,500. And it says that there's rejoicing in heaven when someone makes that decision. And we talk about lighting up the scoreboard in heaven. We're starting a lot of parties in heaven, y'all. We're starting a lot of parties in heaven. So keep inviting. Keep spreading the word. Christmas is a time that most of us enjoy, right?

say 75% of people, this is their favorite time of year. 75% of people. Yet it's just a season. So how do I keep that joy going all year long? Philippians 4, 4 says, be full of joy. Here's the key. Last verse. Be full of joy. How?

It says in the Lord always. But here's the key. You have to be in the Lord. He says it again. Be full of joy. But it has to be in the Lord for it to be sustainable, for it to be long-term. And that's the importance of understanding. He wants a relationship with you. And God's gift to you at Christmastime is this idea of joy that can be lived out on a daily basis if you make these three choices. You do that.

You remember that it's a choice and you practice it and you will live with that karah joy that overflows, not just at Christmas time, but every single day. Amen? Let's pray. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for your good news. Thank you for the fact that you want a relationship with us. And I want to encourage you to take the opportunity to speak to him now, to return that message. He has sent each of us a message, but some of us haven't returned. We haven't returned the call. We haven't returned the text. We've ghosted him.

And I want to encourage you in your own heart, if you don't know Christ, to follow me in what we simply call the ABCs of salvation. You have to admit, believe, and choose. Follow me in this prayer in the silence of your heart. He can hear you. Dear Lord, I admit I'm a sinner. I have not lived a perfect life. I believe that you died for my sins. Today, I'm choosing to follow you. Thank you for coming at Christmas time. I believe that. If you said that, welcome to the family.

Others of you, it's time to recommit your life to Christ. You'd say, you know what? I have drifted away from the Lord and I would love to come back and experience the joy that he would have for me. If that's you, simply say to the Lord, Lord, today I'm recommitting my life to you. Thank you for accepting me back. Lord, thank you so much for all that you're doing. We thank you for who you are and for this season that reminds us of the meaning behind it.

May we honor you more and glorify your name, for we give you all the praise. And it's in Jesus' name and all God's people said, amen, amen. Well, it has been our tradition lately that I've certainly enjoyed, and I think you have as well, a doxology to end our service. So if you'll stand, we'll end with our blessing. Now to him who is able to keep us from falling and to present you before his glorious presence, listen to this, without fault.

and with great joy. To the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all ages now and forevermore. And all God's people said, Amen. Be blessed, you guys. You're dismissed. We'll see you out there in the lobby.

The podcast, The Bible in a Year with Jack Graham, is a moving and inspiring biblical audio experience that will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you'll learn to apply biblical principles to everyday life.

Each cinematic episode is a journey through the Bible's most profound stories that will strengthen your appreciation of the Word and inspire you to keep learning. Listen to The Bible in a Year with Jack Graham on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Ready to illuminate your beauty routine? Introducing the Lit Up Highlight Stick from Westman Atelier. This translucent gel highlighter imparts skin with facial fresh, radiant clarity. Flattering, light-catching undertones and skin-firming ingredients leave a glassy, unforgettable finish. A quick, hydrating way to perk up dull skin. This multitasker does it all. Get glowy summer skin with Lit Up Highlight Stick, consciously crafted by Gucci Westman. Shop now at westman-atelier.com.

Whether you're a newborn baby with delicate, dry skin, or a fully grown adult whose skin is a little parched, everyone loves the feeling of being hydrated. That's why the makers of the world's purest baby wipes created their all-new Hydrating Clean Wipes. Water Wipes Hydrating Clean Wipes are made with over 99% water and beneficial botanicals, proven to clean, protect, and hydrate sensitive skin, so your skin gets to enjoy that feeling. Pick up a pack of Water Wipes Hydrating Clean Wipes today at Walmart.

Starbucks Iced Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso. Made with blonde espresso, creamy oat milk, and spiced apple flavors. It's an icy crisp sip you can enjoy all autumn long. Order ahead on the Starbucks app.