Joy Came Down!

The day that my family spread my father's ashes was a really sad day.

We scattered them at the memorial chapel that is about 1/3 of the way up what is called Jackman's ridge at Camp Calumet.

We had just spread his ashes in the form of a cross.

We began walking down back to our cars.

We were all crying.

My younger sister Bethany turned around and with tears in her eyes said, "Was it me or did Dad's ashes look like cat litter."

We all started laughing.

I tell this story this morning as a way for our us to see the difference between joy and happiness.

I was not happy that day.

I was the saddest I had ever been.

But I was joyful.

In my heart, in my soul, I was joyful to have had a Dad who always showed up for me.

I was joyful to have two sisters who keep me grounded.

I was joyful to have a mother who is strong in faith.

I was joyful for the love of all the people that came to my Dad's funeral.

Happiness is determined by outside factors.

Happiness is a mode we are in based on what is happening around us.

Joy is not.

Joy is something that that comes from within in us.

It comes from our hearts and souls.

It is cultivated there.

Happiness is about how we take in the world.

Joy is about our spiritual nature.

We experience and see this at Christmas time.

We might experience the happiness that comes from decorating a tree, a party we go to, sharing a meal with family, a present we get or give.

Joy comes from knowing in our hearts and souls that God has come to dwell among us.

Joy comes from knowing that Jesus is the one we are waiting for.
Joy comes from seeing past our present reality to the coming of the kingdom of God.

To seeing the blind see, the lame walk, good news preached to the poor.

Or the dessert bloom with life.

Because let us be honest some of us might not be "feeling" Christmas this year.

For whatever reason.

We might not feel jolly.

We might not feel merry and bright.

We might not want to listen to another Christmas song that tells us what a wonderful time of year it is.

We might instead feel sad, lost, tired, burnt out.

We might feel like a desert.

Certainly the people of Isaiah's time were feeling that way.

They felt like all had been lost.

That God had punished them for their sins, and left.

But Isaiah tells them that God will restore them.

That in the desert there is still joy, because God is still there.

Can we believe that this season?

Can we find the joy that is in our hearts our souls?

Can we see beyond the lights, the trees, the presents, the songs?

This morning I would like to offer some advice.

It is actually not my advice.

It was advice I saw in a Ted talk byAmanda Gore about finding our joy.

She suggests a couple of things.

One is to stop!

Stop judging.

Stop judging yourself, stop judging others.

Instead listen.

Listen to your heart.

Listen to other people and what they are going through.

In doing this we learn to be thankful.

To have gratitude for our lives and those around us.

Second, drop into your heart.

Get out of our heads and into our hearts.

There we know truth and it brings us peace.

Because in our hearts we find gratitude, hope, compassion, and forgiveness.

And from these things spring joy.

Her Ted talk was not religious.

But if we think about what she said it mirrors things that we learn from Jesus.

Jesus has told us to stop judging others.
Jesus has told us that the truth sets us free.

Jesus has told us that being thankful is an essential spiritual discipline.

Jesus has given us hope.

Jesus has showed us compassion.

And Jesus has given us forgiveness, and called us to forgive others.

In Jesus we find joy.

Because Jesus taps into our hearts.

Jesus gives us joy.

Jesus  is joy.

This week I was texting with a friend.

He has been having a hard time with his pastor this Advent because his pastor was preaching that Advent is about darkness, hell, death, and heaven.

He was craving a message about joy.

I asked him what I should say to you all today about joy?

He said, "God created us for joy, so enjoy what you were created for."

This is what Isaiah is trying to get the Israel to see.

That in creation there is joy.

That in life there is joy.

This is the message that Jesus brings us too.

We miss it because we are afraid.

We are afraid of what we might lose.

We are afraid of what someone else has.

We are afraid and miss joy.

We might even miss the joy that comes with knowing Jesus.

With knowing that he came so we might know the truth.

The truth is that you are loved beyond your knowing, that you are created for joy, that there is no reason to be afraid, because God's got us.

Do you know that this Christmas?

Do you know how much God loves you?

I hope you do.

Because that always is what blows my mind this time of year.

That God, the most holy god, the ruler and creator of the universe, came to dwell among us.
That God came to be a fragile human baby!

And God did it all for us, so that we would know how loved we are.

That spiritual truth brings us joy!

And nothing can take it away.

That is what made it possible for me to have joy on what was the saddest moment of my life.

And regardless of what is happening this Christmas season I hope that you have joy.

Joy that comes from your heart and soul.

Joy that comes from knowing that our savior has come!

Amen