Week 3 | The Advent of Joy | Luke 2:8–16

Message Us!

During the third week of Advent, we reflect on the theme of joy through the angel’s announcement to the shepherds in Luke 2. In a dark and weary world, God declares “good news of great joy for all people”—joy rooted not in circumstances, but in the arrival of Jesus Christ.

This message explores what biblical joy truly is (and what it is not): not forced cheerfulness or shallow happiness, but a deep, Spirit-produced delight in Christ that can coexist with sorrow. Drawing from Scripture and the definition articulated by John Piper, we see that Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as He helps us behold the beauty of Christ in the Word and in the world.

We then consider why Jesus’ birth is good news of great joy—because He is our Savior, the promised Messiah, and Immanuel, God with us—and why this joy is for all people: Jew and Gentile, religious and pagan, powerful and poor. Ultimately, the good news becomes deeply personal: Christ came for you.

Whether you are searching for joy or longing to walk more fully in it, this message points you to Jesus—the true and lasting source of joy, at Christmas and always.

Support the show