Advent Week 3: Joy
- Luke Humphries
- Dec 15, 2025
- 3 min read
Four Weeks of Advent: Preparing for Christmas and Eternity
Advent is a season of anticipation. The word means "arriving" or "coming", and it is a central theme in all the scriptures. In the Old Testament, God's people were waiting or anticipating the coming of the promised messiah of God, the Chosen One. The arrival of Jesus of Nazareth, a baby born of a virgin, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, satisfied their waiting.
Today, God's people look back at the first advent of Christ with celebration and praise (Christmas), but look forward in anticipation for the second coming/advent of Christ.
Over the next four weeks, we will post a theme of Advent to help us prepare our hearts to celebrate the Incarnation (Christ made flesh) and encourage us as we wait for his second coming (The Day of the Lord).
We will use scripture readings, reflections, and prayers. Over these four weeks, an Advent reading will take place during our Sunday morning worship.
Week 1: Hope - Isaiah 9:2-7
Week 2: Peace - John 14:23-27, 16:33
Week 3: Joy - Luke 2:1-11
Week 4: Love - 1 John 4:7-12
Week 1 Scripture: Luke 2:1-11
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 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.
Reflection
Joy comes from being in right relationship with your creator.
Our sin against God breaks that relationship and hinders true joy.
Jesus came to restore our relationship with God, bringing joy to those who believe.
Living In Joy
Joy from the world fades. Much of our pursuits for joy in life are guided by our selfishness. We want to be happy so we will work harder, play harder, relax longer. Usually, those selfish pursuits ignore what God says is good and focuses on what God says is bad, and a lot of times we don't worry about how our pursuit of happiness might negatively affect others. These pursuits are guided by sin. Therefore, we find ourselves lacking the joy and happiness we are pursuing.
Joy to the world lasts. The angels proclaimed to the shepherds that joy to the world had come from God and can be found in His Son, Jesus. This is because Jesus, the light of the world, reveals to us the greatest joy possible, a mended relationship with the God we have sinned against. When we are made right with God, we correctly understand joy and happiness. We see the paths of life that lead to everlasting joy. Those paths are the words of Jesus that teach us how to love God and love one another.
Spreading Joy
Worship: When you worship Jesus, you are expressing your inexpressible joy in Him.
Walk: Loving others will only be possible when you live in the joy of the Lord, not the joy of the world.
Witness: Tell those around you who live in pursuit of fleeting joy, that Jesus is the way to eternal happiness.
Prayer & Hymn
Our Father in heaven, increase our joy. Pour out your grace upon us that we may experience and know the joy of Jesus. Remove the desires for worldly pleasures and show us the eternal pleasures of knowing Christ this Christmas season and now and forever more. Amen.
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