“Into a Polarized World God Births Unity: Joy” ~ Zephaniah 3: 14-20 & Luke 3: 7-18
December 15, 2024 ~ Northwood United ~ Rev. G. Scott Turnbrook
You will have noticed that as Deborah lit the Advent candle for joy, that it was unique. It was not a blue candle like the other three: hope, peace, and (next week) love. This day, as we unite around the Advent wreath, a uniquely coloured candle is lit…the pink candle for joy. Why…might you ask? Some say that this uniquely coloured candle was selected to remind us that among the preparations and craziness…God will birth something unique…God will birth joy! How many of you long for the presence of joy? I would imagine that we all might answer in the affirmative. Especially in the busy season we find ourselves living in. We all quest for joy. It is another one of those intangible expressions of God that cause us to open our spiritual hearts and say “come, Lord Jesus, come and be birthed again!” This morning, we will continue pondering the age old consideration of what joy is? And…what joy is not. We will ponder some of the ancient scriptures and their foretelling of joy and how they might further inform our faith. Some come…let us ‘rej-oice’ ~ let us be ‘in joy’ on this third Sunday in Advent…the Sunday we name Joy.
As we continue our Advent journey at Northwood, we remind ourselves that we are doing so in the larger context of pondering the separations and divisions that exist in the world. We ponder how God might birth the gift of unity into these polarizing areas in the world. Sadly, in our divided and often tumultuous world, joy can be minimized to a mere fleeting emotion or (even worse) an unattainable ideal. Indeed, some may associate joy with temporary pleasure or shallow distractions. Yet, the joy we ponder this morning is much deeper and far more powerful. It is the divine joy birthed by God. God calls us to a joy that transforms—a joy that unites, restores, and heals. As we ponder God’s promise in Christ, we reflect on the source of pure joy: God’s presence among us and God’s faithfulness to us always. For some, life is wonderful today; yet for many it is very difficult. The joy we will explore this morning is not rooted in circumstance but in the assurance that God is with us ~ Emmanuel ~ in the sadness and in the delights of life. That is the joy we will be pondering. And so, this morning, I am overjoyed that we can explore how joy can act as a unifying force, drawing us together in God’s love and purpose.
We begin with the words of the prophet Zephaniah that David read. Throughout the season of Advent, we hear various prophets foretelling the day of the Lord’s coming. This morning we listen to Zephaniah, another one of the minor prophets like Malachi who we heard from last week. Zephaniah offers a message of restoration and a cause for rejoicing: “Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, Rejoice, O Israel! and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!” Zephaniah’s prophecy comes at a time of great turmoil and judgment as they would soon fall to Babylon. Yet, Zephaniah concludes with a vision of hope: God will gather God’s people, remove their shame, and restore their fortune. We quickly notice how this joy is not merely individual. This joy Zephaniah speaks of is communal. It’s a joy shared by the entire people of God as they experience restoration in community. God promises: “I will bring you home…I will gather you…I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth”. This vision of joy is one celebrated in the context of community. For Zephaniah, Joy could not be found in its absence. Joy is found in community. God’s joy heals divisions and draws all people into a shared celebration. One significant aspect of God’s true joy is that it is not isolated; it is found in community. It flows from the assurance that God is present, active, and faithful.
Skipping ahead about 7 centuries, we meet John the Baptist for a second week. John has been preparing the way for Christ’s unifying joy. John’s message is one of repentance. Repentance is about doing a 180 degree change in life; it is a call to turn away from sin and self-centeredness and a call to turn toward God and neighbor. As people turn towards God in their living, John instructs them “Bear fruits worthy of repentance”. When people ask how they might do this, John offers some very simple guidance: share what you have, act with integrity, and avoid greed. The text puts it this way: “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.”
So what does this kind of joy look like? Feel like? Many of you who have participated in Outreach ministry projects have experienced this joy. And it is a joy that must truly experienced in order to be understood. If you have ever participated in the Christmas Gift Ministry project and delivered a hamper to a grateful family…you have experienced it! If you have ever served food to those in need: served food at the Cloverdale Community Kitchen or SUMS or with the Hot Lunch…you have experienced it. It is the joy of being intimately connected with another and witnessing God’s grace arrive in the process. Joy is experienced in the fullness of life when it is shared, and enjoyed, a lived as a community who lovingly care for one another.
This 180 degree change; this call in our living, then, is not seen as a burden but as an invitation to joy. When we turn from selfishness and learn to live generously, we discover a joy that is intangible. It is the joy of giving and the beauty of sharing in interconnected lives. And its not just found in serving food. It is found in giving of self to others. It is what so many of us offer in our varied ministries at the church. While I am always glad that people are appreciated and thanked for what they do, I know that you all offer ministries of service as an expression of being a community…a community of joy. Joy deepens when we align our actions with God’s purposes, creating space for His kingdom to flourishing among us. Christ’s arrival, then, (in John’s terms) brings a baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire, a refining process that shapes and changes us into the people God’s dreams. It draws us ever closer to God and to one another. It breaks down separations and unites us as God’s Kingdom people.
Another significant element of joy is that it is also contagious. Have you ever noticed how laughter and celebration bring people together? Joy breaks down barriers and transcends divisions. When we focus on gratitude and generosity, we create bonds that unite us in the shared experience of God’s goodness. At Christmas, we see this joy in action. The angel’s announcement to the shepherds was a proclamation of unity: “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10) Can we hear this message for what it is? This is a joy birthed for all the people even the lowly shepherds working in the fields. It is a joy not limited by social status, nationality, or any other dividing line. In Christ, God invites us as family where we cannot celebrate until we are all united together as one. In fact, the family will not be complete until all are gathered!
On a personal note, the birth of “Joy” is one that is significant in our family. My Grandmother was born on New Year’s in 1899. Her father couldn’t imagine a more wonderful gift that God could offer their family, and so he had the honour of naming her “Joy”. 100 years later, my daughter was born on her Great Grandmother’s birthday. And on New Year’s eve in 1999, our family experienced the wonderful gift God offered us. And we gave her the middle name “Joy”. And that is what God does when we make this 180 degree shift and just begin to take it all in. God births joy!
And I think that is why it is important to look on this Sunday with fresh eyes; to light a unique pink candle; to ponder how might make a 180 degree change in our living. For when we do, we can begin to imagine what our world could look like if we embraced the power of God’s unifying joy: breaking down walls of division; building bridges of compassion; creating a foretaste of the unity we will fully experience in God’s kingdom through the birth of the Christ child.
Amen.