Jesus our humble God and King who brings joyful salvation
'Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn –
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.'
Psalm 98:4-6
2024 has been another turbulent year, with significant tension around the globe, economic challenges, and the behaviour of world leaders under increasing scrutiny.
In a world full of crises, yet fixated on personal happiness, and with Christmas sandwiched between deadlines and exams, students may well ask;
‘What is there to shout for joy about?’
This song tells us to ask not what, but who. Who brings this exuberant, unadulterated joy? And what does it look like when He comes?
To answer that, we must look back 2,000 years, to a town five miles from Jerusalem.
We find God’s people decidedly not in a joyful situation. No new word from God for 400 years. Temple worship distorted. Their country occupied by a foreign superpower.
Then, one night, on a dark Bethlehem hillside, a bright figure appeared to some shepherds. The angel’s message is:
‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’ (Luke 2:10-11; own emphasis.)
But why is the coming of God’s chosen King (‘Messiah’) good news of great joy?
It’s for all people
Previously, following God had been restricted to the ‘children of Abraham’ – Hebrews. Now, worshipping the Lord is no longer limited to one ethnic group; with the coming of this King, every nationality and language and people group is invited into his universal, all-encompassing joy.
The King has come to save
The Bible is clear: sin leads to death. And the problem is not just ‘out there’; evil begins within us. Our default state is full-blown rebellion against God Himself (Psalm 51; Romans 3); and so, it is His forgiveness we need. We cannot save or ‘fix’ ourselves.
But this King is announced as a Saviour – He has the power to pardon our sins!
Here is ‘good news of great joy,’ because the Rescuer has come – to save all who will admit their need to Him.
And this King - worthy of the whole Creation’s praise - how does He come?
Our shepherds are told;
‘You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ - Luke 2:12
King Jesus came as a humble, dependent child. He ate, spoke, walked, worked, and sweated among the people He’d come to save.
He trod a lonely road to an agonising death – suffering an eternity of wrath, for all that is evil.
In His eternal wisdom and power, the Lord God gave His all, that we might not be lost.
This King is worth rejoicing in – our Saviour, Messiah, the Lord God Himself.
Students are sharing this good news on campuses around the country, seeing lives changed as people receive Jesus as their Saviour.
Perhaps today, you might want to sing this carol inspired by Psalm 98:
‘Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King!’
Let us repeat this sounding joy!
This Christmas devotional was written by Office Staff member Tom Banks, and based in Luke's Gospel.