EXPERIENCING JOY (12.14.25)

Luke 2:8-20

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. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

TEN TAKE-HOME THOUGHTS

• Joy is available to everyone, regardless of their situation.

• Joy found in Jesus, who is the Savior, Messiah, and Lord.

• Because He is Savior, He rescues us from our sin and we can be FREE from GUILT!

• Because He is the Messiah, we have confidence that God always does what He says, so we can be free from FEAR!

• Because He is Lord, we can make Him the authority in our lives, knowing that His way will always be better than ours.

• Hearing and knowing the truth is never as good as living the truth.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22)

• God is not afraid of our questions. Those who honestly and consistently seek Him will find Him.

• Practicing gratitude plants a seed that will ultimately grow into joy.

• The more often we talk to others about the goodness of God, the more likely we will experience the joy God offers.

• Joy is the result of responding in faith to God’s truth.

Check out this short article with some parallel thoughts to today’s sermon: https://www.leadbiblically.com/how-the-shepherds-teach-us-joy-on-christmas/

Click on the image to download the DiscipleQuest PDF

The DiscipleQuest PDF includes 7 days of verse study prompts. You can use these seven studies to dig deeper into the following verses about joy:

• Psalm 16:11
• Psalm 30:5
• Psalm 119:11
• Isaiah 55:12
• John 15:11
• James 1:2
• 1 Peter 1:8

SERMON LEFTOVERS

Use these questions as journal prompts or as conversation starters with a group of friends or a Bible study group:

When you hear the word joy, what do you tend to associate it with—circumstances, emotions, or something deeper? Why do you think that is?

Think about a recent season when joy felt distant. What were the circumstances shaping your outlook at the time?

According to Luke 2:10–11, what reason does the angel give for “great joy”? What is announced—and to whom?

How would you describe the shepherds’ circumstances when the message of joy first comes to them? What stands out about their situation?

What actions do the shepherds take after hearing the angel’s message (vv. 15–20), and how do those actions reveal their response to Jesus?

What does the shepherds’ experience teach us about the relationship between joy and circumstances?

Why is it significant that joy comes before anything in the shepherds’ lives actually changes?

How does the shepherds’ response challenge the idea that joy depends on how we feel in the moment?

What would it look like for you to anchor your joy more fully in what Jesus has done rather than in how life is going right now?

This week, how can you intentionally respond to Jesus—through worship, obedience, gratitude, or witness—in a way that cultivates joy?