1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,100 Well, good morning. That's my name is Rashad. 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:08,000 One of the pastor's here, reality church again. 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,700 So glad that you here today. On this beautiful not. 4 00:00:11,700 --> 00:00:14,100 So frigid day here in New England, I think it's a 5 00:00:14,100 --> 00:00:17,600 marvelous because the sun's out, and that makes all the 6 00:00:17,608 --> 00:00:20,500 difference in the world. Agreement agreement, all right? 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,800 I need an agreement, this whole sermon people. 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:27,200 Okay? So we are in the second week of 9 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,100 Advent, and if you're not familiar with the word, it's We 10 00:00:30,100 --> 00:00:34,200 means coming or arrival. When we talk about being in the 11 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:38,300 Advent season, we're talking about a posture of preparation 12 00:00:39,300 --> 00:00:44,800 and its author Carrie Van Der. Vine, says it very beautifully. 13 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:46,900 Like this. She says, the message of Advent 14 00:00:47,300 --> 00:00:50,700 doesn't fit neatly into a sound bite or vignette. 15 00:00:50,700 --> 00:00:54,500 It's too complex, too deep to compete with glitter and noise. 16 00:00:54,500 --> 00:00:57,400 It has a hard sell in a culture that would rather skip straight 17 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,800 to the big finish. But Advent is Important to be 18 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,500 forgotten because it is this season that prepares us to 19 00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:09,700 encounter the Lord. This is our prayer for our 20 00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:13,700 community, this season, that we would encounter the Lord. 21 00:01:14,300 --> 00:01:17,000 Don't just want you to learn some great facts about Advent. 22 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,900 We want you to encounter the Lord, and I don't know what you 23 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:21,900 think about. When you think about 24 00:01:21,900 --> 00:01:24,700 encountering the Lord, some of you might think being on a 25 00:01:24,700 --> 00:01:30,800 Mountaintop on a crisp November December day and the Sun is out 26 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,300 and there's a little stream in a brook and you're like, oh man, 27 00:01:33,300 --> 00:01:36,300 god tier. So you might be like me where 28 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:39,700 you're in the tropics and you're on the beach and it's a 29 00:01:39,700 --> 00:01:43,000 beautiful morning and you can see the water and you can see 30 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,200 seat rails. You're like, man, God's here. 31 00:01:46,300 --> 00:01:49,500 You may not vision yourself encountering. 32 00:01:49,500 --> 00:01:54,400 God in the desert. You may not Envision yourself 33 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,300 encountering. God in a Barren Space. 34 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,700 Why is that? Because most of us don't expect 35 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,300 good to come from a bad situations. 36 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,300 The last thing, we expect, many of us is for our sorrow to be 37 00:02:11,300 --> 00:02:14,800 turned to Joy. Here's the thing. 38 00:02:15,500 --> 00:02:19,300 God often an almost always meets his people in the desert. 39 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,300 God often meets his people in the barrenness of life. 40 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,400 So if that's you who walked in here today, feeling Baron 41 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,800 feeling like this season has been a desert has been you've 42 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,300 been wandering then I truly believe that God wants to meet 43 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:39,400 with you and speak with you. In these chapters leading up to 44 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,700 Isaiah 35. There's a lot of Doom and Gloom, 45 00:02:42,700 --> 00:02:45,600 and impending judgment, and things that are going to happen. 46 00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:49,500 Israel's being surrounded by its enemies. 47 00:02:49,500 --> 00:02:53,600 And an exile is coming that they're their Comforts their 48 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,200 freedoms, their prosperity is going to be stripped away like a 49 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:03,200 Barren desert and not only is suffering on the is coming. 50 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,700 Not only is suffering going to happen, but the land is also 51 00:03:06,700 --> 00:03:11,100 going to suffer / and here's how God and Isaiah, 35, begin to 52 00:03:11,100 --> 00:03:14,900 talk about Redemption and he starts with the land, he says 53 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:19,600 the desert verse 1 and the parched land will be glad the 54 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,100 Wilderness will rejoice and Blossom. 55 00:03:22,100 --> 00:03:26,700 Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom, it will rejoice 56 00:03:26,700 --> 00:03:30,600 greatly and Shout for Joy. The glory of Lebanon will be 57 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,400 given to it. The Splendor of Carmel and 58 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:37,300 Sharon they will see the glory of the Lord, the Splendor of 59 00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:41,700 God. God is speaking to a desert, 60 00:03:41,700 --> 00:03:46,600 he's speaking to a Barren parched dry land and those of us 61 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:50,000 that are from the West coaster from the Middle East, we really 62 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,500 know. What a desert is like, if you 63 00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:54,800 talk about someone from, they don't really know what it does. 64 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,800 It is maybe you've seen something on TV, but a desert 65 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:02,200 is, it's a dry place, it's without Springs of water. 66 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,600 We called deserts Death Valley, right? 67 00:04:06,700 --> 00:04:10,500 Like there's places that I've driven in California where says, 68 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:12,100 don't turn on your air conditioner. 69 00:04:12,100 --> 00:04:17,800 Your car will die like seriously like bring water and make sure 70 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,399 your tanks full because this is where things die. 71 00:04:22,300 --> 00:04:26,700 But here's what I want you to see in this passage is deserts 72 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:31,800 are full of potential. See if the circumstances are, 73 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,100 right? As we see in this passage things 74 00:04:35,100 --> 00:04:39,800 begin to Blossom, things begin to burst into bloom and desert 75 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,700 flowers began to appear says the crocus. 76 00:04:44,100 --> 00:04:49,100 The crocus is a beautiful colored flower and it smells one 77 00:04:49,100 --> 00:04:53,100 person says smells like vanilla and it produces the crocus 78 00:04:53,100 --> 00:04:56,600 produces one of the most expensive spices in all the 79 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:03,800 world saffron This is what this desert will produce a God's 80 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,700 appearing. The imagery is of a renewed 81 00:05:07,700 --> 00:05:12,000 ability of desert land to grow plants and support Wildlife. 82 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,100 This is the potential of this desert. 83 00:05:16,100 --> 00:05:17,900 You're going to hear California few times, okay. 84 00:05:17,900 --> 00:05:23,400 I was there a few years ago and this was a year in which the 85 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,400 state received a good amount of rainfall, like, not compared to 86 00:05:26,407 --> 00:05:28,900 like here in Florida. But for California standard, you 87 00:05:28,907 --> 00:05:32,000 got really good. Rainfall and because of the 88 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,900 rainy season, there's this phrase as coined as called a 89 00:05:34,900 --> 00:05:39,500 super bloom and what California experienced a super bloom and 90 00:05:39,500 --> 00:05:43,800 Wikipedia to the super bloom is a rare Desert Botanical 91 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:48,500 phenomenon in which an Ali, High proportion of wildflowers who 92 00:05:48,500 --> 00:05:52,800 seeds have Lain, dormant, and desert, soil, germinate, and 93 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,400 Blossom. At roughly the same time, the 94 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,400 font phenomenon is associated with an unusually wet rainy 95 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:06,100 season. The coming of the glory of God 96 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:12,700 causes transformation in the wilderness, This salvation 97 00:06:12,700 --> 00:06:15,800 author says the salvation of God would be so complete. 98 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:20,400 That the very land would be transformed nature itself. 99 00:06:20,700 --> 00:06:23,700 Would take up the joyful refrain to God. 100 00:06:25,900 --> 00:06:30,400 God. Transforms deserts. 101 00:06:32,900 --> 00:06:36,100 I just remembered when I'm driving to California and I'm 102 00:06:36,100 --> 00:06:40,000 getting a glimpse of flowers and colors that I've never seen 103 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,900 burst before in this part of the country, and I begin to get 104 00:06:43,900 --> 00:06:46,400 wrapped up in wanting to go. I want to see more. 105 00:06:46,700 --> 00:06:49,000 This is doing something with inside of me. 106 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:53,200 Seeing all this beauty in this land and the potential of life 107 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,500 that I didn't know was there. And when you begin to see that, 108 00:06:56,500 --> 00:06:59,300 the beauty that's possible, it begins to change your 109 00:06:59,300 --> 00:07:04,200 imagination of what's possible. And so, God starts with saying, 110 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,500 when I show up, I begin to change deserts. 111 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,200 And so, if you think of I've been in the desert season, my 112 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:17,000 circumstances have been Barren and empty, then God says, look 113 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:22,300 what I can do in Barren spaces. My favorite features t.d. 114 00:07:22,300 --> 00:07:24,100 Jakes says Get Ready. Get Ready, Get ready. 115 00:07:24,300 --> 00:07:26,400 And I am gonna hear this passage. 116 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,000 I'm reading this. I'm just thinking man. 117 00:07:28,300 --> 00:07:32,100 Wow, God, if you can do this in deserts, I wish I had an organ 118 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:35,200 right now. If you can do this in deserts, 119 00:07:36,300 --> 00:07:41,200 If God can grow saffron and deserts, if God can bring 120 00:07:41,300 --> 00:07:45,000 flowers and daffodils and trees and life and ecosystems and 121 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:49,800 Death Valley, what can he do in your life, man? 122 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:57,000 Verse 3, strengthen the feeble hands, steady, the knees, that 123 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,800 give way, say to those, with fearful Hearts. 124 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,000 Be strong. Do not fear. 125 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:05,400 Your God, will come. He will come with vengeance with 126 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,200 divine retribution. He will come to save you. 127 00:08:09,500 --> 00:08:13,000 If you are at the end, if you are exhausted. 128 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:16,100 If you were tired, if you were worn out, if you are ready to 129 00:08:16,100 --> 00:08:22,300 throw in the towel, hold on. Gather yourself, don't give up. 130 00:08:22,500 --> 00:08:25,900 Don't give in to fear, God will come. 131 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:31,500 God is coming. He says strengthen your hands, 132 00:08:31,500 --> 00:08:34,900 you saying the residing, whatever you have left, use it 133 00:08:34,900 --> 00:08:39,700 in Grass, hold onto something, don't keep your ground. 134 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:44,000 Don't lose the grounding from. When from beneath you Isaiah 135 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:48,300 saying, this, he's encouraging the desponding people of God, of 136 00:08:48,300 --> 00:08:51,700 the Assurance of the blessing, that's promise from God. 137 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:57,000 When you to name the things in your life and the things in the 138 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,300 world that have you anxious to have you worried, they have you 139 00:09:00,300 --> 00:09:03,500 fearful that keep you up at night, that relationship that 140 00:09:03,500 --> 00:09:06,900 family member that job, the rent that health issue that 141 00:09:06,900 --> 00:09:10,100 Injustice. The Brokenness that you see on 142 00:09:10,100 --> 00:09:13,800 the on the newsreel, every moment of the day and I want you 143 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:19,700 to insert this God will come God will come God, will, come God, 144 00:09:19,700 --> 00:09:22,500 will come, but God, and God will come and strength. 145 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:27,200 God will come and the strength to overcome the evil. 146 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,500 God will come and strength to overcome enemies. 147 00:09:29,500 --> 00:09:33,300 God will come with strength to overcome forces of Oppression, 148 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,900 because God comes to save. God comes to rescue and he's 149 00:09:36,900 --> 00:09:40,500 powerful enough to rescue and save things from the depths 150 00:09:40,500 --> 00:09:44,500 things from the darkness. God Will Save. 151 00:09:47,300 --> 00:09:52,300 Remembering that is how you strengthen your feebleness is 152 00:09:52,300 --> 00:09:57,300 how you address fearfulness and that's what Advent is about. 153 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:07,500 God will come, God Has Come Loop 2:10 says this, the angel said 154 00:10:07,500 --> 00:10:10,800 to them, this is the nativity scene is happening. 155 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:15,000 Do not be afraid. I bring you good news, that will 156 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,700 cause great joy for all the people. 157 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,400 And when we hear this passage, it's on everything that you buy 158 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:24,600 in the stores right now. Like I bring you great. 159 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,700 Bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the 160 00:10:27,700 --> 00:10:30,400 people. I want you to understand before 161 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,300 this Angelic. Pronouncement there was 400 162 00:10:33,300 --> 00:10:39,500 years of Silence. That Malachi was the last time 163 00:10:39,500 --> 00:10:43,100 we have heard from God and from Malachi to the New Testament 164 00:10:43,100 --> 00:10:46,800 gospel writers there was 400 years of Silence. 165 00:10:49,900 --> 00:10:53,800 And God interrupts the silence and he says there's great joy in 166 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:57,700 the midst of your sorrow. This 400 years, may have been 167 00:10:57,700 --> 00:11:01,000 dark empty, Barren, you may experience oppression, but I 168 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:02,800 came to let you know that I'm here. 169 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:09,100 That the kingdom of God is at hand because God is coming. 170 00:11:11,300 --> 00:11:14,600 Another commentator says is, why would the Wilderness Blossom and 171 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:17,100 Shout for Joy? Because they will see the glory 172 00:11:17,100 --> 00:11:19,200 of the Lord. Israel had seen God's glory 173 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,900 during The Exodus, and at Mount Sinai God's glory filled the 174 00:11:22,900 --> 00:11:26,000 Tabernacle and the temple. Thus, the glory of the Lord 175 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:30,400 refers to a visible appearance of God, a theophany which 176 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,300 usually was accompanied by miraculous signs. 177 00:11:34,900 --> 00:11:38,200 That Jesus of Nazareth, was the embodiment of God's glory. 178 00:11:40,900 --> 00:11:45,100 God says Jesus is here, Emmanuel God With Us. 179 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:49,600 If God's coming, that means things are going to change. 180 00:11:54,400 --> 00:12:00,000 The coming of God is followed by Miracles and I know that we hear 181 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,400 that word, when I God doesn't do things like that anymore. 182 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,000 If God doesn't do Miracles then we have no hope. 183 00:12:06,100 --> 00:12:11,100 If God can't save my life and I have no hope the sign of Jesus 184 00:12:11,100 --> 00:12:13,600 power and authority. In the Kingdom of head is that 185 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:18,200 he can turn death into life that he could turn Darkness into 186 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,300 light that he can transform desert and tulaja wayss. 187 00:12:24,900 --> 00:12:29,700 Verse 5 then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears 188 00:12:29,700 --> 00:12:34,000 of the deaf unstopped. Then with the lamb, the lame 189 00:12:34,700 --> 00:12:38,500 leap like a deer and the mute tongue shout for Joy water will 190 00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:42,400 gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. 191 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:50,500 Isaiah paints a picture for us of what happens when God comes 192 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:57,400 healing new lease on life and joy Malachi said that Jesus. 193 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:58,700 He's talking about. Jesus is the sun of 194 00:12:58,700 --> 00:13:02,100 righteousness will come with healing in its wings. 195 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:09,100 Jesus brings life. Healing, Resurrection hope. 196 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:15,500 Turns deserts into blossoms, he turns death into life and that 197 00:13:15,500 --> 00:13:21,500 is the joy of our salvation. When God shows up new life 198 00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:25,800 Springs up, no matter how, Barren the desert. 199 00:13:27,900 --> 00:13:31,300 We see New Life bursting, all throughout the New Testament. 200 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:36,100 Everywhere that Jesus went, you see new life happening, John the 201 00:13:36,100 --> 00:13:40,300 Baptist was in jail and he was wondering what if Jesus was the 202 00:13:40,300 --> 00:13:43,300 one and he knew that he was the one that he needed to know a 203 00:13:43,300 --> 00:13:46,800 fresh because of his situation. So he sent his disciples of 204 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:48,900 Jesus and they in it. This is what Jesus says in her 205 00:13:48,900 --> 00:13:52,000 pain response to them in Luke 7 22, he replied to his 206 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,800 Messengers. Go back and report to John what 207 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:58,800 you have seen, and heard the blind receive Leaves sight, the 208 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,300 lame walk. Those who have leprosy are 209 00:14:01,300 --> 00:14:04,400 cleansed. The deaf hear, the dead are 210 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:08,200 raised, the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 211 00:14:10,300 --> 00:14:13,500 Jesus, essentially tells John, I know things aren't as you 212 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:17,300 prefer, but the kingdom is on the rise. 213 00:14:18,100 --> 00:14:19,300 I know, you're not where you want to be. 214 00:14:19,300 --> 00:14:21,400 I know everything's not going perfect in your life right now, 215 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:23,700 but I want, you know, the kingdom is on the rise. 216 00:14:23,700 --> 00:14:25,900 I'm healing people, I'm transforming lives. 217 00:14:25,900 --> 00:14:28,900 I'm opening eyes. I'm changing the lives of those 218 00:14:28,900 --> 00:14:31,200 who have been marginalized and cast to the side because the 219 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,000 kingdom of God is in your midst and it's coming. 220 00:14:37,700 --> 00:14:42,100 Jesus arrival is our foundation for joy. 221 00:14:44,300 --> 00:14:47,500 This is water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in 222 00:14:47,500 --> 00:14:51,500 the desert thirsty ground bubbling. 223 00:14:51,500 --> 00:14:55,900 Springs God, give us this picture of this desert being 224 00:14:55,900 --> 00:14:59,600 transformed and he's saying with the coming of Jesus, I'm 225 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:06,600 reversing all that was lost. All that was withered and that 226 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:10,700 life is actually possible in places that seem unlikely. 227 00:15:12,300 --> 00:15:14,300 You're gonna have to listen to podcast and we hear some of 228 00:15:14,300 --> 00:15:22,000 this. Listen God can make water come 229 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:28,200 out of rocks. God Can Transform and part seas 230 00:15:28,300 --> 00:15:33,000 and stopped the Sun. God can create an oasis in the 231 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,300 midst of your Barren life. He can transform it at his 232 00:15:36,300 --> 00:15:44,300 appearance at his coming, in his presence and this is the 233 00:15:44,300 --> 00:15:47,700 bubbling up in the water Jesus. I came to, I will bring you 234 00:15:47,700 --> 00:15:52,200 Springs of Living Water as we reorient ourselves in the story. 235 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:54,800 Remember that he came remember what he's come to do. 236 00:15:55,100 --> 00:15:58,100 Maybe even Mark the moment in which he changed our lives and 237 00:15:58,100 --> 00:16:01,000 go back to it. And remember it a fresh and it 238 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,800 begins to Bubble Up. Oh yeah, God you are good. 239 00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:07,400 Wait a minute, Julie is possible this side of Eternity. 240 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:14,200 This is why we retell the story to get wrapped up in that story. 241 00:16:15,900 --> 00:16:21,600 He's a God who turns sorrow to Joy, disappointment to wonder? 242 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:25,900 Luke 1. It says this when Elizabeth 243 00:16:25,900 --> 00:16:29,800 heard Mary's greeting, Elizabeth Mary's cousin, she's pregnant 244 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,200 the time. It says the baby leaped in her 245 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,700 womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 246 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:42,500 Just from being, in proximity to Jesus, we were meant for God. 247 00:16:43,100 --> 00:16:48,000 We were meant to be with God, in his presence is where we come to 248 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:51,500 life, is where we find life. Are you with me? 249 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:56,200 Have you ever gotten news that your favorite band or artist was 250 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,800 coming? Into town, are your favorite 251 00:16:58,800 --> 00:16:59,400 team? Are you? 252 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,400 Do your favorite relative? Your favorite cousin? 253 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:03,900 Your favorite uncle? Your favorite friend is coming 254 00:17:03,900 --> 00:17:07,400 into town, right? And yeah, and doesn't it do 255 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,500 something within you doesn't it? Do something within you when you 256 00:17:10,508 --> 00:17:12,800 find out your favorite reggae band because that's the language 257 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,099 of Heaven, is coming to Boston, right? 258 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:18,900 It is best something within you and your mark, the day and it 259 00:17:18,900 --> 00:17:21,300 begin something and there's an anticipation that begins to 260 00:17:21,300 --> 00:17:24,900 happen inside of you and me. Eight, you begin to anticipate 261 00:17:24,900 --> 00:17:30,900 and imagine what it will be like you begin to change your face 262 00:17:30,900 --> 00:17:33,400 will begin to change your body language would begin to change 263 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:38,700 the tone of your voice because of joy and its Essence cannot be 264 00:17:38,700 --> 00:17:44,000 contained. Joy must be expressed. 265 00:17:44,100 --> 00:17:47,800 Joy is meant to be shared. Did you know this reggae band is 266 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:49,600 coming into town? You guys should come with me, 267 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,600 right? Joy is meant to be shared. 268 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,400 Joy is contagious. We see it in the description of 269 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,100 the trees and the flowers, and the crocuses in the womb of 270 00:17:59,100 --> 00:18:01,300 Elizabeth. That it cannot be contained. 271 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:04,300 It has to be expressed things have to grow babies, have to 272 00:18:04,300 --> 00:18:07,400 leave trees, have to sing trees, have to clap hands because they 273 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,100 see the Redemption of God coming. 274 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:16,300 This is why so many people love the World Cup, right? 275 00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:19,000 And Americans. We don't even do soccer or 276 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:20,800 football as they call it in the world. 277 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,700 But there's something about watching this Sport and seeing 278 00:18:23,700 --> 00:18:26,500 someone scored the only goal in the whole 90 minutes and seeing 279 00:18:26,500 --> 00:18:29,700 the Elation that Joy of a whole nation on their back cheering 280 00:18:29,700 --> 00:18:32,900 and crying and literally worshiping and you're like, 281 00:18:32,900 --> 00:18:36,900 yeah, yeah, I feel that. I feel that I'm getting from 282 00:18:36,900 --> 00:18:40,700 that country. I feel that Writer something to 283 00:18:40,700 --> 00:18:42,800 passion and joy and Elation. That's it. 284 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:45,700 Man. I want that man. 285 00:18:45,700 --> 00:18:50,400 That's special. We were meant for joy. 286 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,400 We are drawn to it. We long for it. 287 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,300 Have you ever had a moment as a child where you couldn't contain 288 00:18:57,300 --> 00:18:59,500 your joy? You got that. 289 00:18:59,500 --> 00:19:01,300 That present. You got that gift. 290 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:03,700 You got that VHS cassette. I do. 291 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:07,200 You guys remember VHS? You got. 292 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,800 You got that. Special gift or ice cream. 293 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:11,400 You just say, I can't contain it. 294 00:19:11,500 --> 00:19:13,800 You sing about it. You'd pour all around. 295 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,500 You don't care what anyone thinks because you have joy, and 296 00:19:16,500 --> 00:19:18,300 you can't contain it. And you have to share it. 297 00:19:18,308 --> 00:19:21,300 And you have to express it because something has been and 298 00:19:21,300 --> 00:19:25,700 inside of you, Just the anticipation of getting 299 00:19:25,700 --> 00:19:28,800 something begins to change how you feel on the inside. 300 00:19:30,900 --> 00:19:35,100 And maybe as an adult, you've been trying to recapture that 301 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:42,200 the joy just been fleeting. Here's the promise that God 302 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:46,100 gives at the end of verse 10 says, and the land those, the 303 00:19:46,100 --> 00:19:50,400 Lord has rescued real return. They will enter Zion with 304 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:55,900 singing Everlasting Joy, will Crown their heads gladness and 305 00:19:55,900 --> 00:20:00,600 joy will overtake them and sorrow and sighing will flee 306 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:05,700 away. Is this saying God's kingdom 307 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:10,700 will be Everlasting Joy? Not something that's fleeting, 308 00:20:10,700 --> 00:20:12,500 that's something that comes and goes and you're trying to 309 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:18,400 recapture is no Everlasting Joy. That's what you experienced in 310 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:23,900 the Kingdom in life. There's morning for a season, 311 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:28,600 there's there's lament for a season, but Joyce for eternity. 312 00:20:30,700 --> 00:20:37,200 We experience pain in our life. Crying sadness. 313 00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:42,700 But eternity, There's No More Tears in the kingdom of God, 314 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:44,600 he's going to wipe away our tears. 315 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,700 And he Turtle Joy is going to be possible and it's going to burst 316 00:20:48,700 --> 00:20:54,000 within us and around us. Everlasting Joy will it says 317 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,900 will Crown. Our head is not just a flimsy 318 00:20:56,900 --> 00:21:01,600 accessory will be crowned with with joy gladness and joy. 319 00:21:01,700 --> 00:21:05,700 It said it would be overtaken by it in the world were often 320 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:09,500 overtaken by sadness or often overtaken by disappointment and 321 00:21:09,500 --> 00:21:14,100 bad news and heartbreaks. Is you be overtaken by Joy when 322 00:21:14,100 --> 00:21:18,300 you finally see the king face to face when everything changes, 323 00:21:18,300 --> 00:21:22,900 when the opens the heavens and comes and Makes his kingdom here 324 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:25,400 on Earth, Everything Will Change. 325 00:21:29,100 --> 00:21:34,800 Who does not want that. And you may be saying, how can 326 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,400 that be? You don't know what I've gone 327 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:41,600 through. Joy transcend circumstances. 328 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,300 Paul says, in Romans 8, I consider that our present 329 00:21:45,300 --> 00:21:49,400 sufferings are not worthy. Comparing with the glory that 330 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:53,500 will be revealed in US. We're talking about Paul who's 331 00:21:53,500 --> 00:21:57,800 been Shipwrecked has been beaten who's been gone through jail and 332 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,600 persecution is saying man this stuff is awful but what's coming 333 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,100 far? Transcends, anything I'll ever 334 00:22:04,100 --> 00:22:14,200 experience here on Earth God wants to interrupt our lives 335 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,000 with joy. Over the holidays. 336 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:21,900 My on my kids were home and try to do some, do some work to be 337 00:22:21,900 --> 00:22:26,000 productive and they just kept bursting out and laughter and 338 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:31,000 joy and tickling. Oh no doing all that stuff and 339 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:36,600 it pulled me out of my place and that go man. 340 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,100 This is worth being interrupted over. 341 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:46,600 This is, this is what the kingdom of God is about. 342 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:54,900 Let's anticipate what's to come. Let's get wrapped up in, Wonder 343 00:22:55,900 --> 00:22:58,600 let's bring the past into our present. 344 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:03,500 God's come God's manifest himself in the person of Jesus 345 00:23:03,500 --> 00:23:06,700 here on Earth. He said here am I my beloved Son 346 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:10,500 in whom I'm well pleased the Lamb of God who takes away the 347 00:23:10,500 --> 00:23:13,000 sins of the world for God. So loved the world he gave his 348 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:19,100 only begotten son for you. And as you repeat and remember 349 00:23:19,100 --> 00:23:22,700 that story watch The Joy bubble to the surface. 350 00:23:24,700 --> 00:23:28,500 Lucy Shaw. Ryder says this anticipation 351 00:23:28,500 --> 00:23:32,400 lifts, the heart desire is created to be fulfilled. 352 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:35,600 Perhaps. Perhaps not all at once more, 353 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:39,200 like lie and slow stages. Isaiah uttered, his prophetic 354 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:41,900 words about the renewal of the nature creation into a 355 00:23:41,900 --> 00:23:45,600 Wilderness of spiritual barrenness and thirst for him. 356 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,900 And for many are the New Testaments, here's the vacuum of 357 00:23:48,900 --> 00:23:52,100 dry and difference into which he spoke was not yet a place of 358 00:23:52,100 --> 00:23:55,300 fulfillment. Yet the promise of God through 359 00:23:55,300 --> 00:24:01,200 this human mouthpiece and the word promise always holds a kind 360 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,100 of certainty was verdant with hope. 361 00:24:04,300 --> 00:24:08,900 It kind of greenness and Glory, a softening of hard-heartedness 362 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,900 a lively expectation. Would Herald the coming of 363 00:24:12,900 --> 00:24:16,800 Messiah and once again in this season of Advent, the same 364 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:20,600 promise, for the same anointed one is coming closer. 365 00:24:22,900 --> 00:24:30,900 Anticipation lifts the heart. What have you been given? 366 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:36,200 You might go mad. I don't think I can achieve joy 367 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,200 in this season. I don't think I can achieve joy 368 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,400 in this life. Our joy is rooted in our 369 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:43,000 awareness of what we've been given. 370 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:52,700 And so this season we stop we pause and we remember what God 371 00:24:52,700 --> 00:24:55,700 has done and anticipation for what God's going to do. 372 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,600 And believe church that God wants us to reclaim Joy wonder 373 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:05,900 and awe. I believe that God wants to 374 00:25:05,900 --> 00:25:08,700 transform our imagination. So we can dream again. 375 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,500 Many of us over these past three years, we've been in the 376 00:25:12,500 --> 00:25:15,100 spiritual desert. We've been in a Barren place. 377 00:25:15,100 --> 00:25:18,200 For many of us, we haven't heard from God and 400 years and were 378 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,900 like God, I don't even know if you speak anymore. 379 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,700 And I believe that God wants to speak to us, I believe that God 380 00:25:24,700 --> 00:25:28,100 wants to grow things within us and speak through us and give us 381 00:25:28,100 --> 00:25:31,400 joy until we can advance and show the world that what he's 382 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:34,800 like. And what happens that the scene 383 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,800 of Jesus's, birth, and they all stopped, and they bow down and 384 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:44,100 they worship their overcome with joy, not that, they're still not 385 00:25:44,100 --> 00:25:46,500 Roman occupation. Not that it's still not very 386 00:25:46,500 --> 00:25:51,300 dark in the middle of winter, but that hopes come And that 387 00:25:51,300 --> 00:25:55,200 this is not how things are going to end and that God is here, and 388 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:59,000 that God sees us and that God. And the kingdom is at hand. 389 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:02,700 Psalm 96. Is this let the heavens Rejoice? 390 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,600 Let the Earth. Be glad Let the Sea ReSound. 391 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,200 All that's in it. Let the fields be jubilant. 392 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,300 Everything in them that all the trees of the forest, sing for 393 00:26:11,300 --> 00:26:14,700 joy that all creation Rejoice before the Lord. 394 00:26:14,700 --> 00:26:22,300 For he comes, he comes to judge the Earth if a dry desert can 395 00:26:22,700 --> 00:26:26,700 burst out into Joy full singing, what our response for you to the 396 00:26:26,700 --> 00:26:31,500 presence of God Church. If you've been in the desert, if 397 00:26:31,500 --> 00:26:33,900 you feel deserted, if you feel like you've been a dark dry 398 00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:37,000 Place void of Joy, don't look for God somewhere else. 399 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,900 You right? Where God wants to meet you. 400 00:26:40,700 --> 00:26:43,400 The God, Who restores everything. 401 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:47,000 Who creates streams in the desert and causes water to gush. 402 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:51,200 Out of parched, lands is coming You believe that? 403 00:26:51,900 --> 00:26:53,200 Amen. We pray for us. 404 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:58,700 Jesus, we thank you that you are the good news. 405 00:26:59,700 --> 00:27:04,900 You've come to save and redeem and to restore guy, when you are 406 00:27:04,900 --> 00:27:10,400 received cities, and people are transformed, you are cause for 407 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:15,300 Great Joy. Pray, as we worship you that you 408 00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:22,100 would meet us, you would cause your were to soften our hearts 409 00:27:22,500 --> 00:27:25,500 to cause water to begin to flow within us. 410 00:27:25,900 --> 00:27:28,900 Holy spirit. We just welcome you into the 411 00:27:28,900 --> 00:27:34,800 space as he could speak words of truth, in life to us in Jesus 412 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:35,600 name, amen.