In Luke 1:36-56 we find three people that are experiencing real
genuine joy! It is interesting that today in America we are hearing from a
political party promising to bring us joy. Everyone can rejoice and be happy, because
they are going to give us financial prosperity, give us housing, bring down
food prices and bring down violence and crime. My friend let me remind you that
real joy will never come from a political party, from a president in the White
House, or anyone else on earth for that matter. Real joy can only come from
knowing and experiencing Jesus Christ.
This is exactly what happened in this section of Scripture
with Mary, Elizabeth, and John in the womb. Elizabeth was six months pregnant with
John when Mary shows up at her door with the Christ Child in her womb. And Elizabeth
rejoices and says in verse 44, “For indeed, as soon as the voice of your
greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” Amazing, the baby in the womb heard the voice
of Mary and sensed the presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary and he leaped for
joy.
This is why we believe a baby is a human being from the
moment of conception and deserves the right to live! Even in the womb, John
could hear and respond with the emotion of joy! All three of these persons experienced
joy because Jesus is present! In Luke 2:10, the angel proclaimed to the shepherds,
“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which
will be to all people.” Yes, great
joy can be ours when we have a personal and genuine relationship with Jesus
Christ!
This also reminds me of the writings of the Apostle John. In
John 20:30-31 he writes, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the
presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are
written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that
believing you may have life in His name.” Remember Luke is writing his Gospel
to assure his friend Theophilos that Jesus is a very real person, who lived in
a very real time, and did very real miracles proving that He was indeed the Son
of God.
In 1 John 1:3-4, John wrote, “That which we have seen
and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and
truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And
these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” Life and Joy are synonymous! The emotion of
joy fills our hearts and minds when we experience the life of Jesus Christ
through His shed blood on the cross. (1 John 2:2; 4:10)
John writes in his epistle that to have this joy we need to
know and be assured that we have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and
that we are living in fellowship with Him. At the end of the epistle repeats
this emphasis. “ And this is the testimony: that God has given us
eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who
does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to
you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have
eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of
God” (1 John 5:11-13).
Joy will not come because you have money, the right boyfriend
or girlfriend, the right husband or wife, or the right kids, or the right job,
the right friends, the right house, the right car, or the right religion or the
right anything for that matter! Genuine joy and life only come because you know
that you have a right relationship with Jesus Christ and are experiencing intimate
fellowship with Him.
Today, do you have this relationship and fellowship with
Jesus Christ?
God bless!
