The Great News of Joy
Third Sunday in Advent :: Luke 2:1-20
This is the second of two sermon reflections for Sunday, December 13, 2025. In this essay I share my reflections about Pastor Heechan Kim’s sermon on Luke 2:1-20, called The Great News of Joy.
The Birth of Jesus
2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirin′i-us was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born[a] son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”[b]
15 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.” 16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
The gospel (gospel means good news) of the birth Jesus brought joy to all who saw Jesus. Shepherds featured among the first to see Him. An angel of the Lord brought the news to the Shepherds, who went see the baby Jesus, and when they told Mary, she “treasured these things in her heart.”
What’s the joy of Christmas gospel? It is many things, too numerous to mention; we can narrow it down to three main joys —
The joy of Gods faithfulness
The joy of G-d coming to us
The joy of G-d restoring peace.
The joy of Gods faithfulness
The mention of David invokes thoughts of promises G-d made to His people. But it’s not just David to whom G-d made promises. From Genesis 3:15, 12:1-3, Genesis 49:10-12, 2 Samuel 7:11b-13, 16, — G-d has promised to His people, as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:20. G-d’s promises exist in Christ, as prophesied in Isaiah 9:6-7. The birth of Jesus provides us the ultimate proof that G-d keeps His promises. That’s why the shepherds felt great joy, it’s why we should feel joy right now.
The joy of G-d coming to us
In Luke 2:11, it’s written “for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” The angel of the Lord announces promise of Messiah fulfilled, saying Jesus is Lord. What is a lord? A master, ruler, superior.
Jesus, through the incarnation, comes to us, as mention in the prologue of Gospel of John.
John 1:1-5 :: The Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.
God Is Light
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all.
G-d created all things through Jesus, the Word. Adam was a type of the One to come. John 1:18 says No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. Through the birth of Jesus, the Word became flesh. To see Jesus is to see who G-d is. The Word became flesh, who communed with humans, is G-d. Athanasius wrote about the coming of Jesus in a work called On the Incarnation. He famously wrote “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.”
The joy of G-d restoring peace
Luke 2:14 says “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!”
What kind of peace does Luke mean, here? Well, in this context, peace means far more than the absence of conflict. The Hebrew word Shalom has a broader and deeper meaning. According to My Jewish Learning, “Shalom is a blessing, a manifestation of divine grace.”
We can envision peace as G-d, humanity, and all creation united in fullness through the light. Jesus came to restore shalom.
In Romans 5:1, Paul describes having peace as through Jesus. In Ephesians 2:13-14, Paul talks about Jesus breaking down the dividing wall in humanity. In Isaiah 11:6-7, the prophet uses the metaphor of predator and prey lying together as an image of the peace Jesus will bring. In Colossians 1:19-20, Paul repeats this poetic description of peace. In Revelation 21:4, John the theologian writes he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, “and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. Through Jesus G-d reconciles all.
Do readers know the story of George Frideric Handel, and his experience of composing Handel’s Messiah? Handel composed his Messiah in 3 weeks, (he worked day and night), after receiving the text, composed by Charles Jennens, which focussed on the life, death, resurrection of Jesus. Handel had witnessed the decline of the opera business, and faced debtors prison. This left him deeply depressed. He’d had a stroke four years prior to the time of composition, and had mostly recovered from the paralysis or rheumatism that affected his arm and impeded his playing. Despite his deep depression at his financial situation, Handel experienced intense and abiding joy, which enabled him to complete the work. Handel suffered and still felt joy in the composition of his great work, The Messiah.
1 John 1-4 :: The Word of Life
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.