When we think about power and authority, we tend to think about strong leaders, no-nonsense attitudes, and ever fearful emotions. To be powerful means one has influence. Other people look up to him or her. Perhaps others might even be afraid of the powerful person. I think this is reflected in what we see in movies, television, politics, and our personal lives, too. We have a very narrow view of strength, security, and sovereignty.

While this might sound comical, this truth is clearly evident in cartoons. Tom and Jerry, Popeye and Bluto, and Buggs Bunny and Elmer Fudd use the “upper hand” to destroy one another (as opposed to resolving their differences). I supposed a peaceful resolution in these cartoons would make for boring TV, but the broad point is that we have a very limited view of power in our world. We frequently use power to hurt others.

This was certainly the case for many folks throughout history. When thinking about God (or gods), many assumed that God was the being who would grant military victory. God would be “on the side” of the winners in battle, and their rule was supposedly justified by the divine.

People in the bible also held this view, too. For ages, many assumed that God would establish a physical kingdom with a human ruler. That is what the story of the ark and the temple were all about. God supposedly needed a strong human to rule over all.

But God gradually worked to overcome this misleading preconceived notion. 2 Samuel 7 is one of the most important passages of all the old testament. In it, we heard about a prophecy concerning David and his family line. Here is verse 11b-13:

The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

With many historical figures in ancient Israel, their “rule” or “dynasty” would only last until their death. The “good” judges would provide guidance to Israel, but their authority did not last for forever. The “bad” judges caused a lot of trouble. Saul was a troubled king in 1 Samuel. David ruled, but eventually died and Solomon took over (also a troubled fellow). The point is that all of these rulers and leaders did not last forever. Their kingdoms rose and fell. Their impact was only temporary.

So when God promised David a “forever kingdom” in 2 Samuel 7, that was such a revolutionary idea. As Christians, we take this prophecy to mean that God would establish an everlasting kingdom through Jesus Christ. Christianity is not limited to a country or castle. It is not limited to one particular language or ethnic group. Neither is it determined by who your parents are or your social status. Instead, the only thing that matters in the Christian faith is whether or not one follows Jesus Christ. God’s kingdom is much different than any worldly government since it will last for all eternity.

Christmas marks the beginning of this “forever kingdom” with the birth of Jesus. As we explored during Sunday’s sermon, the Hebrew word shalom means to have completeness and safety in the Lord. Philippians 4:7 puts it this way: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Godly peace will go beyond anything we could ever understand. To have the peace of God means we are complete and forever claimed in God’s family. It surely is a wonderful kingdom to experience!

Joy is an easy topic to reflect upon when life is going well. It is obviously much more difficult to develop it when we actively face adversity. There’s an old saying that smooth seas make poor sailors. I personally think that joy tends to be much more lasting if we cultivate it when the going gets tough!

It’s a no-brainer that humans like to be comfortable. We rarely willingly choose misery without some future greater good in store. Likewise we often seek out comfort and pleasure, avoiding pain and suffering at all cost. Not to sound too philosophical, but I think this is all because we are very emotional sorts of creatures. We go with our “gut” feelings. We may be happy one moment and have it taken away the next. We let our emotions guide us. We don’t want to look on the bright side when things look dark.

So when we face adversity, I think a topic like joy is one of the last things we would think about or seek to pursue! I’ve definitely noticed this in my own life. Why choose hope when things look hopeless? Joy may seem unattainable when life is genuinely tough.

Christmas can be a tough time for a lot of folks. Busyness, family conflict, and death can all leave empty seats around the dinner table. Sometimes we wish for what could have been and just feel let down by the holidays. Many face incredible stress between loads of school and church activities. Maybe even as you are reading this, you find yourself thoroughly in one of those “tough times” or seasons of life. How can you receive God’s gift of joy this year? What are some practical steps to take?

To expand on yesterday’s sermon, here are some helpful reminders to develop joy in your life, especially through tough times…

God exists regardless of whether or not I feel God.

As such emotional creatures, we feel “distant” or “close” to God depending on our personal feelings. Even if you don’t “feel” God right now, God still exists and has a purpose for you. I find comfort in this affirmation, especially for those tough times of life. God is still there even if you temporarily lack the emotional connection.

People and situations may change, but God’s love for me remains the same.

Whether a fallout with a friend or a cancer diagnosis, troubling times often arise through personal relationships or when things that just “happen.” We are unable to 100% control absolutely everything around us. For many people, this is troubling to think about. For Christians, it is rather liberating. Even if you witness change and challenges all around you, rest assured that God will remain the same. Joy begins to grow when we find our identity, purpose, and hope in God’s kingdom instead of other people and situations.

God actually promised that life will be tough.

In the gospels Jesus frequently spoke about how the world will hate his disciples. If we truly follow God, chances are we will face pushback or hardship. Tithing means sacrificing a part of our financial life. Clean speech is an oddity in our foul-mouthed world. Kindness seems illogical considering how hateful other people often behave. Sometimes the “tough times” we experience are simply a part of following the standards of God’s kingdom. For the Christian, joy frequently goes hand-in-hand with adversity.

Don’t set your foundation on your emotions. Build your life up in Christ.

We should always have our foundation rooted in God. If you base your life off of what you feel in the moment, you are going to have a tumultuous sort of existence. Instead, fix your eyes upon God and seize the joy that Jesus can grant us. If you look for joy like any other emotion, you will be let down. If you seek joy in God’s kingdom through a relationship with Christ, you will discover that this bring true joy.

Too many times in our personal relationships, we seek to benefit from someone else at their expense. We want others to sacrifice for us. We want glory and praise, and we sure get upset if we don’t receive them! Sadly, our idea of “love” isn’t really love at all. It is more of an egotistical competition instead of the love we see in Jesus’ ministry.

Jesus once shared a timeless message from Matthew 7:24-27…

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

When we hear the word of God and put it into practice, we obviously build up our life on a solid foundation.

This issue connects with the topic of love. God teaches us time and time again to love our neighbors. This isn’t just a commandment from Jesus. We literally find this in every corner of the bible! Without loving others, we are like the foolish builder who decided to stay in the sand. We do not put the commands of God into practice if we lack love in our lives. In fact, according to 1 John 4, an unloving heart actually means we don’t know God.

As we saw on Sunday, the primary way we ought to view love is through the lens of Christ. Jesus is the fullest image of God and shows humanity exactly what love looks like. Biblical love is not some abstract ideal. It is not even a feeling. Instead, love itself is a person… and that person is Jesus Christ! The agape kind of love we read about in the bible is perfectly generous and considerate of others.

So how loving are you? How do you behave when it comes to interacting with family members, your spouse, or close friends? I invite you consider these Advent-focused reflection questions…

During the Christmas season, do you “keep score” when it comes to gift giving? Are you always thinking about the price and how it supposedly correlates with how much the other person loves you? Do you get jealous when seeing what others receive?

Hopefully we are more like Jesus in that we don’t keep silly records like this. The greatest gifts we could ever receive cannot be bought at the store or online. True love is not envious.

Do you always plan on others to cater to your needs? Are you usually the recipient of the good of others?

Whether it is helping out in the kitchen, volunteering at a shelter, or donating to a Christmas charity, there are countless ways to serve others. God’s agape love in the bible always considers what other people need. It means we become less selfish. Surely we can further develop this throughout the Christmas season.

How is your overall attitude as we get closer to December 25th? Do you get burdened with calendar activities? Do you dwell on what goes wrong? Do you even develop resentment or hopelessness?

Christmas is all about God’s love. Tragically many people forget that during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. We could all use a reminder to be more loving in order to celebrate the birth of Christ.