ADVENT DEVOTIONS – Week 3 JOY

7-Day Advent Devotional: Week 3 – Joy

Day 1: A Joyful Surrender

Summary: Mary’s response to God’s calling reveals a heart of joy through humble surrender.
Read: Luke 1:38–45
Background: Mary’s yes to God’s plan exemplifies joyful obedience. Her visit to Elizabeth shows the bond of joy between the two women as they both recognize God’s mighty works.
Key Words: Surrender, obedience, joy, blessing.
Theological Truths:

• John Calvin: “The joy of a believer is a fruit of the heart’s obedience to God, rooted in the gospel’s truth.”
• R.C. Sproul: “True joy flows from a heart that says, ‘Let it be according to Your Word.’”
  Questions for Reflection:

1. What does Mary’s willingness to surrender teach you about joy in obedience to God?

2. How does Elizabeth’s blessing impact how you view God’s plan for your life?

3. In what areas of your life do you need to surrender in joyful obedience to God’s will?
   
   Application: Take a moment today to prayerfully surrender one area of your life to God, trusting that He will fill you with joy through your obedience.

Day 2: The Magnificat: A Song of Joy

Summary: Mary’s song, the Magnificat, rejoices in God’s greatness and His work of salvation.
Read: Luke 1:46–55
Background: Mary’s song reflects her deep understanding of God’s holiness, mercy, and justice. It is a beautiful expression of joy in God’s fulfillment of His promises.
Key Words: Magnificat, rejoicing, mercy, salvation.
Theological Truths:

• J.C. Ryle: “The joy of the soul is found in the greatness of God, not in our circumstances.”
• C.S. Lewis: “Joy is the serious business of heaven, and Mary’s Magnificat is the song of the redeemed.”
  Questions for Reflection:

1. How does Mary’s song express joy in God’s mercy and salvation?

2. What aspect of God’s greatness brings you the most joy?

3. How can you celebrate God’s work in your life with the same joy as Mary?
   
   Application: Spend time today reflecting on one of God’s promises and praise Him for how He has fulfilled it in your life.

Day 3: Zechariah’s Prophecy: A Joyful Declaration

Summary: Zechariah’s prophecy celebrates the coming of the Messiah and the joy of salvation.
Read: Luke 1:59–60, 76–79
Background: Zechariah’s speech, after being filled with the Holy Spirit, announces the joy that the birth of his son, John, signals for the world. He rejoices in the coming of Christ, the Savior.
Key Words: Prophecy, joy, salvation, light.
Theological Truths:

• John Owen: “The joy of the believer is rooted in the redemption Christ brings, not in the circumstances of the day.”
• Martin Luther: “Salvation is not a matter of our joy but of Christ’s work, and thus our joy is secure.”
  Questions for Reflection:

1. How does Zechariah’s prophecy reveal the connection between joy and salvation?

2. In what ways does God’s promise of salvation bring you joy today?

3. How does the coming of Christ light up your life and your relationships?
   
   Application: Share the joy of Christ’s coming with someone today, whether through words of encouragement or by serving them.

Day 4: The Humble Beginning of Joy

Summary: The birth of Jesus in humble surroundings reveals the depth of God’s joy in fulfilling His promises.
Read: Luke 2:1–7
Background: Jesus’s birth in a manger shows that joy often comes in unexpected forms. The King of kings was born not in a palace but in the simplicity of a stable, demonstrating the humility of God’s joy.
Key Words: Manger, humility, birth, fulfillment.
Theological Truths:

• Charles Spurgeon: “The birth of Jesus reminds us that joy often comes in places we least expect, and in forms we cannot imagine.”
• J.I. Packer: “God’s greatest gift of joy came through the humblest means.”
  Questions for Reflection:

1. What does Jesus’s humble birth teach you about the nature of true joy?

2. How does God’s choice of a humble birth inspire joy in your own life?

3. In what ways can you embrace humility as part of your journey to joy?
   
   Application: Reflect on the ways you can cultivate humility in your life, knowing that true joy often comes in humble circumstances.

Day 5: A Joyful Announcement to Shepherds

Summary: The angels’ announcement of Jesus’s birth to the shepherds brings great joy to the world.
Read: Luke 2:8–12
Background: The angels’ message to the shepherds is one of joy and peace for all people. It marks the first proclamation of Christ’s birth to the humble and lowly.
Key Words: Announcement, joy, peace, Savior.
Theological Truths:

• John Calvin: “The gospel brings the good news of great joy for all people, not just the righteous, but sinners in need of a Savior.”
• Tim Keller: “The gospel is an announcement of joy, for it proclaims that salvation has arrived.”
  Questions for Reflection:

1. How does the angel’s message to the shepherds deepen your understanding of joy in the gospel?

2. What does it mean for you that this message of joy is for all people?

3. How does the announcement of Jesus’s birth impact your experience of joy today?
   
   Application: Today, share the message of joy with someone who may not have heard it, either through words or through an act of kindness.

Day 6: The Joyful Response of the Shepherds

Summary: The shepherds’ response to the angels’ announcement reflects the joy of encountering the Savior.
Read: Luke 2:13–20
Background: The shepherds immediately went to find Jesus, sharing the joy of His birth with others. Their response exemplifies the contagious nature of joy in Christ.
Key Words: Response, joy, worship, testimony.
Theological Truths:

• R.C. Sproul: “The joy of knowing Christ cannot be contained but must be shared with others.”
• John Piper: “The joy of the gospel overflows in worship and testimony to others.”
  Questions for Reflection:

1. How does the shepherds’ response to the angels inspire you to share the joy of Jesus?

2. In what ways can you worship God with joy today?

3. How can you make the joy of Christ known to others through your words or actions?
   
   Application: Today, make an intentional effort to share the joy of Christ’s birth with someone who needs encouragement.

Day 7: Simeon’s Joyful Anticipation

Summary: Simeon’s encounter with the infant Jesus reveals the ultimate joy of seeing God’s salvation fulfilled.
Read: Luke 2:25–32
Background: Simeon, filled with the Holy Spirit, joyfully anticipates the fulfillment of God’s promise to see the Messiah before his death. His declaration of joy shows that Christ is the fulfillment of God’s salvation.
Key Words: Anticipation, salvation, promise, light.
Theological Truths:

• Augustine: “The joy of the believer is rooted in the fact that Christ is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises.”
• A.W. Tozer: “True joy comes from anticipating the fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ.”
  Questions for Reflection:

1. How does Simeon’s joyful anticipation of Jesus inspire your own hope in Christ?

2. In what ways can you wait with joyful expectation for God’s promises to be fulfilled?

3. How does the reality of salvation in Christ bring joy to your life today?
   
   Application: Spend time today meditating on God’s promises, letting the joy of their fulfillment in Christ fill your heart.