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Joy To The World

  • Rev. Ronald Stelzer
  • December 27, 2022
Joy to the world

One of the all-time favorite Christmas hymns is not about Christmas–the arrival of Christ as a baby in Bethlehem. “Joy to the World” speaks of a joy that is not yet–the return of Christ in power and glory.

It speaks of a universal transformation which “no more lets sin and sorrows grow nor thorns infest the ground.” Today sin and sorrow are not in retreat. As Romans says, the whole earth groans under a curse of decay and death. “The creation waits with eager longing (to be) set free from its bondage to corruption,” and we along with it “wait eagerly for the redemption of our bodies.” (especially the old and ill) It is an unseen hope, “for who hopes for what he sees? We wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:18-25) Who waits for something that is already here? “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Most People Don’t Accept it

Jesus indeed does now reign with “all authority in heaven and earth” (Matthew 28:18) and “is seated at the right hand of God the Father” (Acts 2:33 & 5:31, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 1:3, 8:1, 10:12), but most people neither know it nor accept it, and only the eyes of faith see it. He is not yet one who “makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love.” But when He returns, “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,” willingly or reluctantly, joyfully or mournfully–they will have no choice, for it will be undeniable. (Philippians 2:11) Today He is gathering and preparing His people–He who is the Creator of everything, the Judge of everyone, and the Savior of those who believe in Him, “to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8)

Making All Things New

Jesus’ past coming is a necessary prelude, down payment and assurance of His future coming, when “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelations 21:4-5)

“Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus” (Revelation22:20), and we will sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”

Joy to the World

Lyrics

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns
Let all their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders, of His love

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
(And Heaven and nature sing)
And Heaven and nature sing
(And Heaven and nature sing)
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
(And Heaven and nature sing)
And Heaven and nature sing
(And Heaven and nature sing)
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing

About The Author

Pastor: Rev. Ronald Stelzer is a 3rd generation minister in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and 2nd generation teacher and coach in Lutheran schools. He was raised in a six-child family in Kansas and Indiana, graduated from St. Paul’s Lutheran School and Concordia Lutheran High School in Fort Wayne, Davidson College in North Carolina and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and Fort Wayne. He and wife Margaret of 35 years have six grown children and six grandchildren. He has served two years in sports ministry with Athletes in Action, a year in youth missions with Ongoing Ambassadors for Christ, four years as chaplain/teacher/coach at his high school alma mater, and 35 years as pastor of Our Savior, where he helped found and lead Our savior New American School 28 years ago.

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Our Savior Lutheran Church is true to its name, focused on Jesus Christ and to historic Lutheran commitments to Christ alone, the Bible alone, Grace alone and Faith alone. Its concern for Christian education not only involves a Sunday school, Confirmation, Youth Ministry, and Bible Classes, but also led to its founding of Our Savior New American School.

This church belongs to our Savior, who paid for it with His blood, and who has commanded us, His people to: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all people, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.”

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