Sermon Recap+ Dec 14, 2025

Have you ever wondered why some moments fill us with an inexplicable sense of joy that goes beyond simple happiness? The story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth in Luke 1:39-56 reveals something profound about the nature of true joy and how we encounter God's presence in unexpected ways.

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When Joy Becomes Contagious

Picture this scene: Mary, having just received the angel's announcement about her pregnancy, hurries to visit her relative Elizabeth. When Mary arrives and greets Elizabeth, something extraordinary happens. Elizabeth's unborn child leaps in her womb, and Elizabeth herself is filled with the Holy Spirit.

This wasn't just excitement or happiness. The text specifically tells us that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit when she heard Mary's voice. What she heard literally filled her with God's presence.

What Makes Joy Different from Happiness?

Most of us would agree that being around a newborn fills us with something we can only describe as joy. But according to Scripture, joy isn't something we manufacture within ourselves. Joy is actually a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22 lists the fruits of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." These aren't qualities we can produce through willpower or self-help techniques. They're evidence of God's presence in our lives.

The Difference Between Gifts and Fruits

The Holy Spirit gives us gifts to help us communicate God's kingdom, but fruits are different. Fruits show evidence of God's presence in our hearts. You can't create love, joy, or self-control through reading leadership books or visiting a psychologist. These qualities are born from the Holy Spirit's presence in your life.

Why Doesn't God Just Fix Our Problems?

Fast-forward to Matthew 11, and we find John the Baptist in prison, sending his disciples to ask Jesus a crucial question: "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?"

Here's what's striking: Jesus had the power to free John from prison, but He didn't. Instead, Jesus told the disciples to report what they heard and saw: "the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them."

Jesus' priority wasn't to fix problems or fulfill our wish lists. His mission was to reveal God's kingdom and fill us with the Holy Spirit so we could experience the fruits of the gospel.

How Do We Experience Joy in a Broken World?

This raises difficult questions. If God is real and loving, why does suffering exist? Why do children get cancer? Why do shootings happen?

The answer lies in understanding that Jesus came to announce a kingdom that doesn't belong to this world. Our role isn't to fix all the world's problems alone, but to experience and share the Holy Spirit's presence through joy.

Seeing Miracles in Small Moments

Sometimes joy appears in unexpected places. Imagine seeing someone stop traffic to rescue three small turtles from the road. While other drivers might honk in frustration, those who see the rescue understand the beauty of the moment. Joy isn't simply a feeling—it's evidence of God's presence in your life. Others might not see or understand it, but it's your job to reveal and reflect that joy because someone will get it.

What Does Advent Teach Us About Joy?

During Advent, each week represents something different. Hope is the foundation—not in what we can achieve, but in the reassurance that God is for us. Peace that surpasses understanding is the seed. When hope is the ground and peace is the seed, the fruit that grows is joy. In this season, we're called to pay attention to life-giving moments rather than centering ourselves in the daily brokenness the world wants to feed us.

Life Application

This week, challenge yourself to actively look for and celebrate the small miracles around you. Instead of focusing solely on problems that need fixing, pay attention to moments that reveal God's kingdom. Share your joy openly, even when others might not understand.

Like the person who runs to see a neighbor's new baby or stops traffic to save turtles, be willing to express the joy that comes from recognizing God's presence in everyday moments.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. When was the last time I experienced joy that felt bigger than my circumstances?

2. How can I be more like Elizabeth—ready to recognize and celebrate God's work when I encounter it?

3. What "prisons" of doubt, anger, or frustration am I allowing to overshadow the evidence of God's presence in my life?

4. How can I share the joy I've received with others who might need to see it?

Remember that doubt isn't the enemy of faith—it's often the door that leads to greater understanding. Even from whatever prison you might find yourself in today, you can still experience and share the joy that comes from God's presence.