O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy.
O tidings of comfort and joy

Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord
Luke 1:10-11

My favourite Christmas carol is Joy to the World. I could recommend any number of versions for you to listen to but my favourite version is by Sojourn Worship. The strange (and beautiful, I think) thing about their version is that the music is pretty melancholy, it’s not a joyous riot of noise. And in doing that I think it taps into the reality of the world we live in and the hope we believe in.

There is joy for all people, because “The Lord is come.” But at the same time there is the call, “Let earth receive her king” and as we look around the world as a whole at conflict and suffering and terrorism and oppression and slavery and poverty, as we look around our own community and even our own lives, we see that the rule of Jesus has not been welcomed, it has been rejected and so “sins and sorrows grow” and “thorns infest the ground.”

Yet still his blessings flow…the blessing of joy that can be found in our own salvation from our sins…that anticipates the fullness of joy we will know when the Lord comes again to empty the world of sins and sorrows and thorns…and then there is the blessing of comfort that we can know even when the curse is found coursing through our bodies and relationships and community and world.

This comfort is found in and through the one who has come and is coming again. It’s found…

…in his PRESENCE - “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

…in his PROMISES - For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:20)

…in his PEACE - “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

…in his POWER - “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

…in his PEOPLE - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

So this year, another line from another Christmas carol has lodged itself in my head and heart…

God rest you merry, gentlemen,
let nothing you dismay,
remember Christ our Saviour
was born on Christmas Day
to save us all from Satan's pow'r
when we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy;
O tidings of comfort and joy.

In the world we live in, the good news of Jesus wraps its arms around our sinfulness brings the comfort of a God who hasn’t rejected us, and the joy of a God who forgives us, through Christ our Saviour.

In the world we live in, the good news of Jesus wraps its arms around our brokenness and brings the comfort of a God who understands suffering, and the joy of a God who one day will remove all suffering, through Christ our Saviour.

Our prayer this Christmas is that you would hear and believe these tidings of comfort and joy.

Yours in Christ

Dave

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​CHARITY NUMBER: 104546

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