Sermon: True Joy

True Joy

By Rev. Julie Yarborough

December 13, 1998

e book of Isaiah is commonly believed to have been written throughout three different historical periods. Scholars refer to the three different sections as First, Second and Third Isaiah. Isaiah 35 was probably written in the second period, between 550 and 540 BC, to an exiled community that knew great turmoil and suffering. Cast out from their homeland, the people of Israel knew what it was like to be in the wilderness. They were people without a home, people without much hope. And yet, the words of Second Isaiah are full of hope, full of the promise of joy.

The Israelites would have known the importance of water in the desert. They would have recognized the miracle foretold by the prophet, that Yahweh could transform the landscape completely. Echoing the themes of the Exodus, Second Isaiah promises a day when the wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; a day when the desert will blossom and waters will break forth in the wilderness; a day when a highway, called the Holy Way, will appear out of no way. Like the desert, the people who travel this path will also be completely transformed. They will be healed of their ailments: the blind will see, the deaf hear, the lame will leap, and the speechless will shout for joy. To the Israelites "healing" meant more than just curing a disease. Deliverance from exile would also mean deliverance from guilt. Likewise in Greek, the word "to heal" is often translated "to save." The prophet promises freedom to a people who have been enslaved. New life to a people who have known death. Joy to a people who have known great despair.

On this third Sunday of Advent, we celebrate joy. This day is traditionally known as Gaudete, which is Latin forrejoice. The pink candle symbolizes joy in the midst of the darkness as we wait for the birth of the Savior. Joy is not to be confused with happiness. The root of happiness is hap, meaning chance (as in happenstance or haphazard.) Happiness depends on things going our way, whereas joy is based on the knowledge of the presence of God-with-us at all times, from the very beginning. Joy is something we can celebrate even when things are not going our way, even in the midst of grief and sadness. As one pastor has written^[1], "The only condition for joy is the presence of God. Joy happens when God is present and people know it, which means that it can erupt in a depressed economy, in the middle of a war, in an intensive care waiting room. "

While happiness is dependent on things going well in our lives, Joy is not dependent on outside forces. Happiness requires positive conditions: good health, right relationships, a good job, shelter, food, clothing. Joy, on the other hand, can be found even when these other conditions do not exist. As Frederick Buechner^[2] writes: "God created us in joy and created us for joy, and in the long run not all the darkness there is in the world and in ourselves can separate us finally from that joy. Whatever else it means to say that [we are created in God's image,] I think it means that even when we cannot believe in [God,] even when we feel most spiritually bankrupt and deserted, God's mark is deep within us. We have God's joy in our blood."

Christmas can be a difficult time for many people. Perhaps you are one of those people who's not in the mood for Christmas and all of the celebrating this year. Like the Israelites in exile, you may feel like you are a person without a home, without much hope. You may be feeling alone and sorry for yourself. You may wonder how everyone around you can be so cheerful when you feel so down. Maybe you're grieving the loss of a family member who loved this time of year. Or maybe your family has caused you so much pain that you can't bear to join them for the holidays. Whatever the reason, if you find yourself unable to get into the Christmas spirit this year, this poem is for you:

For those who experience life in the wilderness, for those who live a life of exile, there is good news of great joy. For unto us a child is born. And that child is named Emmanuel, which means God-With-Us. In the midst of even the darkest places, joy can be found in the knowledge that we are not alone, that God is with us. If the message of Christmas is anything, it is that God chose to come and be among us in human form, incarnate in the one called Jesus the Christ, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One, Emmanuel, God-With-Us.

Still today, the prophet promises freedom to a people who have been enslaved. New life to a people who have known death. Joy to a people who have known great despair. The promise is sure for those who choose to travel the Holy Way: the wild desert places begin to bloom and flourish. The dry parched spaces spring forth with water. Eventually, healing takes place: sight is given to the blind, hearing to the deaf, agility to the lame and words to the voiceless. We who travel this road have nothing to fear, for God will be with us. When we choose to travel the highway called the Holy Way, "Everlasting joy shall be upon our heads; we shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isaiah 35: 1-10 and Luke 1: 46-55)