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Crossroads Church - Plymouth, IN

Joy To The World!

Joy To The World!

Worship Gathering

Locations & Times

Crossroads Church

1650 N Oak Dr, Plymouth, IN 46563, USA

Sunday 8:00 AM

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Prayer and Praise

Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." Take a moment to let us know how we can rejoice with you or bring a need before God with you.
https://crossroads-efc.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/203/responses/new
Psalm 98:1–9 (ESV) - Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 2The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.4Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! 7Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! 8Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together 9before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
JOY TO THE WORLD!
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing, and heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and heav’n, and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ; while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

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.
Three startling claims…
1. The Creator and Sustainer of the earth has definite plans to return and reign as King.

v. 1 – “Let earth receive her King;”
v. 2 – “Joy to the World! The Savior reigns!”
v. 4 – “He rules the World, with truth and grace.”
Three startling claims…
2. When this King returns, it will have a profound impact on our planet.

v. 1 – “…and heaven and nature sing…”
v. 2- “while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains repeat the sounding joy

Genesis 3:17–19 (ESV) - …cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

v. 3 - “No more let sins and sorrow grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow as far as the curse is found…”

Psalm 98:4-7 - Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! 7Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!
3. We need to prepare now in our response to this soon-coming King.

v. 1 – “Let every heart prepare Him room.”
v. 2 - “Let men their songs employ”
v. 4 – “He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove.

Psalm 98:8-9 - Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together 9before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Philippians 2:9–10 (ESV) - Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
The Key Question?
Will you welcome Him as the Lord of your life right now—and begin to follow Him as your King?
Discussion Questions:
1. Where does Joy to the World rank on your list of Christmas songs? Does it make your top 5?

2. What are your thoughts on the fact the song mentions nothing about shepherds, angels, a virgin birth, Mary, Joseph or other common elements of the Christmas story, and yet, it’s one of the most popular Christmas songs?

3. Read Psalm 98. Ask each person in the group to summarize the Psalm in two sentences.

4. Now read the words of Joy to the World one verse at a time. Explore Psalm 98 and comment on where the words of the song are drawn from in Psalm 98.

5. Isaac Watts focused our thoughts on the much anticipated second coming of Jesus which begins a 1,000 year earthly reign of Jesus. Describe the hope that the first coming of Jesus as a baby, gives us that he will return to reign on earth. Can we trust the promises of God? Why or why not?