Joy! to Your World! A Countdown to ChristmasSample

The star led the Magi to the Light of the World! The wise men did not need the advice or navigation powers of King Herod and his best men - they just needed to follow the Light of the World.

When the star stopped them in their wealthy tracks, the Bible says that these learned men, “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy”. And what a celebration began that night! Only 6 words: “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” yet what richness their scarcity holds. These six simple words are some of the most expressive words in all of Scripture.

“Rejoiced” means “let the hope of future blessedness give you joy!” What rich intent and calling! This word communicates to all of us, from every generation and every historical juncture, that because of the Baby born in the manger, we can look ahead - not with dread and worry, but with hope and expectation. When you encounter Jesus, there is reason to rejoice because of the many blessings headed in your direction.

“Exceedingly” is defined as “greatly” or even “violently”. These first century professorial types did not just quietly bow down with their scholarly hands clasped in front of their wise faces. The joy that they experienced in the presence of Jesus was an explosion of joy that knocked their mortarboards off their wizened heads! These men were jumping up and down ... they were participating in the John-jump! The magi had at last found a reason to celebrate because they had found the source of joy.

“Great” in this sentence means “with great effort of the affections and emotions of the mind”. It is significant that this particular definition of the word “great” includes the word for “mind”. The Magi were men of scrolls and cerebral intensity; at the moment this star stopped in the presence of Jesus, all that they had ever learned or studied paled in comparison to this one momentous event. Being in the presence of the Creator of the Universe was such a life-changing opportunity that it infiltrated the very way that they thought and processed information.

And finally, the word “joy” is rich in meaning and in texture because it is defined as “the blessedness that the Lord enjoys”. Every blessing that the Lord has ... you now have ... because of Christmas!