Comfort

Tidings of comfort and joy.

Do you remember the lyrics of the Christmas hymn, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen?" The ye and O's sound outdated, but the hymn is as relevant and timeless as ever.

God rest ye merry gentlemen
let nothing you dismay.
Remember, Christ, our Savior
was born on Christmas day.
To save us all from Satan's power
when we were gone astray.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy!
O tidings of comfort and joy.

Tidings may be viral-like headlines, breaking news, an announcement, or a declaration! Christmas is a declaration of comfort and joy to all the earth! A declaration of comfort and joy to every tribe, tongue, and nation. A declaration of comfort and joy to every office place, classroom, dormitory, kitchen table, hospital bed, and jail cell. Christmas is about comfort and joy finally breaking in upon our dark world.

But where is the comfort and joy this season? Is it in your home? In your marriage? On the faces of your children? Under the tree in your living room? Next door? Down the street? On a store shelf? One click away online? For all our talk of comfort and joy, there is an awful lot of sadness and a lot of tears at Christmas. One can hardly bear reading the newspapers. There is so much tragedy, loss, and pain.

We cannot manufacture comfort and joy.

No matter how hard we may try, we cannot manufacture comfort and joy. Oh sure, we can light up our houses with decorations. We can crank up the Christmas music. We can put an inflatable Santa in the yard. We can throw on the big ugly Christmas sweater, kindle a warm fire, and brew a hot drink. We can bake cookies and make candy all day, every day. We can charge up our Visa and MasterCard. We can go on the vacation of our dreams. Yet we can never manufacture comfort and joy. It doesn't come from us.

Still, people try to manufacture comfort and joy. Some grit their teeth, put on the smile, and just kind of go through the motions of Christmas. But others plummet into their sadness, depression, grief, addiction, sexual sin, or self-ruin.

God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day, to save us all from Satan's power, when we were gone astray. In Bethlehem, in Israel, this blessed Babe was born, and laid within a manger, upon this blessed morn. From God our heavenly Father, a blessed angel came, and unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same. How that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name. O tidings of comfort and joy.

I often hear people say things like, "God wants me to be happy." This is the part of us that acknowledges things should be different, that God has something better in mind for us. When Christ came of age, one of the first public acts of his ministry was to stand in his hometown synagogue and read Isaiah 61. Isaiah 61 is a tiding of comfort and joy that focuses us the person of Christ. Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV) says, "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

How many of us need comfort this Christmas?

Could we just digest these powerful words for a moment?

This Christmas, how many of you are wondering if God is sovereign? Are you wondering If he still reigns on his throne and is working all things to the good of those who love him? How many of you are in despair over your finances or your job situation?

How many of you are brokenhearted, suffering from a relationship that's in turmoil? How many of you feel like you are being held captive by your sin? You can't stop this or you can't start that. Your flesh is waging war against your very soul.

How many of you feel like you're clawing around in the darkness, looking for some kind of light to help you make sense of your life? How many of you find yourself questioning whether God's favor and grace is upon you, whether he loves you, or even cares about you?

How many of you are angry this Christmas-- and mostly want God to demonstrate his vengeance and justice against those who've wronged you? How many of you are mourning? How many of you would like nothing more than to trade in all the sadness and grief for a little oil of gladness? How many of you are being afflicted by a spirit of depression and despair?

By now most of you have your Christmas tree up. But how many of you feel like the Christmas tree in your living room? Maybe you feel all plastic and fake. Maybe you feel all the glitter and lights and ornaments aren't enough to hide the truth. You feel that maybe an axe has been taken to your roots, that you feel cut off from God, and cut off from comfort and joy. Maybe you feel that you're slowly drying up, and dying from the inside-out.

God wants us to be oaks of righteousness.

Look at Isaiah 61. This is what God wants for us. He wants us to be oaks of righteousness, with deep roots, vibrant foliage, and awe-inspiring fruit. He wants us to be a people who put the splendor of God on display for all to see. God doesn't want more Christmas trees. He wants oaks of righteousness, a people whose roots are anchored deep in comfort and joy, and not just during Christmas.

When Christ stood in his hometown synagogue and read Isaiah 61 and announced in Luke 4:21 (NIV), "This scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" it wasn't for giggles and laughs. He was declaring tidings of comfort and joy. He was declaring himself to be the key to lasting comfort and joy. His words would have been blasphemous if they were not true!

He was saying, "Comfort and joy are found in me. I am the gate. I am the light of the world. I am the good shepherd. I am the way, the truth, and the life. I am the bread of life. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the great I AM. I am the alpha and omega, the beginning and end, the first and the last. I am the true vine. Any branch that doesn't remain in me cannot bear fruit. Apart from me it can do nothing; it withers and it dies."

In Christ, God offers us true comfort and everlasting joy. Yet every Christmas, what do we do? We go on a scavenger hunt, thinking comfort and joy are to be found somewhere else. And intentionally or not, we teach our children that comfort and joy come wrapped in a box with a bow, instead of wrapped in a cloth in a manger.

God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay. Remember, Christ, our Savior was born on Christmas day to save us all from Satan's power, when we were gone astray. In Bethlehem, in Israel, this blessed babe was born, and laid within a manger, upon this blessed morn. From God our heavenly Father, a blessed angel came, and unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same. How that in Bethlehem was born the Son of God by name.

God promises us joy in the person of Jesus Christ.

Don't you know what God promises us in Christ? In the words of Christ himself in Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV), "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

Isaiah 9:2 (NIV) says, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." It's Christ Jesus our Lord!

This is why the closing stanza of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" is written with this hope in mind.

Now to the Lord sing praises,
all you within this place.
And with true love and brotherhood
each other now embrace.
This holy tide of Christmas
all other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
comfort and joy.

O tidings of comfort and joy.

What is the opposite of comfort and joy?

No news in all the land rivals our gospel of comfort and joy! So let's break this down a little bit further. What is the opposite of comfort? Isn't it discomfort? Isn't it pain? And what is the opposite of joy? Isn't it sadness? Isn't it depression? Now when do you experience the most discomfort, pain, sadness, and depression? Is it when you are walking with God? Is it when you are trusting in God? Of course not!

In Psalm 23:4 (NIV) David says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

In Psalm 71:19-24 (NIV) David says, "Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you-- I, whom you have redeemed. My tongue will tell of your righteous
acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion."

In Psalm 119:50 (NIV) he says, "My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life." In Psalm 119:76 (NIV) he says, "May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant."

When all else fails, fall to your knees and cry out to your God! In Malachi 3:7 (NIV) God says, "Return to me, and I will return to you." In James 4:8 (NIV) we're promised, "Come near to God and he will come near to you." And James 4:10 (NIV) continues, "Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up."

Where do we find true comfort and joy?

We don't go to the store to find comfort and joy. We go to God. We take him at his word. We put our hope in his promises. We turn to him in our pain. We humble ourselves. We cry out in prayer. We rend our hearts before God. We repent of our sins. We confess our rebellion. We submit to Christ's baptism for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. But what we don't do is to try to manufacture comfort and joy. Comfort and joy is something we enter into by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 51:3 (NIV) promises, "The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing."

On e-bay there are over 30,000 first generation Ipads on sale. A few years ago, the thought of getting a first generation Ipad brought tidings of comfort and joy to millions. It was the hottest item on sale. People camped outdoors in freezing temperatures to get one. Now people can't get rid of them. We have this Christmas to proclaim everlasting comfort and everlasting joy in Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV) Paul says, "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 have received from God."

Have you tasted God's goodness and power in your life?

Tell your story. Has God rescued you from bankruptcy, unemployment, or financial ruin? I guarantee you that someone needs to hear your story this Christmas.

Has God brought about healing in your marriage, in your family, on in a relationship? Someone out there would be encouraged to know God binds up the brokenhearted!

Has God saved you from Satan's power, though you'd gone astray? There are some wayward souls who need to hear your story of hope and redemption.

Has the truth and power of God's word set your free? Have you found strength to trust in God's promises? Has God's light illuminated your darkened soul?

Have you finally discovered, after all these years of rebellion, that God never gave up on you, that he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and relents from sending calamity? Have you learned that he doesn't punish us as our sins deserve?

Have you experienced the cleansing power of forgiveness that comes through faith, confession, repentance and receiving Christ's baptism?

Have you felt the power of God's Holy Spirit renovating the very fabric of your soul, filling you with greater love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control?

Have you found comfort and strength in Christ though experiencing the tremendous sadness, pain, and grief of losing a loved one?

Has God delivered you from a spirit of depression and despair? Has he granted healing to your physical body, your mental health, your attitude, and your heart?

It would be pretty selfish of us, if having been comforted by Christ in these ways, to keep things to ourselves. If God is accomplishing his sovereign plan in your life, if you know first hand the tidings of comfort and joy then right now, sing!

Now to the Lord sing praises,
all you within this place.
And with true love and brotherhood
each other now embrace.

Comfort others with the comfort you have received from Christ.