In Advent, we celebrate in particular four gifts we receive from Christ:  hope, peace, joy and love.  Last Sunday was third week in Advent, and Joy is the theme.  What a gift? 

But what is joy?  In his sermon, Greg asked, what are the signs of joy in your life?  A big car or a fancy house?  Your financial position or power and prestige?  

There are many ways to get at this issue from a secular perspective, but really there's only one way to answer it from a Christian one?  What is the bedrock, the foundation for joy as the sacred scriptures define it?  That's what last Sunday's sermon was all about.

The prophet Zephaniah begins to flesh it out in his eponymous book in the OT, which provides the scriptural text for last Sunday's sermon.  We'll reread that text in our study.  

The apostle John hits us with a lightning bolt when he writes the text of what is referenced as John 3:16!  Therein is his answer.  You know it by heart. He comes at it from a different angle in Revelation 3:20, wherein he records the words of Christ:  "I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me."  

Matthew the evangelist provides us with a different take on it, when he records these words of Jesus:  "Come to me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am gentle and humble inheart and you will find rest for your soul.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30)

There is a common thread running through these passages.  It is the common ground of true and everlasting JOY.  What is it?  It is not a function of circumstances: it doesn't exist only in good times and dissipate in bad.  Joy runs from a deep spring.  It is ......... 

I want you to discuss and discover the bedrock of JOY together.  You probably remember it from Greg's sermon, and hopefully knew about it long before. 

May God continue to bless you richly, especially during this Christmas season, as you in turn become a blessing to others.

Michael