Joy to the World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her king… thus begins the famous hymn “Joy to the World”, published by Isaac Watts in 1719.
That famous hymn was written and based on Psalm 98, our Psalm for today. It has most likely been sung as much as, or more than, any other Psalm because “Joy to the World” is based upon it.
Psalm 98 has been called the “theological heart” of the book of Psalms. It is the Psalm that is used for Christmas day in all three years of the Revised Common lectionary, the Easter Vigil in all three lectionary cycles, and here on the Sixth Sunday of Easter.
What makes this Psalm appropriate for all of these days is the message of Psalm 98 - that God is present in the world for the purpose of establishing justice - that God has done marvelous things and that God is setting things right and will do so with equity - verse. 10.
There is joy in this Psalm - joy from the knowledge that God has done marvelous things - God has made known his victory, and in his righteousness he will make all things right.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her king…
The second verse, Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns, let all their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy…
But joy, and joy to the earth specifically can evade us on some days. Or perhaps many days. Do we feel the joy of the earth? Do we connect with spring? And summer and fall, watching and fully experiencing the earth as it grows and shifts? Do we recognize our Creator in it?
Psalm 98 is used on our most holy seasons and days because it speaks to the marvelous things God has done and it speaks to God’s righteousness - it speaks to the fact that in righteousness God will judge the world and all people with equity.
My youngest daughter is behind in a class at school and is going to have to take a summer class. Another daughter was grumbling about this because when she asked her sister how she was going to pay for it, she said, “Mom is”. Well, Mom is going to do her best to help her - but grumbling daughter - who had not received mom’s help with extra tuition and extra rent money - was bemoaning the unfairness of this transaction. (and I do not disagree with her) that it is seemingly unfair. And maybe is unfair.
It does not seem right or fair or equal. But I shared with her that in treatment of children and others, sometimes treating them “fairly” does not mean “equally”. Maybe in treating them with equity or equally, I would not be treating them fairly.
What do I mean by this? Sometimes in treating someone “fair” you may not treat them exactly the same as someone else. Because they are different and what they need may be different than what someone else needs. It may take someone a little longer to read and process test questions - so we give them longer. Some may retain information more easily if they hear it audibly, rather than read it - so we have created a whole “audible” system for things. Fairness does not always equal the same treatment or requirement - different people have different needs and come from different places and sometimes we need to hold these things in consideration.
The point here, what God is saying in the Psalm is - verse 10 - “In righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with equity.” We can rest in the knowledge that God in God’s righteousness, will judge the world and sort things out with equity. WE do not need to be worried about these things. Sometimes things going on in the world and in our own lives, may not seem fair to us. As they did not seem fair in the book of Acts today.
In Acts 10 today, while Peter was speaking the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. And the circumcised believers (Jewish people), “were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” Acts 10:44-45
That didn’t seem right or fair. 1. The Gentiles had not been circumcised as the law required and 2. They have not been through all the trials and troubles we (the nation of Israel) have had to endure - they coming late - they have not suffered as we have suffered - walked where we have walked!!
Psalm 98:10, “In righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with equity.”
God’s gracious goodness to the whole world may shock you at times. At times you may be astounded. But may you be “astounded” and not “indignant”.
The Gospel passage in John today brings us back to the Last Supper, which is where John’s discourse today picks up, and we hear the words again where we are told to abide in God’s love as Jesus continues to speak to his disciples around the table that evening. We are reminded again, that we are commanded to love one another; that we are chosen by God and that we must bear fruit.
This is the second part of the “Vine and the Branches” discussion that was begun last week. Last week we were told that Jesus is the vine and we are branches, and we are to abide in Him - this week we shift into the metaphor a little more and we are told that we are to abide in God’s love as we abide on the vine.
It may seem as if Jesus is repeating himself, and our lectionary is covering the same material. This speaks to the importance of what Jesus was conveying to his disciples and to us.
We are a community that has been commanded and called to love. Jesus says he no longer calls us servants, but he calls us friends.
And Jesus says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you…”
Love is embodied in how we are and who we are. Jesus calls us to love, and Jesus calls us friends - what does it look like to be a friend?
Friends are those people who come in when the whole world goes out. Friends are those who are there for you when no one else seems to be. Friends tend to be those who we experience most of life with.
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” Jesus says. Jesus is not asking us to ‘lay down our lives”, as he did for us, but he was letting his disciples know that when he did this, there was no greater love ever shown.
And they were friends and no longer servants because “he had made known everything to them everything he had heard from the father.”
Friends share things with another. Friends want the best for one another. And friends know stuff about you. Friends are the people you do life with.
Laying down one’s life for one’s friends does not mean you are required to “die” for another, but it means being present for each other in times of threat and crisis.
In grief, in other times in our lives, it is our friends who help bring us through. They show up. Be a person who shows up. It is an act of love. Change your plans for your Saturday. Be present. Go spend time with your people who need you.
To be Jesus’ friend is to be loved by him and then to love as Jesus has loved. “Jesus’ words about laying down his life articulate the very real choices that he makes for his own life and that guide his relationships in the world.” And they should guide our relationships in the world. Lay down your life for your friends. Be there - be present when they need you.
When we are younger, we dream about what our lives will look like - the things we are going to do. When we get older we realize our lives are made from everyday things. It is the daily living that makes up our lives.
Make wise choices in our daily living. Wise choices on how you spend your time - showing up when you need too - we are all in this together - lay down your life for your friends when you need to. The community of God is about abiding together, abiding in Him, and obeying his commandments to love one another.
God loves the whole world. We are commanded to love one another. And to recognize the creation sings.
Joy to the world… the Lord has come. Let earth receive her king.
Amen.
That famous hymn was written and based on Psalm 98, our Psalm for today. It has most likely been sung as much as, or more than, any other Psalm because “Joy to the World” is based upon it.
Psalm 98 has been called the “theological heart” of the book of Psalms. It is the Psalm that is used for Christmas day in all three years of the Revised Common lectionary, the Easter Vigil in all three lectionary cycles, and here on the Sixth Sunday of Easter.
What makes this Psalm appropriate for all of these days is the message of Psalm 98 - that God is present in the world for the purpose of establishing justice - that God has done marvelous things and that God is setting things right and will do so with equity - verse. 10.
There is joy in this Psalm - joy from the knowledge that God has done marvelous things - God has made known his victory, and in his righteousness he will make all things right.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her king…
The second verse, Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns, let all their songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy…
But joy, and joy to the earth specifically can evade us on some days. Or perhaps many days. Do we feel the joy of the earth? Do we connect with spring? And summer and fall, watching and fully experiencing the earth as it grows and shifts? Do we recognize our Creator in it?
Psalm 98 is used on our most holy seasons and days because it speaks to the marvelous things God has done and it speaks to God’s righteousness - it speaks to the fact that in righteousness God will judge the world and all people with equity.
My youngest daughter is behind in a class at school and is going to have to take a summer class. Another daughter was grumbling about this because when she asked her sister how she was going to pay for it, she said, “Mom is”. Well, Mom is going to do her best to help her - but grumbling daughter - who had not received mom’s help with extra tuition and extra rent money - was bemoaning the unfairness of this transaction. (and I do not disagree with her) that it is seemingly unfair. And maybe is unfair.
It does not seem right or fair or equal. But I shared with her that in treatment of children and others, sometimes treating them “fairly” does not mean “equally”. Maybe in treating them with equity or equally, I would not be treating them fairly.
What do I mean by this? Sometimes in treating someone “fair” you may not treat them exactly the same as someone else. Because they are different and what they need may be different than what someone else needs. It may take someone a little longer to read and process test questions - so we give them longer. Some may retain information more easily if they hear it audibly, rather than read it - so we have created a whole “audible” system for things. Fairness does not always equal the same treatment or requirement - different people have different needs and come from different places and sometimes we need to hold these things in consideration.
The point here, what God is saying in the Psalm is - verse 10 - “In righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with equity.” We can rest in the knowledge that God in God’s righteousness, will judge the world and sort things out with equity. WE do not need to be worried about these things. Sometimes things going on in the world and in our own lives, may not seem fair to us. As they did not seem fair in the book of Acts today.
In Acts 10 today, while Peter was speaking the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. And the circumcised believers (Jewish people), “were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” Acts 10:44-45
That didn’t seem right or fair. 1. The Gentiles had not been circumcised as the law required and 2. They have not been through all the trials and troubles we (the nation of Israel) have had to endure - they coming late - they have not suffered as we have suffered - walked where we have walked!!
Psalm 98:10, “In righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with equity.”
God’s gracious goodness to the whole world may shock you at times. At times you may be astounded. But may you be “astounded” and not “indignant”.
The Gospel passage in John today brings us back to the Last Supper, which is where John’s discourse today picks up, and we hear the words again where we are told to abide in God’s love as Jesus continues to speak to his disciples around the table that evening. We are reminded again, that we are commanded to love one another; that we are chosen by God and that we must bear fruit.
This is the second part of the “Vine and the Branches” discussion that was begun last week. Last week we were told that Jesus is the vine and we are branches, and we are to abide in Him - this week we shift into the metaphor a little more and we are told that we are to abide in God’s love as we abide on the vine.
It may seem as if Jesus is repeating himself, and our lectionary is covering the same material. This speaks to the importance of what Jesus was conveying to his disciples and to us.
We are a community that has been commanded and called to love. Jesus says he no longer calls us servants, but he calls us friends.
And Jesus says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you…”
Love is embodied in how we are and who we are. Jesus calls us to love, and Jesus calls us friends - what does it look like to be a friend?
Friends are those people who come in when the whole world goes out. Friends are those who are there for you when no one else seems to be. Friends tend to be those who we experience most of life with.
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” Jesus says. Jesus is not asking us to ‘lay down our lives”, as he did for us, but he was letting his disciples know that when he did this, there was no greater love ever shown.
And they were friends and no longer servants because “he had made known everything to them everything he had heard from the father.”
Friends share things with another. Friends want the best for one another. And friends know stuff about you. Friends are the people you do life with.
Laying down one’s life for one’s friends does not mean you are required to “die” for another, but it means being present for each other in times of threat and crisis.
In grief, in other times in our lives, it is our friends who help bring us through. They show up. Be a person who shows up. It is an act of love. Change your plans for your Saturday. Be present. Go spend time with your people who need you.
To be Jesus’ friend is to be loved by him and then to love as Jesus has loved. “Jesus’ words about laying down his life articulate the very real choices that he makes for his own life and that guide his relationships in the world.” And they should guide our relationships in the world. Lay down your life for your friends. Be there - be present when they need you.
When we are younger, we dream about what our lives will look like - the things we are going to do. When we get older we realize our lives are made from everyday things. It is the daily living that makes up our lives.
Make wise choices in our daily living. Wise choices on how you spend your time - showing up when you need too - we are all in this together - lay down your life for your friends when you need to. The community of God is about abiding together, abiding in Him, and obeying his commandments to love one another.
God loves the whole world. We are commanded to love one another. And to recognize the creation sings.
Joy to the world… the Lord has come. Let earth receive her king.
Amen.