“CHRISTMAS: Why We Rejoice!” Message notes (Luke 1 & 2) Pastor Curt Audet 12/21/25
3rd in the 3 message series: Christmas 2025
BI: We experience rejoicing as the message of Christmas becomes the testimony of our life.
In spite of record colds and snows for the Chicagoland area in late November and into December, the Christmas season still comes through as ‘the most wonderful time of the year’. What makes its so, you might ask?
Some things that increase the wonder of the season are songs focused on peace and joy; blinking lights brightening up the dark winter scenery; blankets of snow for sledding, snowboarding; well thought out gift-giving among family and friends. For myself, on top of each of these things, I appreciate the movement between cold and wind outside, to heat and hot chocolate inside.
“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” says the song that remains a popular Christmas song though written and produced 62 years ago in 1963 by Edward Pola and George Wyle. It was recorded and released that year by pop singer Andy Williams for his first Christmas album, with Columbia Records. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” has endured on pop singles charts around the world, surprisingly rising in the 2020s. So far, it peaked at #5 on the US Billboard Hot-100 singles chart in 2020; followed by #9 on the UK Singles Chart in 2021. Its enduring quality is in capturing the ‘mood’ of a happy season.
Moments Captured In The Song ‘It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year’
Kids jingle belling
Everyone telling you ‘Be of good cheer!’
Holiday greetings
Fun, happy meetings
When friends come to call
Parties for hosting
Marshmallows for toasting
Caroling out in the snow
Stories of the glories of Christmases long time ago
Much mistltoeing
Its Hap-Happiest day of the year!
This is why people resonate with the ‘good will’ and ‘good feelings’ of Christmas trees, festive lighting and even the folklore of Saint Nick and Santa Claus. It produces a good feeling of happiness.
Happiness is a temporal state of good feeling, well-being and a sense of contentment. Like everything is ok! Happiness is provoked by pleasurable and satisfying life experiences. Pursuit of happiness is real. Happiness is a blessing for as long as it counts you its friend.
In Mary’s Song known as the Magnificat in Luke 1, the mother of Jesus Christ our Savior expresses not just ‘good feelings’ and ‘happiness’ but another level called ‘rejoicing’ or simply, ‘joy’. To rejoice is to re-fill your soul with deep, high quality joy. Mary expresses this way:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.” (Luke 1:47-48)
Similarly, the shepherds who sang their ‘Shepherds Song’, did not just experience a passing happiness, or a holly jolly holiday vibe, but they encountered a life altering ‘joy’.
…There were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising Godfor all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:8-20)
In both examples, the people who burst into song are exuberant, and excited about the angel’s announcement. It is not a small announcement for the Shepherds who parked their cars in the wrong spot blocking traffic. It was not even an emergency bulletin warning of the onslaught of another 10” winter storm. Mary’s was a unique announcement of her child’s birth to be sure. The announcement given by the angels was significant:
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)
They are promising that this substantial announcement has some serious news content. We are seeing something bigger, and greater than passing happiness can provide.
I. We rejoice over Christmas and its substantial announcement to Mary. What did Mary learn from her two angelic announcements? Her view of God magnified in her soul—meaning her faith increased dramatically—and her spirit rejoiced in God her Savior. See some of the content in her Song:
God—her Creator and her Savior—paid critical attention to her. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant. (Lk 1:47-48)
God chose her to be the surrogate mother of God the Son, Jesus. “For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.” (v.48-49)
God extended His mercy to Mary forgiving her sin as she humbly trusted Him. “And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate” (v.50-52)
God blessed Mary and her people—the children of Abraham, the
people of Israel, many also responded with humble belief in Him. God fulfilled His promises He made to and through Abraham. “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (v.53-55) In recent times we have seen a wicked uptick in anti-semitism—violence and hatred of the people of Israel. God has promised that those who bless the people of Israel will be blessed and those who harm the people of Israel will be harmed. This will dominate in news to come. Be careful which side of God’s promises you end up on.
I. We rejoice over Christmas and its substantial announcement to the Shepherds. What did the shepherds learn from the angelic announcements on Christmas morning itself? Their view of God magnified in their soul too—their faith increased. The shepherds returned to their homes and work changed, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen of Jesus, their Lord and Savior. See some of the content in their Song:
Christmas was a supernatural act of God. It is not folk lore, its not warm and fuzzy; its not a made-up holiday. To be fair, we are aware that the best date for the events of Christmas most likely do not fit on the calendar date of December 25th. The conception of Jesus was the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. “There were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.” (Lk 2:8-9) The fear of the Lord is a good start opening into faith. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Angels heralded Jesus’ birth both in speech and song.
The promised Lord and Anointed Savior was born on Christmas morning in a real time and place. In Bethlehem, Israel, about 6 miles south of Jerusalem. You can visit the site today. The Savior is for all people who repent of their sin and turn to trust Jesus. “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (v.10-12)
The baby Jesus is God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. He is worshipped here by angels and people. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!’” (v.13-14; tie with John 1:1-4, 14)
The record of the birth of Jesus is accurate and real historical record; not a fairy tale like Santa, reindeer etc. “When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them . . . And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (v.15-18,20)
III. We rejoice over Christ and the good news of great joy for all people. (Luke 2:10) Werejoice in Christmas because the story is real, verified and trustworthy. Therefore, it is not fiction, and the implications have profound application in our lives. In Christ—because of Christmas we have so much to rejoice over.
Its important that we understand: There is a difference between what we call ‘happiness’ and what the Bible calls ‘joy’.
Happiness = A lightening of the mood.
A much appreciated change of the focus or distraction from trouble. Like this candy bar satisfies the taste buds and puts a smile on my face, so happiness is temporal based on improved events to change the mood. You may have somewhere in your home, in your car, in the woods or elsewhere that you have designated as your ‘happy place’. This place is a moment of solitude, or a place to think or with a person that makes you feel good. These are blessings from God through normal and familial situations.
Rejoicing / Joy = A lifting of the burden.
An inner, deep contentment and peace in us that results from having the weight and consequence of our own sin lifted from our souls. First we must have peace with God—then we can live experiencing the peace of God. The peace of God protects our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus producing Joy and its components of peace and hope and rest for your soul—abundantly, temporally and eternally.. [Demonstrate the 50# bag vs. the Snicker’s Bar.]
Jesus came to seek and save lost humanity under the weight of sin, condemnation and alienation from God. He invites you and I:
“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Joy is ‘rest for your soul’. We experience rejoicing as the message of Christmas becomes the testimony of our life.
There is no Christmas apart from the Good News of Great Joy announced by the angels.
Is the peace with God yours this Christmas?
Closing Prayer
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