Sermon, December 1, 2019

Isaiah 2:2-5; Matthew 24:36-44 “Joy to the World: Make Room for the King”

Rev. Dr. Brian Jones

When I was in college, I had a professor say that two of the universal laws are that nature hates a vacuum, and that the universe is always expanding. He says you can look at how the universe tends to fill the empty spots, and that the universe tends to be expanding. He also says that explains the rooms of most teenagers. What he really meant was, there is a tendency to fill our plate, our empty spaces, with stuff. And that the stuff, over time, will expand. He went onto say, “please don’t think I am picking on our teens”. Frankly, a good many of us in the class were still teens. It’s true for anyone. He said it’s true for your desk, it’s true for your house. If you aren’t careful, you will fill it with stuff. Before long, your desk, your attic, spare rooms, will become filled with more and more stuff. And it expands if you aren’t trying to control it. If we aren’t careful, we will fill our spaces. And it’s not that we are greedy. It’s just that our stuff can begin to spill over covering things up. Expand. And having a lot of clutter can make it difficult to function. We all know what it's like to look for a document when it's buried on a desk or got moved somewhere because its’ universe expanded. It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Maybe that’s why decluttering experts have become so popular. This is Marie Kondo, a popular personality who helps people figure out the art of decluttering. Now, I want to freely admit, I have never watched her. But I’ve read a bit about what her theory is. So I am going to need your help. If anyone has seen her, she asks people to value their stuff, their clutter, by asking what does it, what? Spark Joy. That’s one of her main points. If you have something just to have it, that’s probably not a good idea. But if it sparks joy, then keep it. Get rid of the clutter, and keep only the things that spark joy. I think that’s a pretty good mantra. I have to admit, one can do worse than going through life and asking does this spark joy. I’m going to get rid of most of the things in my house, and replace them with pie. Pie sparks joy for me. Or bacon. I don’t know the end table sparks joy in me, but I know bacon does. Of course, you have to be careful to keep the things that spark joy. My wife did watch her show and decided to live by that. She carried me out of the house three separate times before I got her to stop. I’m kidding. But I have to admit, there is some good if unintentional theology behind the idea. Too much clutter in one’s life can dampen joy. And that life is too short to allow the clutter to keep us from experiencing a spark of joy in our lives. This morning, we have entered the season of Advent. We are in preparation for the coming of Christ as we move closer into the Christmas season. This year is also the 300th anniversary of the writing of Joy to The world. 300 years. Just imagine that. Think of all the things that have happened over the past 300 years since Isaac Watts wrote that hymn. By the way, this is Isaac Watts’ grave just across the street from John Wesley's home at The Foundry. Wesley could write and look out his window and set this commentary. But think of all the things that have happened in 300 years, 1791 until now. Revolutions and plagues. Natural disasters. Revolutions. Civil war. Two world wars, famines, disease, economic success and collapse. And yet, through the brightest and the darkest moments for three hundred years, the church has gathered, and regardless of their circumstances they have sung Joy to The World. The Lord has come. Why? Because we understand there is nothing in our lives that sparks more joy than this. The birth of Jesus who has come to save the world. At least that’s the way it’s supposed to be. In theory. But for some of us, joy isn’t that easy to come by. And while we may sing it, just singing it doesn't always make it so. For some of us, this is the first Christmas we have spent without a loved one. And we want to celebrate, we want to have joy, but try as we might, we can’t seem to find it. And when we do start to have some joy, we quickly snuff it out, feeling we’ve been inappropriate to our loved one's memory. For some of us, this has been a difficult, even a tumultuous year. And life this year is much different than it was last year at this time. We find ourselves having to get used to the new normal for ourselves and others. And even when we find ourselves being able to accept the new normal for our lives, it doesn’t mean we have to like it. Family members have expanded or moved, our health or the health of loved ones keeps us from being able to hold to beloved times or get together or traditions. Job or economic factors may keep us from being able to be with others or may keep so from bake celebrating the way we would like to. Why, even guilt can snuff out our joy. We live by other's expectations of what we should be doing at Christmas, how we should be feeling, how we should be acting, and when we don’t or can’t, we find ourselves feeling guilty. And few things can throw a bucket of water on our joy faster than guilt. So what are we to do? How can we find joy? Well, let’s go back to our gospel lesson this morning, Mathew shares the ministry of John the Baptist. And John’s message was twofold. The Messiah is coming. And you need to get ready. Make the paths straight, move out the rocks. In other word, the Messiah is coming, but will you remove the clutter so He can come into your life? Isaac Watts wrote the same thing in the first verse of this beautiful Christmas carol. Let heaven and earth what? Prepare Him room. Oh Marie Kondo had nothing on John the Baptist or good old Isaac Watts. Let heaven and earth prepare Him room. In other words, you have to get rid of the clutter in order for the Messiah to come and spark joy into your life. So this morning, I want to task you, are you making room? Are you getting rid of the clutter? Does the coming of Jesus, Christmas, spark joy in your life? Advent is a time to get ready. And when we have family and friends coming over, what do we do, we get the house ready, we move the clutter. Should we not move the clutter and let Jesus spark joy in your life? So how do we remove the things that don't spark joy in our lives? Let me give you a few thoughts this morning. First, remove the clutter of other people's expectations and how you should react. If you have lost a loved one, this Christmas is going to be more difficult for you this year, that’s fine. You don’t owe anyone a false sense of “everything’s OK” It’s Ok to low key it this Christmas if that’s the case for you. Own it. Look, joy can come in a lot of different ways. And in a rough year, if there is grief, that spark of joy might look different. It might be more about peace. It might be more that you realize Jesus is with you. That’s He is healing you. Don’t let the clutter of other's perceptions keep the joy out of your life. Let go of the clutter of the inability to say no. Let me give you the some secret information. You don’t have to do everything this Advent and Christmas season. Unless you want to. You don’t have to drive yourself crazy going to every event. You don't have to fill every waking moment with busyness of yourself or for your family. Pick the things that are the most meaningful, and say no to the others. Don’t exhaust yourself. Exhausting and filling the every bit of time can snuff joy out of your life. Remember not the what, but the Who of the season. It’s about Jesus. He is why the church has sung for 300 years Joy to The world. Not because of our circumstances. But because Jesus has come. Nothing will spark more joy in your life than not letting the rut of this season invade your heart and home. Center your life and your advent on getting rid of the clutter so he may come in a new way into your life. And let him truly spark joy. Amen.