Joy in Sabbath Rest
Third Sunday of Advent – December 14, 2025
Psalm 16:7-11 and Philippians 4:4-7
Pastor Jane Shelton
Today is our Third Sunday of Advent, our day to rest in joy. Let’s take just a moment to rest our minds, take a deep breath, and let it out. (Pause)
If you are wondering why one of the candles is pink in the Advent wreath, pink is the color of celebration of what is to come. It’s a preview of the joy that is to come. The joy for which we wait for the coming of God in human form, the birth of Jesus.
I want us to be careful to not confuse happiness with joy, because we might not always have a reason to be happy; however, because God is always with us, we have plenty of reason to experience joy.
If we think back to mid-November when we had the Sunday sermon on Sabbath Rest, and we revisit Genesis 2:2-3 where God completed his work, rested on the seventh day, blessed the day, made it holy, and invited us into that period of rest with him.
Can you imagine that moment of joy with me?
When I think about that scripture, I have this great image of reclining in a field of green being embraced by the sunshine of God. Certainly, that is a picture of joy.
I mean, how more rested can you be than resting in the presence of God, embracing you with security, and comforting you with a warm presence.
Then imagine with me God saying, it’s okay to rest today. You have labored mightily getting things done, doing all the tasks before you. You’ve fed the hungry, tended the field, clothed the unclothed, battled illness, tended the sick, and now, now, it’s time to rest from your labor.
See here’s the difference between happiness and joy because I really want you to understand this.
Happiness, in most cases, is an emotion we get from pursuing something we think will make us happy. For instance, we might experience being happy when we are successful in a career. We might be happy when the Georgia Bulldogs beat Alabama, or we might experience happiness when we are invited to a friend’s house for a party. There are many occasions when we have opportunity to be happy. They are all temporary.
Joy is something totally different. Joy is a deep, internal gladness and satisfaction rooted in God. Let me say that again. It is rooted in God. It’s contentment.
Joy is not fleeting circumstances, rather it comes from the Holy Spirit’s presence, confidence in God’s sovereignty, and hope in Christ, allowing faithful believers to find purpose and rejoice even amidst trials and suffering.
Joy is independent of circumstances because it is a divine fruit and sustained state of well-being that leads us to an active focus on God’s goodness rather than temporary happiness.
When we are facing difficult situations in our lives, it is easy for the human side of us to tell us we should not be happy. Yet, I want you to understand, that even though circumstances may not call for happiness, it doesn’t mean you have to give up your joy that God provides through his grace and mercy.
Joy is not a day of despair or have heartache, it’s a day to bask in the assurance of God’s joy in our lives, despite whatever difficulty we are experiencing.
It’s okay to be disappointed and even angry that things are not as you imagined. Those are natural responses.
There are valid reasons in our lives when it is impossible to be happy, but don’t give up your joy because God is always with you no matter what you are facing or what you are going through.
Joy is what keeps us going because it is knowing God is near.
Paul tells the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord, even during troubles. Rejoicing in the Lord is what got him through the hard days of imprisonment.
The Philippians are experiencing their own external threats, internal strife, and hardships of life, and Paul wanted them to focus on Christ, not turn away from him when they needed him most.
Hold on to the joy of the Lord because there are goodness and blessings from God, even when things are going badly.
One of my commentaries stated it this way, “It’s not about rejoicing in place of dealing with what is going on around us. It’s not about rejoicing through gritted teeth and sarcasm. It’s about the goodness of God.”
Paul explains that we are not to view pain and conflict as the last word, rather look to God and the remarkable things God has done.
Looking at our Advent reading this week on Isaac Watts’ “Joy to the World,” we consider the third verse,
‘No more let sin and sorrow grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground:
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.’
In this verse we find the good news of true joy – a God come to us in human form, Christ, to take on the curse of our sin so that we might live knowing the power of death and resurrection of Christ. In knowing this, we find hope and peace.
God loved us enough to come to us in human form to walk with us, teach us, love us, and nurture us. The last thing God will do is abandon us. Knowing this is having JOY WITHIN!
And so, we wait. We rest. And we recognize that Advent season is a time when we again become aware of the nearness of God. That nearness brings hope and peace, encouragement and strength, and it is everlasting.
So, as we find ourselves in the rush of Christmas shopping and decorating and cooking, and dealing with grief and illness, just press pause, and take a moment to sit down and rest in the presence of God. Sit down and say, “God, I feel joy because I know you are near. I don’t have to pretend to be happy, because I know the things that you can do in my life, and I trust you to take care of me.”
(Pause)
May we all rejoice this Advent season in knowing our Lord is near.