Title: Joy and Anticipation                                                                                 Calvary 121309
Text Zeph 3:14-20

A recent poll by the PEW Research Center finds that more Americans are bothered by the commercialism of Christmas than in past years. 52 percent of Americans responded that they were bothered at least to some degree by the commercialism of Christmas.

For many, Christmas has become a time to buy and receive gifts. As Christians, our focus on the birth of Christ is sometimes challenged by the distractions around us.

Source:  Yahoo News, Dec. 23, 2008, anon., Learn more
Posted Thursday, December 25, 2008 at 8:00:43 AM. Contributed by Melissa Haveman.

It is getting more and more difficult to focus on the anticipation and excitement of the birth of Jesus. It is at this time of year when we are supposed to be excited and should be looking forward to this incredible gift that God has given us in Jesus Christ. But that becomes challenging when we are rushing to decorate our homes, finish our Christmas shopping and struggling through traffic on the streets and in the stores.

 Zephaniah lived about 400 years after the Temple in Jerusalem was built. Over the years, God’s people forgot about God. Their worship had grown cold. So, God raised up a king, Josiah, who read a copy of God’s word, something that had been ignored for decades. Josiah was broken. So, he and this prophet, Zephaniah, called the people to revival.   King Josiah 640-609 b.c.

We are about 2 weeks away from Christmas, and there is this excitement about presents and decorations, and anticipation for a wonderful time with family and friends, but at the center of all that, the reason we have all these celebrations, is the excitement and anticipation of a birthday like no other, the birthday of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Survey of parents and grandparents about anticipation of 1st child or grandchild

2- And in this anticipation comes the joy, joy that is to be expressed in our singing and even dancing.
Several months ago in good housekeeping magazine there was an article titled “how to be happy.” It said Millions of individuals all over the world seek happiness.
Psychologists say that happiness comes from a combination of fun and meaning. Researchers have examined what makes people happy and they’ve found some common themes.
They recommend that if you want to find happiness you develop an attitude of gratitude, help others, share your love, forgive others, and avoid trying to buy happiness. Losing yourself in the moment, seeking out positives, and accepting that you are imperfect can also help you find happiness.

Source:  Good Housekeeping, Jan. 08, Stacy Weiner,
Posted Saturday, December 29, 2007 at 9:24:10 PM. Contributed by Melissa Haveman.

A Christian lifestyle that is focused on what God desires of us, helps us on our quest for happiness. Many of the recommendations are actions that we should already be doing as Christians: being grateful for what God has given us, sharing God’s love, helping others, and recognize that we are imperfect beings and that true happiness only comes from God.

Most importantly we are to do these things with joy and celebration, are we coming into worship and into this season of Christmas looking like the kid who’s mom made him/her go to church, kicking and screaming?
Are we singing “joy to the world” with true joy and happiness or with un-enthusiasm?

Story of King David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant …Michal (Saul’s daughter)

Our text this morning begins by telling us “SING aloud, O daughter Zion; SHOUT, O Israel! REJOICE  and  EXULT  with ALL YOUR HEART”

Isa echo’s these same words in Chapter 12, he said, “The Lord is my strength and my SONG; he has become my salvation.
SING to the Lord, for he has done glorious things. Let this be known to all the world. SHOUT aloud and  SING FOR JOY, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

And why all this joy, and singing? The Prophet Zephaniah gives us one great reason, and just to make sure we don’t miss it he tells it to us twice.
Vs. 15 “The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst”
Vs. 17 “The Lord, your God, is in your midst”

This happiness and joy, is for one reason and one reason only. It is because God himself is “in our midst.” That is what we are anticipating, that is what we are celebrating and that is why we are rejoicing with shouts of joy.

The people if Israel knew that God was already present it’s not like God wasn’t with them before, but the anticipation of the coming of the Messiah was a special celebration because God himself was going to appear to them, and to us, in a way that we can physically see, hear and touch.

It’s as if God said, I’ve tried to bring them closer to me through the words of prophets, miracles, and other things and still they are struggling. I love and care for them so much that if they can’t come to me, I will go to them.

3- That brings us to the most exiting point that God conveys to us in this text.
It is that God himself, sings and dances with us. The joy of God is found all throughout scripture but I think many times it is overlooked. We hear how we should be happy and glad, but forget to recognize that the Lord rejoices over us and with us.

The book of Zephaniah is a small book in the middle of the bible that easily gets forgotten. But if you remember nothing else about this prophet or this particular book, remember this verse, 3:17
“The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing”

Too many of us believe that God is a “ticked off” God. Yes, He’s just. Yes, He’s holy. And yes, He disciplines his children. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to know that through Christ Jesus, God delights in His people.

As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
Isaiah 62:5 (ESV)

God as a father watching his children dance and sing. He is not silently observing from a distance, but claps, perhaps gets up holds their hands and dances and laughs out loud with them. That is the God that is portrayed for us here and in many other places in scripture.

God has emotions and feelings. Not like ours. We’ve been affected by sin. His passion is pure. His heart beats with warmth and affection toward His children.

You are so loved by God, that Jesus himself walks with you…
Would it make a difference for you if every day you lived as though Jesus were really living life with you? That He was working where you work, living where you live, playing where you play, and shopping where you shop… and feeling what you feel?

The whole message of the Bible is that God is not “out there” somewhere. He is close. And when we get that into our heads and hearts, it can make all the difference.
The LORD your God is in your midst.

He is in our midst. He’s near you to support you, to assist you, to strengthen you. He’s close. That’s the message of Christmas, isn’t it?

I am so loved… that Jesus walks with me.