Joy to the World | Advent 2025

Joy lands differently when the holidays feel heavy. We open with a simple question—do you have joy?—and trace a path from the crowded streets of Bethlehem to the burned gates of Jerusalem to show how joy is not a mood that drifts with circumstance but a strength that rises from trust. Mary and Joseph say yes without guarantees. Shepherds, the outsiders, are welcomed first. Nehemiah builds under threat and still tells the people, the joy of the Lord is your strength. That thread runs straight into our lives with deadlines, grief, and the quiet ache of feeling alone in a full room.

We break down the difference between happiness and joy in plain terms: happiness depends on what happens, joy flows from who holds you. Then we get practical with three anchors. Joy abounds—God does not ration it—so we approach each day with open hands and daily rhythms that receive fresh hope. Joy is medicine—your spirit needs praise like your body needs breath—so singing even softly can shift a room and a heart. Joy is strength—trust loosens our grip on control—so fear shrinks when our future rests with the One who sees it all. Along the way we sit with scripture, from Luke’s good news to Isaiah’s resolve, and name habits that make this more than theory: morning prayer, small acts of generosity, quick apologies, and community that keeps us steady.

We also create space for a real decision. Not a checkbox, but a relationship that begins with confession and belief, and grows through daily steps. The cross turns fear into freedom and proves that grace outlasts anger. If the season feels like too much, you are not late and you are not alone. Come close, receive what you cannot earn, and walk with us as joy becomes your engine. If this resonates, share it with someone who needs strength today, follow the show for more hope-forward conversations, and leave a review so others can find their way to joy.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Do You Have Joy
• 1:09 When Christmas Feels Heavy
• 2:23 Joy Beyond Circumstances
• 4:55 Nehemiah And Strength In Joy
• 7:12 Angels, Shepherds, And Good News
• 9:03 Mary’s Perspective In Song
• 10:35 Three Takeaways On Joy
• 13:07 Joy As Medicine And Practice
• 15:00 Trust, Control, And Morning Joy
• 17:15 Invitation To Follow Jesus
• 19:20 Prayer, Next Steps, And Blessing

Transcript

Jason Brown: 0:00

Merry Christmas. Today we're asking that question: Do you have joy? We've been looking at the nativity scene and all the different stories that come together into the narrative, each one of them having their own journey, their own story that mends together, becomes this tapestry of wonder that we get to celebrate at Christmas time about. And it's interesting because each one of those, they have their own doubts, they have their own struggle, they have their own way in which the miracle is answered, and they get to experience the Christ child. For us, we respond to that same question today in this question of do you, do I, do we have joy? Now, what we know is that so often during this Christmas time, there can be those that they are actually not experiencing the warmth and and all the celebratory feelings that we want to have. In fact, they are the counter to that. They're experiencing a loss or they're experiencing a feeling of being downtrodden and feeling depressed. They're feeling anxiety, they're struggling with what's going on. Even in the midst of a crowd, they can feel alone. And I think so often we have to recognize that and be those that reach out to them and to be those that encourage others that we are not alone in this process, that we're called to be the community of God, the people of God, and be those that are lifting each other up, not just looking to ourselves, but also looking outside of ourselves. You know, it made me think about this idea and this uh this meme you guys might have seen about the emo reindeer. Have you guys seen this one? You might have seen it. Um, you know, the guy who's filming it over this neighbor's fence is like, Felice Navita. You know, for the 90s and early 2000s rock kid that I grew up being, you know, this is like I can relate, you know what I mean? Woe is him. You know, he didn't get the position he wanted as the reindeer up front, whatever's going on. You guys know what I'm talking about. It's like, whoa. And that was what we how we were, you know, a little bit angsty, a little bit full of, you know, the emotional rock of that kind of era. And, you know, you'd go through all the toils, the tribulations of living a hard life in the suburbs of Phoenix. Whoa. You know, meanwhile, you know, God's grace had been able to like be over in 70 countries and you see real need, real hunger, real difficulty. And what's interesting about that is in the midst of all those things, you still see people with joy on their face that it doesn't matter they don't have shoes on their feet, they still have joy in their heart. And their face will let you know about it. They might not have had a meal that morning, but they still have joy in their spirit because they have not let their circumstances dictate to them how they're going to feel. And so it puts a very strong uh check against those of us who are toiling with the difficulties that we have whenever they're really not difficulties. You know, it made me start to think as we kind of got a little bit older and passed through the phase of childhood where the focus is on presents and getting presents, and it started being about time spent with families. It's about started being about those activities that you do together. My brother and I, once we started having jobs and some money in our pocket, we we forewent, you know, trying to hide a present or surprise somebody at Christmas. We would just go hang out together and go to the mall and find like a you know a fire fit for Christmas, you know what I mean? Because we're young guys and you got to be out there, try to find that missus in your heart. You know what I'm talking about? You'd be like, what's up, girl? Felice Navidad. Get the fit. Hey, it worked, guys. I got married, I got three kids. I mean, what's up? You guys don't know about it. In truth, what we know is that what Pastor Slesh shared with us earlier this year, that joy is greater than happiness. Because happiness is dictated by how we feel about the moment, whereas our joy is an engine from the inside and our spirit from God. And so it can dictate totally different around us how we feel about the situation because we know our value that we have because God has created us in his image. He's called us his sons and daughters, he's elevated us from the disaster of our own consequences and our own decision making. He's one, he's made us a new creation, the scripture says. Means washed off all the sin and the muck and the mire and all those things that otherwise we would carry on ourselves, the guilt that we would carry from our mistakes. And God creates us and makes us new. And friends, it starts to change things for us because then we start to be motivated by the joy of the Lord. It starts to be something from within us, not dictated by the happiness of our fleeting memories and experiences that we that we're walking through day to day. It starts to be something that that comes and wells up from inside. You know, we earlier this summer we talked about the minor prophets and we looked at the story of Nehemiah. You know, he chose to leave a very high position as a cupbearer for the king and actually go back to Jerusalem, which was in shambles. All the gates had been burned, the city was destroyed, it was left in pieces, and the people didn't, they no longer were living the way of God. And so he goes back to restore these things, understanding he's going into a nightmare. Anybody ever walked into a situation you knew was a nightmare before you got there? You walk into your work situation, maybe a project gets handed off to you from someone else, or you're walking into circumstances that you know it's gonna be hard. And what we understand about that, it's not the situation that dictates to us how we're gonna feel, but that we can be those that instead stand in the joy of the Lord. The scripture says this as we look to it here in Nehemiah. It says in Nehemiah 8:10, he said to them, Go your way, eat the eat the fat and drink sweet wine, and send portions to everyone who has nothing ready. For this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Friends, what he was dealing with in that day was that they had found the Word of God and they were reading the Word of God, and it was encouraging them to live for Him with His characteristics in the midst of being attacked on all sides and the threat that was very real to them and the big project that they had in front of them. None of that was weighing them down. Instead, what they were focused on is that the joy of the Lord would be their strength. And you say that with me? The joy of the Lord is our strength. And whenever we start to have that attitude and we start to talk about it from that perspective, then it changes what we're going through. Now, the circumstances themselves might not change. Like you might not have control over how things are that you're walking through, but what you can control is your response from your heart with God. And the joy of the Lord being a catalyst for having an alignment with the mind of Christ so that we can walk through difficult circumstances with joy in our heart despite what's going on around us. In circumstances that otherwise we would be beside ourselves in grief or tearing apart in stress, but instead we can walk with the joy of the Lord as our strength. I can personalize it as my strength. As I go through the end of this year, as I have all the things that are deadlines, as that feels like pressure on top of me. No, the joy of the Lord is my strength. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Say it with me one more time. The joy of the Lord is our strength. So as we look to this nativity, we start to look at these figures, and their story becomes alive as we read it. It sparks something different in us. But the very story of Christmas, these narratives brought together, are people choosing the very same thing to trust in God, to walk in the ways, where he's leading us to go. The story of Christmas is about Jesus' arrival to us. He is joy to the world. He has arrived for us, and he is the story of Christmas. So whenever we ask that question, do you have joy? you can answer that yes, I have joy to the world. Today I'm so thankful that we have this opportunity to worship together. My name is Jay. If we haven't met, and it's a blessing to be here at Cornerstone with you and worshiping with you here in person or online. We are people very much who are imperfect. We are in need of a savior, every single one of us. And since we're not perfect, then that means that we need to be those who are following after Jesus. And so we use this imagery of Christ walking with his disciples because that's how we see ourselves. We are see ourselves as Christ's disciples, following him where he's leading us to go. We know this, right? Because it talks about in scripture that wide is the path toward destruction. Why is that? Because you can wander whichever way you want and still head door destruction. But if you're going to walk the way of Christ, it says that narrow is the path. It's because we're following after him. Friends, that's our ambition, that we would be those that have the characteristics of Jesus. And that as we fail, we say we're sorry, we ask for forgiveness, we go and ask forgiveness of those we've hurt, but that we want to be those who stand back up and do it again in following after Christ. Our ambition is to be more like Jesus. And that's why we live this life intentionally the way we do in life groups, in the seasons we have. It's why we connect, it's why we grow, it's why we serve. It's why our ambition corporately is to be those that love God and make disciples and reach the world. It's because we know that while one of us can have an impact, collectively, we can have such a greater impact by what God wants to do through us as a collective of God. Amen. So today, as we continue in this story and looking at the sensitivity scene, it starts to come alive and these different characters that are there and focusing on this idea of joy to the world, it starts to spark in us that the story of Christmas has layers that we get to unpack. Now, we've been talking about how both Mary and Joseph, though they're on this journey going towards Bethlehem to be counted in the census, they both had their own story, which they had to follow and be obedient to God. We heard how Mary, she gets this divine messenger of the angel who says, Listen, God has chosen you to be the very vessel of redemption for mankind, that you will bear God's son and bring him to the world. And then Joseph, in his own right, had to go and grapple with what happened that was going on there. And the messenger comes to him and says, Listen, your role is to protect her, to guide, and to be the one that looks out for her. And so they're both together on this journey, trusting God, uncertain of what's going to happen, but believing for good things to happen. They have this motor inside of them by the Spirit of the Lord. It's this joy of anticipation of what's going to happen. Even as they get to Bethlehem, and we talked about how there was no, there was no room in the spare rooms in people's homes. And as they looked for a place, someone made a place for them amongst the animals in probably an adjacent cave to where they were living. And as they were there, he's trying to make a place where his wife is going to be bearing the son. And he's trying to think about, ah, am I doing enough? All the things that we would struggle with. And as the baby comes, and then it's this amazing joy that sparks in their heart, and now they're looking upon the very face of God. And then this amazing other set of uh circumstances happens where now the angels in the heavens are rejoicing and they're declaring the wonders of God as well. And those different characters of the nativity, they start to come alive. And we see how the messenger of God, he's not just there for Mary, not just there for Joseph, but now, to as we talked about last week, these Middle Eastern cowboys that are out there on the range wrangling these sheep, these shepherds. And he uses them as a way to explain to us that every person, even the very outcast, is included in the message of redemption from God. The scripture that we look to here, it sparks that in our heart as we continue. And it said in Luke 2, verse 10 through 12, and the angel said, angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Didn't our kids do such a great job in explaining the scripture of God to us today and using their voices and giving an example of that? And we could see what that would have been like to have been a you know a shepherd out there protecting the sheep. Suddenly there's this declaration from an angel, and they're like, What is going on? And not just that, but then a continuation that it's not just one angel, but all of heaven is erupting in a party because of Jesus has arrived on earth. And it picks up and continues in verse 13. It says, Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased. And man, they're ecstatic, all the heavens are lit up, and they're all of these shepherds are trying to take in what's going on, and they hear about it, and so they go into the city searching to find the baby. And they find Jesus there with Mary and Joseph, and they come and they worship him, and they tell her that, hey, the whole heavens erupted, telling us where to go. Everyone is excited about this Christ child. But as we peel back all those stories and we go back to the very first one with Mary, we had to think about her as she is now just birthed as child into the world, having been a virgin and never knew a man, and now she has this child, and she's looking upon the very face of God, thinking about how she was chosen to her now be a messenger of what this child will do for all of us. Today we're blessed to get to hear a song and explain this to us. Mary, did you know?

Barry Zehm: 15:10

That your baby ball would one day walk on water. Mary, did you know? That your baby boy would save our sons and daughters. Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you know this child that you deliver will soon deliver you? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a white man? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would come a storm with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels draw? And when you kissed your little baby, you've kissed the face of God, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, and the dead will live again, the lame will leap, the dove will speak, the face is dumb. Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect land? This is the big child.

Jason Brown: 18:18

Thank you, Barry, so very much. And looking to her, she would reflect that same question that we would have about the joy to the world, and looking to be the one that lives out the very things that she've been challenged with. The same as we do today. As we look to this idea of joy to the world, and we look to that question of do you have joy, that statement again of the joy of the Lord of our strength, it resonates with us. Say it with me one more time. The joy of the Lord is our strength. And so as we look upon those different elements of this story, the nativity coming together, as we look upon the star that's there directing the wise men towards where they are going, as we look upon these elements of that come together all in the same picture, we get to be alongside them in embracing the joy to the world. Today there are three takeaways that we want to do looking at what it means to have joy to the world. The first is this joy to the world, joy is abounding. Did you know there's no limit to the joy that you can have from the Lord? It's not a limited resource. And so it speaks to us even in our attitude on how we look to who he is. We talk about how we're called to be those with open hands that he pours into our lives, and so we pour out to others by the Spirit of God and how we live for God and also in our generosity in all different avenues. In the same way, the joy of the Lord is poured into our lives and it's abounding. It's more than we could possibly contain. The scripture says it to us here in Romans 15. We looked at this recently, verse 13. May the Lord of hosts Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Friends, that we would be those that are not hopeless but full of hope. And it's because the joy of the Lord is our strength. We would say amen to that. Again in Scripture, it says this in Psalm 118, verse 24 This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. That means that every day, as we talk about, give us today our daily bread, every day is an opportunity for the joy of the Lord to be abounding in your life. That it doesn't have to be yesterday's joy for today, but today, an impartation of the Spirit of God, that you would say, as you have that quiet time with the Lord in the morning, Lord, that today that you would help me be someone who has the joy of the Lord would be my strength. Just as we talk about putting on the whole armor of God in the same way that we would be those with that same alignment with Him, that the joy of the Lord, despite what I'm going to encounter today, Lord, that you would guide me, direct me, the joy of the Lord would be my strength. Someone needed to hear that today. That the joy of the Lord is your strength. The joy to the world. The second part is this: joy to the world, joy is medicine. How many hundred people understand that joy is medicine to our soul? Proverbs 17, it says, the joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Now, I don't have to tell anybody that whenever you have a friend or a colleague that walks into the room and they all they are very much with an ee or attitude of oh bother. And they start to rub off on other people around them. How many people know what I'm talking about? They walk in with a critical spirit instead of either being critical of everything, you jump on the critical bandwagon. How many people know what I'm talking about? But conversely, if you are someone who walks in with joy, that can spark others to be those who also are operating in joy. You ever have someone in your life that they're just a joyous person? They just have that spark in their heart. And when they walk in a room, you're like, yeah, yeah, I like that. Anybody? And you don't have to be an outgoing, loquacious, talkative person like me. You could be a very reserved person and still be like, wow, okay, yeah, that sparks in my heart. That there's people like that. I know Miss Serena, our kids director, she's a person like that. When the joy of the Lord is in her, man, you just walk, she walks in the room, you're like, hey, and it's there's something that catches fire inside your spirit because the joy of the Lord is resonating with you. How many people know what I'm talking about? So, friends, the joy of the Lord that we encounter, that we're asking for, that we talked about before, it's not just for us, but it's also that we can have an impact on those around us. That when we walk into a place by the Spirit of God, it's different, not because you're saying something different or bombastically trying to correct any. No, we're walking in with the joy of the Lord as our strength. We're walking in the power of the Spirit of God, and it has an impact on those around us wherever we go. It continues in scripture here. We have another example in Psalm 98, verse 4. Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth, break forth into joyous song and sing praises. If joy is medicine, then we should be those that are taking our medicine as we should. And that means that I'm gonna have a challenge to you. Did you know that it's hard to have a bad attitude whenever you sing praises to God? Did you know? And so if you in your morning, as you're getting ready, whatever that looks like, if you add into there doing a worship song, even if it's on low, if you're people in your house are, you know, they're work they're they're still sleeping and you're getting up super, super early. I notice we got some 3 a.m. people, some 4 a.m. people. I'm still asleep. I just went to bed at 2 a.m. So I'm not awake yet, but you guys are. And so you cranking on that worship music, even quiet, you're like, that's right, the joy of the Lord. Try to have a bad attitude after you worship God for a little while. See, it changes our attitude because we align with Him, and it's not about us. Now we're we're worshiping the Lord, it becomes medicine for our very soul. The third point is what we've been talking about today all day, and that the joy of the world, joy is strength. And we look to that in scripture in Psalm in Isaiah 12, verse 2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust, I will not be afraid. For the Lord God is my strength and my song, he has become my salvation. Friends, do you know that you are saved by the grace of God? And because of it, that we are set apart as unto him, and it says that I will trust. That's the number one thing I think that most of us struggle with. That the very thing that sucks the joy out of our life is that we are fighting God for control of our lives. Anybody control, junkie? Everybody lying in church and not raising their hand? Okay, cool. Um we it's the idea of fighting God for control. We're the ones that make bad decisions and get ourselves into a mess. And he's like, you know, if you just let go of that, let go of that control and trust me, and walk alongside where I'm directing you to go, then he wouldn't be in this mess. And here's the deal: we might start in a mess, but God can direct us out of that mess as we walk with him. And so it's not the fear of the unknown. That's most of us, that's our greatest fear. It's not jumping off a height, it's not the dark, it's not the water or the sea. Well, maybe for Pastor Celeste, it's the sea. But you guys get what I'm saying. Its idea is that most of it is a fear of lack of control. But friends, I tell you this: I'd rather my control be in the hands of the Creator God, who knows all of the outputs, than in my narrow understanding of what I'm thinking would be best. Friends, that we would trust and do that, because as we do, it becomes our strength and we walk in the joy of the Lord. The second scripture we look at here today, and this is Psalm 30, verse 4 and 5, says, Sing praises to the Lord, oh you saints, and give thanks to his holy name, for his anger is but for a moment, and his favor for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but the joy comes in the morning. Friends, we are those who get to experience the strength of joy, because even though we might go through a difficult season, it's not forever. It's just for the night. It's just for a short season. What does it say? Even his anger against us, even his righteous anger against us is short, but his grace, his mercy, his blessing is long towards us. And why is that? Because it's it's a short understanding so that we could be put back into alignment with him. Say, Lord, forgive me. I've fallen short here. Forgive me of my sin, forgive me of where I've gone wrong. Instead, I want to step and be obedient to you and walk where you're leading me to go. And as we do that, we will find joy that comes in the morning, even out of very difficult circumstances. Your circumstances are not the end of you. Friends, you are greater than that because he is more than a conqueror through him who loved us. That's what it says about Jesus in your life. So understand this that he is the one that will be the joy in your heart despite what you're going through. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Say it with me. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Today, as we look to this nativity scene, as we get to hear from our kids today, as we got to hear from the readings today from the Motley family, as we got to hear from Barry and his song about the introspection of Mary looking at Jesus. The same is for us that we would be those that embrace the joy to the world that is found in Jesus Christ, in him alone, that we would invite him into our heart and life. It would change everything as we embrace the story of Christmas, the narrative of redemption for all people. See, that's why Jesus came, friends. He came in a way that we could understand. He came into a lowly position, and even the outcast, they came to worship him. It was a way that each person, all of us, from every tribe, from every tongue, in every place on earth, all of us can connect here. That we can come and be those that approach the very joy to the world which found in Jesus. That we too can embrace him, make him the Lord of our life, and be those who walk with him in an active relationship. Maybe you're here today and you have yet to make a decision to follow Jesus. Today is your opportunity to do so. And each one of us is answered that question of have you embraced Jesus. So I would encourage you that you today would make the same decision to invite him into your heart and life. And I'm not talking about fire insurance against hell or some damnation. I'm talking about living an active relationship with the living God. And so that's not a like I one and done, and that's all, I'm all good with God. It's I'm good to go. No, no, no. I mean living for God every day. And that's what it means in being those that say yes to Jesus. See, friends, none of us are better than anyone else, except in that we have embraced the work of God in our lives. And so that's whenever He makes us a new creation, he forgives our sin. He, by the grace that's extended to us, that we can't earn our way into, we can't buy our way into it. It's only by his grace. And so we embrace that gift, saying, Jesus, I believe you are who you say you are. Lord, I invite you into my heart and life. That you be the Lord of my life. Lord, I want to live this relationship with you. That's why to Christians, to Christ followers, the cross is a symbol of freedom. It's a symbol of forgiveness, it's a symbol of transformation because that's what we have embraced, that's what we've experienced. See, the cross was meant to be a symbol of fear. It was used by the Romans to enforce their power. But instead, God takes this very symbol of fear and subjugation and he makes us free. And he does it by taking our place. See, we know that because we make mistakes, because we've had sin, because we've done all these things that are wrong, there's nothing for us to be able to approach a holy God at the end of our life. And so it's only by his sacrifice for us that Jesus becomes the very way, the very sacrifice that we would otherwise offer. He becomes that for us. He takes on our mistakes, he takes on our sin onto himself. And when he did that upon the cross, he became the very thing that God hated. He took on all the sin of the world. And as he died, that sin died with him. But friends, I have good news for you that Jesus is not dead because he is alive. And so that's how we have an active relationship with him. And as we place our faith and trust in him, we know we are forgiven from all of this sin, all of these mistakes. It's by his work in us, not our own. We're embracing what he has done for us. The Apostle Paul he writes to the church at Rome and says this because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Friends, today is your day. And you've never made a decision to follow Jesus. Maybe you have made a decision to follow Christ in the past, but you've walked away from living that life. Today's an opportunity for you to recommit your life back to Him. That no one is given tomorrow. I think so many friends that I've lost have thought they had one more day. Friends, I don't want that to be you. I want you to be in right standing with the Most High God. Divide Him into your heart and life, to give your life to Jesus Christ. If you're here in the room, if you just stand on your feet right where you're at and bow your head as Christians are praying. If you're online with us today, take a moment wherever you are to embrace what Christ wants to do in and through your life's heads are bowed here in the room. We've already had people today that have made a decision to follow Jesus. I would encourage you that you would do the same. If you just want to raise your hand right here today, you say, Pastor, that's me. I want to be included in that prayer today. I want to make a decision to follow Christ. If that's you, if you just raise your hand right at me, you're saying we praying with you today as you make that decision to follow Jesus. You see hands there, another that's there, others that are making decisions to follow Christ today. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for each and every one friends, wherever you are online. Same if with you. Thank you, Jesus. I'm gonna ask if we would, if everyone to pray this prayer out loud after me. Lord, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe he rose again. Forgive me of my sins. I surrender my life to you. In Christ's name I pray. Amen. Amen. Friends, we rejoice with those who make a decision to follow Jesus today. Those that raise their hand here, praise the Lord, online as well. Hey, take a moment, if you would, take a snap of this QR code that we have for you. We don't want anyone to do this life alone. We want to put resources into your hand so you could be successful in living for Jesus. Friends, what a great day in getting to celebrate with our kids, getting to hear a wonderful song and hear from the Word today. Today we have the opportunity during this last song that we have here collectively, that we can come to this altar and make a place with God. Maybe you're someone who just needs more of his spirit in your life and you want to have the joy of the Lord be your strength. Maybe it's being a very difficult season you're walking in, and you need some direction, you need some guidance, whatever it is that be there, that we will have people come alongside and pray with you in agreement with you, but that we would be those that come and make an altar with God. Lord, we thank you for your word. We thank you how you speak to us. Oh, we thank you how you breathe upon it and make it alive and challenge us, Holy Spirit. And Lord, we thank you for the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. Lord, that you would empower each and every one of us. Lord, as we come to your altar today, Lord, that we would be those empowered, Lord, to overflowing. Lord, that we would be those not just living it with it for us, but Lord, that it would impact those around us as we walk in the joy of the Lord. Lord, that we would be those that put you first and draw near to you. Lord, be used as a tool in your hand for other people to experience the redemption of the Most High. Lord, we thank you that you are the joy to the world that we can embrace. Pray all this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Celeste Brown: 35:20

And today is Party with the Pastor. So if you have been a guest of ours for the last few weeks and we have not had the chance to meet you, or our team has not met you, we would love to just meet you for a few moments. If you have kids, you can grab them first. It's gonna be on the east side of this building down the hall in the conference room. Come, we just want to go over a few things with you, answer any questions you may have, and just say hello.

Jason Brown: 35:42

We also have a couple different uh service options for you for Christmas. This next Sunday is gonna be our family service, meaning all of our kids and everyone's gonna be in with us. It's gonna have a special story for them as well as a word for us uh and a great time together. Very informal, very fun. And so I want to encourage you to come and be a part of that. Normal times, 9-11. And then on the 23rd and 24th, we're gonna have the same service. So you have that choice to do there, one hour long. It's gonna include communion, it's gonna include candlelight. So we encourage you to take, have your family come and be a part of it. Uh, let it be a blessing to you during this Christmas season. Before we go, we're gonna pray this blessing over us. The Lord bless you and keep you. Lord, make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. Lord, lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Lord, I pray a blessing upon your church, your people. Lord, you empower us by your spirit to live your love out to those around us. We pray all this in the powerful name that is Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Know this. We love you very much here at Cornerstone. God bless you, and Merry Christmas!