Audio Messages:
Pastor Wade Burleson

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Singing the Theology of Christmas
Joy to the World

Singing3.mp3 (3.66 MB)

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The theme of this series is "You end up believing what you spend time singing." If you want to live in the dark ages -- or find yourself in a dark time -- let others convince you to not sing. On the other hand, with the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century came the thrust to involve all worshipers, not just the clergy, in the music of worship. One of the first ways the church began to sing was using the Psalms, but on the way home from church in 1694 a twenty-year-old man named Isaac Watts (1674-1748) told his father that singing the Psalms metrically and literally was awkward. So Isaac's dad challenged him to create something better. Over the next fifty years Isaac Watts wrote 509 hymns including "Joy to the World" (1719) and "I Sing the Mighty Power of God."

Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n and nature sing,
And heav'n, and heav'n and nature sing..

1. The inspiration for this carol is a Psalm.
   Psalm 98 is a prophetic Psalm. It tells of a coming Messiah and King for Israel. It is nine verses long and inspired Watts. This Psalm also inspired another person to sing. Mary sang "The Magnificat" or the "Canticle of Mary" when told of Christ's coming.

   David: "Oh sing to the Lord a new song." (The Voice) (Psalm 98:1).
   Mary: "My soul magnifies the Lord." (The Echo) (Luke 1:46).

   David: "For he has done marvelous things!" (The Voice) Psalm 98:1).
   Mary: "He who is mighty has done great things." (The Echo) (Luke 1:49).

   David: "His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him." (The Voice) (Psalm 98:1).
   Mary: "He hath shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts." (The Echo) (Luke 1:51).

   David: "The Lord has made know his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations." (The Voice) (Psalm 98:2).
   Mary: "His mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation." (The Echo) (Luke 1:49).

   David: "He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel." (The Voice) (Psalm 98:3).
   Mary: "He has helped Israel in remembrance of his mercy." (The Echo) (Luke 1:54).

   Scripture can become your most passionate prayers and your most beautiful praise.

2. The inspiration from this carol is a Promise.
   Joy to the world, the Lord is come; let every heart prepare him room. Every soul by nature is a doubting Thomas, but when you say "My Lord and My God" joy comes.
   1. Joy to the World! - My Lord Is Come
   2. Joy to the World! - My Savior Reigns
   3. Joy to the World! - He rules the world with truth and grace