At a Glance
For many people, singing “Joy to the World” is a Christmas tradition. However, familiarity with the song can cause us to miss its depth and significance. The song announces the Kingship of Jesus and calls on each individual to respond. We are to push back against the effects of the fall as far as the curse is found in our world. Christ actively rules with both truth and grace. His love is wondrous. Come celebrate with us the joy and hope of the Christmas season through the powerful lens of “Joy to the World.”
What You'll Hear
Uncover the theological depth of "Joy to the World" in our Ideas Have Consequences podcast episode. Explore how this beloved hymn paints a beautiful picture of salvation through Jesus, extending joy to all of creation. #Christianity #Hymns #Theology
Using the link above, you can read the transcript or listen along while highlighted text follows the podcast audio.
"We are to be active under His Lordship–under His kingship, to push back against the evil in the world–not to be passive."
Darrow Miller
Quotes
Revel in the inspiring message of "Joy to the World"! Join us as we explore joy, salvation, restoration, and Jesus' reign in our latest podcast episode. It's more than a hymn, it's a rallying call. #Christianity #Gospel #Jesus
Go Deeper
A Hymn by Isaac Watts
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let every 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.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, wonders of His love.
Recommended blogs from darrowmillerandfriends.com
- “Joy to the World” (2008) reflects on the truth that brings blessing to nations.
- “Far as the Curse is Found” (2020) reflects on an often omitted stanza.
- “Joy to the World; Heaven Comes to Earth!” (2020) reflects on the coming of the Messiah as ushering in a new era of human history.
- You might also be interested in Darrow’s nine-part series reflecting on this song, “Music that Writes Culture” (2009). Here is a quote:
- While this hymn is sung at Christmas, it is really more of a bridge to the New Year than specifically a Christmas song. Most Christmas carols focus on the birth of Christ as a little baby. In contrast, this carol focuses on Christ the King and His coming kingdom. It could be called a New Year’s carol. Much of the hymn deals with our response and our responsibilities to the coming of the Messiah…
A Call For Balladeers: Pursuing Art and Beauty for the Discipling of Nations
DARROW L. MILLER
Through a biblical lens, Darrow Miller examines what it means to be a Christian artist and the role of beauty in the world. As the First Artist, God created the universe to be beautiful, and set a precedent for all mankind: to create art, not for religious obligation, but simply for the sake of beauty itself.
With scrutiny and honesty, A Call for Balladeers takes a hard look at the faulty perspective toward art and beauty held by many Christians today and uses the Bible to make a case for why the Church should be concerned with the arts. Miller provides a hopeful, liberating outlook for Christians who find themselves caught in a dilemma between their artistic endeavors and their desire to minister to their community.
There is no divide between art, beauty, and the Christian faith. God uses the arts and artists to advance His kingdom of truth, goodness, and beauty on earth as it is in heaven. A Call for Balladeers will help Christians think biblically about art, teach them about historical and modern-day balladeers, and encourage artists to use their God-given talents to minister prophetically, bringing transformation to their communities and nations.
The Kingdomizer Training Program
When the principles of the Bible are understood as a comprehensive worldview, it has tremendous power to work transformation in individuals, families, communities, and even nations. Too often, Christians are ineffective because they have absorbed cultural thinking that is not in alignment with truth.
Not all worldviews are equal. Some lead to brokenness and poverty, while the biblical worldview leads to God’s intended flourishing and the blessing of the nations. Our Kingdomizer Training Program can help you understand the biblical worldview and discover areas in your own thinking that need to be transformed by God’s Word.
More than a million people have now been trained in 115 countries. Explore it for yourself! Get started with our completely free Kingdomizer Training Program today!
