Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.pcbc.nz/sermons/56158/joy-to-the-world-psalm-98-98/.

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[0:00] Good morning, everyone. Merry Christmas. For those of you who don't know me, my name is William. I'm one of the pastors here. And this is Pastor Barry as well.

[0:18] This is such a wonderful opportunity to worship together as one family in Christ, isn't it? And perhaps all year we've been worshiping in separate congregations, and today we realize how big and how precious this family is.

[0:35] We may have divided into different崇拜 to celebrate, but today we're very happy to be together. And I do apologize, my Cantonese is not very good.

[0:49] Just listening to the wonderful choir, I was thinking in my head, just then, Maybe when I'm old enough, my Cantonese will be good enough to join this choir. When I heard C-Mann sing the beautiful song, I thought, Maybe I'm going to their age, or my Cantonese will be better.

[1:05] Whatever your background this morning, you are welcome here, and we are here to celebrate our Lord Jesus together. No matter where you are, we welcome you to celebrate Jesus' birthday.

[1:18] Now Christmas in our household looks a little bit different to other Asian families. I grew up in New Zealand from nine years old, so we kind of just picked traditions from different places.

[1:35] I was here to celebrate our Lord Jesus' birthday. So our tradition is actually from many different places. And I imagine for many of you, you have lived here, but you are still working out what your Christmas traditions are.

[1:48] Maybe you've been here for a long time, but you are still trying to build a tradition of different traditions to celebrate? Different families, different cultures will celebrate Christmas differently.

[1:59] Yes, we have different families, different cultures will celebrate Christmas differently. We also have different ways to celebrate Christmas. Maybe even for tomorrow, you have still not decided what you would do together as a family. Maybe even for tomorrow, you have still not decided what you would do together as a family.

[2:13] Well, here are some ideas. Maybe there are some ideas. I mean, if we look around us in New Zealand, there are lots of people who will plan days at the beach. Maybe not today.

[2:23] In New Zealand, we will plan days at the beach. Maybe not today. Or maybe for Christmas, for many Kiwi families, it's just to go shopping, maybe. Maybe you want to go shopping, maybe. Maybe you want to go shopping, maybe. Maybe you want to go shopping, maybe. Maybe you want to go shopping, maybe?

[2:34] Yeah. But all the way around the other side of the world, in Germany, they have what's called a big street market. It's called a Kriskindl Market. But if you look at the Western University, and you look at Germany, there are some big places.

[2:48] And if I just put the slide on for you, you'll see how big they are. Oh, this one. And it's in the middle of winter, and everyone is trying to get warm, so they go to the markets to buy hot food and drinks.

[2:59] It's in the winter, so you can buy some hot food or drink. Is it not what you think about food?

[3:16] I'm going to buy some last minute blueberries. But in China, many parts of China, they're going to be hunting last minute apples. And some of you know that the word for apple, pinguo, sounds very similar to pinyanye, silent nights.

[3:36] Pinyanye, not sure how many apples you have in your fruit basket today. I don't know how many apples you have in your fruit basket today. Or is it not just lunch somewhere?

[3:51] Or is it not going to be out to eat a Christmas big food? Lots of food, lots of seafood, or just the best foods you can find. There are a lot of food, a lot of fish, and a lot of food. But in Japan, the best way to celebrate Christmas is with KFC.

[4:07] But in Japan, they are going to eat a chicken for Christmas. I don't know why, but I did do some reading. Apparently in the 1970s, they thought that Santa Claus looked like Colonel Sanders.

[4:19] That's how it started. So, in the 1970s, they thought that the King of the Gai was like a Christmas old man. And so today, on Christmas Eve, millions of Japanese people are lining up to buy KFC.

[4:33] So, in Japan, there are a thousand, a million people to buy KFC. Maybe you're not into feasting, but you're into singing, like we've heard this morning.

[4:45] Maybe you're not into feasting, but you're into singing, like we've heard this morning. And another well-known tradition that actually our church takes part in is caroling or singing Christmas carols. Yes, like we were in the church today, we sang some Christmas carols.

[4:59] This is a little bit of a taste of what happened yesterday. It was raining, yes, but that didn't dampen our spirits. We still sang Christmas carols together. Yes, although yesterday was a little rain, but it didn't affect our time.

[5:11] We were in the street with the train, and we were together to sing the train. And I want to bring your attention to one Christmas carol in particular, and we've actually sung it this morning, called Joy to the World.

[5:24] And this is actually a truly international song, believe it or not. This is a song that was written by an Englishman, Isaac Watts.

[5:39] And then it was set to music by an American, Lowell Mason. And now today it's sung in English, Cantonese, and many, many other languages around the world.

[5:54] But I wonder when you sang Joy to the World, how did you feel inside? Is this song true? Has God really brought joy to the world?

[6:10] Is it true? Is it true? Is it true? Is it true? Is it true? It's true to the world in this world, today's world? After all, there's not much joy when we read what's on the news each day at the moment. When you watch the news news, you'll be feeling that it's not very happy.

[6:25] Our brothers and sisters in Gaza are not having much joy. Our economy is in a lot of trouble and difficulty.

[6:42] Even last night, I was talking with someone at our Christmas party, and he was telling me this might be his last Christmas alive. And let's be honest, as we think of the challenges in our lives, you might find it hard to sing joy to the world.

[7:13] Some of us here, this is the first Christmas without a loved one. Perhaps some of you here are struggling financially.

[7:27] Or maybe here you are, and you have a serious health challenge. Or maybe you're here, and you know that someone you love will not sit next to you.

[7:43] There is unresolved conflict this Christmas. Maybe you're sitting there, but you're seeing that someone you're not sitting there. It's because there's no way to solve it. Can there truly be joy to the world?

[7:56] The answer from the Bible, God's word is, yes, there truly is joy to the world. But if we look at the Bible, the answer from the Bible, the answer from the Bible is true.

[8:07] It's true. It's true. It's true. It's true. Because what some of you may not know is that Isaac Watts wrote Joy to the World, inspired by a psalm in the Bible. And so if you and I want to know the true meaning of joy to the world, we need to understand Psalm 98.

[8:30] So you want to know the true meaning of this song, we need to look back the original verse 98. He explains on the screen in his own words, in this hymn, including Joy to the World, he has taken from Psalm 98 what he believes is true from the scriptures.

[8:48] He wrote this song, it's from the Bible, it's from the Bible, it's from the Bible, it's from the Bible. So I want to invite us to open our Bibles, if you have them, and to read Psalm 98 together.

[9:01] If you can, I'll open your Bible in your own words, and let's read it like we sang this morning.

[9:13] So I'll just jump off the mic, and then we'll read in Cantonese, and then English together out loud. Shall we do that? So let's read together in our respective languages. One, two, three.

[9:26] Sing to the Lord, and He has done numerous things. His right hand and the Holy Heart have worth salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation, and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

[9:42] He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of all of us. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth burst into a violent song for music.

[9:59] Make music to the Lord with the heart, and the heart of the sound of the sound of the sound of the sound of the sound. With trumpets and blasts of the rams fall, shout for joy for the Lord, the king.

[10:12] Let the sea resound, and everything will be in it. The world and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, and let the mountains sing for joy. Let them sing for the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth.

[10:27] He will judge the world and righteousness, and the people with equity. This is God's word for us today. This is God's word for us today.

[10:39] Now when you heard that, let's be honest, that didn't sound like a Christmas carol, did it? You heard it, it's not like a Christmas carol. But this was actually holiday music for the Israelites.

[10:51] But for the Israelites, it was actually a Christmas song for the Israelites. God's people who first sang this song, they would have felt this very precious to sing Psalm 98 together.

[11:03] They would think it was a very precious, very precious one of the songs of the Bible. You see Psalm 98, it sits in the book of Psalms, in between a section of songs, all talking and singing about the Lord as King.

[11:19] The Lord as King. Notice in verse 6, this song is to be shouted for joy before the Lord King.

[11:34] It's like the 6th verse, we call the Lord to the King of Kings. And so when we listen to Psalm 98, we are listening to a song for the King of Kings. So, when we listen to Psalm 98, we are listening to a song for the King of Kings.

[11:50] And this morning I want to share three things we can learn, Today I want to share with you three things to let us know why we can be a joy to the world.

[12:05] Three reasons why there can be a joy to the world. Firstly, there can be a joy to the world because the Lord has made known His salvation to the nations.

[12:16] It is really a joy to the world because the Lord has made known His salvation to the nations. Look at verse 1 again in your Bible. It says, Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things.

[12:30] We want to hear the Lord's voice because He has done many amazing things. Emphasis on the word a new song, right? It is a new song, right? But how can we sing a new song when it is the same old song every year?

[12:44] We are actually singing the same old song, right? Well, it is new because this time we sing to the Lord, there are new people singing with us. Why is it a new song? Because every time there are new people singing with us.

[12:55] I mean, every year on the hill, the people who sing the carols change, don't they? So it is a new song. Every time there are people who sing the carols, they change, don't they? So it is a new song. When we sing the song, every time there are people who sing the carols, they change the carols.

[13:10] Why do we sing the carols? Because our Lord's voice is bringing new things, by bringing salvation. Notice in this Psalm, three times, in three verses, the Lord, the Psalmist sings about salvation.

[13:25] This word. Look at this verse, the verse, the verse is three times to say that the Lord's voice is going to us. The king of kings is one who has saved or delivered his people.

[13:36] The king of kings is one who has saved or delivered his people. He has made the salvation known to the watching world. He has made the salvation known to the watching world.

[13:50] The ends of the earth have seen and heard about God's salvation. The ends of the earth have seen and heard about God's salvation. And look, in verse one, for us to speak of his right hand and his holy arm, it's not to put extra limbs on the God of the universe, as it were.

[14:07] In this verse, we talk about God's right hand and his holy arm, it's not to put extra hands on the universe in the universe. Rather, these words are bringing to mind one of God's most powerful acts of salvation.

[14:21] This is to speak of the Lord's most powerful acts of salvation. It's called the Exodus. It's called the Exodus. When God's people were rescued from slavery out of Egypt.

[14:34] And I'm particularly excited because the Prince of Egypt has just been released on Broadway.

[14:47] And I'm keen to watch that live one day. I don't know if you know, there's a book of the Old Testament. There's a Prince of Egypt, and there's a Prince of Egypt. And that story is obviously based on the Bible, right?

[14:59] And what God has done in salvation history. That story is precisely based on the Bible, right? And what God has done in salvation history. When the Lord brought the nation of Israel out of slavery, He did so, Deuteronomy 26, verse 8 says, With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.

[15:14] Just like the Exodus 26, verse 26, verse 8. It's called the use of the power of the power of the Lord's most powerful acts of salvation. You and I might think of basketball players who have mighty hands and outstretched arms.

[15:26] We will not think of those of the players who have had a strong arm. But they cannot compare with what the Lord has done. But they cannot compare with what the Lord has done. When He saved Israel. When He saved Israel.

[15:37] When He saved Israel. When He saved Israel. And singing about this salvation brings joy to the nations for them. When they say this, it can really be very happy for them.

[15:49] But as you and I know, the Israelites' problem was not just physical slavery, right? They were also under spiritual slavery from their sin.

[16:09] And so when they sang this psalm, they were also remembering how God brings ultimate salvation from spiritual slavery. So when they sang this song, they thought about their Lord's people's being able to be able to save them.

[16:28] At Christmas time, we have the picture of the mother Mary with the baby. When Mary first heard that she was going to have a baby boy, she sings a Christmas carol of her own.

[16:46] And in Luke 1.55, we hear a bit of this song, and she sings, The Lord has helped her servant Israel, and remembered to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants.

[17:10] Nine months later, there's a man named Simeon who gets to hold the baby Jesus in his arms. Baby出生了,有一位叫做西面的男人,就有機會可以抱一抱 baby Jesus.

[17:33] He also sang a song of the Holy Spirit, and said, My eyes have already seen your救恩, and it's the light that you have prepared to see the people of the people of Israel. It's the light that you have prepared to see the people of the people of Israel.

[17:45] He continues, he says, A light is coming for revelation to the Gentiles, God's, to the whole world, and the glory of your people Israel. So you see, brothers and sisters, because Jesus is the light for revelation to the world, Jesus is the fulfillment of these words in Psalm 98.

[18:06] 福音姐妹,你看到吗? 因为耶稣就是那种普照世界的光, 所以是神对祂的子民的一种慈爱和信实的实现。 In this psalm, when we sing that God has remembered His steadfast love, we see that fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

[18:25] 我们知道当我们说, 唱这首歌,祂的慈爱和信实的时候, 我们知道是在耶稣基督身上应验了。 And so every person who praises God for salvation is Jesus, is also joining in Psalm 98.

[18:40] 所以我们每一个因为耶稣所得救的人, 其实都是加入了这篇诗篇来一起的赞美, 就是向救恩的耶和华唱新歌。 Now this is a wonderful gathering of brothers and sisters here.

[18:52] 实在是一个大的party,大的盐值, 是所有得救的人加入在一起。 But too many people do not know the Savior. 但也都很可惜,当中有很多人是不认识这位的救主。 Too many people even today are lost, trying to save themselves or rescue themselves.

[19:12] 祂想自己救自己,但是没有办法。 This psalm reminds us that the Lord has come. 诗篇提醒我们主已经来了。 And He has made and worked salvation.

[19:25] 祂已经将这个救恩来到达成,来给我们。 That is the first reason there is truly joy to the world. 这个就是第一个原因可以普世欢腾。 The psalm continues, and let us now look at the second reason I believe there is truly joy to the world.

[19:40] 我们看看诗篇如何讲第二个原因了。 There is truly joy to the world, secondly, because the Lord is praised over all the earth as king. 普世欢腾是因为所有受造物都向统管全地的大君王耶和华来欢呼歌颂。 Perhaps you are sitting here this morning, and you might be wondering, Is this psalm even for me?

[20:02] 可能你坐在那里,这个诗篇其实是关不关我事的呢? Maybe you look at these words, and you look at verse 3, it says to the house of Israel, and you're like, Oh, that's their problem, that's their joy.

[20:13] 可能你看到第三节的时候,你说, Oh,以色列嘛, that's with them, it's not with me. But that's why I think from verse 4 onwards, there should be no doubt who should sing this song, right?

[20:23] Because it says all the earth. 去到第四节打后, you will see, it's no secret, it's really all people can come to the world. 赞美耶和华。 It says, verse 4 says, Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

[20:37] 全地都要向耶和华欢呼,第四节那里说。 And so here that command, that instruction from verse 1 we saw, it's expanded, isn't it? 从第一节到现在,你发现整件事是扩展了。 Instead of just one command, sing a new song, here, this verse has actually four different commands in the original language.

[20:57] 除了说,去唱一首新歌之外,今次去到第四节,有不同的命令, 它讲怎么唱。 So whether in Chinese or English, you can see, right? It says, Shout for joy, or break forth, exalt, play music.

[21:11] 这里有四个不同的动词, 有一个你可以说是欢乐的来到去叫, 或者是爆出来的大声, 是欢呼,和去玩一些音乐,去奏乐。 This is a song for everybody.

[21:23] 这首歌是给全部人的。 God is saying to you, whatever your culture, your language, your tradition, You can join in Psalm 98. 上帝跟你说,无论你的文化,你的语言,你的传统是什么, 都没问题的,一起来, join吧。 And you can join in with all kinds of instruments, right?

[21:38] 你可以用不同的乐器来去参与的。 Verse 5 to 6, all different types of instruments, join in. 第五第六节,什么乐器,你都可以一起来参与的。 And then as we read the psalm, we keep seeing that actually, We're not just joining in with people, We're joining in with all of nature as well.

[21:54] 我们再读下去第七节,打后的时候, 你会发现,不单只是人类, 而是整个大自然都一起来赞美。 The seas will roar, the land too, everything is joining in God's praises.

[22:07] 海洋,陆地,全部都一起来赞美,耶和华。 And note that the phrase, shout for joy in verse 4, It doesn't just mean to sing sweetly.

[22:20] 留意第四节那里说,唱歌,叫你, 不是说很温柔地去唱。 It means to shout, right? 其实是叫叫出来啊。 When the first angels, by the way, When they announced the birth of Jesus Christ, The Bible actually says, A great company of the heavenly host appeared.

[22:39] 当耶稣基督诞生的那时候, 那个第一批的天使是有一大队的天兵和天使那里出来的。 In other words, that's an army of angel soldiers Showing up to Jesus' birth.

[22:53] 有整大队的军队,你可以这样说。 To celebrate Jesus' birth. 他来到庆祝耶稣的诞生。 Do soldiers, think about it, do soldiers sing sweetly? 你觉得士兵哦?

[23:03] No. They don't. They shout, don't they? 他们叫。 叫啦。 Psalm 98 is calling us, in a sense, to shout a harker to the Lord.

[23:13] 就好像我们纽西兰人, 我们会有这个 harker的传统, 这样的来叫。 I wonder if next week the choir will learn something more shouty. I'm not sure.

[23:25] 不知道我们的诗班会不会有些不同的诗歌呢? But this is giving us permission to praise him with all kinds of musical instruments. 但是你看到诗篇就告诉我们, 你知道我们可以用更多的方式来去赚美。 If you have a whole band, bring it.

[23:40] 如果你有整个的敬拜队,一起来啦。 If you play in an orchestra, bring that too. 如果你是玩管弦乐的乐器的时候,一起来啦。 Yes, even your loudest instruments. 最吵的那些乐器,一起来啦。 I mean, look at verse 6, the rams horn.

[23:54] Have you ever heard of a rams horn before? 你有没有听过那种叫做阳国号啊? Go YouTube it afterwards, it's loud. 如果你去YouTube听一下什么是阳国号的时候, 你知道是很吵的。 What's the point here from the psalmist?

[24:09] 诗篇,诗人究竟想跟我们讲什么呢? Why all this noise? 为什么要这么吵? Because of the great salvation in verses 1 to 3 that we've heard. 就是因为耶和卫为我们成就了伟大的救恩, 好像第一至第三节那样说。 Because the salvation has come from the Lord who is king, as in verse 6.

[24:30] 就好像第六节那里说, 有一位大君王耶和华来到去救赎我们。 There's actually a lot of shouting in the Bible. 所以其实很多人叫的在圣经里面。 Right? A shout of praise marked Jesus' birth.

[24:43] 就好像在耶稣诞生的时候都有这个呼叫。 It's a better translation to say the angels roared out glory to God in the highest heavens. 圣经那里说天使是大声的敲叫, 在最高天上荣耀归于上帝。 When our Lord Jesus walked into Jerusalem,  crowned and dressed as a king, There were shouts of joy for him too.

[25:08] 当耶稣之后, 走入耶稣老撒冷骑着牢的时候, 人都是大叫的。 Some of you may know what they cried. They cried out, Hosanna, Which means Lord save us.

[25:19] 他们叫些什么? 他们叫Hosanna, 就是说, 现在你请救我们了。 But then there were also shouts, But of anger, When Jesus had his final hours.

[25:31] 但是居然, 看耶稣最后那几个钟头的时候, 他们都叫, 但是是愤怒的敲叫。 He was beaten, Mocked, Scorned, Humiliated, And people were shouting around him.

[25:45] 祂被虐打, 被嘲笑, 被藐视, 和羞辱, 人都是这样的敲叫。 Our Lord Jesus 戴着经济的冠冕, 他被钉在十字架上的时候, 旁边的人都是这样的, 有敲叫。 And there surrounded by shouting, He died.

[26:10] 就是因为, 其他人在这里, 辱骂着他的时候, 他就被我们, 为我们的罪钉死了。 But not before he himself shouted out, My God, my God, Why have you forsaken me?

[26:24] 但是耶稣自己都说, 我主啊,我主, 为什么要离弃我? You see, the Bible says, Jesus came to save his people from their sins. 见到吗?

[26:35] 耶稣就是来到世上, 来到拯救我们每一个人。 Your sins and my sins. 你的罪,我的罪. And because he did so, Now we can truly shout to the Lord.

[26:47] 因为他已经射灭了我们, 所以我们就可以欢呼了。 And if you are like me, And you sometimes feel like the odd one out this Christmas, I'm the only Christian in my family.

[26:59] 圣诞节的时候, 不知道你会不会觉得有时候, 你看家中里面是一个局外人, 好像我这样, 因为我是, 我的家庭里面, 可能是唯一一个信主的人。 If you feel like the odd one out this Christmas, Look at Psalm 98.

[27:18] 如果你觉得自己是格格不入局外人的时候, 看一看诗篇98篇。 And remember that our crucified king is praised all over the earth. 记住,我们被钉死的主, 祂已经是受到全地的赞美。 Did you struggle to find a car park this morning?

[27:34] 找到车排位? 找到位排车? Then praise God, Because there are so many people Worshipping God, our Savior this morning. 很多人来, 因为我们都想向我们的主来赞美。 We are just one of many, many, many churches Celebrating, shouting to the Lord For His great salvation.

[27:54] 在今日, 我們只不过是其中一间教会, 全个纽西兰,全个地球, 很多教会都一同地来赞美耶稣。 So praise the Lord, And hold on and shout to the Lord With everyone on earth this morning.

[28:08] 所以我们要持守我们的信仰, 我們每次的, 回到来, 我們都去shout to the Lord, 去歡呼敬拜。 And if this is your first time at church, Perhaps you're here and you're not a Christian.

[28:21] 如果你是第一次回教会, 可能你是基督徒的。 Let's talk a bit about shouting too. Can I ask you, Who do you shout for joy to? 我都想问一下你, 你向谁来到欢呼呢?

[28:33] Do you have someone to give thanks to even? 你会不会多谢某些的人, 在你生命里面做了些事呢? Who gets the praise for your every breath, Every meal you have, Even the wheels that got you here.

[28:45] 你每一下的呼吸, 每一餐的饭, 每一份收到的礼物, 都是恩典的话, 我们都可以赞美谁呢? I mean, you could just thank yourself, Like I used to do, When growing up without Jesus.

[28:58] 你或者可以, 我赞了自己, 我多谢自己, 是不是? 因为我未认识耶稣嘛。 But are you forgetting the giver of all good gifts? 但是我们会不会忘记了, 那位赐予恩典万物给全部人的那位上帝呢?

[29:14] Do you know of the king of kings, And yet you are not praising him, Shouting to him with your life? 知不知道有一位的万皇之王, 我们其实可以将我们的感恩赞美, 来向他献程呢?

[29:25] The Bible tells us the Lord is king, And he knows everything you've ever done in your life. 圣经讲主是我们, 清楚我们所做的每一件事。 And yet he loves you this much, To die on the cross for your sins.

[29:43] 但是他爱我们爱到一个这样的地步, 在十字架上面。 He loves you more than you could ever repay back. 他爱我们多到我们无法来到上还的, 一世都。 This Christmas, can I encourage you, If you take away one thing, Take away this.

[29:59] 今个圣诞, 如果你想去记住一件事, 我鼓励你。 If you're not a believer, Don't let the promised child Jesus become, Or stay a stranger to you.

[30:11] 今个圣诞, 圣经里面预言那位应许的救主婴孩, 不要让他只是单单一个过路人。 Don't keep searching for joy in the wrong places.

[30:23] 不要再看一些无谓的地方, 来寻求你短暂的欢愉了。 Can I encourage you this Christmas to humble yourself, Come to Jesus as your king, And shout to him for joy.

[30:34] 让我们谦卑自己来到我们的皇耶稣面前, 因为他就是喜乐的全员。 Earlier this year, Our country hosted a world cup competition.

[30:47] 今年早年的时候, 我们有这个女子的世界杯, 和很多人都在那里, 当新西兰队赢了第一场球, 入了球的时候, 在Eden Park那里, 不得了, 全个地方都在那里, 震动在那里, 欢呼。 But can I tell you this, 当全地球的人都聚集在耶稣的面前, 那种的欢呼声应该是更加厉害。 There will be greater shouts of joy from a ransom people for God, From every tribe and language and tongue and people and nation.

[31:35] 就好像启示录那里说, 各族各方各民各国被买熟来的人都一起来到欢呼。 Truly, there is joy to the world, right? He's revealed his salvation, And now all the earth is worshipping the king of kings.

[31:50] 是真的可以普世欢腾的, 因为主是透过他的救赎, 令到全地, 我們都可以同时赞美他。 And finally, briefly, Let me share with you, That there is truly joy to the world also, Because the Lord is coming to judge the earth with fairness.

[32:08] 第三点就是, 真的可以普世欢腾, 因为神是要按着他的公义, 来到治理全地。 Look at the very last line in Psalm 98, It says, For he comes to judge the earth, He will judge the world in righteousness, And the peoples with equity.

[32:25] 我们看第九节, 因为他来要审判遍地, 他要按公义审判世界, 按公正审判泛民。 We live in a broken world, don't we?

[32:37] 我们住在一个破碎的世界当中。 We are in a world that needs and longs for fairness or justice. 我们在这个世界里面, 其实很想要得到更多的公平, 更加的公正公义。 We just keep seeing over and over again, The same things in the news, Unjust rulers, Unfair situations, Unrighteous people who just seem to get away with what they do.

[33:04] 但我们看这个世界, 因为我们经常见到一些不公义的统治者, 不公平的情况, 他们却是好像没有事情发生。 But can I ask you this, Why do we even notice that it's unfair?

[33:17] 但为什么我们会知道是不对不对路, 不公义的呢? Why do we feel like there needs to be justice? 为什么我们觉得有一个更大的公义是有这样的需要的呢?

[33:29] It's because I believe we live in a world that has sung Psalm 98 for years and years and years. 我认为是因为我们所认识的这个世界, 其实他们是听过诗篇98篇, 里面有一位这样的人物, 有一位这样的公义的王。 We live in a world now that cares for justice.

[33:48] 我们生活在这个世界, 我们是想要更加公平公义。 And the Bible says what we now long for, He is promising a future judgment that will make all things right.

[34:00] 所以它的应许就是说, 将来的时候将会有一个审判, 来到将所有的伤害或者不公平的东西来到去解决。 If there were no coming judgment for the Lord, All the hurt and injustice in our lives in this world would never ever be resolved.

[34:21] 如果将来是没有神来到去审判这个世界的时候, 其实所有不公义的事是没有解决的。 If the Lord does not come to judge all our sins, All of the world's sins would never be dealt with.

[34:33] 祂没有来的时候, 那我们所有的罪, 所有的不公平其实是都不会被处理的。 But as Christians, We know that justice delayed is not justice denied.

[34:43] 作为基督徒我们知道那种公义的延迟, 不代表公义不存在。 Brothers and sisters, We are actually awaiting Christ coming again. 我們事实上是等着有一天, 耶稣基督会再回来, One day he is coming again, And he will truly bring joy to the world and judge.

[35:02] 当他再回来的时候, 就会将喜乐带给全世界。 And that joy comes when he judges the world fairly. 这个喜乐就是因为他可以公平公义地审判全世界。 He will judge your sin and my sin and their sin as well.

[35:19] 他会审判你的罪,我的罪,全世界的罪。 Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5.10, We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. 好像保罗在哥林多后书那里讲, 我们众人都必要在耶稣台前显露出来, 叫各人按住他本身所行的受善受恶来受保。 And on that day, where will you stand?

[35:45] 看那一天,你会是什么状况呢? The final lines of joy to the world, the song says, He rules the world with truth and grace.

[35:56] 普世宽藤最后几句就是说, 它用真理和恩典来治理这个世界。 When we sang this just before, I wonder if you thought, Really? Is that true?

[36:09] 刚刚刚唱的时候, 我都在想,咦? 是不是真的呢? And then here in the psalm, It seems like when God judges, It's something that happens in the future. 但是好像会不会是往后才会发生的事呢?

[36:21] And that's right. 就是了. Here is something most of us don't realize. 我们很多时候没有想到的一件事. When Charles Wesley, Sorry, when Isaac Watts wrote Joy to the World, He actually intended it not as a Christmas hymn, But actually an Easter hymn.

[36:38] 原来当这个Charles Wesley 去写这个世界, 普世宽藤的时候, 原本是一首復活节的赞美诗来的。 So Isaac Watts, when he wrote this song, He was thinking about Jesus coming back again.

[36:51] 所以他写的时候, 他是想着耶稣是会再回来的。 You can see that he's talking about The Messiah's coming and kingdom In his original words. 你可以见到就是, 见到基督的国会再来。 Would you and I be bold enough to sing Joy to the World on Easter Sunday?

[37:11] 你够不够胆看福活节唱这首歌? Well, Isaac Watts, Isaac Watts would have been just fine with that. Isaac Watts说, 没有问题,福活节可以唱。 And in a moment, We're going to sing Joy to the World again.

[37:26] 一会儿我们都会再唱普世宽 和你这首歌。 And it may not feel to you like a song to sing Beyond Christmas. 可能你觉得, 除了圣诞之外, 我們未必会唱这首歌。 But praise the Lord, Psalm 98 is a song we can sing All year in all situations.

[37:42] 但感谢主, 诗篇98篇是一首我们全天后 什么时间, 什么节期都可以唱的一首诗歌, 其实。 Can there truly be joy to the world? 世界真的可以有普世的欢腾?

[37:57] The Bible's answer is yes, Because the Lord is King. 圣经说是可以, 因为我们的耶稣是我们的王。 He has saved before all nations. 祂拯救了全世界。 He is praised by all nations.

[38:11] 全世界都要赞美祂。 And He will come one day to judge all nations. 祂也都要来去审判全世界。 Let's pray. 我们一起祈祷。 Our Lord and King, 我们的主,我们的王, Show us the true meaning of joy this Christmas.

[38:31] 求你教晓我们喜乐真正的意义。 As we celebrate with our families, Help us tell them where true joy can be found. 当我们和我们的家人去庆祝圣诞的时候, 帮助我们, 叫我们可以告诉他们, 让我们知道喜乐的全员在哪里。 We thank you for the Lord Jesus.

[38:52]  我们为耶稣基督来多谢你。 We pray in his name. Amen. 我们用他圣洁的名字来祈祷。 阿们。 圣经说是我们的圣洁。 圣经说是我们的圣洁。 圣经说是我们的圣洁。 圣经说是我们的圣洁。 圣经说是我们的圣洁。 圣经说是我们的圣洁。 圣经说是我们的圣洁。 圣经说是我们的圣洁。