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.
“Joy to the World” may be the most famous of the hymns of Isaac Watts (1674-1748).  The redemptive message of this song makes it a standard feature in Christmas celebrations every year.  “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!”
However, notice the words of the third verse quoted above.  The relevance of this particular verse is often missed as we focus on the joy of Christ’s coming to earth.  Certainly we must rejoice, the reason for our rejoicing is that Christ’s work conquers sin and death “as far as the curse is found.”  The fullness of the gospel message includes the reality of sin!
Considering the modern focus on positive thoughts about the Christian life, are you aware of any newer choruses that we sing on Sunday that remind us of the depth of our sin?  Have we lost our understanding of the real destruction that sin has wrought in the human condition?