Ask of your Lord

Concordia Lutheran Church

Christmas Eve, December 24, 2008

7:00 p.m. Evening Worship

Ask of Your Lord!

Isaiah 7:10-14

† In the Name of Immanuel †

May the grace and peace of dwelling in the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, strengthen and embolden you as you live a life of Worship and Adoration!

Ask of your LORD

How would you have responded?

What would you have asked?

What would breach the distance between heaven, and where we abide, distracted by the confusion of this insane world?

What would strengthen your trust in the God who desires that you walk with Him? What would convince you of His love, His faithfulness, His providing exactly what you need?

How would you have responded, to this imperative command of God, to ask for a sign, from Him?

The very context of the prophesy quoted in Matthew’s gospel, is found in the first reading, from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The prophecy fulfilled is God’s answer to the King, when the King refused to trust God. Even more, it is the ultimate act of God’s faithfulness, it is the ultimate act of God’s love. It is indeed, where we find that we can trust God with everything that we are.

It is what we long for, it is what we are afraid of, it is what we need. For the promise of the prophecy is not about the virgin’s conception, it is about the Name and the fulfillment of the promise.

Immanuel. God is with us!

The Imperative

Ask from the depths of despair to the mountain peaks

Let me show you, I AM there!

I don’t know if God asked each King that followed David, upon their elevation to the throne to make a request of Him, that He would grant. We know He asked Solomon, and rather than ask for jewels, or riches or power, we know he asked for wisdom to rule God’s people. To him this was granted. Ahaz is asked the same question.

Ask a sign of the Lord your God, let it be as deep as Sheol, or as high as Heaven.

From the lowest of lows, to the highest of highs, ask, says God, giving AHaz the right to use God’s name and ask. Anything from hell to heaven, that would cement the bond between God and Ahaz. That would show Ahaz that indeed He could count on God in all things.

God is telling Him, Ahaz, I am the God of your father David, and of Solomon. Let me prove I am your God as well, that I will sustain you and hold you, and comfort you and empower you. Let me prove I AM HERE, for YOU!

The Imperative Refused

Not wanting to test God?

Baloney

Not wanting to be dependent

Ahaz refuses, and will become the most evil of any of the kings of God’s people. God will, through Elijah and Isaiah, defeat the false religions that Ahaz establishes, right in front of His very eyes. Ahaz refuses, and will lead Israel into God’s wrath, because an intimate God cannot be controlled.

He will try and play a game, and say that the Law says you are not to test God. Yet God is inviting this, it is not a test, but a promise of a loving intimate God. It is the invitation into a relationship, where God is God, and Ahaz is a leader of God’s people.

Instead of refusing just a blessing, or a miracle, Ahaz’s refusal is much more. Ahaz turns down a relationship, the relationship with the One, True, God-Almighty.

But that is the nature of sinful man, to reject God, to reject His love, to reject the relationship that we were originally designed for, in order to be independent, or to assert our knowledge or authority, to put our pleasure above all else.

No wonder God is

No wonder God is indignant, and accurately accuses Ahaz of trying God’s patience, and of frustrating the love with which God desires to flood Ahaz’s life, his reign, and His people.

The Imperative Satisfied

Where Sheol and Heaven Meets

In the manger, the virgin lays her child..

Thank God, truly thank God, that He is patient, long suffering beyond all imagination. For in judging Ahaz, He asks that which Ahaz would not ask. He creates the bridge between His abode in Heaven, and enters our world. He determines that man should not be separated from God, even because of our rebellion.

In his promise, there is both the highest of heavens, for that is where the virgin’s son already existed, the only begotton son of the Father. There is also the depths of hell, as the virgin’s son will bear the wrath of all the Father’s anger, and suffer for us all. In Him, heaven and the wrath of hell meet, and hell could not withhold Him.

For Jesus will die on the cross, to cleanse us from all sin.

For Jesus will die on the cross, to cleanse us from all sin.

Truly, He was Immanuel in the manger, even more, He will be Immanuel forever! For God became a baby, grew into a man, to fulfill that which was offered to Ahaz.

A relationship, love, grace mercy,

A relationship, love, grace mercy, and peace in God’s presence.

Truly a miracle worth rejoicing in, Amen?