A Call to Praise

Transcript Search
Notes
Transcript
A Call to Praise
Those who know me well know how much I love Christmas Stories. I have books of these stories, and have read many of them for the masses. There are many of these stories I love, but there is one that must be my favorite. I think my first encounter with this story was an animated Mickey Mouse version of it, and later I saw other made for TV versions of it, and in fact, I have read that this story is the basis for more movies than any other story in history. It is, of course, Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. A movie called “The Man Who Invented Christmas” has even been made, telling the story of how Dickens came up with the story. I watched again this year with the girls.
Many of you know the story generally, because you have seen the movies, and some of you may have read it, but one thing most of the movies can never quite get is the strong redemptive message of the story. Dickens created a true wretch of a character, Scrooge, who upon learning of him, the reader would certainly think “here is an unredeemable man if there ever was one!” He hated anything festive, or good, he hated charity and good cheer, he hated the poor, he mistreated everyone, but worse than his own behavior was the state of his heart, a cold, greedy, wretched heart.
Of course, Scrooge’s path to redemption involves being visited by 3 ghosts, the Ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Each ghost shows Scrooge the true reality of the past, present and the inevitable future that Scrooge has set his path towards. Through this experience, Scrooge finds sorrow in his behavior and fright at the future he is headed for should nothing change. And the end of the story is one that shows a truly changed man; one who has truly had sorrow for his sins, one who has learned to replace his attitude of angry dismissal of all things good with an attitude of delight; an attitude of praise.
So this morning, as we look into scripture to learn about our own call to praise, I will borrow at least one theme from Mr. Dickens, and that is the look we are given into the past, the present, and into the future. Through His Word, God has given us a very good look at where the world was, where it is, and where it is headed, and he also gives each person today a proper view of our own past, our own present, and our possible futures.
We will then look together at the Word of Christmas Past, the Word of Christmas Present, and the Word of Christmas Future. Our word of Christmas past does not begin, as Scrooge’s did, at our own childhood, but we look back to Christmas past. And really, any of the old testament falls within this scope, but since we must focus on one aspect of it, let us look to Isaiah 7. In Isaiah 7 we see one of many examples in scripture where God is perfectly willing to increase the faith of a mere mortal. Isaiah the prophet is told to go to Ahaz, the king, and give him a word of comfort that God would protect Judah from an attack by Syria and Israel. Then we see something interesting:
Isaiah 7:10–11 ESV
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”
Here we go! Who among us would not love to have this opportunity? A direct command from God to ask Him to give us any sign of our own choosing to give us faith in what he is telling us. What sign would you choose? God is saying ask me to do anything to give you proof to increase your faith, and I will give it! Wow, King Ahaz, come on down, you are the next contestant in “The sign is right”. Now, Ahaz, for the big win, give God any request you would like and he will do it for you! Just ask….
And now we see the great thing Ahaz chooses for his sign, and it is… Disobedience. He refuses!
Isaiah 7:12–13 ESV
But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?
In the long tradition of false piety, Ahaz in his great arrogance says “I will not put the Lord to the test”. How much like the hypocrites throughout time to act as though they do not need the things of God. “I refuse to have this blessed opportunity because my piety is on display for all to see.” And yet, this piety completely forgets that it was a command of God, not a request. It was an offer to him alone, something to increase his faith, and yet he does not accept his charge to name a sign.
Why not? Did Ahaz not believe, or did he not WANT to believe? How about the person who refuses to believe in Jesus for Salvation? If they are offered proofs, they will not accept them. Arguments, they will not receive them. The Word of God? They will not believe it. Do they not believe, or do they not want to believe? Probably a little of both, or a lot of both. And where was each of us before we came to saving faith? Did we choose not to believe? Were we set against it, did we not want to believe? Not many come to faith when they first hear the gospel. All too often, people need to hear it again and again before believing, and even some who have heard it for a lifetime never come to saving faith.
So Isaiah offers a bit of rebuke, accusing Ahaz of making God weary. Of course, this is not taken literally, since God never grows weak or weary, but he expresses that God is perhaps a bit frustrated when people choose to disobey him. So God, in the Word of Christmas Past, promises a sign:
Isaiah 7:14 ESV
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Adam’s sin had caused us all to be born into sin, it has continued in every life until now, and God has found himself weary of those who refuse to obey him… Yet, in that weariness, he provides a way for us. From the moment that God gave Adam and Eve their punishment and declared a future to them, His Word has declared that Christmas is coming. The Word of Christmas past is a word of promise, and that promise was that a savior would be born. God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden, and he was not able to commune with them in the same way, and yet he promised of one to come.
And here through Isaiah, he renews the promise of a Christmas to come, a promise of hope. He had left Adam and Eve, after having walked with them each day in the garden, but he promised that He would one day renew that relationship. What they had broken, He would repair. And that broken thing was a relationship. The relationship was broken by sin. Man did that. But the relationship would be healed through a sacrifice, and only God could do that. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Immanuel means God with us, and as God had promised a savior to Adam and Eve, he renewed the promise to Ahaz, the same promise of a God who loves enough to repair the broken relationship. That is the God who gave us the Word of Christmas Past.
Now, we move forward in the story to the Word of Christmas present. Christmas past lasted many centuries, and Christmas present would as well. It began about 2,000 years ago, and continues today. God promised the sign to Ahaz, and now we will see in Luke 2 the fulfillment of that promise. And to the sign of a virgin conceiving and giving birth is added another sign. And this sign was given not to a king, but to one of the lowliest of society, the shepherds.
Luke 2:8–20 ESV
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
The Word of Christmas past was a word of promise, and the Word of Christmas present is the Word of presence. God was giving us His presence, he was going to come and be with us, God with us, Immanuel. God has presented himself with those of a lowly and humble estate. While shepherds were of a lowly stature in that society, they are no lower before God than any sinner throughout history. The Word of Christmas present is that God is among us, he has tabernacled, or pitched his tent, among us. God spoke directly to Adam and Eve, he spoke through prophets like Isaiah, and as we have seen this advent season, through Angels to the participants of the Christmas story.
His Word is eternal, and he continues to speak to us through it. He continues to be present among us. Jesus ascended and sent the Holy Spirit. He is here. The Spirit of Christ is here. This is the Word of Christmas Present, and it is PRESENCE. To each who has heard this message, he offers the salvation he promised in the garden, the salvation he promised through the prophets, the salvation he delivered on the cross. We are living today in the continued period of God bringing salvation through Jesus Christ, but now he brings salvation not through prophets like Isaiah or Angels, but through His Word. His Word is eternal.
Jesus is the Word. Jesus is the eternal Word. He is the Word of creation, He is the Word of Promise, He is the Word of Presence, and His Word in the future will be a Word of Praise. The shepherds had a pretty amazing opportunity. They heeded the word of the Angel, and they went to Bethlehem, and they were amazed, and they came away Glorifying and praising God!
The call to praise has been a call throughout time, from the Word of Christmas past until now, and into the future that call remains, a call to praise the omnipotent creator God, the one who man broke a relationship with through sin and the One who loved mankind enough to provide a way to repair that relationship. I was just talking with someone the other day about how much work it takes to have good relationships, and how true that is when we view the cross and contemplate how much work God has done so that we can have a relationship with Him.
From today, the Word of Christmas present, we look forward to the Word of Christmas Future. And as the call to praise rings throughout the Word of Christmas past and rings into the Word of Christmas present, that call resonates into the Word of Christmas Future as well. You know, it is true what has been said, if you do not enjoy praising God now, you won’t like heaven much either, because there will be a lot of praising going on there.
Revelation 7:11–12 ESV
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Our call to praise today is a call to endure so that we can continue to praise in heaven.
Revelation 14:12–13 ESV
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
A few years ago, RC Sproul died. You may not know who he was, but he was one of the greatest teachers of the Word of God in our time. God had given him a gifting for teaching that is truly exceptional. You can see videos online of RC, teaching from a blackboard or whiteboard, and generations have learned from him. Many mourned his his death, while praising God for the opportunity RC now has, an opportunity to experience that which he so eloquently spoke of countless times in his natural life, and now he sees, not in a mirror darkly, but face to face.
So verse 13 certainly applies this day to RC and many more who have gone before us in death, the saints of the church, who are blessed indeed, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them! How much of a call to praise this is! The Word of Christmas future is a Word of Praise, and it is the calling of every believer who has salvation in Jesus. So we continue in praise to God today, and look forward to the day when, like RC Sproul, like so many others, we will be worshiping with our entire being.
RC’s last days on this earth were on a ventilator and in a coma. And as his inevitable passing became clear, and people were asked to pray, many hearts were saddened to know the dear teacher was soon to be no longer available for question and answer sessions, and at the same time, surely the Lord reminded many, including me, of the joy of having a biblical concept taught clearly by this dear man.
But indeed he is blessed.
Revelation 22:12–20 ESV
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
So we praise this Immanuel, God with us, who is the Word of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas future. A great Christmas Eve sermon was preached in 1854 by Charles Spurgeon, and as his eloquent words greatly moved me, I will conclude my message this morning with how Spurgeon concluded his message, with a focus on that Name, Immanuel.
The Word of Christmas Past: a Word of Promise
The Word of Christmas Present: A Word of Presence
The Word of Christmas Future: A Word of Praise
Our call is a call of praise
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more
Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.