Christmas Makes Us Sing

Introduction

Good morning please open in your Bible’s to Psalm 98 that is Psalm 98. That will be on page 500 if you are using one of our Bible’s scattered throughout the pews that is page 500. Merry Christmas everyone! Today I am up here a little earlier than normal and there is a good reason for it. Today, as we work our way through Psalm 98 we will see that it commands us to sing. And we intend to obey that command once I finish preaching. We are going to forego the Lord’s Supper today and instead spend a little extra time singing some Christmas carols as a way to worship the Lord and celebrate Christmas together. At that time we will bring the Big kids back in, so parents keep an eye for them please. This is meant to a be a merry service to commemorate a Merry Christmas. So again, Merry Christmas everyone! Let’s read Psalm 98.

We Sing for he has done marvelous things v. 1-3

EX: Psalm 98:1 “Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.” We are sing to the Lord a new song. This new song would typically be a victory song in response to a recent triumph of the Lord in the life of Israel. We sing because he done marvelous things. What these marvelous things? There are three here in the text. God has worked salvation, revealed salvation, and remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness. Each of these is a marvelous work of God worthy of our praise.

He has worked salvation on behalf of his people. Our victories are not a result of our own accomplishment, but they are only obtained because of God’s working in our midst. This psalmists is probably thinking of events like Joshua chapter 10 in which the people of Israel have recently made peace the city of Gibeon. So, 5 enemy kings decide to attack this city before Israel can pick them off one by one. The 5 armies surround Gibeon while Joshua and his army are away at their camp in Gilgal. The Gibeonites are afraid, so they send to Joshua for help. He responds and bring the Israelite army to fight with the armies of these 5 kings. And two amazing things happen. First as the enemy army was fleeing the Lord threw large hailstones down on them from heaven and the text tells us that more men died from the hailstones than from the swords of the Israelites. And second, as they pursued their enemies the sun was setting and they were losing light. So, Joshua prayed and asked the Lord to make the sun stand still so that the Israelites could finish the battle while they had the upper hand. Two amazing supernatural things. Joshua 10:14 “There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.”

This was an Old Testament example of God fighting on behalf of his people and working salvation, the salvation of the city of Gibeon, with his right hand and holy arm. So, these types of events would inspire the nation to sing. As we read, these text we must ask what salvation God has worked to inspire our singing. We are a people that do not wage war with flesh and blood, but rather we wage war our sin and death.

In 1 Corinthians 15 we read that the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Paul describes the second coming of Christ is which the dead will be raised with gloried bodies and all of the saints who are alive with all be changed, given imperishable bodies as well. He writes, 1 Corinthians 15:54–57“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Brothers and sisters as well look forward to the coming day of the return of Christ and look back to the first advent of Jesus we sing a song of victory. God fights for us, and he has and will destroy the enemy of sin and death. In the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, He has worked salvation with his right hand and holy arm. So, we sing a new song! A victory song for the triumph of our Lord.

And that is not all. It gets better and better. He has worked salvation for us, and he has made that salvation known. Psalm 98:2 “The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.” The good news that Jesus has come to save his people from their sins is not a secret! It has be revealed to the world in the sight of all the nations! People from the far east to the far west have heard the salvation of our God and his Christ. And people continue to hear of his marvelous works through pastors, missionaries, and faithful Christians. God has given us his Son and his word to make known the salvation available to all who believe.

John 1:18 “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.” Hebrews 1:1–2“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” The glory of Christmas is that God has sent his Son to declare to the world salvation is in His NAME! Many Christmas songs have this theme.

Joy to the World

He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove, The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love.

Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies, With angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

As we sing today, we sing of the God who has made his name known throughout the world. He sent his Son to make it crystal clear: Salvation belongs to the Lord!

He has worked salvation, he reveals salvation, and he remembers his steadfast love and faithfulness. Psalm 98:3 “He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” God does forget who is His. When you come to know Christ you are brought into a covenant relationship with the Lord. A covenant is promise. God calls you to himself and he promised to never let you go. He will remember his saving work in your life.

He is the God who keeps all of his promises. If you fail and fall into sin, God will pursue you and bring you back to himself through repentance. He did the word to save you through the cross, he make himself known to you through his word, and he will keep you til the end by His power. He will not forget you.

T/S- So let us sing and sing with Joy.

We Sing with Joy v. 4-6

Psalm 98:4–6“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!” In these 3 verses we are told twice to make a joyful noise to the Lord and once to break forth into joyous song. We are told twice to sing praises to the Lord. The application is really straight forward. Sing and by happy about it!

The praise describes is one with lyre (Stringed instrument like a harp) and the sound of melody. With a trumpet, horns. This is loud, but it is skilled. His is a pleasant and happy sound that is to be made to the Lord. The psalmists is helping us see that the natural response to the work of salvation is joy. Joy expressed in a tangible way. I want to argue a natural way. Singing and making melody is a natural human response to happy occasions.

We sing fight songs at college and high school football games, national anthems are sung at medal ceremonies, we sing happy birthday at birthday parties, we play music and dance at wedding receptions, and we have an entire genre of music dedicated to this merry part of the year. Even, in the most secular celebrations of Christmas Mariah Carrey can be hear belting “All I Want for Christmas is You!” In 2023, the total revenue for the global recorded music industry was $28.6 billion. Humans like to sing.

When Jesus was born the angels sang and Mary wrote a song. God’s people have been singing since at least Genesis 4:21 “His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.” Singing probably came before the lyre and pipe.

Perhaps you are here and you are thinking, Josh, I am just not much of a singer. I can’t sing well or very loud. I am shy or introverted and I don’t look forward to congregational singing quite you do. I understand, but when you reflect on the salvation of God, that has to just make your heart sing! And so, be yourself in your praises to the Lord. God knows the heart and that his what he desires. Expressive worship is not the sole indicator of Christians maturity. However, the good news of Jesus should stir us to a real response. And congregational singing provides that opportunity. So feel free to raise your hands, to clap for our God, and please sing! Make a joyful noise to the Lord. He is better than sporting events, birthday parties, and even weddings.

Let’s break forth into joyous song and sing praises! And know that we do not sing alone. But creation joins us in the praises of our God.

Creation Sings v. 7-9

Psalm 98:7–9“Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.” In Luke 19:40 When the religious leaders tell Jesus to make the crowd quite worshiping him, “He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”” Psalm 19:1–6“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” This psalm points our the poetic nature of the claim that creation sings. It doesn not use speech, or words, there is not voice heard. In our text today the rivers do not literally clap like we do, but the psalmists are showing us that God’s creation testifies to His good character.

We are created beings and as such we join creation in its testament to the goodness of God. We are amazes by the vastness of the sea and all that fills it. From whales and dolphins, to sharks and rays, turtles and seals, and even coral reefs they all remind us of God’s creative power and beauty. We think of the world and all who dwell in it one day bowing before Jesus to worship him as King. The rivers clap as the water rushes over rocks and the hills sing as the wind blows through them. The reflecting of creation reminds us that while in Romans 8:22 that creation groans and longs for the return of Christ it also testifies to the joy God brings. We are to join with it. Longing for his return and singing about his steadfast love and faithfulness.

And what is the final reason given for our singing? “For he comes to judge the earth.” Now that doesn’t sound like something we should be happy about does it? Judgement? You see Christ as King means he is the executive, legislative, and judicial branch of the world. He rules the word, makes the laws, and will judge this world accordingly. And his judgement is a good thing. Why? Because, “He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.” His judgements are right and true, and in his judgement he will set all things right. He will right all wrongs and fix all that is broken. His holiness and righteousness will reign and be made known in all the earth!

The lyrics of O Holy Night capture this so well,

O holy night! the stars are brightly shining; It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope- the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

You see the birth of Jesus was the beginning of something wonderful. It was the beginning of God making all things right. He comes to judge, and that is good. He judgement brings about the restoration we all so desperately long for. At the coming of Jesus all tears will be wiped away and sorrows will be no more.

Conclusion

Perhaps you are here this morning and you are still not comfortable with the idea of God’s judgement. If you are not a Christian then that makes total sense. You should not be comfortable with God’s judgement, you should fear it. Because apart from Christ you will be judged for your works and they will not measure up to God holy and perfect standard. You will be found guilty and pay the penalty of that guilt: Eternity in hell, a place of pain and total separation from God. Perhaps you are a Christian and the idea of Hell and judgment still unsettle you. For all people in the room, no matter your current position before God I want to read from 1 John 4. I want to use this passage to tell you the Christmas story. Not just about the nativity, but about how God sent his son to save us from sin so we no longer have to fear his judgement. 1 John 4:9–10“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” God, in his love, sent his son to that you do not have to be judged for your sin. He loving sent Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins. That is an uncommon word, but it means that Jesus appease or satisfied the wrath of God for all who believe in Him. Apart from Christ, the judgement will come and you will die. But in Christ, because he died for you, you can live through him. 1 John 4:14–19“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.” Do you fear the judgement of God? Is celebrating God coming judgement seem impossible? Perhaps it is because you have not been perfected in His love. To be make complete in God’s love is to believe the God has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If you believe this then you can have confidence in for the day of judgement. You can celebrate and not fear, Christ return. Do you long for that confidence? Then come to Christ today. (Pray)

At this time we’re gonna bring the kids back in and we are going to sing!