(Psalm 14) Why Rejoice Over the Baby?

INTRODUCTION:

When I was a young boy, I had never heard of the Gospel.

- Christmas for me was about the tree, gifts, family, and a family ham.

- The extent of my knowledge was the that a man named Jesus died on the Cross, or manager scenes found in people’s yards at Christmas time.

And I am remember wondering -

Why do we celebrate a baby in manager?

It seemed to me as a boy,

that it made no sense why we celebrated a baby.

What could make a baby so special that all the world celebrates his birth?

Today we will be looking at why Jesus is worthy of Great joy and celebration at Christmas time!

Why as Christians, Christmas should be as much about meditation and devotion as it is a time to spend with family.

is a text that looks forward to the coming of Christ.

Psalm 14 ESV

To the choirmaster. Of David. 1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. 4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord? 5 There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. 6 You would shame the plans of the poor, but the Lord is his refuge. 7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

From ,

PROP: We ought to rejoice at Christ’s Birth.

TRANS: And this text gives us 4 truths about sin that tell us why we should rejoice ?

CLARIFICATION:

That may seem odd to consider joy at Christ’s birth and sin in the same thought,

But as we consider what teaches us about our sin problem - it culminates in a solution in v. 7.

We understand why we should be rejoicing at the birth of Jesus.

Because of sin,

the birth of Jesus is the greatest news humanity has ever heard.

So the first reason to rejoice at Christ’s Birth,

We ought to rejoice at the Birth of Christ because of our

We ought to receive the savior because we

1. Denial of Our Sin.

makes an incredible statement about who is truly an atheist.

Psalm 14:1 ESV

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

When we say, atheist - we

Atheism - the complete denial of God is a modern understanding.

Atheism - the complete denial of God is a modern understanding.

When we say atheist,

we as modern thinkers think of someone who denies the existence of God.

But Prior to the 1860s,

- there was no such thing as a person who denied the existence of God.

- It was a cultural and academic assumption.

It was a cultural and academic assumption.

Yet, did that mean that all people in all of the world were believers in God?

Not really, and declares that in all of history there have been what many have called the practical atheist.

declares

This verse describes what many have called the practical atheist.

He is not an atheist because he denies the complete existence of God,

but he is an atheist because he denies that the truths of God matter.

Observe the thought process here -

This person’s primary belief - “There is no God” - which is to say that God doesn’t matter.

And notice the 3 corresponding thoughts that flow out of that belief.

1. “They are corrupt”.

2. “They do abominable deeds”.

3. “There is no one who does good”.

What is the point?

This practical atheist denies that sin matters,

because all people sin.

He justifies his sin,

based on the sin of others.

ILLUSTRATION:

Have you ever meet someone like this?

When you tell others about Christ - a common response by many is deny their own sin problem

Not because they deny they sin

but because everyone else sins.

So why do I have problem if everybody is wicked and sinful.

They will point out the wickedness and hypocrisy of everybody else.

Many times they will turn on you - and deny God’s work in your life

They will point out every hypocrisy or sin that they perceive in your life.

Why? - because if they can point out your sinfulness, they they can justify in their mind why their sin doesn’t matter.

In other words,

“There is no God”.

APPLICATION:

We want to say that practical atheism is only found in those who deny Christ,

But often aren’t we practical atheists?

At times we live in such a way - that are lives scream “there is no God”; even though we confess with our lips belief in Christ.

How often do we justify our sin because everybody else does the same thing.

Isn’t that the point of Jerry Bridges, “Respectable sins”.

Isn’t that the point of Jerry Bridges, “Respectable sins”.

We condemn the really bad sins like adultery.

While ignoring and justifying our sin of apathy, gossip, anger.

Both before I was a pastor, and after, I have meet people who deny the need to do what is good and right

- because no one else does that.

May I say, that is practical atheism in our lives.

- It doesn’t matter what else everybody else does - even believers you respect.

- It matters what God says - and true belief in God - results in doing what is right; even when no one else does.

Our life decisions, big and small, are just as important as what we confess.

at

Notice what

This is what Jesus says in John 14:23

John 14:23 ESV

23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Why should we rejoice at the birth of Christ? -

Because we deny our sin. We at times are just as much practical atheists as those who are true modern atheists.

But this baby represents the start of God’s restoration of humanity.

Turning us from Practical Atheists to true worshipers of God.

2ndly, We ought to rejoice at the Birth of Christ is because of the

2. Predicament of Our Sin.

Have you ever wondered how God see’s humanity?

ILLUSTRATION:

In the years after September 11th,

Congress investigated and researched what prevented the intelligence community from stopping it.

If you read the report,

it is a very detailed catalog about what happened and what went wrong.

What if God gave a report on humanity - what would he see and what what would he say in his report.

Government Report

In 3 verses God gives us a frank, honest verdict of how he see’s people without the forgiveness found in Christ.

Psalm 14:2–4 ESV

2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. 4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord?

There is pretty strong guilty verdict here as God looks upon the predicament of sin in humanity.

His search is for the Godly -

Our ESV uses the word, “understand” which could also be translated “acting wisely”.

Is there anyone who follows the wisdom of God?

Is there anyone who seeks after God?

And we might be startled by the answer. - What is his report?

1) All have turned from righteousness.

2) All have become corrupted.

3) No one is Good.

4) No one has Knowledge of God.

5) No One calls upon the Lord.

The first 3 points - we can summarize as Paul summarized -

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

We all do wickedness.

We all are impure - tainted by sin. (This is the OT idea of being pure)

We all do that which is evil.

ILLUSTRATION:

Have you ever imagined what our lives would be like without Christ?

If every impulse - was allowed to fully control us?

We would turn good things, like loving our children, into obsessions.

We would turn neutral things - like hobbies - into flesh feeding frenzies.

and The unrestrained Wickedness in our hearts - would drive us to unimaginable evil, hate, and pervertedness.

Consider for example the drug addict.

How has his addiction corrupted the good things in addicts life?

How has the addiction removed the barriers to unimaginable sin?

Yet, everyone of us are capable of loving sin in this world so much - that it can literally destroy us.

That is what it means to be an addict.

And what prevents it?

The wisdom of God.

God answering our prayers.

Yet, notice that is exactly what the ungodly avoid.

But without Christ,

notice the

4) No one has Knowledge of God.

5) No One calls upon the Lord.

So again,

imagine what your life would be like apart from Christ?

Why should we rejoice at the birth of Christ?

- Because we know the predicament of sin would be in - without Christ.

- We celebrate Christ birth - because he is the answer to our predicament.

We celebrate Christ birth - because he is the answer to our plight.

God looks through all the world and what does he see - a humanity enslaved to sin.

God looks through all the world and what does he see - a humanity enslaved to sin.

3rdly, We ought to rejoice at the Birth of Christ because of the

3. Foolishness of Our Sin.

Rare is it that sin is a premeditated thought.

More often it is an incoherent, blind passion, absent of reason

ILLUSTRATION:

Watch a child near candle.

He has been told the candle will burn him.

Yet he wants to play with the fire.

And we would like to say that is the foolishness of Children.

But how often do we know that sin will burn us,

and yet we choose foolishness by playing with fire.

That is how David describes humanities response to God - he treats our response as foolishness.

Psalm 14:5–6 ESV

5 There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. 6 You would shame the plans of the poor, but the Lord is his refuge.

David’s thought goes like this.

Humanity fears God - as they should!

We all should have a certain amount of fear towards God.

Afterall,

David’s God is the God who cause the world to Flood in the day of Noah.

Destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Abraham.

Crippled Egypt with plagues in the day of Moses.

Lead Israel to conquer the Canaanite nations as part of judgement.

The God of Yahweh deserves a certain amount of fear

- recognizing he is the almighty God who is exceedingly powerful.

God is exceedingly powerful.

And because God is “with” the Godly, the ungodly are fearful of God.

As side note - what does it mean that God is with the Godly.

The idea that God

is with the Godly means God is:

- the protector

AND

- the provider

of the Godly.

What a comfort it is to realize that God is with us?

CLARIFICATION:

Now, this Psalm is principally talking about the righteous of Isreal, but not exclusively. It would include all those who are the Godly. Any person who is respecter of God and the savior he sends - Jesus Christ.

Now what is a proper response to a healthy fear of God?

The Proper response is to turn to God

- in awe because of His might.

- thankfulness because of his protection and provision.

- and obedience because of our awe and thankfulness.

That would be the logical, and proper response to healthy fear of God.

EXHORTATION:

May I say that is the kind of response that Christians ought to have.

Do you have a healthy fear of God - realizing you are speaking to the almighty?

Do you have a healthy fear of God - realizing you are speaking to the almighty.

When we speak to God, we ought not to speak to him like he is our “bro”.

We ought to speak to him as someone who holds a high and powerful office.

ILLUSTRATION:

It is amazing to see how self-controlled and respectful a child or teenager can be when they stand in the principals office.

If they have any wisdom at all, they will show great respect.

- the may have been yelling and screaming 2-minutes ago.

- But in the principals office - they show manners and respect.

In far greater way,

we ought to have a healthy respect for God

- acknowledging his high position

- and supreme authority.

But is that what humanity does?

Based on v. 2-4,

All of humanity is corrupt, forsaking the wisdom of God, and opposed to calling upon God.

So instead of properly, logically responding to God with healthy fear and respect,

They resist the plans of the Godly with hate and indignation.

May I say, this speaks of the foolishness of our sin.

ILLUSTRATION:

If we were responding to the almighty with a healthy fear of his might - would that mean hating and plotting against his people?

The fact that they fear God - points to their need to recognize and obey his authority.

ILLUSTRATION:

One of the least favorite national past times is to pay taxes.

Yet, if we despise paying taxes so much - why do we pay it?

Because we have a healthy fear of the IRS.

There might be other reasons,

but one of those reasons is because we realize failing to pay our taxes can result in fines, imprisonment, and bankruptcy.

So we all respond by filling out long forms and paying taxes. And getting them in by April 15th.

In the same way, what is the logical response to the almighty?

Do you fear?

If nothing else, pragmatically, obey him. Respect him.

However, the ungodly foolishly respond to the almighty - by hating his people.

But

Our sin is often foolish and irresponsible,

Our sin is often foolish and irresponsible,

fueled by passion and desire

rather than logic and righteousness.

We ought to rejoice at the birth of Christ,

because we are trapped in the foolishness of our sin.

- our thoughts and choices have nailed us to a cross in judgement before God.

- But the final reason will help connect why Jesus was nailed at the cross for our sins.

We ought to rejoice at the Birth of Christ is because

And his birth is the only answer to our foolishness.

4thly, We ought to rejoice at the Birth of Christ because of the

4. The Hope of Our Sin.

Now the first six verses of ,

- our thoughts and choices have nailed us to a cross in judgement before God.

- But the final reason will help connect why Jesus was nailed at the cross for our sins.

Notice the great hope, a Christmas hope in v. 7.

Now the first six verses of ,

Psalm 14:7 ESV

7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

David in the final verses turns from the misery of our sin,

to the hope found in the coming Messiah.

- our thoughts and choices have nailed us to a cross in judgement before God.

the hope found in our Jesus Christ.

- But the final reason will help connect why Jesus was nailed at the cross for our sins.

Observe the future hopes found in this text.

Zion was a term that referred to Jerusalem

There was the hope of deliverance.

“that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion”

- Zion was a term that referred to Jerusalem.

- And as we understand the Gospel of Christ -

Jesus brought spiritual deliverance to Israel by dieing on the cross just outside the city of Jerusalem.

Literally, out of Zion came deliverance to Israel from the sin that plagued all of humanity.

- And Israel will know a fuller deliverance when Christ returns and becomes the light of all the world, based in Jerusalem.

This is what is described in .

There was also the hope of restoration.

“When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,”

In Christ,

all believers obtain adoption as children, with full access to the father, and receiving the riches of Christ.

And in a future fuller restoration,

Jesus brought spiritual deliverance to Israel by dieing on the cross just outside the city of Jerusalem.

we will not only have access, but we will dwell with the father in Jerusalem.

And in that day,

when the messiah delivers and restores God’s people

Jacob, the father of Israel will rejoice.

Israel, his children will rejoice.

Part of that joy, should happen when that savior is born.

So why rejoice at a baby in manager?

Because that baby represents the deliverance and restoration from sin of all who would believe in Jesus Christ.

It is as the prophets and the Psalmist described,

the greatest joy humanity could ever experience.

It was the prophets and the Psalmist described as the greatest joy humanity could ever experience.

CONCLUSION:

So as we consider ,

Scripture challenges us

PROP: -to rejoice at Christ’s Birth.

TRANS: And this text gives us 4 truths about sin that tell us why we should rejoice?

Why should we care about a baby in manager?

Why shouldn’t presents and family be more important?

Because we understand the sin that enslaves us.

Apart from Christ,

We are in -

1. Denial of Our Sin.

We are trapped in the

2. Predicament of Our Sin.

And we are fooled by the

3. Foolishness of Our Sin.

But despite that sin, not all is lost.

That baby in the manager is

4. The Hope of Our Sin.

We may enjoy good food, gift giving, and family at Christmas - but that is not what the season is about.

ILLUSTRATION:

That is like saying that 4th of July is about picnicking, fireworks, and wearing red, white, and blue colors.

4th of July may have those fun festivities,

but principally it is a celebration about the birth of our nation and the freedoms we enjoy.

In the same way,

we may enjoy good food, gift giving, and family at Christmas - but those are the mere festivities.

The reason Christmas should be holy meditative, devotional holiday of joy,

is because the hope over the entrapment of sin is before us.

As says,

Luke 2:11 ESV

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

As we consider ,

May remember the entrapment of our sin.

We can be in denial of our sin.

We are plagued by the predicament of our sin.

We are fooled by the foolishness of our sin.

And all those struggles with sin - should tell us one truth.

We are doomed people, waiting for the day when God’s patience runs out.

We are so poisoned by sin - that God’s report says

- all have turned away.

- All are corrupt.

- All are wicked.

- All have rejected the wisdom of God.

- All refuse to call upon God.

Yet, there is one hope.

The salvation that is found in our savior Christ the Lord.

If you are not a believer in the Gospel today,

recognize you need the salvation of Christ.

Believe in the Savior, and rejoice at the Birth of Christ this Christmas.

Believe in Savior, and rejoice at the Birth of Christ this Christmas.

If you are a believer already,

then saturate your Christmas with

joy

thanksgiving

and praise

For the birth of Christ.

As we come into the final weak before Christmas,

may we rejoice that we are the blessed generation who know who the savior is.

may we stand in awe like the shepherds beholding the Birth of Christ as we read of his birth in the Gospels.

May we rejoice in our savior this Christmas.