Dr. Tom Doubt, Senior Pastor Four Mile Creek Baptist Church
Richmond, VA
December 21, 2003
WHY SING CAROLS?
Psalm 138
BACKGROUND:
A. On these Sundays prior to Christmas we have been looking at the “C”s found in Christmas.
1. First “C” was the Coming, the prophecy that a shoot from Jesse would stir hope (Isaiah 11).
2. The second “C” was Christ, the radiance God’s glory that fills us with expectation (Hebrews 1).
3. The third “C” involved the Cost of Christmas that was covered by the Calvary payment plan, a plan that evokes sorrow & relief (Luke 2).
4. Now a few days before celebration of Christmas our emotional bucket is full. We want to sing out, so what do we sing? Carols.
a. Why not just call them songs, hymns, doxologies, melody?
b. Carol is defined as song of joy
c. So at Christmas we sing Joy To The World (sing the first verse).
B. All carols have scriptural basis
1. Joy To The World finds its theme in Psalm 98:4-6 which tells us to shout for joy to Lord, all earth. We are to burst into jubilant song; to shout for joy before Lord, the King.
2. Other Psalms express similar joy thru singing. One of those, Psalm 138, provides revelation for our joy in the Christmas season.
Read PSALM 138
INTRODUCTION:
A. Have you ever noticed the words we use to express delight at Christmas?
1. “Merry” is one of those words, whose meaning is to be full of gaiety or hi spirits.
a. Saying “Merry Christmas” is to wish well to others.
b. We sing God Rest Merry Gentlemen
c. But there is no carol called “Merry To The World”
2. Happy is another word used at Christmas, meaning to enjoy well-being and contentment. We say “Happy New Year”, but we do not sing Happy Happy We Adore The.
a. The secular insists on using “Happy Holiday”, but it does not convey the sense of joy at Christmas.
b. I am not into Kwanza, Hanukkah, or Swirling Dervishes
c. But I am into Christmas and the joy it is intended to bring to all of us.
B. To understand why we sing carols, one needs to understand Biblical joy.
1. First, joy is defined as a feeling of happiness that comes from good fortune, or a sense well-being.
2. Think about it, what does Christmas mean?
a. The Coming of the Son God to rescue us: that’s our good fortune.
b. We worship the Christ who willing paid the Cost: that ought to give us a sense well-being.
3. So, the fourth “C” of Christmas is to sing about this joy as our CAROL. Here is a way to remember why CAROL’s express joy:
a. Christ’s
b. Arrival
c. Restores
d. Our
e. Life
C. Psalm 138 provides many reasons for our joy this Xmas season. Embedded in its 8 verses is the basis for caroling .
THEME: Christmas carols express our joy in:
Our hearts where God-given joy resides (v 1)
God’s love becomes the rhythm & beat of our carols (v 2)
God’s glory is the radiance of joy (v 5)
God’s care for us are the arms that surround our joy (v 6)
God’s plan for our lives is the wrapping every carol (v 8)
MESSAGE:
A. THE JOY TO SING CAROLS RESIDES IN OUR HEARTS
1. Praise Lord, in front everyone, sing from heart (v 1)
2. Voices united in joy send a message to the world
a. Come before Lord in joyful song (Ps 100:2)
b. Sing for joy, shout from mountain tops (Is 42:11)
3. Music from the heart resonates with joy
4. Let it rise from our hearts, let the joy resound as we sing one verse of Joyful Joyful We Adore You
Joyful joyful we adore You,
God of glory, Lord of light
Angels lifting praise before You,
Sing thru-out this holy night
In a manger lies a Baby,
Child of Mary, Son of God
Voices joined in joyful chorus,
Praise You for Your gift of love
B. GOD’S LOVE IS THE RHYTHM BEHIND EVERY CAROL.
1. We bow toward Lord’s holy temple in humble adoration (v 2)
a. Our carol of praise is for His love & faithfulness
b. God’s Name & His Word ought to be exalted
c. Not just at Christmas, but throughout the year.
2. Illustration: 6 y/o Nicolas’ kindergarten class was part of a school’s “Winter Pageant.” His class, decked in red sweaters & snow caps, was to sing “Christmas Love”
a. One by one, a child hold up their respective letter. The first kid held up a “C” as the class sang “C is for Christmas”
b. The song was going smoothly until they came to Nicolas. He had the letter “M”, but didn’t realize he was holding it upside down.
c. The school kids giggled at mistake. Parents were embarrassed. Nicolas was oblivious to his mistake. By the time the class had finished holding up their letters, the giggling had stopped. What the audience saw before them was the sign that said: CHRIST WAS LOVE.
d. And He still is!
3. His Word is the promise of who He is, what He has done. Faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to 1,000 generations (Deut 7:9)
4. God, from His realm of glory came to us. We are to be on bended knee before His altar; ready to worship in praise.
5. Love came down that first Christmas in the form of Infant Jesus. So let’s sing the 4th verse of Angels from the Realms of Glory.
Saints before His altar bending,
Watching long in hope & fear
Suddenly, the Lord descending,
In His temple shall appear
Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ the newborn King
6. If we love the name of the Lord, and worship Him, He will bring us to His holy mountain (Is 56:6). Like that night over Bethlehem, the glory of the Lord shown round angels as He came down (Luke 2:9).
C. GOD’S GLORY IS THE RADIANCE OF OUR CAROLS.
1. Sing of the ways of Lord means we proclaim what He done (v 5).
2. The glory of Lord is great. We saw that in Isaiah’s vision of being in presence Lord (Is 6:3). Holy, holy, holy is Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of His glory.
3. We are to recognize that the Lord is creator of all, ruler of all. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Worship in splendor His holiness (Ps 29:2).
4. The day will come when all nations recognize His glory. All will sing of His great glory far & wide. So let us be part of that worship as we sing the 4th verse of Joy To The World .
He rules the world with truth & grace,
Makes nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders of His love
5. Show wonders Lord’s great love; His right hand saves us (Ps 17:7)
D. GOD’S CARE FOR US IS THE ARMS THAT SURROUND CAROLS.
1. Lord is on high, yet He looks upon the lowly (v 6).
a. He is our God, we are His flock under His care (Ps 95:7)
b. Lord cares for faithful remnant (Zeph 2:7)
2. Even that night in Bethlehem when the Father looked on His infant Son. It was about as lowly as newborn can get; lying in a manger in a stable. Yet even then, our Lord retained His divine status as God.
3. Remember that status as we sing the 1st verse of Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
Infant holy, infant lowly,
For His bed a cattle stall
Oxen lowing, little knowing,
Christ the Babe is Lord of all
Swift are winging, angels singing,
Noels ringing, tidings bringing
Christ the Babe is Lord of all,
Christ the Babe is Lord of all
4. The good news of peace through Jesus is that He is Lord of all (Acts 10:36).
5. The Same Lord of all who richly blesses those who call on Him (Rom 10:12)
D. THE JOY OF CAROLS IS WRAPPED IN GOD’S PLAN FOR US
1. Lord will fulfill His purpose for our lives (v 8). It is not maybe, not wishful thinking, but certain promise.
a. Many are the plans in hearts of men, yet it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails (Pro 19:21)
b. Nothing can separate us from love God in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:35). It is a promise fulfilled each time someone asks Christ into their heart. It is predestined according to His plan, His will (Eph 1:11)
2. You might not think a small gift wrapped as a baby could do all this. Yet Scripture teaches what Jesus accomplished. A tiny Baby among thousands of newborns in world. A world full of people with hopes & dreams of better life.
3. That is the joy in sing the 4th verse of One Small Child
One small Child in a land of a thousand
One small dream in a people of might
One small hand reaching out to the starlight
One small Savior of life
TIME OF DECISION:
A. Why would you want to sing carols this Christmas?
1. No need to sing carols unless you agree:
2. Christ’s Arrival Restores Our Life
B. God’s purpose of sending His Son was to have one small hand reaching out to us. Reaching out to bring us to Him. Reaching out to draw us into His temple. Small hands outstretched to lift us when we have fallen.
C. Are you willing to reach for that hand?
1. Accept Christ as your personal Lord & Savior.
2. Drawn into fellowship with a church like the Creek.
3. Or have a burden lifted off your shoulder.
4. Any of these three decisions is a good reason to sing a carol, because God-given joy can be placed in your heart by our Lord.
