The Call Of Christmas 2 Series

INTRODUCTION

The world over the years has derived various ways to celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and most of the celebrations we see around Christmas are external. What is your response to the birth of Jesus? How do you celebrate Christ born into this world? What do you about the call of Christmas to be in your life?

Last week we saw the response of some people around the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. We finally narrowed in on the person most close to Jesus, His mother, Mary. The moment Mary came to know about the immaculate conception of the Lord Jesus Christ, she burst forth into worship. That is evident in the song of Mary: Mary gives the most magnificent psalm of worship when she conceived Jesus.

Luke 1:46-55

46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

Last week we started on the attitude of worship, and we looked at:

1. THE ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP – CALL OF CHRISTMAS

A. WORSHIP IS INTERNAL

External shallow worship is distasteful to God. True worship comes from deep down inside and it therefore goes on all the time. That is the call of Christmas for you to worship in Spirit and in Truth.

B. WORSHIP IS INTENSE

Luke 1:47

My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

Luke 1:47 ESV

My soul magnifies the Lord.

My spirit magnifies the Lord. In Greek, it is bigger than normal. What she is doing here is not just exalting, but mega exaltation. It is about worship starting and becoming larger and larger. It is the culmination of the spirit, soul, and body of a person coming together and praising God.

Worship comes up from inside. It bubbles up and bubbles up, it’s not about coming to church, it’s not about singing a hymn alone, it is not the Bible, hearing a sermon, or giving to God. Those are of course effects of a worshipping heart, but they can’t stand alone as true worship.

So, you have two components of true worship. It is internal. It rises from what the heart and mind comprehend. Then worship is intense. Mary’s mind transferred it to her emotions. It is when the soul and the spirit are overwhelmed and expressed through the body. Will you choose this call of Christmas to worship intensely?

If you look at the history of Israel, you will find how God despised superficial worship.

God used the prophet Amos to both expose and denounce the apostasy (abandonment of religious belief) and the hypocrisy of Israel.

Amos 5:21-24

21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. 23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. 24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! The very feast which God himself had given him explicit directions to observe, became through their hypocrisy and double-dealing a stench to his nostrils.

Isaiah 1:11-15

11 “The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations – I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. 14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!