Worship Helps for Christmas 2

God Fulfills His Covenant Pledge

God’s actions at the first Christmas when Jesus was born began to uncover a grand covenant of world-wide blessings. God had made this covenant with Abraham and David centuries earlier. Now some 2000 years after Jesus’ birth we continue to reap the benefits. Through Christ we enjoy a “dear-Father-and-son” relationship with Almighty God.

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 7:8-16 

⁸You are also to say the following to my servant David. This is what the Lord of Armies says. I took you from the pasture, from following sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel. ⁹I have been with you wherever you went. I have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make your reputation great, like that of the great ones on the earth. ¹⁰I will set up a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them there. They will dwell there, and they will not be disturbed again. Violent men will not afflict them again as they did at the beginning ¹¹and ever since the day I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.

The Lord also declares to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you. ¹²When your days are complete and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your seed, who will come from your own body. I will establish his kingdom. ¹³He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will discipline him with a rod used by men and with blows of the sons of men. ¹⁵My faithful mercy will not depart from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed to make room for you. ¹⁶Your house will stand firm, and your kingdom will endure forever before you. Your throne will be established forever.

1. David intended to improve God’s house from an elaborate tent to a bigger, more permanent house, a house of cedar. What did God say, in response?

2. What does God call his future temple in Jerusalem? (See 7:13.)

Epistle: Galatians 4:4–7  

⁴But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son to be born of a woman, so that he would be born under the law, ⁵in order to redeem those under the law, so that we would be adopted as sons. ⁶And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to shout, “Abba, Father!” ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but a son. And if you are a son, then you are also an heir of God through Christ.

3. What do you understand by “when the time had fully come?”

4. What is the result of Jesus coming?

Gospel: Luke 1:68–75  

⁶⁸Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited us and prepared redemption for his people. ⁶⁹He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, ⁷⁰just as he said long ago through the mouth of his holy prophets. ⁷¹He raised up salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, ⁷²in order to show mercy to our fathers by remembering his holy covenant, ⁷³the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, ⁷⁴to grant deliverance to us from the hand of our enemies, so that we are able to serve him without fear, ⁷⁵in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

5. What did Zechariah acknowledge when he broke into song at the birth of John the Baptist? (See 1:72.)

6. What is the result of God accomplishing his promise? (V.74-75)

Answers:

1. In response to David’s plans to build him a temple, God promised a) to make David’s name great; b) to establish a house (that is, a dynasty) for David that would last forever, and c) to have David’s son Solomon build God a temple in Jerusalem.

2. God called the temple which Solomon would build “a house for my Name.” Your name conveys many things about you. Likewise, the temple would show God’s grace and greatness in many ways. It would show what God is like.

3. God’s plans for us have not only a specific purpose but also a specific time schedule. Jesus was born at a specific time because all the elements God was putting in place were ready. His countdown was over. What wisdom we see in the way he carried it out so that the world would know the Savior!

4. God’s Son became fully human and lived under the law (including being circumcised on the eighth day). He did this so he could free us from the curse of law. Now we receive the full relationship and blessings of being free sons (inheriting children) of God. (Do you live in the security, peace and love of that relationship?)

5. Zechariah saw John the Baptist’s birth (especially given his mother Elizabeth’s advanced age) as the fulfillment of God’s “holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham.”

6. Since God has kept his ancient promises in Christ, we will not only be rescued from our enemies (the curse of sin, the fear of death and the power of the devil), but we will also be able to serve him without fear. We will no longer be slaves, but one. We will serve God in righteousness and holiness all our days.

275  Blest Be the God of Israel

            Benedictus—Song of Zechariah

1  Blest be the God of Israel, Who comes to set us free;

He visits and redeems us; He grants us liberty.

The prophets spoke of mercy, Of freedom and release;

God shall fulfill his promise And bring his people peace.

2  He from the house of David A child of grace has giv’n;

A Savior comes among us To raise us up to heav’n.

Before him goes his herald, Forerunner in the way,

The prophet of salvation, The harbinger of day.

3  On prisoners of darkness The sun begins to rise,

The dawning of forgiveness Upon the sinner’s eyes.

He guides the feet of pilgrims Along the paths of peace.

Oh, bless our God and Savior With songs that never cease!

Text: Michael A. Perry, b. 1942, alt. © 1973 The Jubilate Group (admin. Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188). All rights reserved. Used by permission.