We've got some wonderful readings tonight and the first one from Luke chapter one is where Mary goes to see her cousin Elizabeth At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea Where she entered Zachariah's home and greeted Elizabeth when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting the baby leapt in her womb And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit in a loud voice she exclaimed Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears the baby my womb leapt for joy Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her and Mary said My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior But he's been mindful of the humble state of his servant from now on all generations will call me blessed for the mighty one has done great things for me Holy is his name is most extenced to those who fear him from generation to generation He has performed mighty deeds with his arm He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has lifted up the humble He has filled the hungry with good things that sent the rich away empty He's helped his servant Israel remembering to be merciful to Abram and his descendants forever just as he promised our ancestors And Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home and next readings from Revelation chapter 5 page 9 9 9 4 in the Bible Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll? That no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it I Wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside Then one of the older said to me do not weep see the line of the tribe of Judah the root of David has triumphed He is able to open the scroll and it's seven seals Then I saw a lamb looking as if it had been slain standing at the center of the throne encircled by the four living creatures and the elders the lamb had seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth He went and put the scroll from the right hand for him who sat on the throne and when he had taken it the four living creatures and the 24 Elders fell down before the lamb Each one had a heart and they were holding together golden balls full of incense which are the prayers of God's people and they sang a new Song saying you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its eel because you were slain and with your blood you purchased for God's persons From every tribe and language and people in nation you've made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God and they will rain on the earth Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand upon ten thousand They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders in a loud voice They were saying worthy as a lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all of his in them saying To him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be praised and honor and glory and power forever and ever The four living creatures said I'm in and the elders fell down and worshiped.
This is the word of the Lord Let's explore that love of God and let's explore it through the power of song As we look at the 33rd Psalm Father put a new song in our hearts for Jesus sake I mean all right, so apparently it's still Christmas For not 12 not 12 days, you know, we're in the 12 days in Christmas and so my Guiding text today is Luke 1 verse 46. You heard a moment ago Mary says my soul magnifies the Lord My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit it rejoices in God my Savior for a reason because he's been mindful of The humble state or even the humble state of his servant. This is Simply known as Mary song or the Magnificat From the Latin to magnify I saw magnifies the Lord. I think it's one of the most famous songs in the world bigger than the Beatles Maybe maybe not I'll tell why because it's been recited in churches at evening prayer for about 1,500 years like Google that Since 560 AD churches around the world have been saying Mary song Tias bark among others famously put at the music barks magnificat if you know that piece of course when Mary first sung this these words She had none of barks musical skills.
I assume What she did have was the knowledge that inside her womb Was the hope of the world? Israel's Messiah blessing to the nations the hope of the poor and the downtrodden end of suffering tears Exiles and if you realize I even death the end of death That's why the hopes and fears of all the years I met in Bethlehem that night in other words she was pregnant not just with Cells dividing and flesh and blood she was pregnant with universal hope and Mary becomes then I think the model of faith I am the Lord's servant may your word to me be fulfilled fulfill your word in me She believes in God now the context of that song you heard a moment ago is she pens it right in front of her cousin Elizabeth As the baby in Elizabeth's aging womb John the Baptist that baby in her womb leaps she feels the baby leaping in her womb John does a flip at the thought the presence of Mary And the anticipation of her boy child and Mary starts singing and what does he sing my soul magnifies the Lord in other words in my deepest being in my core I Magnify God let my soul in all its smallness all its humbleness Let it magnify and large and make great God and for a reason for his looked notice to my humble state and blessed me Christians have always been caught singing. It's like we can't help it turns out we have something to sing about I'll never forget a pastor said to me. I don't trust other pastors that don't sing and it's stuck with me They've been caught singing from world before Mary and well after Mary Singing as a weapon against despair a weapon against despair Singing as a way to contradict the self.
I'll explain that the moment Singing as a way to worship our guard line our hearts to where they ought to be where they're designed to be and singing as a way to express our communal hope I have a friend who grew up is my age you grew up in the underground churches in China and he said going to those churches he They had to sing with all their heart by whispering How great when they could actually sing full throat him? COVID stop us from singing remember that crazy time That's pretty crippling to my joy With God we are in joy territory and joy needs a voice the late Dr. Tim Keller said you can't get at the joy until you get out the joy To access it you got to get it out. And so we're beginning the new year a few days early We're gonna do a five week series in the Psalms following Riverdale last year But this time not the sons of lament but what I'm calling the new The new song Psalms Psalms that mentioned the introduction of a new song What is a new song?
Is it God saying I found some fresh tunes for you? I went out of the garage and I've been asleep last night and I've got something new for you or Is a new song something deeper something more profound? I'll give you a hint It's something deeper and more profound Sometimes the new song in the Psalms is an imperative sing to him You see it's a command sing to him a new song play skillfully on the strings with loud shouts Sometimes the new song the song itself is a gift so I'm 40 next week He put a new song in my mouth song praise to our God. He put it there Sometimes it's a call to the ancient people of God But another times the whole earth is being called to sing the new song I sing to the Lord and use song some 96 and 98 sing to the Lord all the earth and Sometimes it's personal I will sing a new song to you Oh God and sometimes it's communal sing to the Lord and use song his praise in the assembly of his faithful people You can't get out the joy until you get out the joy and each time here we've been called a something new By the way that series there takes us nicely to the end of January It's nice to have Joel on staff through this singing Season I'm also here to announce the new teaching theme for 2026 last year It was seek first the kingdom a teaching theme is a thread that runs through much of the year And this year the theme is going to be all things new.
What's what God is doing in the world all things new our books will be drawn to gospel a Small selection of Ezekiel Den bones Den bones Den drive-ins and one Corinthians and we'll be looking at what God is doing something new in Revelation 21 The one sit on the throne says I'm making everything new that's happening now Teach each other to see the new things God is doing through the year And that's all ahead of the regeneration of all things Matthew 19 Jesus said to his disciples truly I tell you at the renewal of all things When the son of man sits on his glorious throne. This is the future New heavens new earth new Jerusalem the old one won't cut it and new hearts the old one won't cut it And so I desire the prophet will also be important throughout the year And this is why the whole earth and the Redeemer the Lord sing a new song again in Revelation 5 they sang a new song You just heard that a moment ago saying you are worthy Jesus to take the scroll and to open at seals the reason because you were slain Because you died and with your blood with that death you purchased women and men for God So I want God in 2026 to put a new song in my heart. I can't speak for you. I want him to put a new song in my heart What is that new song?
Well, that's what this series and indeed this whole year is about So I'll begin with the first new song some 33 got it open starts with a command sing joyfully the Lord you righteous So if you're in that set called righteous sing joyfully to the Lord it is fitting for the upright another set related to the righteous It's fitting for the upright to praise him who's in that set? It's not perfect people by the way Really old testament and you it's people who say I'm not but I place myself in the grace of God It's fitting for them to praise him So there's a command here to congregations and to musicians and then there's four good reasons to obey this command from verses 4 through 22 The command of the community called the righteous and the upright is to sing joyfully because it's fitting to praise him So this is about your heart. It's about your emotions You are to sing joyfully and later the shout for joy Then in verse 2 there's a command to use musical instruments if you have the gift praise the Lord with the harp Make music to him on the 10 string line. I wish all in harps tonight and 10 string liars But the Psalmist who's speaking in the same mode as King David, but the Psalm is not attributed to King David I don't believe he's excluding other instruments There is a bad way to read the Bible that does exclude other instruments other than the ones mentioned the Bible But rather this is a way of describing appropriate instruments for Jewish worship for example the harp the kinor and The 10 stringed liar or the novela saw I'm not Jewish I don't know if I said that right the call to sing a new song is In verse 3 I call to do it skillfully perhaps I call for musicians to practice To ask the question as I play this could I play it a different way?
We're six sing to him a new song play skillfully and Congregation shout for joy Now you might say I need a reason to obey this one I need a reason to praise God in such ways. I need a reason to fight for joy in 2026 and A little hint from where I'm going with this message the reasons I'm about to give there are four of them They're all opposed to the modern self They're all opposed to the modern self Which is the idea that you do you it's called expressive individualism in child's tale as work and others the idea that you do you is Most important that you are most important that what is inside me? Should be honored and especially and this is disastrous especially if it's desire Can't be good to then say this is who I am and expect everyone else to accommodate Which is a form of worship really because you're you're needing to adjust your life to go around it I believe the modern self is rescued by God and in this new song So here are my four reasons to find joy in 2026 To find joy because of his being this is a four or five because of his creation Which means you need to open your eyes in verses 6 to 9 his purposes 10 through 17 and he's unfailing love in verses 18 through 22 You'll notice there points to three indented that's there's a reason for that points to three about what he does in the world Points one and four about about who he is in his inner being The first reason to praise God is because of who God is verse four the word of the Lord is right and true God is faithful in all He does the Lord loves righteousness and justice the earth is full of his unfailing love It's like a look for it God is faithful in all he does first for and since he is then the word of the Lord is right and true right and true God's revelation of himself is accurate God is integrity God is authenticity and he loves righteousness He loves justice He loves it not because God found righteousness and justice over some hill and brought it back to humanity and said look I found it I found the right thing to do rather because righteousness and justice are defined by him they emanate from his being You can't just say justice is good and important in a bubble Unsupported by something more concrete you discover righteousness and justice not by human legislation Or at the UN but rather Ephesians 5 verse 10 by finding out what pleases the Lord Mary and Joseph were told that Jesus was the son of the most I and that he'd come to save his people from their sins And they recognize this as coming out of the heart of God and they believe God's word I am the Lord servant And the earth then make sure you see his unfailing love in the life of Jesus Christ His being is the reason to sing a new song and secondly He's being spills out into his creation in verses six through nine by the word of the Lord the heavens were made at the enormous universe The starry hosts all of it by the breath of his mouth I don't know how he did it scientists can argue that I'm telling you he's the one who put it all together billions and billions and billions of light Light years of trillions of stars or by the breath of his mouth and he gathers the waters of the sea in the jars and he puts the deep The oceans in the store houses do my perspective and so that all the earth feel the Lord that all the people were Via him for this reason he spoke and it came to be he commanded and it stood firm Right let there be light and there was light The fact that God created the world is the reason the 24 elders give up self in Revelation 4 verse 10 They take off their crowns They're on on the captain of my soul And they put it down before the throne and they say you are worthy our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power for you Created all things and by your will they were created and have their being But cause unfolding revelation comes not just in creation But there's a new song in Jesus, which is why they sing a new song in Revelation 5 You heard that a moment ago, but in the meantime in modern in our series John In chapter one of his gospel writes on the glory of the incarnation and how it relates to creation in the beginning was the word the word was God the word was God he was with God in the beginning and through him the word become flesh through Jesus the eternal son all things were made The son says by the word of the Lord the heavens were made through him all things were made without him nothing was made that has been made Not only that he's working the world his purposes verses 10 to 17 are about how God operates in the world And they are a challenge to the modern self Framed here as a challenge to nations who set themselves up as God as all important as captains of their own fate We hear verse 10 the Lord foils the plans of the nations. He taught the purposes of the people who win And how because the plans of the Lord stand firm forever verse 11 the purposes of his art through all generations Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord the people who chose for his inheritance now I don't think he's speaking of modern nationalism But rather of the nation of Israel the people he chose for his his inheritance But it has implications for the whole world verse 13 from heaven the Lord looks down and says all mankind Not just the people he chose for his inheritance from his dwelling place.
What does all live on earth? He who forms the hearts of all who considers everything they do he formed your heart He sees your heart from his dwelling place. He sees it all true for you and true for kings verse 16 That's why no king is saved by the size of his army. No warrior escapes by his great strength Our horses have a and hope for deliverance despite all its great strength It cannot save you need to be saved by something other than your strength your power has got sits and thrown above it all Carrying out his purpose as he is a year that phrase that he looks down at all mankind I think is behind the prayer for the king in the book of common prayer and goes like this Listen to this is 500 years old and it's meant to put the king in his place It goes like this a lord I have any father the high and mighty the king of kings the Lord of lords the only ruler of princes Who does from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth most hardly we beseechly with our favor to behold one of those people who Dwell on earth almost got gracious sovereign Lord King Charles I did meet him and I got to tell you he's a very very ordinary man like your name You know good guy.
I think Might have a be with him the Lord sits at Kings and says no one is saved by the size of his army That's his purpose and lastly his power is matched by his unfailing love But in contrast to the self-made king verse 18 the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him on those who Who's hope is hidden in his unfailing love is your hope in his unfailing love The word unfading love is to English words, but there's only one Hebrew were there and it's the word H E S E D And it denotes a particular love not just any love. That's why the English is trying to say he's unfading love He's unfading love a particular love. It's a love that keeps promises a love bounded by covenant That's why there's a sense of faithful love unfailing love Although I believe I've written article in this a word study on Keseid might show that there's nothing but grudging about it It's not like God says well said I promise to love you. I'll have to love you That could be a covenant kind of love.
I promised it. I better keep it Keseid if you look at how it's expressed in the Old Testament is more like surprising glorious the over the top the sharing of affection love it's why he makes promises keeps them Mary hoped in God's unfailing love and she I think was able to quote this arm when she said his mercy extends to those who fear him His mercy extends to those who fear him from generation to generation the eyes of the Lord verse 18 are on those who fear him And what do they receive those who fear him a deliverance from death verse 19 hints of resurrection and kept alive in famine Protection in dark times and so what do we do verse 20 through 22 and maybe this should be our memory verse for 2026 We wait and hope for the Lord. He is our help and our shield in Him our hearts rejoice For we trust in his holy name and then he directs the prayer to God May and if you can't memorize those three verses maybe just verse 22 may your unfailing love your Keseid Be with us Lord even as we put our hope in you we put our hope in you may your unfailing love be with us So as we orientate towards God in song as we worship God I believe in the end we're rescued from ourselves as we present the God we find out who we truly are Will not find me a self love but rather we live in the love of God So we're just sing a new song with a challenge to musicians to play skillfully on the strings and to congregations everywhere to do it with Sing with loud shouts So what then is the new song? What is worthy of such skill what is worthy of such noise?
We'll explore that through the series And we'll also ask questions like what do we do if we don't feel the joy? There's no easy answer to that, but we'll explore it. What happens if the old? Songs the old scripts are the only scripts you find yourself being able to sing How then do you contradict the self the modern self with the truth?
Why would you do that? And how does this relate to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the plans of God will explore it all? But whatever the new song is it is a contrast to an old song which had its place in Jewish history But now we're hoping for God to do something new something promised and evolved Not it turns out the discovery of myself, but rather the revelation of the one true God So for 2026 my hope and prayer that is this in my deepest being at my very center and core I'll be able to stay with Mary my soul magnified the Lord my spirit rejoices and God my Savior for he has been mindful of the humble State of his servant. I wonder if in 2026 we might discover something new from God embedded in his word of old.
Let's pray By the way wait in hope for our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our help and our shield He is our vision. He is our wisdom our strength and our heart out in him our hearts rejoice for we trust in his holy name May your unfailing love be with us Lord Jesus evens report our hope in you I'm in