What Will This Child Be?

4th Sunday of Advent, 12/24/17
2 Samuel 7:8-16


What Will This Child Be?
I. David’s son
II. David’s Lord


Every parent has hopes and dreams for their newborn child, but really that’s all they are—just hopes and dreams. For instance, a mother who has experienced a difficult life up to that point, as she holds her sleeping newborn in her arms, is likely to wish that her daughter won’t experience the same hardships she did. She envisions a daughter who is happy, full of life, successful in all her endeavors, and respected by others. But truth be told, she can’t be certain that any of her wishes will come true. Children don’t arrive in this world with a transcript of what will happen to them throughout their lives. In most cases, it’s what children make of their lives. The duty of parents is to do the best they can to prepare their children for life. Then it’s up to their children to write their own life’s story.

But can you imagine being told exactly what your child would do and would become before that child even sees the light of day for the first time? It happened several times to heroes of faith as recorded for us on the pages of Scripture. We had the best example of it in the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary in our reading from Luke’s Gospel earlier. And we have another one here in 2 Samuel. Both accounts relate information about the same yet-to-be-born person. In 2 Samuel, the recipient of the information isn’t the Child’s mother; it’s one of the Child’s great ancestors.

Through his prophet, Nathan, the Lord gives King David information on his yet-to-be-born son and, in doing so, he also gives David information about the greatest Child ever to be born—Jesus Christ.

Later today and for most of the day tomorrow, countless people will celebrate Christmas without understanding or believing any of the information the Lord gave King David about that Child. So that we don’t make that same mistake, let’s focus our attention on this question, “What will this Child be?” and hear our Lord’s answer.

Part I.

Just what is the Lord talking about here in these words to King David? Well, in a two words—royal dynasty.

I’m not sure how interested you are in royal dynasties. It’s likely that your interest will increase in a few months when Great Britain experiences a royal wedding, but that’s about as much interaction as we have with royal dynasties. American citizens have no direct experience with dynasties. In fact, if you accept the findings of some national political polls, we Americans are more interested in seeing our leaders leave after a term or two than stay for life.

You might be surprised to learn that King David had as little interaction with dynasties as you and I do. He was only Israel’s second king and he was not related to Saul, Israel’s first king, in any way other being a fellow Jew. To put it bluntly, royal dynasties were not part of the Jewish way of life at this point.

But it would only be a matter of time before they would. David spent most of his royal time defending his throne and his kingdom from his enemies. He was a man of war by necessity. But the Lord came to him with this promise, “I will also give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.” What a blessing for David to know that the royal succession was already firmly decided by none other than the Lord! Every leader of importance is concerned that his efforts to lead his people will be continued after him. Here in the US we’re currently seeing what happens when the leadership of our country passes from one political party to the other. Prior accomplishments come undone. But that wouldn’t happen with David. He had grand plans for God’s people and he would work tirelessly to accomplish them. Now David had the assurance that his own son would be on the throne to pick up where he left off.

One of those plans involved building a house for the Lord. David had it in his heart to build a magnificent temple for the Lord. But the Lord told him that wasn’t the Lord’s plans for David. Instead, that was the plan for his son. The Lord informed David, “He is the one who will build a house for my Name.”

But there was more. The Lord told David, “Your house and your kingdom will be established forever.” That word “forever” rocked David’s world. The rest of Scripture makes it clear that David knew exactly what God was promising him. The Lord was assuring David that he would give David a son that would rule forever. David knew that this was none other than the promise of a Savior.

And so, as we’ll hear our children proclaim to us this evening, Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem because they belonged to the house and line of David. And while they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. And Jesus was born. The Savior arrived, a descendant of King David. And the Lord himself spared nothing at announcing the birth of David’s Son. The sky was filled with angels singing, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

What will this Child be? David’s son.

The world will pause with you tonight to acknowledge the humanity of Jesus, but fail to see the significance of it. Don’t you dare miss it! The fact of your salvation rests on the truth that Jesus is in every sense the son of David. That’s because a Savior who is anything less than a human being just like you is no Savior at all. That’s because what you could never begin to do, your Brother, Jesus, did for you. When your life ends and you meet your God, do you relish the opportunity to point to your own life’s record as evidence that God should allow you to share life with him in heaven? Be honest; none of us would. In fact, rather than display our life’s record before God we’d rather bury it for no one to see. But even hiding our sinful record would do us no good because our God knows all and sees all. Our sinful record is crystal clear to him. So, don’t point to your own record as you stand before your God; point to the record of your Brother, Jesus, David’s son. He is the One in whom the Father himself declared that he was well pleased. His perfect life is your perfect life. And find your comfort in knowing that it was your Bather, David’s son, who declared on the cross, “It is finished!” He suffered the hell you deserve for your sins. How can you be sure? Look into his empty tomb and know for certain that your Brother is risen again! King David received the promise from God that his son would accomplish everything for his salvation. We know just what that Son did for us. What will this Child be? David’s son.

Part II.

It’s the time of year when you receive an annual update on what’s happening with your relatives and acquaintances. These “Christmas letters” are often tucked into the Christmas cards you receive. I’m sure you appreciate the information they convey, for the most part. But have you ever read through one of them and then put it down thinking, “There’s no way that letter is accurate. Their life can’t possibly be as happy and fulfilling as that letter wants me to believe”?

The Lord’s “Christmas letter” conveys a stunning outlook on the Son he promises to give to King David. Is it unrealistic? A little sensational? An exaggeration of who that Son will be?

Not at all. Listen again to what the Lord promised David, “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” Did you catch that? Not one mention of what David would do. The only one taking any action is the almighty God. The One who created the heavens and the earth would be the same One who would place an eternal King over an eternal kingdom.

And that’s exactly what we’ll proclaim in our words and hymns of praise tonight and tomorrow. It’s no accident that one of our most-loved Christmas hymns declares, “Glory to the newborn King!” That’s not the exaggerated praise of Christmas Christians who are swept up with the joy of everything that is Christmas; that’s a divine proclamation of who this Child really is.

You see, David understood these words correctly to mean that his Savior would be his God in every sense of the word. Only God rules forever. Here that God was promising David a Son who would rule forever. That could only mean that David’s Son would also be David’s God, David’s Lord.

What will this Child be? In two words: David’s Lord.

This evening our children will declare to us, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” That truth is the only God-pleasing reason for observing Christmas. That truth is the only God-pleasing reason to praise God for the birth of Jesus. In Bethlehem’s manger lies the King of kings and Lord of lords. This is David’s son in the human sense of the word and this is David’s Lord in the divine sense of the word. He is both, not only for King David but for you and me and every other sinner in the world. What will this Child be whose birth you will celebrate tonight and tomorrow? David’s son, your brother. David’s Son, your Lord, your Savior. May tonight, tomorrow, and every day of your life be a hymn of thanks and praise to your God for his perfect Christmas Gift to you! Amen.