Not all who profess faith in Christ actually follow Him. Not all who give lip service to Christianity necessarily know its truth. Various warning passages (e.g., Heb. 2:1–4; 3:7–4:13; 1 John 2:19), along with Jesus’ own words in the Gospels (e.g., Matt. 7:23; 25:41; Luke 13:27), alert us to the possibility that we can appear to have a relationship with Jesus and even enjoy the fellowship of close Christian community without finding a home in heaven in the end.

When Jesus called the first disciples, He called them to leave everything and follow Him. In other words, He asked them to put their faith in Him. But they didn’t simply say they believed. They didn’t pull one bumper sticker off their boat and replace it with another. They left the boat behind. On the foundation of their faith, they stepped forward in obedience. What does it mean to follow Jesus? It means not only to call Him “Lord” but also to honor Him as Lord by obeying His commands.

Many of our favorite Christmas carols center on angels singing songs, shepherds watching flocks, and wise men giving gifts. These songs, however, are meaningless apart from their context within redemptive history. The Gospel of Luke records the very first Christmas songs, which were sung by Mary, Zechariah and Simeon. Unlike our modern carols, these songs of praise don’t revolve around the nativity scene or the events of Christ birth. Instead, they focus on the Savior Himself. Through the Incarnation, God supernaturally broke into human history by revealing Christ as the Savior of the world. In this series, Alistair Begg highlights how Mary, Zechariah, and Simeon’s songs praise the Lord for remembering His people and providing salvation, redemption, and mercy.