The Greatest Blank Check Ever!

Rev. Ed Fredrich December 23, 2019

Verse: Therefore, the Lord himself will give a sign for all of you. Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and name him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

Has anyone ever given you a blank check and said fill in any amount you would like? That would really be great, right? You are free to fill in any amount. It’s fun to speculate on the amount you would write in, isn’t it?

This well-known verse of Isaiah is really God’s response to King Ahaz’s refusal to accept God’s promise of a blank check. Ahaz was the king of Jerusalem, a descendant of David. His kingdom, Judah, was facing some fierce opposition from the neighboring countries. All of the opponents were banding together to rip the country apart. Ahaz was worried because he didn’t believe in the God of his father, David.

God sent Isaiah to assure him that he need not worry because He was going to protect them. To prove it, God offered Ahaz a blank check. He could ask for a sign, no limits. Now all of a sudden, King Ahaz became pious. He wasn’t going to “test the Lord.”

You might say that Ahaz’s refusal gave birth to the greatest blank check ever given—an unusual fill in the blank for sure. A baby was born, but not just any baby. That son came from a virgin. That meant that this son did not have a human father. To underscore this, the son’s name was also given: Immanuel, which means “God is us.”

Ask yourself this:

  • What price would you give to have eternal life?
  • What is the cost of being made a child of God?

Here are the answers:

  • Because we are sinners, we can never come up with a sufficient payment.
  • This is a special gift.

This son of a virgin doesn’t have a human father because He is the Son of God! He is the only one able to make the ultimate payment.

Acknowledge the fact that God gave this sign to others and not just to Ahaz. The “you” in this verse is plural. God gave this sign to everyone—not just to the king’s officials, his court, and the people of Judah—but to all. We are all beneficiaries of this filled-in previously blank check.

How we can celebrate Christmas?

  • God has given us a blank check.
  • Our sins are gone.
  • Heaven is open.
  • We have an eternal relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for being that blank check for us. Help us always appreciate the true meaning of Christmas in our lives. Continue to give us the strength, wisdom, and joy to rely on you. Amen.