Tag Archives: Praise

Talking About Him

Gallery November 18, 2000 David

Talking About Him
November 18, 2000	Sermon by DRW	Passage Psalm 40

Scripture Reading: Psalm 70

When I was younger, our church used to have Thanksgiving breakfasts. It really was coffee and doughnuts, but nobody ever complained. We gathered together to recount the year that we had. We gave testimonies of the good things that we received and of the hard times we were brought through. For us, Thanksgiving was a time of reflection and drawing closer to those we love. We would think about where we had been and rejoiced over the happy times and mourned over the sad times with those around us. This was a time that each person in the church looked forward too. A time of gathering and thanking, a time of fellowship.

I realized during those special times, that to be truly thankful I must have two qualities in my life: truth and justice. When I am truthful, I give God the credit for all things in my life. Whether they are good or bad, I tell Him and those around me that He has freely given me all things. Justice tells me to take all things into account that God has given me and respond to Him in some tangible way. To perform some ministry as evidence that I am truly thankful to Him for what He has brought into my life.

Let’s look at the first five verses of the Psalm before us. For the sake of time, I will ask you to read these verses to yourself.

I. Does Your Life Show Him? (1-5)

1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

David begins this Psalm with a profession of thankfulness. In being thankful, he shows his confidence in His God. He said: “I waited patiently for the Lord.” What follows is what David was thankful for.

1. God heard his prayers: “He inclined his ear, and heard my cry.”

2. God delivered him from some form of bondage. “He brought me out of the horrible pit, and out of the miry clay.”

3. God placed him in a safe place. “He set my feet upon a rock.”

4. God steadied him so he wouldn’t fall back into the horrible pit and miry clay. “He established my goings.”

5. God gave David every reason to be thankful. “He hath put a new song in my mouth.”

The first three verses offer David’s testimony of His divine rescue. The slimy pit endangered many travelers, it could be a common sin or difficulty that many people get into. It could be things like lust or financial difficulties. Many people fall into this pit, this slippery place, either from willful sin or through no fault of their own. This was David’s case. He was having difficult times in his life and God rescued him. The rescue from the slippery place to the Solid Rock was evident to all around him. It was such a dramatic change, deliverance, that David had to sing out loud for joy.

We have all experienced this. I know that there have been times in my life where I see the hand of God at work and the only way I can rejoice is through singing. I remember hearing about a friend who was in trouble. God helped him in his time of need. I had to sing, “God is so Good.” Deliverance brings joy.

The great thing about this is that other people will see this and they will rejoice, be thankful, for what God has done in your life. They may even trust Him in a greater way because of your changed life, your deliverance, your joy. When God gives you a reason to be thankful, He expects there to be a change in your lifestyle. Your life should be a steady, regular walk and conduct that displays Jesus Christ that others may see this and rejoice in Him. Or, as Jesus said: “Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.”

David believes, and the Bible testifies, that a changed life becomes a living billboard for God. David says, “Many shall see my deliverance and my thanksgiving, and shall fear God, and acknowledge His grace, His providence, and protection; and because of this, they will be led to put their trust in Him.”

It is here that David provides us with a type of thanksgiving. —

He tells us two great truths:

1. David tells us that the man who trusts and relies on God is truly blessed.

1. “Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust.”

2. “And blessed is he who respects not the proud;” men who are proud of their wealth and power, or those who turn to believe in lies and not the truth.

2. David then admires God’s mercies, and proclaims God’s goodness to people everywhere.

1. He proclaims the vastness of God’s works “Many, O Lord my God, are thy works.”

2. He proclaims their divine origin “Thy wonderful works.”

3. He proclaims the wisdom God had in doing what He had done for him “Many, O Lord, are thy wondrous works; and thy thoughts to us-ward, they cannot be reckoned up.”

I have listed two questions in the notes that you should think about and answer sometime today.

I. Are You Convinced God Loves You?

Do you really believe that God is in love with you, that He always seeks what is best for you? Can you say with Joseph in Genesis 50.20: “What man has planned for evil, God intended for good.” Through the good and bad times, do you see that God loves you?

II. Do Your Actions Show He Loves You?

If you believe that God loves you, that He has given you reason to be thankful, does your life show it? Do you verbally thank God, do you sing joyfully to Him, to you praise Him among all the people?

This leads us into the next five verses of Psalm 40. Although these verses are attributed to Christ by the writer of Hebrews, we see David, and ourselves, in them as-well.

II Do You Proclaim Him? (6-10)

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. 10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

[For David’s thanksgiving, the usual sacrifices and offerings are set aside] in favor of complete obedience from the heart, and full acknowledgment, in public assembly, of the saving goodness of God (Elwell, 1989).

David acknowledges his thankfulness and expresses his gratitude to God. He was so grateful to God that he felt himself bound to be obedient to the Word of God. He felt that his best sacrifice would be the sacrifice of his very life to God, just as Paul mentions in Romans 12.1: “I urge you, therefore, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as living sacrifices—holy and acceptable to God.”

What David is showing us here is that outward worship is of little worth, if sincerity and obedience are not in it. “Sacrifice and offering thou did not require.” David brings to mind here an ancient tradition of slavery that was common in Old Testament Israel. When a slaves time of service was over, after the 6^th year, he could be freed. When a slave saw that his master was a good master, full of mercy and kindnesses, he could stay with him. If the slave chose not to leave and the master chose to keep him, the slave would have his ears opened, pierced, to show that he is now a permanent slave to his master. So, when David says: “mine ears hast thou opened,” he is referring to the opening made by the awl that would pierce the ears of the slave. This is the sign of a voluntary and obedient servant (Exodus 21:5, 6). Like Paul, David said: “I will be Your voluntary and obedient servant. Lo, I come! I am ready to hear thy commands.” David then follows with a description of his obedience. David said that he would perform whatever God asked of him with a cheerful heart: “I delight to do Your will. Your law is in my heart. The obedience of eyes, hands, and feet may be hypocritical; that which is of the heart cannot. You desire my heart, and my heart You shall have; and for that purpose I have put Your law in my heart.” David would serve God and tell others about God with all his heart, just as Paul tells us to do in Colossians.

David did this for the glory of God and the benefit of others. His life became a living proclamation of Good News, the Gospel. David says, “I have preached righteousness in the great congregation.” And, “I have not stopped my lips from proclaiming your goodness” And, “I have not hid Your righteousness within my heart.” But, “I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation.” Because “I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and truth from the great congregation.”

The questions that I ask you to ponder as you think about these verses are:

A. Is Your Life Set Apart for Him?

This is asking whether you have given all that you are to Christ. Is your life a walking testimony of God? If it is, praise Him; if not, why not?

B. Do You Profess Him to Others?

The answer to this question determines the answer of the first question. There is no way your life is set apart for God if you are not proclaiming Him to others. A life of thanksgiving is a life that shouts out the greatness of God for all to hear.

If I were to put these verses into something that you could take home, something that would remind you of Thanksgiving, I would put it into an acronym that spells Thanksgiving.

Trust God to be their in every situation that you are in. Whether you are going through good or bad times, trust the goodness of God to bring only those things into your life which will produce a life that is good (Romans 8.28)

Honor God by giving Him the praise that is due His name. Praise Him for all that He has brought you through. Glorify His name for the good times and the hard times. Whatever has happened in your life, honor Him with praise (Colossians 3.17).

Acknowledge your joys and your pains. Don’t merely thank God for the joys in your life, but remember even the pain. This is what makes you, you. In every aspect of your life, acknowledge that God is taking an active part in your life (Proverbs 3.5-6).

Notice the hard times and the good time. This tells us to learn from every situation that comes into our lives. Don’t allow a day to go by without thinking through the day and giving God glory and learning a lesson for it. We should never let a day go by, with all the joys and pains that God allows in it, without acknowledging that it is for a purpose (Psalm 119.71, 73; Isaiah 29.24).

Know you are a part of God’s plan (Genesis 50.20). We need to come to a realization that all that happens in our lives is part of God’s greater plan to mold us into the image of Jesus Christ. Everything that comes our way is to bring us closer to His image. This is God’s plan. Just a cookie is made from both good tasting and bad tasting ingredients, so our life is made. Just as it takes time, heat, and energy to produce a cookie from cookie dough, so it will take time, heat and energy in us to produce Christlikeness.

Set yourself apart for God. We are to give our lives over to God for Him to do as He pleases in it. We are to be people of holiness (1 Thessalonians 4.13).

Give praise to God. Daily we are to offer Him praise, no matter the situation. For us to be truly thankful, we need to praise God much as David did (Hebrews 13.15).

Initiate healing of the hurts you may have. Just as David went before God (Psalms), so we must go before God and tell Him our hurts, pains, griefs. We are to come before Him with everything. We can freely come to Him with all our problems and joys.

Validate your feelings. Once we realize that we are in God’s plans, we must take our feelings into that. We must recognize our emotions and deal with them in the knowledge that God is in control and has a plan for my life. This doesn’t mean I deny my emotions, but I express them to God in a healthy manner. God is concerned with them (Jeremiah 8.21). He allows them to come into our lives and wants us to talk to Him about them.

Invite the Holy Spirit to be active in your life. If there is sin in your life, confess it; if there is a hurt in your heart, have Him cleanse it; if there is joy in your life, let Him enhance it. Allow the Holy Spirit to be active in your life (Ephesians 5.18).

Nail your hurts to the cross. For those who have sinned against you and have caused you pain, forgive them just as Christ has forgiven you and forget them just as Christ has forgotten yours (Psalm 103).

Glorify God in all things for this is the will of God for your life (1 Corinthians 6.20).

For a truly memorable Thanksgiving, let us live out the acronym above just as David has shown us in Psalm 40 to do. I would like you to consider what David has taught us from Psalm 40 during this Thanksgiving time. During this week, ask yourself the questions from the outline, look at the acronym and ask God to give you the strength to live a life that shows Him, proclaims Him, and relies upon Him.

Let us pray

Father, I thank You for caring for each one of us. For bring us good things for us to rejoice in and for allowing hard times so we may grow in them. I pray, that You would enable each one of us to take time this week to be truly thankful to You for all that You have done for us. Show us ways to express our thankfulness to You this week. In Jesus name, amen.

Trust God (Romans 8.28)

Honor God (Colossians 3.17).

Acknowledge your joys and your pains. (Proverbs 3.5-6).

Notice the hard times and the good time. (Psalm 119.71, 73; Isaiah 29.24).

Know you are a part of God’s plan (Genesis 50.20).

Set yourself apart for God. (1 Thessalonians 4.13).

Give praise to God. (Hebrews 13.15).

Initiate healing of the hurts you may have. (Psalms).

Validate your feelings. (Jeremiah 8.21).

Invite the Holy Spirit to be active in your life. (Ephesians 5.18).

Nail your hurts to the cross. (Psalm 103).

Glorify God in all things (1 Corinthians 6.20).

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Old Testament, Psalms, Sermons

Psalm 51-The Audience is Listening

Gallery March 6, 1994 David

Dancing with Broken Bones-A Series on Psalm 51-The Audience is Listening
March 06, 1994	Sermon by DRW	Passage Psalm 51.14-15

Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

Outline:

Introduction

Tourist trap like “Jesus of the Ozarks” (The Ozark’s Passion Play). The parking lot looked like Disneyland’s (huge). I remember when I went there with a friend of mine. The year was 1984, the year of hair and tans. Well, I had both: long hair and beard and brown skin. Any how, when I got out of the car a woman came up to me and asked if I played Jesus in the play because I was so “swarthy” looking. It was a mad house of religiosity. People came in checked shorts and argyles; in flower hats and dresses. It was a spectacle to behold. The message was told but the meaning was gone, for most. Much like church in some parts of the world and in some people’s lives. A place where people come to see where God might have been. Much like the windows with Mary of Jesus face glowing through it, a religious shrine to be visited with Polaroids but not experienced with the heart.

Today we will look at two types of worship: The counterfeit and the Real

I. The Counterfeits

A. Dry as Dust

The lifeless assembly looking more like a wax museum than a place where the living God could and should be worshiped. Or as Paul wrote to Timothy: having the form of godliness but denying its power.

1. there is much visible but not much reality

a. lack of depth and fellowship

(1) the motto: “we are here to do, not to be”

(2) appearance of but not really

(a) seen in activities

(b) cordial but not deep

i) saying “hi” to new people but

ii) no depth with the old people

b. true depth and fellowship

(1) fellowship is a group of people with one goal: Jesus Christ

(a) He saved them—and they speak of it

i) Romans 8 He brought them into the family

ii) Ephesians 2 He brought them from darkness to light

iii) Rom 6.23 He brought them from death to life

(b) He is developing them—and they share the truth of what God is doing (as iron sharpens iron, so one friend another)

i) 2 Timothy 3.14-17

a) instruction

b) correction

c) reproof

d) training in righteous

ii) 2 Co 3.18 changed from glory to glory

iii) 2 Co 5.17 transforming into new creation

(2) example of reality in fellowship with Dave Chen and myself

i) spiritual conversations

a) what God is doing

b) what God desires to do

c) evaluation of our services to God

d) topics of import

e) laughter

f) tears

ii) iron sharpening iron

a) honing our beliefs

b) sharing and reshaping our wants and desires

c) sharing our joys and hurts

Another aspect of a dry, lifeless assembly of worship is:

2. conformity without understanding

If the first aspect is due because of the attenders this one comes because of the leadership.

a. lack of knowledge of the spiritual undercurrent of what we do, why we do what we do.

(1) content is done without understanding why

* look at the bulletin

i) why do we do the center page activities?

ii) why do we make a bookmark for you to take with you?

(2) An example: why do we praise—God is worthy

(a) it is because we know what God has done for others (either through His Word, biographies, or fellowship) and what He has done for us and what He promised He’ll do;

(b) more so, as we shall see, it is because of who He is.

(3) worship is not going through the motions of

(a) singing

(b) reading

(c) unless they are directed to our God with full knowledge of who He is and what He has done. Our praise is sweeter the deeper we know Him.

Another counterfeit is

B. That’s Entertainment

1. Intentionally focusing on size and spectacle

a. God isn’t opposed to this when His glory is the focus

(1) Solomon at the Temple

(2) David and the Ark (2 Samuel 6.12f)

(3) Year of Jubilee

b. But today, we leave bedazzled but not deepened in relationship with anybody

(1) when discussion changes with the last song to “where to for food” then worship probably didn’t happen

(2) When God comes in our worship, we don’t worry about what’s next for we are with the God of the universe.

2. WHILE CHURCHES PLAY GAMES, AMERICA DIES!
One author feels that American Christianity is ill, and preaching a shallow gospel to those who desperately need substance and help. Bigness has become a standard for success. Churches have become entertainment centers. Christianity and Christians have never been, and never will be, popular or in the majority. “The job of Christianity is to worship God by the winning of souls.” This does not allow for shallowness or frivolity. The answer to this situation is in the Gospel message (Wells, 1989).

. 1. True Love Outreach is a good example of worship in evangelism

2. Picnic-on-the-Green is a good example of worship in fellowship

We’ve seen the counterfeit, now let’s look at

2. The Real Thing

1. True worship

Far from being a religious ritual, true worship is an individual reflecting a proper value judgment about God. In fact, the English word “worship” comes directly from the word “worth.” Our God is worth praising.

1. It is being dwarfed but drawn to Him

1. Isaiah 6.1-5

1. Worship is not just personal introspection, or we would worship our feelings. Worship is not even a warm glow, or we would worship that. We worship One outside ourselves. We concentrate on Him, we praise Him, we adore Him, we hear his Word for He is announcing it to us. We listen in holy awe to the word of God.

2. It is seeing Him, knowing only in Him are we worthy (“weight”) to be in His presence, attracted to be with Him, even though it could be uncomfortable for us.

1. when we encounter the light our darkness is shown

2. whenever we come into contact with God He changes us

2. Revelation 1.12-17

1. In His holiness we see our shortcomings, our sins;

2. the closer we come to Him in worship, daily living, the more we’ll desire to change to be more like Him for He shines His light on our darkness.

2. Christian worship is no tourist trap, no Polaroid; no desire to leave, time ceases, words are unnecessary, if there are words they are words of praise.

“In a world so polluted with empty, foolish, and hurtful words, let’s fill our hearts and homes, our workplaces and worship houses with a cleansing current of praise.” (Hayford, 2003).

3. Too often we cheapen our praise to a gratuity, a tip. If God performs right we will praise Him. David calls this “bloodguiltiness” and he forsakes it desiring only to truly praise God.

How do we break from tipping God with our church attendance and praises: these three things we need to know and do:

2. Majesty

Def: reverent respect due the splendor of royalty.

1. the American disposition against royalty shows we have an inbred resentment to majesty and must really work on seeing and respecting His majesty

2. When you see God as King you will fall down in worship.

1. When people come to an earthly king, they do not strut in and place demands

2. they bow awaiting commands.

3. Only when the royalty says arise do we.

3. God has called us to come boldly into His throne room.

1. this doesn’t mean to strut in but to have the confidence that He wants us there

2. and if He wants us there, according to 1 John 5, He will speak to us and we with Him

4. We come before Him, willing to wait for His voice, then we respond.

our response is awe:

3. Awe

Def: struck speechless with wonder

1. TV takes it away

1. joy and tragedy are controlled with a push of a button

2. Bangladesh doesn’t matter until it come to Arcadia

1. I was speaking with one of our own the other day. He told me he had never seen a homeless person before

2. until he went to LA

3. no remote control button could remove this reality for him

2. Our “I want it yesterday” mentality is against awe.

1. Awe doesn’t explode but overtakes in time to the point we are soaked in it

2. John 1.16 (waves)

3. look and be awed

1. mountains

2. churning ocean

3. stars

1. I was asked on a personality typing test what I do when I look at the stars

2. to my amazement it had “Stand in wonder of who God is”

3. that was my choice

TRANSITION: I like natural phenomena like rain, thunder and earthquakes … One personal encounter with a power that before was only theoretical can make all the difference. You live differently after that. You respect the power. You live in awe of its presence and tremble to think of its potential. Above all, you live in profound humility because you recognize your inability to control it.

If all this for created phenomena, then what of the Almighty God? I am reminded of the quote from C.S. Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” where Mr Beaver describes the might and majesty of Aslan, the lion-God. When he finishes, Lucy asks, “Is-is he safe?” Replies Mr. Beaver: “Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. but he’s good. He’s the King I tell you.” This is our God: hardly safe but thoroughly good. We cling to the King in fear, but much too afraid to let go (Ratzlaff, 1991).

Now that’s awe and that’s worship

4. Reverence

1. Mark 4.36-41

1. before the calming of the storm they feared death (natural)–36-38

2. after the calming of the storm they had a greater fear than the fear of death: the fear of the Author of life. (39-41)

2. Do not fear him who can kill just the body but fear Him who can destroy also the soul (Matthew 10.28)

CONCLUSION

Men have an inbred hunger to know God and see His greatness. Even though our more direct, personal glimpses of Him may be few, our response to Him should always be spontaneous and instinctive. David’s praise flowed freely. That’s the way it should be with all of us. The church does not have to wait to sample the exalting chorus of heaven. Rather, we must be willing to be transformed from lifeless assemblies and entertainment centers to the people of God, people who delight in praising the sublime, majestic Author of life. He simply refuses to be imprisoned either in color slides or in a one-hour time slot on Sundays. Rather, He wants our undivided attention, our entire being. When His people gather, He alone is the audience—the audience of One (p 129).

Let’s praise our God. Turn to your neighbour and praise God with them for who He is. I will ask the musicians to come and lead us in some praise songs before we give the closing word of encouragement.

Benediction

1 Chronicles 29.11-13

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, praise Your glorious name.

Be seated in prayer, then you are dismissed.

Scriptural Truths for Today's World