PSALMS 116:12, WHAT CAN YOU GIVE TO GOD?

Psalms 116:12

WHAT CAN YOU GIVE TO GOD?

Psalms 16:8 “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”

INTRODUCTION...

One of the most important things about taking a job is the benefit package. You know that you are qualified for the job but you want to see that benefit package.

You want the paid vacation, the health insurance, the dental and vision. that retirement plan. Any bonuses and of course a good salary. That benefit is what attracts you to the job and makes you truly want to work there.

No the company wants something in return for the wonderful package that they are offering. They want you there on time. they want you to give them a full days work. Be productive. They want to pile they work load up on you. And the list goes on.

They want you to do that for 20 to 30 years and then move out of the way for that next generation of workers. And that is a blessing if it happens that way but we all should be working for a man whose benefits out weigh these man made benefits that will pass away. These man made benefits that some folks do get to even enjoy but the benefits from the ultimate boss will never fade away and those benefits are you for and you and alone.

We all have the chance to get the same benefits from this boss. He is equally among all of us. Reminds me of the story over in Matthew 20:1-16 ““For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’ “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But …” Matthew 20:10-16 “But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.””

TALK, PREACH....(WORK TEXT)

In other words it doesn’t matter when you start just be sure and start be the boss, the true boss will give us all the same benefits according to His riches.

But lets look at the benefits before we answer the question of WHAT CAN YOU GIVE GOD?. Look at the benefits.....

SALVATION......PREACH

ETERNAL LIFE.....PREACH

A PREPARED PLACE.....PREACH

BRAND NEW BODY.......PREACH....(WALK AND TALK)

GRACE.......PREACH

MERCY.......PREACH

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.....PREACH....

PEACE.........PREACH

JOY..........PREACH

STREETS PAVED WITH GOLD.......PREACH

I don’t know about you but those are the benefits that i want....

And to know that they are for me and me alone. On this side and the next. Yea my family may enjoy that 401k but i will be enjoying that God giving peace. PREACH..

And what do I have to give God to reap these benefits?

I am glad you asked..Let’s look at the text for all of the answers....

POINTS....

This text asks a personal question that could be very hard to answer on our own. Psalms 116:12 “What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me?”

Why is it hard to answer? What can you do for someone that already has everything. Psalms 24 “A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.

So what can I give God? He has already given me more than I deserve.

You have heard it said before that the bible has the answer to all of our questions. When the psalmist wrote this chapter, he also put the answers to his own question in the text.

This should prove to everyone that scripture may be written by man but is truly inspired and directed by God.

Lets walk shall we....

Look at verse 1, Psalms 116:1 “I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications.”

We should love the Lord...

The psalmist began his song with the most simple expression of grateful love. He had a great love for Yahweh because He answered prayer in a desperate season....TALK TEXT,,

Charles Spurgeon says, They say that love is blind; but when we love God our affection has its eyes open and can sustain itself with the most rigid logic. We have reason, superabundant reason, for loving the Lord.” (Spurgeon) .....TALK....

And we do have reasons to love Him but not just for His benefits but because of who He is to you.....TALK, PREACH...

Unfortunatly, we do not love unconditional as He loves us(TALK) but our love for Him can be seen. A truly grateful love will be evinced by acts of worship,.......TALK, PREACH.

What can you render? Love him back.

Next, look at verse 9, Psalms 116:9 “I will walk before the Lord In the land of the living.”

You should walk with the Lord...

We must walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing.

Matthew Henry states, It is our great duty to walk before the Lord, to do all we do as becomes us in his presence and under his eye, to approve ourselves to him as a holy God by conformity to him as our sovereign Lord, by subjection to his will, and, as a God all-sufficient, by a cheerful confidence in him.TALK

As we walk thru this life we must remain aware that God is with us always and our walk will show it.....TALK, PREACH...

And if you are truly walking with Him this will help us as John 4:24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.””

What can you render? Just continue to walk with Him.

Let’s now look at verse 10, Psalms 116:10 “I believed, therefore I spoke, “I am greatly afflicted.””

Truly believe...

The Apostle Paul took this line (I believed, therefore I spoke) and applied the principle to his own times of trusting God and speaking from the experience of that trust, even in trying times (2 Corinthians 4:13-14).

Just as the psalmist here speaks from an experience of the result of his faith.

It will be from our own experiences that will lead us to truly believe and even speak of His goodness.

Because when you truly believe in someone or something, it’s hard to keep it to yourself....gots tell someone.....TALK, PREACH..

What can you render to God? Just truly believe.

Look at verse 13, the psalmist gives us 2 things here, Psalms 116:13 “I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the Lord.”

Receive a blessing and call on Him

Gratitude drove the psalmist to receive from God. Before we can do anything for Him, we begin by gratefully receiving.

The psalmist says he was near death and the Lord saved him.

start at verse 3....

You may not realize it but we were all near death. Not just the pyiscal but also the spiritual but God made away for us. And if you stay with me for a few more minutes I will tell you about the way.

But once you know those benefits, I will take up the cup of salvation....

"God, having bestowed so many benefits upon me, whatever cup he shall put into my hands I will readily take it, and not dispute it; welcome his holy will.".......TALK PREACH...

What can you render to God? Just accept His blessings because what He has for you is for you and praise His Holy name

Lastly look at verse 14, Psalms 116:14 “I will pay my vows to the Lord Now in the presence of all His people.”

We should pay God what we owe Him, Praises.... and do it publicly...

The word vow is translated from the original Hebrew language as a offering or a promise.

The psalmist made some promises, v9, v10, v13 and also here in v14......TALK, PREACH

I am here to tell you church, we need to pay our vows and don’t try and hide out....tell the world.....

when i think about those benefits and that they are mine and yours for the taking, i hear you Jeremiah, its like fire shut up in my bones....i gots to move and tell somebody...

What can you give God? Your love, your trust, your time,(walking with him), your gratitude for his benefits and all of the praise that He deserves....

Because He gave to us a long time ago....TALK, PREACH, CLOSE....

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 381.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 381.