Teen Challenge Message

Introduction

Opening Story/Illustration:

So we are about a week or so away from November. If you’re on social media, every year once November starts, everyone starts some form of a “30 days of thankfulness” challenge. So you’ll get a months worth of heartfelt posts and pictures of family members with things like:

“Day 1: So Thankful for my amazing wife. #blessed #marriedup”

“Day 2: Today I’m grateful for AC that works. #floridalife #90degreesinnovember

Over the next few weeks, you’ll be coming across this. November is a time when we remember to be thankful. We remember all of the blessings we’ve been given.

We are often told that we should “count our blessings.”

Transition to Text:

Before there were hashtags or social media or Thanksgiving Holidays, the Bible is going to tell us that we should be thankful. Particularly it’s going to remind us that we ought to be thankful to God.

In fact, throughout scripture God is constantly reminding his people that they should be thankful.

The Psalms in the Old Testament are going to really stress this.

The book of Psalms is a collection of poems, songs, and prayers that the Nation of Israel used as their hymnbook and prayerbook.

They would sing these songs and pray these prayers together and individually.

In fact, the Psalms would have been the prayer book of Jesus. In some of the worst moments of his life, as he’s dying on the cross, he prays a Psalm - “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” Is a direct quote of Psalm 22 in his dying moments, Jesus is not just saying what comes to his mind, he’s reaching back into his faith and he’s pulling out a Psalm, a Prayer that is appropriate for the moment he finds himself in.

The Psalms weren’t just prayers that individuals prayed they were also songs and prayers that were part of the community life.

The Psalm that I want to look at this morning was read or sung during their worship in the Temple. It was probably a responsive reading. It is often called the “Great Psalm of praise.” The leader would read one part and the congregation would echo the second half. We actually sang this Psalm in a more contemporary form this morning.

Text:

Let’s look at Psalm 136 this morning.

Psalm 136 NLT

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever. 4 Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. His faithful love endures forever. 5 Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. His faithful love endures forever. 6 Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. His faithful love endures forever. 7 Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights— His faithful love endures forever. 8 the sun to rule the day, His faithful love endures forever. 9 and the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever. 10 Give thanks to him who killed the firstborn of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever. 11 He brought Israel out of Egypt. His faithful love endures forever. 12 He acted with a strong hand and powerful arm. His faithful love endures forever. 13 Give thanks to him who parted the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever. 14 He led Israel safely through, His faithful love endures forever. 15 but he hurled Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea. His faithful love endures forever. 16 Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever. 17 Give thanks to him who struck down mighty kings. His faithful love endures forever. 18 He killed powerful kings— His faithful love endures forever. 19 Sihon king of the Amorites, His faithful love endures forever. 20 and Og king of Bashan. His faithful love endures forever. 21 God gave the land of these kings as an inheritance— His faithful love endures forever. 22 a special possession to his servant Israel. His faithful love endures forever. 23 He remembered us in our weakness. His faithful love endures forever. 24 He saved us from our enemies. His faithful love endures forever. 25 He gives food to every living thing. His faithful love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever.

State or Setup Main Idea:

This morning I want to remind all of us that we should give thanks because the Faithful love of the Lord endures forever.

Transition to Points:

Let’s dive in and look at this Psalm.

Points

We should give thanks because God is good and in control

The Psalmist opens here with an appeal to Give thanks to God because he is good.

What does it mean that God is good? He’s going to tell us as we move forward.

The idea here of “Give thanks” is often translated “give thanks,” “praise,” or “confession.”

Remember that the context of this song would be a congregation or group setting.

The people are coming together to “confess” or “affirm” or “Acknowledge” to one another that God is good.

When we worship God, it’s not a mindless, thoughtless exercise. We come together to think on, remember, and then call out what we know of who God is and how he has been good to us.

He goes on to tell us that God is the “God of gods” and the “Lord of lords.”

They lived in a culture where there were many competing god’s and goddesses.

Most nations had their own set of gods that they followed.

Sometimes, when these nations would go to war, the nation that won would claim that as a sign that their god or goddess was superior over the other nations.

But the God of Israel doesn’t play these games. He’s in complete control not only of Israel, but of every nation.

God is reminding Israel here that there is no other god his equal. He’s the God of gods. The emphasis here is that he is over the spiritual realm. There is nothing his equal.

The idea that follows as “Lord of lords” many believe is meant to communicate God’s power over the human sphere.

He’s not just over the spiritual realm.

He’s God over humanity and over creation.

He’s in control and there is nothing that can rival him.

God is not just in control - He is good.

This is important to remember.

If he were in control, but evil, we would be in trouble.

If he were good, but not in control, we would be in trouble.

But GOD is both good and in control.

We need to remember that God is good and God is in control

How Good is God? Charles Spurgeon put it this way: “He is good beyond all others; indeed, he alone is good in the highest sense; he is the source of good, the good of all good, the sustainer of good, the perfecter of good, and the rewarder of good. For this he deserves the constant gratitude of his people.”

Illustration - Have you ever had a friend or a family member that said something to you and it really hurt or bothered you? But you began to attempt to be angry about it, like you wanted to be mad, but you found it difficult because the more you thought about it the more you realized a) They were probably right and b) Their intentions toward you were loving and good.

We go through things in life we do not understand. Sometimes we want to get mad at God and angry. Sometimes God does things that hurt.

But even in the midst of my greatest sorrow in life - Here’s a truth I hold onto -

God’s intentions towards me are always good and loving.

God is in control and sees things and knows things I cannot see.

That is not a cop out. I know that sometimes saying that doesn’t really help when we are in our pain. But it’s true.

God loves us. God is always good. God always wants whats best for us.

God did not cause everything that happened in your life. God weeps with you over those things. One day God will correct all of it.

We should give thanks because we live in a good world created by a good God

The Psalmist reminds us that God created the world

We now move into the illustrations of God’s goodness. What makes God good?

God created this incredible world that we live in.

The words here are going to point us back to Genesis.

God creates the world in 6 days and, at the end of each day he says “It is good.”

God blesses the man and the woman he created and he puts them in this beautiful garden and gives them food and authority over the world he places them in.

This Psalm reminds us that:

God alone does great wonders - Again an emphasis on his authority and power.

God made the heavens

God set the earth in place

God made the sun and the moon and the stars

Everything you see around you is a wonderful blessing from your creator!

We need to remember that God created a good world and blessed us with it!

The naturalist Pathway - In the class I’ve been teaching on Wednesday nights, we have been discussing the 9 different ways people connect with God. One of them is called the Naturalist pathway.

If you’ve ever glimpsed a beautiful Florida Sunset and felt God’s presence, you’ve experienced this!

Or if you’ve been on a walk and been struck with wonder as you saw an animal or a flower.

Or if you’ve ever seen the mountains or fall leaves and something inside you just wanted to worship!

All of creation testifies to the goodness and wonder of our God! Every mountain, sunset, moonlit night, every star in the sky shows us how wonderful and amazing God is!

When you look at creation and its amazing beauty, you ought to say, “Oh give thanks to the Lord! For he is good! His faithful love endures forever!”

We should give thanks because God has saved us

God Faithfully saved and set free the Israelites from Egyptian Slavery

As this Psalm moves forward it begins to get more specific

We move from the grand, general idea of creation to God’s incredible power and love as he saved the Israelites out of Slavery.

If you remember, the Israelites have been in Egypt for over 400yrs.

God speaks to Moses at the Burning Bush and tells him to go down to Egypt and tell Pharaoh to “Let my people Go.”

Pharaoh refuses, and God begins to strike the land of Egypt with ten plagues.

After God strikes the nation of Egypt by killing all the firstborn sons, Pharoah finally decides to let God’s people go. But, he changes his mind and chases after them. They find themselves caught between Pharoah and the red sea. With nowhere to Go, Moses stretches his hand out over the sea and it splits in two, allowing Israel to walk through on dry ground. Pharoah’s army tries to follow, but ends up drowning.

This was the most important event in their history. It’s the defining moment when God faithfully brought them out of Slavery and set them free to worship and serve him.

This Psalm rehearses and reminds them of God’s Love that brought them out of Slavery

It References the final plague where the firstborn sons in Egypt die

It was God’s strong hand - not their military power or greatness - that brought them out.

It was God who led his people. He was their faithful deliverer!

We should give thanks because God has made a way for us to be free from Sin

We may not have been physically slaves - but the Bible is clear that we are all slaves of sin.

We need to be set free.

Sin has enslaved us, blinded us, and caused us to live life disoriented.

Sin goes deep and causes us to be in wrong relationship to God, to others, and with ourselves.

We do not have the power to free ourselves from Sin.

Paul is going to put it this way:

Romans 6:17–18 NLT

17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.

Colossians 1:13–14 NLT

13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Ephesians 2:1–10 NLT

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Paul’s Point - God, through Christ, has made a way for us to be free from sin!

When we meet Jesus and commit to following him, we have a location change. Just as the people of Israel were in Egypt one moment and the next they weren’t - So when we come to Jesus we are in our sins, broken and helpless, BUT when he sets us free we move from being in sin to being in Christ!

All across this room, if you follow Jesus you have a story that could be your “Psalm 136”

“To Him who set me free from drugs and Alcohol” - His faithful love endures forever

“To Him who delivered me from habits that were killing me” - His Faithful love endures forever

“To Him who saved me from my own self-righteousness” - His Faithful love endures forever

“To Him who saved me and put my marriage back together” - His faithful love endures forever

“To him who saved me from the miserable person that I was and gave me joy” - His faithful love endures forever

If you know Jesus, you have a Psalm 136 Song to sing! If you don’t your song is being written!

We should give thanks because God provided for us and directed us

God provided for and directed His people, Israel

Now that God has taken Israel out of Egypt, what will happen to them?

God has led his people through the wilderness and prepared a place for his people

In Deuteronomy, as they are preparing to enter the land that God has given them, Moses is giving them some warnings. In Chapter 8 God reminds them to remember that He’s he one who led them and provided for them.

Deuteronomy 8:11–18 NLT

11 “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. 12 For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, 13 and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! 14 Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. 15 Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! 16 He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. 17 He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ 18 Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

Not only did God lead them, but We are told in this text that God “struck down great kings and killed might kings.”

It then goes on to name several of the kings and nations that God moved in order that Israel might have a place.

God had made Abraham a promise that his ancestors would inherit the land.

God was making good on his promise and making space for his people!

It tells us that “God remembered them in their weakness and saved them from their enemies.”

This is all a reminder, that throughout their history, God has been faithful to them. Not only did he lead them out of Egypt, but he also created and made space for them. When their enemies came against them, God fought for them.

God gave them an inheritance.

God has provided for you and me

God has led and directed your life and mine in ways we often do not see

Illustration: Have you ever had one of those moments where you look at where you are in life and go - How did I get here? Not in the negative way, but you look and you begin to retrace your steps and see how step by step the Lord provided and directed and moved you forward.

Recently in the life of my family my wife had some decisions to make. She was offered a different job, and to be honest, it was tempting to take it. Her commute would have been less, her responsibilities would have been more towards her skillset. On paper, it looked like the move to make. But we prayed about it and she said, I just feel like the Lord’s saying “trust me.” So she declined the offer. Fast forward a few months and what wasn’t clear all of a sudden begins to become clear. We begin to see - If had made this move at that moment then maybe this wouldn’t have happened and that door wouldn’t have opened and that opportunity wouldn’t have been there.

All along the way God is directing and providing for us. We just need to wake up and see it!

But like Israel, isn’t it so easy to get comfortable? To think that we somehow did all this? To look at your life and your accomplishments and somehow think that you did it all?

This Psalm is a reminder to the people of Israel that they did not do it all. That God is the one who has been faithful time and time again!

When we come to worship each week, it’s a reminder that we did not get here on our own.

We sing songs about his goodness and his mercy and his love and his direction and his help.

Why do we sing these songs?

Why do we sing about blessing him at all times?

Why do we sing about his great faithfulness?

Why do we sing about how Good he is?

Because it’s a reminder that you and I did not get here on our own and that we are not alone.

The discipline of coming to church every week and singing together isn’t just to make you feel good and tingle - It’s a weekly reminder and acknowledgment that you didn’t get here alone and you are not alone. It’s a habit that works this truth deep into your bones.

We should give thanks because his faithful love endures forever

The Psalm ends where it starts - with a broadened reminder that God is in control and provides for every living thing - Going back to this God who creates and sustains everything - He gives food to every living thing. Give thanks to the God of heaven.”

So we serve a God who created the world, saves us, and provides for us - His love endures forever!

As we close i want to hone in on this word “Faithful love.”

In Hebrew it is one word. Possibly one of the most important words in all of Scripture.

It is Chesed (Hesed). It carries loads of meaning and it is difficult to convey it in English.

This word is used 240 times in the Old Testament

One of the main uses of it is this - That God has made a covenant to his people, Israel, and he is going to be faithful to keep that promise.

It’s not just love the flippant way we talk about it in Culture

It’s this deep love. It’s this idea that God has made a promise and he’s sticking to it. Think of it in terms of a marriage commitment.

We say, “For better or worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us apart.”

God’s love is with us - “For better or worse, in sickness and in health…in the good times and the bad times. In the ups and downs. When we fail and when we falter. THE FAITHFUL LOVE OF THE LORD ENDURES.

It’s also a love that calls for a response. It calls for us to love him just as faithfully.

It is his steadfast love. His faithful love. It’s this picture and idea that God is going to be faithful to his and love them faithfully forever.

He has created, saved, and provided because of his great, unfailing, faithful, never-ending love!

How do we know that God loves us? The New Testament is going to point us to Jesus.

We can all Quote it: John 3:16

John 3:16 NLT

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Paul Reminds us that: Romans 5:8

Romans 5:8 NLT

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

John is going to tell us: 1 John 3:16

1 John 3:16 NLT

16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Jesus is this powerful reminder and Illustration that “His Faithful love endures forever.”

In fact, this is what Colossians and the author of Hebrews is going to say

Colossians 1:15 NLT

15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

Hebrews 1:1–2 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

What are these verses telling us? That if we want to see God, we look at Jesus.

Jesus is a reminder that God keeps his promises and that “His faithful love endures forever.”

Illustration: This is probably a crude illustration and it may not do it full justice, but I think it makes the point. When you look at someone’s kids you often try to figure out “which one of their parents do they look like?” People see my kids and claim my son looks like me and my daughter looks like my wife. As you get older, it seems the more you look at and act like your parents. More of their image begins to come out of you. In fact, the other month we realized that my wife and mother-in-law have begun to look enough alike that they can unlock one another’s phones using their face!

Jesus is the perfect image of his father! He’s a reminder of the faithful love of God that endures forever!

Conclusion

Restate or Reveal Main Idea:

We should give thanks because the faithful love of the Lord endures forever!

So what?

This week, slow down, look around, think on and recall God’s goodness, faithfulness, and love!

Now What?

If you’re not saved, you can be. If you are, would you stand and begin to give him praise. Begin to make this Psalm your own!

Prayer