Recognizing the Greatness of Great

God is Great

In order to give recognition to someone who is great, we need to first identify what great looks like.

You see, if we don’t know what great looks like everybody can say I’m great.

Everybody could say I’m great and there would be nothing to measure the greatness they claim.

Then, there are those who can claim their own personal greatness.

Sometimes your greatness isn’t measured by popular opinion.

Sometimes its measured by particular opinion, or specific opinion.

I’ll bring this home by saying it this way.

My children say I’m great, my grandchildren say i’m great.

It’s those particularly specific opinions that make me great.

In the best case scenario, your children feel the same about you.

So recognizing greatness depends on how you define it.

Someone could be great in your eyes, but nobody else feels the same as you.

But that doesn’t mean their not great, because they are great to you.

There are others who find themselves powerful by declaring their greatness.

If this is done with the wrong intent, self proclamation could turn into self destruction.

Mohamed Ali claimed to be the GOAT in boxing.

The Greatest of All Times and he may have been what he claimed

If a person is confident to the point where that claim can be made, some would say, “Make That Point”.

But, it’s not so much to claim greatness, as it is to be confident in what you do.

In the scripture today, The writer describes God as being great.

This writer being David can make this claim without doubt.

If we were to hear David’s story we would hear about the many things he has faced during his life.

David has faced many devils on many levels.

But he has maintained his place with God and his faith in God.

How many here who can hear my voice can say the same?

How many can testify how God brought you through what you didn’t possible?

How many can tell how bad and abused you were treated and no one was there to help?

Let me come down your street, how many thought you were loved when you really were lost?

How many have felt that my sinful condition provided comfort?, that my sadness was common to my family?

But there was something on the inside that reminded you, as we preached in a sermon not too long ago,

But when I turned around.

Even David had a moment in his life where he had committed a terrible sin.

But he turned around and the Father received him.

These are the ways and instances when GREATNESS is defined.

So, David has written his testimony right here in Psalm 48 “A Song that begins, “Great is the Lord”.

Great is not an ordinary adjective, even Tony the Tiger pronounced it with a loud and powerful voice.

You can say something is good and maintain a plain voice.

You can say something is nice and still chill in your voice inflection.

But when something is GREAT, the word itself seems to require a lifting of your voice.

The word becomes a fire on the inside when you’re describing something worthy of being called GREAT.

David is talking about the one God, the only God, the true and living God.

The God that was, the God that is.

The God of yesterday, and today, and forevermore.

When we all put our minds to thought, it becomes a unanimous conclusion that God is the Great God.

He is the GREAT I AM

He is the I AM answer.

He is the I AM healer

He is the I AM deliverer

He is the I AM redeemer

We were in class the other day talking about the fact that God is the security of out salvation.

Oh Yes, I liked that, cause that means that because He IS, I AM.

His image is in me

His likeness is in me

8. Then we read the next part of the verse, and greatly to be praised.

After reaching the conclusion that God is GREAT

It would be only fitting to give the GREAT GOD a GREAT PRAISE.

The NIV reads it this way, God is most worthy of Praise.

When all of that is put together it sounds something like this

The GREAT GOD is most worthy of a GREAT PRAISE.

9. So we put it all together and we give GOD the highest PRAISE.

I found out that sometimes my highest praise comes in the form of tears.

I found that some people like to holler and raise their hands

I’ve got an Uncle who lives in Milwaukee and when it gets good to him

He places his fist in the small of his back and lifts up a leg.

Sometimes you’ll see him shaking his head from side to side.

I’ve seen people just take off running around the church

10. Whatever PRAISE is fitting for a GREAT GOD, that’s the PRAISE we should give.

God even provided a formula to promote PRAISE in Psalm 22:3 “Oh Thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.”

God is saying, if you PRAISE HIM, He will be there in your PRAISE.

God is saying, If we PRAISE HIS NAME, He’will be in the midst.

Somebody ought to call His Name right now. Help me say Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

David didn’t waste anytime when he learned of the formula.

Psalm 34 “A Psalm of David when he was in a life threatening situation. He said I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.

Not only had he decided to give God PRAISE, but he also invited others to join him in PRAISE

11. We can all recognize the Greatness of a Great God.

12. When we find ourselves suffering in this world, but also realizing this old world is not our home.

13. When we see things prospering in this world, but we realize that our reward is with GOD.

14. When the attack of the enemy cuts right into our hearts, but God gives us the strength through it all and it works out better for all.

15. Cause we know that what the devil meant for bad, God made it the good.