How to enjoy God

Read Psalm 34:3 “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.”

Intro

I want to ask you

a question?

What drink

do you enjoy

the most?

My favorite

is Sprite Zero.

But what is

the favorite

of the people

in the entire world?

It’s Coke.

43.3%

of all

soft drink sales

are all Coca-Cola.

One slogan

of Coke

I never forgot

is ‘Enjoy Coke.’ (enjoy coke pics)

In an effort

to sell

this drink

as much as possible

the marketing team

wanted to make a slogan

that was understandable

and relatable

world wide.

Every culture

and language

could understand

the simple pleasure

of life

of enjoying Coke

after a long

tiring day.

Coke

music

and games

are often

at the front

of your mind

when you think

of enjoying something.

But did you know

that you can also

Enjoy God?

In fact

in front

of games

music

and Coke

God

should be

at the top

of the list.

And if this

is true

how badly

are you

missing out

on life’s

not simple

but greatest

pleasure.

Today

I want to show you

how.

So you stop

missing out.

1. Worship him in private (v.1-2a)

David

begins this song

with worship.

Let’s look at v.1, ‘I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth’.

I want you to notice

the very first word

in this verse.

What is it? (ask)

It’s the word, ‘I’.

I.

Why is this one word

one letter

so important?

It’s because

David

is not saying you

are blessing the LORD

or

he

is blessing the LORD

but I.

Me!

It’s about

my worship of the LORD

not yours.

In other words

it’s personal.

I don’t care

about my friend’s worship

or my parent’s worship

because I’m too busy

worshipping right now!

David says

that praising God

is continually

in my mouth.

Not your mouth.

But mine.

You see

other people

can’t

enjoy God

for you.

You

have to enjoy God

for yourself.

Just like

if I

eat Chick Fil-A

and I eat the yummy

waffle fries

you

can’t enjoy it

through me.

You have to eat it

for yourself.

So I want to ask

do you enjoy God

for yourself?

So many people

especially youth

come to church

just because

their friends

or family are going.

And they aren’t

actually enjoying God

themselves

they are just watching others

enjoy God.

And how sad is that?

Are you

enjoying God yourself?

But it’s not

just on Sunday.

Because David says, ‘at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth’.

And this is where we see

that worship

is private.

It is personal

and private.

Because

you can really see

what someone cares about

what someone really enjoys

when you see

what they do

when no one

is looking.

When it’s in private.

One of the most common things

people do in private

are their hobbies.

How many of you have a hobby? (ask)

What kind of hobby? (ask)

And people do their hobbies

in private

because they don’t care

if people are watching or not

because

they enjoy

what they are doing.

Card collecting

crocheting

gaming

listening to music

playing sports.

You will do this

regardless

of people are watching

because you are too busy

having fun!

Too busy

enjoying.

Have you ever wondered

what Jesus enjoyed doing?

We can know

by looking

at what He did

in private.

Luke 5:15–16 (NKJV)

However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

When things became stressful

and tiring for Jesus

being bombarded

by person

after person

to be healed

from diseases

and demon possessions

He would go alone

in private

to pray

and worship.

That was his hobby.

That was his enjoyment

worship.

When no one

was watching

because that’s

what he truly

enjoyed.

Matthew 6:6 (ESV)

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

This is why

Jesus

taught his disciples

to pray

to worship God

in secret.

In private.

Because God

wants you to enjoy Him. And because true Christians

enjoy God.

And their enjoyment

of God

is most clear

when it is in private.

On top of that

God even rewards

those who enjoy Him

in private.

What

is the reward

you may ask?

Some money?

No something even better

a satisfied

and joyful

soul.

Look at v.2, ‘My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;

When you

enjoy God

in private

you treat

your soul.

Your soul

becomes hearty

strong

confident

joyful

and satisfied.

Too much

of your anxieties

depression

and sadness

comes from a soul

not treated well.

Empty souls.

A soul

that hasn’t

been filled

from enjoying God.

So you need

to fill your soul

with worship.

If you want

to lift

your soul

out of misery

and into joy.

Just like

how you look

to enjoy a nice cold drink

when you’re thirsty

on a hot tiring day

when you feel

anxious

worried

doubtful

lonely

you need to realize

your soul is thirsty.

And you need to say

‘man I need some God

I need to enjoy some Jesus’

and drink.

Psalm 42:1 (ESV)

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.

Pants meant to thirst.

But this is a severe thirst. Usually

when you see paintings

of this psalm

you see a nice deer (deer pic)

prancing around

near a beautiful

green stream.

But the Hebrew

actually means

a severe thirst

so that if you don’t drink

you will die.

So in reality

it should be a deer

malnourished (mal deer pic)

with its bones

almost showing

in a dangerous need

of water. Many today

are fed so well physically

but are about to die spiritually

because they don’t drink God

they don’t enjoy God.

So how

can we drink?

By reading His Word

and praying. How often

do you pray

and read God’s Word?

You must do so

every day.

All of this

is private worship.

2. Worship him in public (v.2b-3)

But worship

must also

be public.

David says in the rest of v.2, ‘The humble shall hear of it and be glad.’

Here the humble

refers to those

who have been humbled

by God’s goodness.

Other Christians.

They will hear of

what God has done for you

and be encouraged

by it

as well!

Where?

church obviously!

Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV)

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Here you are commanded

to encourage one another

to follow Jesus

by meeting together

on the Lord’s Day.

That’s why the author of Hebrews says,

‘not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some.’

It is a biblical command

to go to church

and it is sinful

to make skipping church

a habit.

Because God has given you a job to do

to encourage each other.

And you can’t do that

unless we meet together

for church.

Because the Day is drawing near

Jesus is coming back

time is running out.

You don’t have time

to stay home

and watch Tiktok.

Besides

worshipping God

with others

in public

is far more pleasurable

and enjoyable

than scrolling through your phone

your whole Sunday morning.

That’s what David says

in v.3, ‘Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.’

David says, ‘oh’

because of the ultimate pleasure

of worshipping God in public.

He says, ‘magnify’

meaning to make big!

I remember in middle and high school

we would do science experiments

of plants

or cells

and they would give us a magnifying glass

to see

these really small things

in detail.

Sometimes we would use

these powerful microscopes

and we would see

these cells

which are invisible. (microscope pic)

But with the microscope

they become huge

and you can see every detail

and it’s amazing.

Enjoying God

is to also magnify Him.

To make him huge

in our life

and examining

all the fine details

about Him

and being in awe

of his greatness.

And when we meet together

to worship in public

we do it together.

David says, ‘magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together’.

So many things in life

are more fun

and more pleasurable

with others.

There’s a reason

no one

plays UNO

or go fish

alone.

When we worship together

we are exalting

lifting up

the name of Jesus

when we sing

when we pray

and when we listen to the word

together.

These three things

singing

praying

and listening

are all things

we do

when we worship in private.

When you listen

to preaching

it should be

because you also

listen to God

when you read

His word in private.

But just as you do these things in private

because you enjoy worshipping God

you also

enjoy

worshipping God

in public.

Together.

Zooming in

to God

and looking

at all the fine

glorious details

about Him together

when we sing

pray

read

and listen

is so delightful.

I really

want to emphasize

the importance

the balance

of private worship

and public worship

to you students.

Because today

our culture

is all about convenience

and about the self.

There are people out there

who don’t go to church

because they say

they are spiritual.

They have a relationship

with God

and it’s just

about them and God

and no one else.

But you don’t

truly worship God

unless you also

make it public.

There’s a reason

that people propose

in public.

People sometimes do crazy things

for their proposal.

Like propose in the middle of a sports game

for everyone to hear.

Or do fireworks

and engrave

an entire swimming pool. (pool pic)

Why

do they do it?

Not for themselves

but to express

their love

to their future spouse.

And if you really love Jesus

you will make it public too.

Don’t come to worship in public

to be seen by others.

But to express worship

for God to see.

And as a result

you encourage other Christians too.

Not because you are focused

on them

when you come.

But because

when you are locked-in

to worshipping God publically

it’s encouraging to see.

Just like how seeing

a proposal in public

is heartwarming to see.

You think the couple

cares about the crowds watching?

They are really in their own world together.

But we

get to enjoy

seeing the love

sacrifice

and dedication

made

to begin marriage.

And when we go to church

we get to enjoy

seeing

what God

has done for you

and for others

as well!

So students

if you want

to enjoy God

worship Him in private

and in public.

You must do both.

If you only

worship Him in private

then you must understand

the unmatched pleasure

of worshipping together.

And so what this also means

is if you have been saved by Jesus

and you haven’t been baptized

what are you waiting for?

Make it public!

What kind of love

doesn’t want others to know?

Baptism

is making your worship of God

public.

It doesn’t magically save you

it simply means

you are taking your worship public.

And what that means

is that you already are

worshipping God

privately

because He has saved you

already.

If you got baptized

purely

because someone told you

and not because

you already

were saved,

and you weren’t already

worshipping Him on your own

privately

then your baptism

wasn’t real.

But it’s not too late.

If you actually

worship Him now

speak with me

and let’s talk

about making it public.

But on the other hand

if you only

worship God publically

and not privately.

Then there’s no faker

worship than that.

You only come here

because your family or friends

are here

then you must repent.

You don’t actually

enjoy God.

And that’s sad

that you miss out

on enjoying

the greatest pleasure

there is.

God himself.

Students

enjoy God

by worshipping Him

privately

and publically.

Gospel/conclusion

Because a world

with people who enjoy God

filled with joy

purpose

and satisfaction

is a world

God designed.