Thanksgiving Psalm 116

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Call to Worship

Say: Let us now begin to worship the Father the Son, the Holy Spirit, Our Call to worship Comes to us from

Isaiah 49:15–16 ESV

15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. 16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.

Introduction

More Perfect Illustrations: For Every Topic and Occasion Testimony: A Marine’s Astonishing Thankfulness

Retired U.S. Marine Corps General Charles Krulak tells of the time when he as a nonbeliever was first confronted with the testimony of a person committed to Christ:

Thirty-five years ago I was a young second lieutenant just graduated from the Naval Academy, married 14 days after I graduated. My wife and I went down to Quantico, Virginia, home of the basic school where officers learn about honor, courage, and commitment. At that time in my life I thought I was a cross between John Wayne and Tom Cruise. Because I was married, I shared a room with another married officer named John Listerman. John was a wonderful human. He exuded goodness. If I asked him for his arm, he would have said, “Where do you want me to cut it off? At the wrist? The elbow?” John was a Christian. That meant nothing to me other than Gee, what a nice guy. I guess this Christian stuff must be pretty good.

Upon graduating from basic school, John and I went to Camp Pendleton, California, where we joined the same battalion preparing to go to Vietnam. And I saw another side of John Listerman: he was a tremendous leader—aggressive and technically proficient. People loved him. He was committed to his troops; his troops were committed to him. He was a Marine’s Marine.

On a December morning in 1965 John and I went to war. John Listerman’s war lasted one day.

We were on patrol moving down a trail through the jungle. We came around a corner in that trail, and we ran into an ambush. John took the first round, a 50-caliber round right in his kneecap. As his kneecap burst, the crack was so loud it sounded like a mortar exploding. It threw him up in the air. As he was dropping, the second round hit him right below the heart and exited out his side. I was wounded also but nowhere near as badly. I saw John about 30 meters away on his back, his leg blown off.

I crawled up to him, and I wanted to say, “Are you okay? Can I do anything?” but before I could do that, his head turned to me and he said, “How are you doing, Chucker? Are you okay?”

I said, “Yes, John. I’m okay.” He said, “Are my men safe?” I said, “John, your people are okay.” At that point he turned his head and looked to the sky and repeated over and over, “Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for caring for my people. Thank you for caring for me.”

I was dumbfounded.

(John Listerman and Charles Krulak were evacuated. Krulak later became a Christian.)

Do you want to learn how to be more thankful for what the Lord is doing in your life? You hear this true story and it opens your eyes to the reality that God deserves all the praise and honor and glory. Maybe you have a story of thankfulness and want to gro in being more thankful, to God, to demonstrate to those that you love, you care for, you lead. God’s word in our Psalm today is a thanksgiving Psalm.

Text

Psalm 116 ESV

1 I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. 2 Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!” 5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. 6 The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. 7 Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. 8 For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; 9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. 10 I believed, even when I spoke: “I am greatly afflicted”; 11 I said in my alarm, “All mankind are liars.” 12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? 13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, 14 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. 15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. 16 O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. 17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. 18 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, 19 in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!

Background

What is a Thanksgiving Psalm?

Their are many types of Psalms, this type is marked with praise and thanks for What god has done. Sometimes they’re more generic but in our case today it’s very specific. The hearing of Pleas for mercy (1), inclining his ear (v2), deliverance (v4), raised up (v5) rest (v7) provision (v7)

We can see in this quick study I believe 5 ways we can grow in thankfulness.

For Study Aid:

Verses 2, 9, 13-14, 17.

The "I wills" of the Psalm. I will call (Ps 116:2), I will walk (Ps 116:9), I will take (Ps 116:13), I will pay (Ps 116:14), I will offer (Ps 116:17).

The best way to respond to the blessing of the Lord is with these 5 actions of faith

I will Call

2 Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

Psalm 116:1–8 ESV

1 I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. 2 Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!” 5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. 6 The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. 7 Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. 8 For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling;

I look at he conditions that the Psalmist was going through and I can say that these cover the large categories of hardship that all men experience.

1. 1 have prayed, often, constantly, in different ways, etc.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–17 ESV

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing,

Have you be brought low? I can think of Joseph locked away for a the lie of Potiphers wife and then forgotten by the cupbearer. Maybe not in physical jail cell, but a cell of this fallen worlds creation, trapped in beset sins, stuck in the hearts of the heart, feeling dragged down as if into Sheol. If you’ve been raised up praise God by continuting to pray. Pray without ceasing. Pray boldly. It is what you’re called to do in times of trouble and after the moment that you’re lifted out of your troubles!

Your prayers are demonstrative of your continued thankfulness!

Some of you are prayer warriors. You’ve got a grip on the Lord’s ear, keep it going.

Your constant prayer is testimony of God to yourself and it is thankfulness in action!

I will Walk

9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew Words Defined and Explained Walk

In a more general sense, it refers to the normal “process of living,” such as walking in a valley of deep darkness (Ps. 23:4). But even more importantly, it describes “walking before the Lord” or “living a moral, ethical and religious life” that pleases God.

I need the older generation to hear this, your children and grandchildren are very sensitive to what they perceive as hypocrisy. I’m not saying that everytime their judgment is 100%, but they don’t care for it at all. So your walk is very important we’re all hypocrites to some degree, sin is that wicked, but repent your sins and walk in faith. That is how you demonstrate your thankfulness to your God.

Your loved ones need you to walk in thankfulness, it is how they know what you believe is real to you. They need to see your faith, don’t put it under a bushel, but let it be perceived by men.

1. Walk by faith in him.

Psalm 1:1 ESV

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

We are to walk, to live for Christ before those around us.

2. Walk in love with him.

Micah 4:5 ESV

5 For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.

Do you live a life that demonstrates your love of God, do people know your faith not only by your praises but by what you do? Could a stranger identify you as a man and women of God after moments with you?

3. Walk by obedience to him.

Walk as Abraham did

Genesis 17:1 ESV

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,

When you walk as he did it is a testimony that many will speak of for generations as Paul did Rom. 4:12

Romans 4:12 ESV

12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

I will pay my vows

14 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

The way to understand this is in light of how it was used in Psalm elsewhere Ps. 22:25

Psalm 22:25 ESV

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him.

To grow in Thankfulness we must also worship God. Given the context in both passages you see the need for worship of God in the assembly of the saints. Yes for you to grow in faithfulness it takes commitment to churchmanship.

You can’t grow in Christ by watching church on tv or the computer. Sermons while a great investment in yourself during the week are not the same as worship with the saints of God.

You must be a person who will pay back his vows before the saints of God.

Read with me from

Hebrews 10:15–25 ESV

15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 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.

The thankfulness that we have because of the redemption we recived is shown in the assembly of the saints

Application:

Your churchman ship teaches your loved ones and you Christian brothers and sisters to do likewise. I’ve heard some of your stories, you went through a period when you may have stepped out but the realized your need to come back. That renofrces the need to us all and to you kids.

It is as Paul in Hebrews teaches in encourages us all (v25)

Together is grow us in assurance (v22)

It reminds of our clean heart before the Lord or convicts us to approach the Lord in repentance (v22)

It helps stir us up to good works (v24)

All of this builds in us a heart of thankfulness. The more your around God’s people the more your thankful for what God is doing through his people and with you!

Children’s Application:

What is one thing you are thankful for that God has done. Tell that to you parents or grandparents after the service.

I will offer

17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.

Christianity is free, but it is not cheap. God’s son spilled his blood fro you and me. God gave us this little church, but keeping the lights on, the sound system operating is not cheap. Part of thankfulness is giving back to God’s mission to save men and women, the church is the vehicle of discipleship in which we are equipped to do the work of the saints. So give, your time, your talents, and your treasures. God has a mission for you, maybe you know it, but part of establishing your thankfulness is by giving him back a portion.

This is not a quid-pro-quo God is so good that he does not work that way, but you giving of yourself declares that the work you have done is also for him.

In the garden Adam was to tend the trees for beauty as well as for food. The question is why? Because the Garden of Eden was a garden temple to Jesus. He and Eve and their children were to expand that garden all over the Earth and make every square inch of it a place of worship. In Christ that worship has been restored fully, and so we must use out work to grow the place and ministry of worship.

Will you offer? Will you tender your works to be an offering to God?

Will you preform in excellance? Will you give back a piece of excellanse?

If you’re working you can do this through financials giving, maybe you have a stronger back or knowhow. I know we got things around here that the building and ground team will set you on, they do a great job, but could always use the manpower. We still need to fix that steeple.

How can you worship the Lord your God with your offerings?

I will Take (Communion) v13

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord,

Verse 13. Sermon on the Lord's supper. We take the cup of the Lord

Remembrance feast

Strengthening feast

Covenanting feast

Love feast

witnessing feast

1. In memory of him who is our salvation.

2. In token of our trust in him.

3. In evidence of our obedience to him.

4. In type of communion with him.

5. In hope of drinking it new with him ere long.

Benediction

Say: As we close our service of worship dear brother and sister please stand for our benediction and receive by faith this blessing from God

Numbers 6:24–26 ESV

24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.