Moved By The Glory of God

Key Elements

In Psalm 19, the Psalmist communicated that the glory of God is displayed through His creation and in His Word for all to see and hear for the purpose of us knowing Him in a real and personal way and ultimately to bring Him the glory He deserves.

Main idea of the message: God is constantly speaking to us through the beauty of His creation and the truth of His Word for the purpose of inviting us to a life of worship that is moved to know Him, trust Him, and live fully aligned with His will for us.

I want my audience to respond to who God reveals Himself to be by surrendering their lives to be lived for His glory.

Intro

When you find yourself stressed and just wanting to get away, where do you go? When you’re planning a vacation with your family, do you go to the beach or the mountains? We all have places that we go to to just get away from it all. I could be a local spot that’s quiet and away from everything. Here where we live it probably is a spot on Lake Martin. Some do prefer the beach for vacation and some of us would rather go to the mountains. No matter where we go, the truth is there is just something about creation and the beauty of the world around us that restores us, that causes us to stand in awe and wonder, that draws our attention from ourselves and what’s going on in our lives to a higher place and a greater person. A couple of weeks ago, me and 13 other people from our church were on mission trip in Honduras. And if you’ve never been there, it is such a beautiful country. It’s green and lush and just full of life. And on our final full day there, we spend what we call a cultural day. It’s an opportunity for the team to enjoy the day doing something fun to experience the culture of Honduras after working hard all week. And depending on where we are serving in the country depends on what we do on that day. Last year, we spent a day touring the Mayan ruins because we were in an area called Copan. This year, we spent time zip lining at the water falls and spent time on Lake Jahoya. Now, 3 years ago, on our first mission trip there, we went zip lining as well. That year I participated, but this year I took pictures of everybody else. And while everyone was ziplining, me and Dan and a couple of the team members walked down to the water fall which is where the zip line ends so that we could take pictures of everyone coming across the falls and coming into the final station. And while we were waiting on everyone, we were standing at the falls just in awe of what we were looking at. (shop picture of the falls) As you can see from the picture, the falls are massive and you can’t stand there long before you are soaking wet from the mist. As you stand there you are just consumed by the sheer power that is in front of you-you are overwhelmed by the noise of the water and the power of the water bursting forth out of the rocks. And as you look down below, you can see the current rushing down the river from the force. It’s an amazing and humbling sight to see. And it’s one of those moments that remind you just how small you are and how big and glorious and powerful God is.

And that’s the exact picture that David paints for us in Psalm 19 today. It’s a powerful, awe inspiring reminder of who God is. It’s a calling of us all back to the glory of God laying out before us in a beautiful way who God is and reminding us in stark detail that He is worthy of all glory and honor and praise. For it is here in this psalm that David communicated that the glory of God is displayed through His creation and in His Word for all to see and hear, and the purpose of that is to move us to know Him in a real and personal way and ultimately to bring Him the glory He deserves. This picture of God that we see laid out before us today should really only move us to one response and that is an awe that transforms us so much that it leads us to worship Him.

So, here’s our main idea today to focus on as we walk through Psalm 19: God is constantly speaking to us through the beauty of His creation and the truth of His Word for the purpose of inviting us to a life of worship that is moved to know Him, trust Him, and live fully aligned with His will for us.

Message

Our text in Psalm 19, gives us a powerful picture of how God reveals Himself and calls us to respond. In this psalm, we see three ways God speaks and how each one calls us to live differently:

1. Creation Reminds Us of Who God Is. (vs. 1-6) general revelation

David, right out of the gate, takes us back to the book of Genesis to the creation of all things as he begins by pointing his readers and us directly to God. The great story of redemption in Scripture always starts with creation and creation always points to and begins with God because He is the creator. The Bible never tries to prove the fact that God is the creator, it always assumes the fact is obvious. And this is where David begins in Psalm 19. He begins by painting a picture for us of how glorious and incredible God is and the language he uses is so beautiful.

Now, before we go any further, there are a couple of concepts we have to understand to fully grasp what David is doing here. To fully grasp the picture of who God is and how He reveals Himself to us and specifically what David is speaking to in this Psalm, we have to understand general revelation and special revelation. So, let’s go ahead and define those: General Revelation is “the knowledge of God’s existence, character, and moral law that comes through creation to all of humanity.” (Lawson) Special Revelation is “God’s words addressed to specific people, including and primarily the words of Scripture. It’s God revealing in detail who He is, what He has done, and what He requires of us.” (Lawson)

And God’s general revelation is what we see here in the beginning of Psalm 19 as David proclaims that creation reminds us of who God is. Look at vs. 1-3… Here at the very beginning he’s saying creation is constantly reminding us that:

a. God is the creator and sustainer of all things.

Let me put that in words that you and I can understand. God is BIG! He is HUGE! It is beyond yours or mine or the smartest person on the planets comprehension how BIG God is. I mean think about it, there are galaxies in the universe that cannot be seen with the most powerful telescope made by humans, the universe is so big and God holds all of it in the palm of His hand.

The only thing I can compare this to and, this is a poor example but it’s all I have, is flying on a plane. Sitting in the window seat of a plane and looking out the window as you rise above the clouds and being able to see for miles and looking down and seeing how small the world is, it reminds you of how small you are and how big God is and that is just a fraction of the bigness of God.

And He created it all and He sustains it all. Think about it, everything and everyone that has ever been or ever will be that has existed, currently exists, or will exist was created by God. Everything that has to perfectly work for our planet to be a place that can sustain life is sustained by God. Not to mention everything else that is going on in the universe we can see and things we can’t. God is the creator and the sustainer of it all.

And...

b. God is the center of the universe.

All things point to Him. Everything that God has created and sustains is doing what it’s supposed to do, Giving glory to God. David says, “The heavens declare, and the expanse proclaims, every day they pour out praise, and every night they reveal the knowledge to all people that there is a God who is the center of the universe. They don’t audibly say anything but they constantly communicate and point to the one true God who is the center of it all.”

One pastor trying to explain this compares it to the look a mom gives to her kids and even possibly her husband. You know that look. She doesn’t have to say anything but her look speaks volumes. It’ll stop you in your tracks.

One commentator calls it the “soundless sermon continually communicated in the skies.” (Lawson) God’s creation speaks volumes, it screams, it proclaims the glory of God that He is the center of all things.

He continues in vs. 4-6… There is no person on the planet that is not exposed to the revelation of God through His creation. The entire world is covered with the evidence of God’s existence as it all points to Him. God’s glory, like the sun, the psalmist says, shines bright for all to see and nothing and no one on earth is hidden from Him.

The Apostle Paul testifies to this truth in Romans 1:19–20 where he says “since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.”

And when we begin to see God this way and we begin to try and wrap our minds around this beautiful picture of God, it causes us to see the world differently. Instead of just background noise, creation becomes a daily reminder of the greatness of God. And that reminder drives us to live in constant worship and gratitude for who He is. And we join with creation in living a life that brings honor and glory to the Creator. Our lives no longer revolve around success or the illusion of control but the glory of God where we begin to ask “How does this honor God?” instead of “How does this benefit me?” And peace will be a constant because we believe that God holds all things together.

God speaks to us through creation and creation reminds us of who God is.

Second,...

2. God’s Word Reshapes How We Live Our Lives. (vs. 7-11) specific revelation

God is great, God is holy, God is glorious. This is the picture that the psalmist begins to paint for us, this glorious and powerful picture of God. This God created all things and sustains all things and everything He has created brings Him glory. This glorious God is constantly revealing Himself through His creation to all people. And then David funnels it down for his readers and us by showing us that this great and glorious God who is worthy of all glory and praise from His creation wants to know us personally. You see, while creation is how God reveals Himself to all people, His Word reveals the only way to know Him personally. God’s Word shows us the only way to have a relationship with our glorious Creator. And this is where we begin to see God’s special revelation come into the picture.

You see, because He loves us so much, He has provided His Word as the way for us know Him. We find relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ and we grow in that relationship through engagement with His Word. And as we engage with God’s Word and as He reveals Himself to us through His Word it reshapes how we live our lives.

So, how does God’s Word cause us to live differently?

a. Its perfection is where we find strength. (vs. 7)

Look at vs. 7… God’s Word is “complete and sufficient and lacks nothing.” There is nothing that needs to be added to it or taken away from it. And because of that, it provides the strength we need when we are weak. It refreshes and revives the drained soul. It reaches down to our innermost parts and resuscitates us giving us the life we need.

Not only that...

b. Its trustworthiness is where we find wisdom. (vs. 7)

He continues in vs. 7… God’s Word is “sure, dependable, and worthy of trust.” It will always lead us in truth. It’s something we can count on in every situation of life because it contains the ultimate collection of wisdom. Every answer to everything we deal with is contained in God’s Word. It gives us a newer and wiser way of looking at life and changes our perspective allowing us to see the bigger picture. It’s trustworthiness is where we find wisdom.

And...

c. Its truth is where we find joy. (vs. 8)

He says in vs. 8… God’s guidelines that He has set for us in His Word for how best to live our lives are the best way for us to live and living according to them brings joy. They bring truth and accuracy to our lives and submitting to them is where true joy is found. Is your life lacking joy, are you looking for a joy that is present no matter what you face in life? God’s Word and living according to His ways is where joy is found. It’s truth is where we find joy.

d. Its commands are where we find direction. (vs. 8)

Vs. 8 continues… God’s Word is clear and gives light to the path of our lives. When we feel lost and in a dark place, the light of the Word of God can show us which way to go. It alleviates confusion and clearly marks our path showing us how to live and what to do.

e. Its awe is where we find security. (vs. 9)

Vs. 9… The Word of God develops in us an awe for who God is. We get this from looking at the world around us but God, through His Word, takes that to a deeper level. It is a holy respect for a God who is so great yet loves all of us in a real and personal way. And realizing who God is and how powerful and mighty He is and that this is the person who lives inside of us and walks with us provides the ultimate security no matter what we face in life.

f. Its instruction is where we find foundation. (vs. 9)

Vs. 9 continues… How many things in this life or even people could we say this about? There’s really only a handful of people we could call reliable. The Psalmist says God’s Word is reliable. It will never fail and it presents a firm foundation on which our lives rest. It gives us a divine standard by which we are to live and it promises the reward of following its instruction.

And...

g. Its words are where we find life. (vs. 10-11)

Look at vs. 10-11… God’s Word is more desirable and more valuable than anything that this world has to offer. It satisfies the hunger of our soul but also leaves us wanting more of its wisdom. And if we live and walk and yield to the words of life given to us by God in His Word, that’s what we find-LIFE. Life to the fullest, life as God intended, not a problem free life but a life lived for the glory of God pointing others to our Savior and Lord.

Do you love the Word of God? Is this what you run to when life gets tough? Is God’s Word where you are daily finding your strength? Or are you looking for it somewhere else? Are you looking for it in someone else? The psalmist says that God reveals Himself through His Word and that is the only place we will find the fulfillment we are so desperately looking for.

And when we realize that, it reshapes our lives. Our values and decisions and direction begin to be defined by Scripture and not the culture around us. God’s Word begins to shape our priorities, influence our relationships, and lead us in how we respond to blessing and hardship in our lives.

So, Creation reminds us of who God is and God’s Word reshapes how we live our lives and here’s our response to God’s glory...

3. God’s Glory Realigns Our Hearts With His Will. (vs. 12-14)

When we grasp the full picture of who God is and surrender to Him as Savior and Lord of our lives allowing His Word to lead us and guide us, then we can’t help but be moved by the glory of God, we can’t help but respond. And the psalmist shows us what that response looks like:

a. We Ask God to expose the sin within us. (vs. 12)

vs. 12… When we are moved by the glory of God in our lives, when we come to the point that we realize how great God is and how dependent we are on Him. It causes us to want to live our lives for His glory. We want His will for our lives to be what we pursue. And that begins with the constant addressing of sin in our lives. To align our hearts with the will of God and live a life that is pleasing to Him requires, first, asking God to bring to light the sin in our hearts that we don’t even know about or may not be aware of. And we all have that in our lives. Those things we look back and think “Why did I do or say that? Where did that come from?” Being moved by the glory of God in our lives causes us to desire for God to reach down into the deep recesses of our hearts and bring to light those things we didn’t realize were there so that we can repent and get in line with His will for our lives.

Not only that, but we...

b. Ask God to lead us, and not let sin control us. (vs. 13)

Not only does the psalmist ask God to expose the sin within him but his desire is to not be controlled by sin. Look at vs. 13...

God, don’t just expose my hidden sin but keep me from doing the things I naturally want to do that goes against Your will and Your Word. What a bold and honest prayer. What a dangerous prayer. And here’s why, so that my life will not be lived in rebellion against this glorious God. You see, when we are truly moved by the glory of God, we don’t want to do anything in our lives that brings disgrace or dishonor to Him or that leads others away from Him. We want to be lead and controlled by God and not sin. We want God to rule in our hearts and not our sinful desires because we are so moved by the glory of our God. And this has to be our prayer daily. Because daily we need God to realign our hearts with His will.

And as we ask God to lead us and to rule in our hearts and lives, it leads us to...

c. Ask God to shape our lives for His glory. (vs. 14)

Look at how David ends this psalm, vs. 14...

This is really what it all comes down to for those who are followers of Jesus moved by the glory of God. That our lives would be shaped for His glory. That the words that we speak and our hearts, our souls at the core of our being, every part of us would be pleasing to God. That we would pursue, daily, living a life for His glory. Not for ourselves, not for what we want but for the glory of God.

And we ask God to do this because He is our Redeemer. He is the only one who saves and sanctifies and He deserves all glory and honor and praise.

Closing

May we join in with creation, may we pursue God through His Word, living a life that has been moved by the glory of the One who has redeemed our lives for His glory.

And so, the question for us today is this: Have you responded to God’s revelation of who He truly is this glorious Lord of creation? Is He your Savior and Lord? Do you know the Savior that gave His life for you so that you would live the rest of your days for His glory? And when you breathe your last breath, will you find yourself in the arms of Jesus, the One who gave His life for you? This morning, if you’ve never placed your faith and trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord, we want to give you that opportunity.

This is the Gospel, that God loves you and created you for a relationship with Him.

That our sin and the mistakes that we make separate us from God and

There is nothing we can do to remove our sin and make us right before a Holy God. And because God knows that

He sent His Son Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sin to pay the price for our sin, to die on the cross, He was buried in a grave, but on the third day He rose and is alive today.

And today if you will repent of the way you’re living your life, admit that you cannot make it without Him and trust Him as your Lord and Savior, He will save you.

You’ll have eternal life in heaven when you leave this earth but the greatest part of all of it is that you will have a relationship with God who by His Holy Spirit comes to live in your heart to forgive you of your sin and to walk with you for the rest of your days.

So, this morning, I would ask everyone with heads bowed and eyes closed if you’ve never surrendered your heart to Jesus, we want to give you that opportunity. Right now, where you are sitting, just tell Jesus that you know you need Him. That you repent of the way you’re living your life. Tell Him you surrender your heart and life to Him as Savior and Lord. That you want Him to save you and forgive you and you want to live for Him the rest of your days. Then tell Jesus “thank you for saving me.

With heads still bowed and eyes still closed, if you just prayed that prayer and became a Christ follower. In just a moment we are going to conclude our time together with a time of worship and commitment and if you made a decision to follow Jesus today, I want to invite you to come this morning and let us pray with you. The altars will be open for whatever step God is leading you to take. Please be obedient to Him today.

Maybe you’ve already taken that step but as a follower of Jesus you need to kneel before the Lord this morning and ask God to realign your heart with His will. To use you the rest of your days for His glory.