A Proper Response: How to Acknowledge Yahweh's Faithfulness

Scripture Reading

Opening Prayer

Introduction

Illustration: Thanksgiving story

Need: Do you ever feel like you have nothing to be Thankful for? Do you ever act like you have nothing to be thankful for?

Psalm Background: 105 and 106 serve as a pair of Psalms

Explain “hymnal” = Psalter

5 Books

105 and 106 end the 4th book together

105 reminds God’s people that He is Faithful to His covenant

106 reminds God’s people that they have not been faithful

Text Idea: Yahweh has proven himself faithful to the chosen of Israel and deserved thankful praise.

Sermon Idea: Yahweh is faithful to His elect so you you need to respond with thankful praise.

Interrogative: How can you praise Yahweh for His covenant faithfulness?

I. If you are a worshiper of Yahweh, you must show Him your thankfulness with prayer (1a)

Psalm 105:1 ESV

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

We are going to take a major step aside here

Psalm 105 Outline

Stanza 1 (1-6)

Stanza 2 (7-11)

Psalm 105:5–6 ESV

Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Abraham, his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

Psalm 105:7–11 ESV

7 He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 8 He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, 9 the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, 10 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, 11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.”

Psalm Theme: God’s Covenant (Vs. 8, 9, and 10)

Psalms, Volume 2: (Psalms 42–106): An Expositional Commentary God’s Covenant

A covenant is a promise, in this case a promise made by God to Abraham and his descendants. For most of us promise is a better word than covenant, for covenant suggests a bargain, and God’s covenants are established apart from any assets we might have to bargain with. On the other hand, we treat promises lightly, and God does not treat his promises lightly. So maybe we should use the word oath or talk about a solemn commitment. In any case, the commitment in view here is God’s promise to give Abraham’s descendants a land of their own.

Psalms, Volume 2: (Psalms 42–106): An Expositional Commentary God’s Covenant

The details are in Genesis 15. God caused Abraham to fall into a deep sleep and then appeared to him as a smoking fire pot and a blazing torch that passed between the divided carcasses of animals Abraham had previously slaughtered and laid out in the traditional manner for a covenant ceremony. God told him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.… In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (vv. 13–14, 16). This promise was repeated to Isaac a generation later (Gen. 26:24) and after that to Jacob (Gen. 28:10–15; 35:9–12; 46:1–4).

Unilateral Covenant

Repeat Interrogative: How can you praise Yahweh for His covenant faithfulness?

Now that you know what covenant faithfulness is, see that the first way is through prayer

Prayer (thanking Him, praising Him, asking of Him) is the first way we respond to God’s covenant faithfulness.

Why?

God has promised to answer prayer

Matthew 7:7 ESV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

And He is faithful to His promises.

It shows you believe

Example: Illness - “if you need anything I want to be there for you, just let me know”

Repeat Interrogative: How can you praise Yahweh for His covenant faithfulness?

II. If you are a worshiper of Yahweh, you must show Him your thankfulness by singing and testifying of His faithful works (1b-2)

Psalm 105:1–2 ESV

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!

Singing is a God-given, natural response to rejoicing.

What did there people have to rejoice about?

God’s covenant faithfulness

What do you have to rejoice about?

God’s covenant faithfulness

Do you sing?

Imagine a situation where an olympian doesn’t celebrate

Not only is singing a natural response but the other is testifying

When we are witness to something great, we tell others

Witness to the Fires

Application:

Sing

Tell others

III. If you are a worshiper of Yahweh, rejoice and praise Him because of His Holy Name! (3)

Psalm 105:3 ESV

Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

IV. Seek the LORD! (4)

Psalm 105:4 ESV

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Conclusion: So as we conclude, I want you to think about what you are truly thankful for. Is it God and the work of redemption?

We have talked a lot today about God’s faithfulness to His covenant but you might say...

“That was a promise to Abraham and his decedents and I’m not one of them.”

Here is the Good news, God has made a New Covenant

It’s one that has been promised since the beginning

Explain New Covenant

Today, we answered the question, “how can you praise Yahweh for His covenant faithfulness?” In four ways…

If you are a worshiper of Yahweh, you must show Him your thankfulness with prayer (1a)

If you are a worshiper of Yahweh, you must show Him your thankfulness by singing and testifying of His faithful works (1b-2)

If you are a worshiper of Yahweh, rejoice and praise Him because of His Holy Name! (3)

Seek the LORD!

What does this all point to?

Yahweh is faithful!

He faithfully working to fullfill His promises so turn to Him, be thankful

This week, as you gather with your families, remember what He has done!

Action- I hope you came away from this sermon knowing that Yahweh is faithful to His elect so you you need to respond with thankful praise.