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Introduction
R.C. Sproul tells a story of a theology professor who would attend the sermons of his former students.
One of those former students was poised to preach, and in walked this professor.
Within 2 or 3 minutes of his sermon, the professor stood up and left the auditorium.
Of course, this frazzled the young preacher.
He later tracked down the professor to ask what it was he had done so wrong.
How was it that his preaching was so off, that the professor left so abruptly?
To which the professor replied, “I attend to see whether or not my students are ‘big God preachers.’
It didn’t take me long to realize that you are a ‘big God preacher.’”
The professor was spot on.
The only preacher worth his salt, is a “big God preacher.”
One who portrays God as the Bible does.
God is holy, other, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient.
Nothing happens except by Him and through His will.
This is God.
And as He is, we who claim to be His people, should be enthralled by Him.
But you know, as well as I do…that there are many who claim to KNOW God....who are not at all overwhelmed by who He is and all He has done.
Their knowledge of God doesn’t drive them to worship on Sunday
Their knowledge of God hasn’t made any lasting changes in their life
God isn’t what produces the greatest levels of joy in their lives.
In fact, listen long enough, and you’ll hear that they view God as a being much like we are…just maybe a little larger.
Not a god slightly larger than us....but God
But for God’s people, it should be true that we cannot even tell our own story, without a primary focus upon THE God of the Bible.
Not “the man upstairs,” but GOD.
And we see that in the Psalm we’re coming to consider..... Turn there with me please.
As we’ve been saying, Psalms is both the prayer book and the song book of the people of God.
It provides to us the vocabulary to approach God in different settings and different circumstances.
In this Psalm, we have a Psalm of thanksgiving and praise.
A Psalm which praises God for WHO He is…and thanks God for WHAT He has done.
Israel is reminded in this psalm, that based on WHO He is and WHAT He has done…God deserves to be praised.
And that is our focus this morning as well as we consider this psalm.
To Know God, is to Praise God.
It is impossible to truly know, truly experience God....in His nature and actions, and not respond in acknowledging His worthiness to be worshipped.
This Psalm traces Israel’s story, and God’s actions throughout their story.
And one line is repeated 26 times, as it recounts God’s loyal, covenant keeping love for His people.
And we can see, how it includes us as well through the work of Christ.
Hear God’s Word as I read:
As Israel was gathering for worship of God, this psalm would be used in this way.
The priest would read the verse, then the gathered assembly would respond with the line: “For His steadfast love endures forever.”
“Steadfast love,” is our english way of interpreting the Hebrew word, “Hesed.”
Hesed refers to loyalty and faithfulness.
When used in reference to people, it refers to fulfilling the call to love our neighbor as ourselves.
When used of God, it refers to His loyal, steadfast love that is His nature and character, that gives assurance to His people that He WILL come through on His covenant promises.
The Psalmist teaches Israel, that it is God’s steadfast, covenant-keeping love, that drives all of God’s actions....and sets Him apart as the only God worthy of our thanksgiving and praise.
Give thanks to Yahweh.
Initially here NOT because of what He has done…but entirely because of WHO He is
He is good.
God is the very standard of goodness.
“Can God do ________ and still be good?”
That’s an ignorant question.
God IS good…therefore ALL He does is good.
He is good....because His steadfast love endures forever.
Hebrew way of expressing the superlative: Most High God; Most High Lord
Because....His steadfast love endures forever.
God is God…and there is no other
This, if you will is the banner that flies high above this Psalm: GOD IS THE GOD; THEREFORE HE’S WORTHY TO BE PRAISED.
And under that banner, the psalmist details WHO God is and WHAT God has done, driven by His covenant love…that merits the thanksgiving of His people
We could divide those details up into 4 main points that describe God....that will leave us with this truth: To truly know God, is to praise God.
1. God is Creator
Verse 4
Verse 4
God alone does large miraculous acts.
This sets Him in a class all alone.
Miraculous acts such as
God alone does large miraculous acts.
This sets Him in a class all alone.
Miraculous acts such as
Verses 5-9
Verses 5-9
By His wisdom, He made the heavens
By His wisdom, He made the heavens
Spread out the earth
Spread out the earth
Made the sun, moon, and the stars
Made the sun, moon, and the stars
This Psalm joins with many other portions of Scripture in teaching us that in creation…God has revealed Himself
This Psalm joins with many other portions of Scripture in teaching us that in creation…God has revealed Himself
But here in , it is not His power or glory that is “clearly perceived,” but His “loyal, covenant love.”
Verse 5, “made the heavens, for His steadfast love....”
Verse 6, “Spread out the earth above the waters, for His steadfast love....”
This passage mirrors the creation account in Genesis 1, and connects the reason for it to the STEADFAST LOVE of God.
So, how is it, that God’s LOVE, is the driving motivating factor, for His creative purposes?
In at least 3 ways:
God’s steadfast love is made manifest in creation, by creating a people to pour out His love upon
He had no need for an object to love.
He is sufficient in Himself, living in an eternal loving relationship between Father, Son, and Spirit.
Yet out of the overflow of that love, He creates.
God’s steadfast love is made manifest in creation, by His ongoing providential care of ALL people…including those who are not His
God’s steadfast love is made manifest in creation, by creation being the stage upon which He will work to save a people for His own glory
“Creation thus becomes this grand stage upon which God will work and act on behalf of His people.”
~Brad Wheeler
“God will have a people in the world which belongs to Him alone and serves Him; for this He has created the world and preserves it with its inhabitants.”
Peter Lange
God will have a people in the world which belongs to Him alone and serves Him; for this He has created the world and preserves it with its inhabitants.
Give thanks to God, He has created all things; from that which can be seen by the telescope, to that which can only be seen by the microscope....He has created it all.
So give Him thanks, because His steadfast love endures forever.
Apply
Kenneth Copelands and the Creflo Dollars say, “we have the power to create with our tongues.”
The Bible says that God alone has this ability.
And we should be thankful, that the only being who is able to create by speaking things into existence, is also full of steadfast love.
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