Untitled Sermon

Motives for Praising God

, 2019-05-19A, #4

Introduction: Today we continue in our series on praise and worship. We have examined seven Hebrew words for praise… Three of the seven Hebrew words for praise that we mention are listed in . “Halal” versus 1, 3a, 21. “Zamar” verse 3b, “Barak” verses 20, 21. We have looked at meanings for praise, methods of praising God. Today we will focus on some motives for praising God…

I. Praise God Because of the Calls and Commands to Praise God (, ).

A. Throughout the Psalms, there are calls and commands for all of creation to praise and worship of God (cf. ; ; , ; ; ; , ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ).

B. Praise and worship will be one of the continuing activities in heaven – note the worship scenes in the book of Revelation (; ; ; ; )…

II. Praise God Because He Is Good ().

A. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good…

B. According to , “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High.”

C. According to , "Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely."

D. , , , , “Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness.”

E. Other references to the goodness of God: ; .

F. Three things we cannot do too much of: (1) pray (), (2) praise (), and ponder the Word of God (; )…

III. Praise God Because His Name Is Pleasant ().

A. "Pleasant" translates a Greek adjective that means, "pleasant, delightful, beautiful, lovely, sweet, acceptable, favorable, agreeable."

B. Everything about God is beautiful…

IV. Praise God Because of His Election of Us ().

A. God chose Jacob and the nation of Israel because of His love ()…

1. God chose Jacob over Esau (; ; )…

2. God chose Isaac over Ishmael (; )…

3. God chose Ephraim over Manasseh ()…

B. From , we learned that we are a chosen generation… (cf. )…

C. From , we learn when we were chosen…

D. From , we learned that we chose Jesus because He first chose us…

E. From , we learned that we love Him because He first loved us…

V. Praise God Because He Is Great And Greatly to Be Praised (; cf. ; ; ).

VI. Praise God Because He Is Sovereign ().

A. Sovereignty means that God does what He wills, when He wills, where He wills, how He wills, and with whom He wills (; )…

B. There are times when God does not appear to be sovereign:

1. & 2

2. Joseph (, , ; )…

3. Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (; cf. )…

4. Crucifixion (; ; ; )…

C. Sovereign Grace Conference Lexington, Kentucky 1991…

VII. Praise God for His Mighty Works Done for His People ():

A. Tokens and wonders in Egypt ()…

1. "Tokens" were signs or mighty acts of God with a nonverbal message…

2. "Wonders" were displays of the power of God, such as the plagues in Egypt (; ; ).

B. God smote great nations and slew mighty king ().

C. God gave the land of the Amorites to His people when the iniquity of the Amorites was full as God had promised to Abraham ()…

1. "Amorites" was the name for all the Canaanite tribes…

2. God judges when the cup of iniquity is full ()…

D. God's people are called to remember His wonders ()…

E. We will have no trouble praising God when we remember his benefits ()…

VIII. Praise God Because He Is Eternal (; cf. )…

A. God has no beginning nor end.

B. God is immutable (; ; ; ; )…

IX. God Will Judge His People ().

A. Holman Christian Standard Bible has: “For Yahweh will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants.”

B. “Judge” here means “to vindicate” which means “to plead the cause of His people, to render justice to His people.”

C. “Repent,” in reference to God, involves God’s external change in His treatment of people (cf. )…

X. Praise God Because He Is Alive ().

A. In contrast to the dead idols of the heathens, God is alive ()…

B. Anthropomorphic terms are used to describe God…

C. The idols were made by man – God on the other hand is the creator of all things (; cf. ; )…

1. David said, “I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (; cf. )…

D. The idols have mouths but do not speak () – God speaks through His Word: ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

E. The idols have eyes but they cannot see () – the eyes of the Lord are in every place (; ; )…

F. The idols have ears, but they cannot hear () – the eyes of God are on the righteous and His ears are open to their cry – God hears the cries of His people – God answers prayer (, , )…

G. We tend to become like whom or what we worship (; cf. )…

XI. Ex

Pastor – Teacher Julius R. Malone