Wholehearted Thanksgiving

Title- Wholehearted Thanksgiving

Passage-Psalm 138

Attention- Have you ever felt like you got the wrong message…maybe at some point you realized that what you have been hearing is really about you, not someone else...

Introduction- A man and his wife had just moved to town, and he was coming home from his first day at work. As he’s driving down the highway, his cell phone rings, and it’s his wife. “George, I just had to call you and tell you to be careful. I just heard on the radio that some nut got off the on ramp and is now driving the wrong way down HWY 280!” “It’s worse than that!" said George, "I’m driving home on 280 and it’s not just one car. It’s hundreds of them!"

I think that far too often its the other way around

We make too much of ourselves and too little of who this life is really about.

What is the main driving point (CPS)?

Friends, A heart that places it faith in God produces a life of praise

Why does the CPS matter, what is the consequence?

I

Title-

Passage-

Attention-

Introduction

What is the main driving point (CPS)?

Friends, if we have our faith in the Father our lives will produce worship toward the Father

Why does the CPS matter, what is the consequence?

If we have our faith in ourselves we will worship ourselves.

Faith in God produces worship towards God

This Psalm David shares with us the type of worship a walk of faith produces.

Transition

I. ( )

Explain

Bridge to today

Relevance

Why does this matter?

Transition

II. ( )

Explain

Bridge to today

Relevance

Why does this matter?

Transition

III. ( )

Explain

Bridge to today

Relevance

Why does this matter?

Conclusion

Review of the Principles and the Sermon Proposition

Challenge to act now (your part)…immanence

Visualize Audience Implementation

Final Statement

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes with me?

Closing Hymn

Transition

The first product of a life of faith is a...

I. Heart full of worship (1-2)

Explain

David begins this psalm with the proclamation of...

“I will praise thee...”

How?

With all that is in him...

His thoughts, desires, conscience, emotions

When the Bible uses the word heart in this context that is what it is referring to

David gives us a picture of the posture of his heart

1- in its completeness, there is no hidden part where David worships something other than Jehovah

2- Before the “little-g” god’s…and David is building towards something here…in the Holy Temple

3- For his name and his lovingkindness and truth

So what is left?

He is worshipping God in his heart, in the world, because of who Jahweh is and who David isn’t

There is nothing left

David is giving us the picture of the fullness of his worship…and the fullness of his heart

Bridge to today

There are a lot of reasons that people come to worship.

-Because its the right thing to do

-Thats how we were raised

-Because we see God as a type of Genie in the bottle

-If I do enough for Him maybe He will make me wealthy or healthy

Relevance

Why did David worship?

Because of who God is...

~Because of God’s name…this equates to his character

~Because of God’s lovingkindness…his gentleness and goodness, you might even go so far as to say His mercy

~Because of His truth…His faithfulness and constancy

~Becaus ehe has magnified His word above His name…in other words, His reputation, by way of his promises to his people, has grown…He keeps His promises, he is trustworthy

Why does this matter?

Ok, thats great for David…what does this have to do with me?

Why are you here?

I want you to check your motives....

-Is this a tradition in your life, nothing more than a glorified habit?

-Is it a way to make yourself look good?

-To get God on your side so when you really need Him He will have to reciprocate?

True worship has everything to do with God and who He is

It is not about us and...

How we dress

What we give

What we can do during the service

The worship of God is all about Him and nothing about us

David did not bring his hearts desires into worship and we ought not to either

It is all about God

Transition

The second product of a life of faith is ...

II. Confidence in the world (3-4)

Explain

Here David is sharing with us that when he cried out to God…and God answered, his heart was filled with confidence

Ok, so David is confident...

First lets notice who he is confident before…the kings

“All the kings of the earth”

I think here he is referring to the fact that not only throughout all of His heart does David worship but he is not limited geographically in his worship either

He is not limited socially

It doesn’t matter who he is in the presence of or who is in his presence…what will happen?

They will hear the words of his mouth

What do you suppose those words were?

Let me tell you how awesome my God is

It wasn’t look how great I am since I came to God

It is look how great my God is since He came to me

Bridge to today

We are very good at making Christianity and the Bible about us

After all, God sent his son to save us, there must be some good in me that attracted Him to us

Sorry, I have honestly done a lengthy study on this one.

There is nothing about mankind that drew God to us

It was purely based on His perfect mercy and love and goodness that he chose to send His son for us

Relevance

We are sinners, , All of us

Romans 5 tells us that it was while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us

That all we need to do is believe on His name for the forgiveness of our sins and we will be saved!

Why does this matter?

The consequences of this message are enormous...

In my own life, I have not been the same person since I placed my faith in Christ

It has been a long up hill and down hill journey but He has been at work in my heart and life

What about the world around us that is seeking to fill that emptiness in them…with whatever the world has to offer

If only they would come to Christ

We have a similar message to David’s

Come, look and see how awesome my God is.

Not because of how great I have become

But because of His great mercy to come to us

Transition

The third product of a life of faith is a...

III. Worship in their hearts (5-8)

Explain

Here David is sharing the biblical truth that God responds to the humble

That when we are in trouble and we call out to the Lord He will respond, just like we saw in verse 4

Even though I am being pressed on all sides, He will revive me

He will reach out and save us from our enemies

Bridge to today

This does not mean for us today what it meant to David.

This does not ensure that the United States will be safe as long as we obey

In this present age I believe that it goes deeper to the heart

Relevance

Today this truth addresses the truth that anyone who will humble themselves and call upon the name of Jesus will have a new song put in their hearts.

The Lord will save them from their sins

Why does this matter?

We spend our whole lives searching for what will fill us, bring us peace, bring us joy.

It is only when we call on the name of Jesus Christ to forgive us and impute His righteousness to us that we will find peace or joy.

Conclusion

It starts by choosing to place your faith in Jesus

Whether you have asked Jesus to for give your sins or not

Review of the Principles and the Sermon Proposition

When you do he will place worship in your heart.

He will Give you confidence to share that message with the world

He will save some and place the same worship in their hearts

Verse 8 gives us the key… He will

Visualize Audience Implementation

It is not about you, or me, or any one else

Final Statement

It is about bringing glory to the name of the Lord

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes with me?

Closing Hymn