Sermon: Hallelujah
Summary: Our final word to God is praise wherever we are and at any time because God does mighty deeds for us in his greatness. As a result, we praise God with all our heart and with all our might.
Text: Ps 150
Scripture Reading: Ps 135:1-3
Intro: 1. Have you ever gotten excited, elated, energized, wound up? a. What happens to you? Do you sit quietly, silently, no expression? b. Of course not, you can hardly contain yourself c. It just has to come out in some way - Smile, laugh, telling someone, cheer, sing, clapping your hand, jumping up and down, tears of joy,etc. d. When and at what times have you gotten excited? Maybe even a little? - Parade, birthday, wedding, ball game, graduation, etc. 2. There were times when Israel was energized and elated a. I am talking about the times when it was most meaningful b. At the center of it all was Yahweh, the Lord of Hosts, their redeemer c. This wasn't flippant, it wasn't empty excitement, it was most meaningful d. We will go to the last part of the Psalter, particularly Psalm 150 3. Context a. Last time, we looked at the first Psalm, extolling the blessing of walking with God and meditating on his instruction b. Now we will go to the last Psalm, the conclusion - The last five Psalms are sometimes called the Hallelujah Psalms = They use the word Hallelujah so often = They begin and end with the word Hallelujah - Hallelujah is a compound Hebrew word = Hallal, which means praise = Yah, shortened form of Yahweh, most Bibles render "Lord" = Hallelujah means, "Praise the Lord" c. The last word, the concluding chapter, the final song, is one of praise - The Psalms move from lament and petition to praise in the end - Reminds us that weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning - God has wisdom and power to transform your darkest night to the brightest day - The darkness of the crucifixion on Friday as followed by the bright morning of the resurrection d. With God, the final word is praise 4. (Ps 150) - The Psalm calls us to praise the Lord How?
I. In the appropriate place: EverywhereA. We praise God wherever we are, our lives are praise to God B. Look at what this Psalm says 1. Praise him in his sanctuary a. Israelites might have thought of temple b. We go to the house of the Lord and praise him c. Where is God's sanctuary? - Not a brick and mortar building - (Jn 4:21-23) - Worship not tied to a place any more - (1 Cor 3:16) - You (plural) are a temple of God d. As his sanctuary, we praise God everywhere we are 2. Praise him in his mighty expanse/heavens/firmament a. The heavens are where God lives b. Is 66:1 - Heaven is his throne, the earth is his footstool c. (Ps 139:7-12) - God is with us everywhere d. So we worship everywhere 3. Praise him in his sanctuary and his mighty heavens a. That includes all of creation b. We are to fill the creation with praises of his people C. ILL: I remember how songs used to be tagged when I was growing up 1. How they were labeled determined where they were appropriate a. Some were VBS songs, some camp songs, some hymns b. Examples: - Rejoice in the Lord Always - Camp or VBS song - All Hail the Power - Hymn, for worship service - My God is so Big - VBS, Sunday School Song - Unto The O Lord - Youth Song 2. Song book, Great Songs of the Church, had section for children a. 582 - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise, be thankful unto Him, and bless his name, for the Lord is good, Ps 100 b. 583 (460) - Father we thank the for the night, and for the pleasant morning light, for rest and food and loving care, and all that makes the day so fair c. 597 (34) - The Lord is in His Holy Temple, Hab 2:20 - Raised a generation of children who think silence is the only way to worship - But Hab 2:20 is comparing mute idols and their talkative worshippers to the living God and us d. Not sure why these were considered "childrens" songs 3. Fortunately got away from that - Songs of praise not children's a. It is always appropriate to praise our Lord b. We worship God at any time 4. Ps 146 - I will praise the Lord all my life, I will sing praise to my God as long as I live a. Psalmist doesn't say, "I will praise the Lord in church" b. I will praise the Lord as long as I have my being D. Ps 147 - It is good to sing praises to our God, For it is pleasant, and praise is becoming 1. Did you hear that? Praise is becoming, or fitting, or attractive 2. So, we praise God in his sanctuary, in his firmament, anywhere 3. Why do we praise him?
II. For the appropriate reason: His greatnessA. We don't worship to get an empty experience 1. It is not for the sheer rush, or excitement a. Some care more about an experience b. If that is all it is, would do better at a laser light show c. Could go to a concert, or amusement park d. No depth there, just amusement, filling the senses 2. I am not saying that there is no thrill or excitement with God a. There is no greater thrill, rush, fear, terror, joy, and peace than with God b. He is not an empty thrill like other things we do - When go to laser light show, amusement park - When thrill is over, it all dissipates - When it passes, there is nothing left c. Not so when you encounter God B. The Psalm invites us to praise God for being God 1. Praise him for his mighty deeds a. He redeemed his people from cruel bondage - Defeated all the gods of Egypt - Divided the sea - Drowned Pharaoh's army in the sea b. He empowered Samson to bring down the house on the enemy c. He empowered David to defeat a giant, Goliath d. He redeemed us from sin by defeating sin and death - No one could overcome sin and death - All of us were in bondage to sin and death - But Jesus rendered them powerless when he died for our sins and rose from the grave - Hades and death will be thrown into the lake of fire 2. Praise him for his excellent greatness a. There is no one holy like our Lord b. He is - God most High, God Almighty, Lord of Hosts - The Lord who provides, Eternal Father, - Shepherd, King, Lord of Hosts, the Amen - Lion of Judah, Prince of Peace, Rider on a White horse 3. We are here today because of our God a. God has turned your life around b. You are not the same person you used to be c. So we come together to praise our magnificent God C. ILL: Someone once told me her greatest joy was in the Lord 1. She would sometimes cheer at ball game or other things 2. But it was nothing compared to the joy she felt with the Lord 3. If you said, "The Lord is good, all the time" she got excited 4. She found it strange when people could get joyful at a ball game, but sit like bump on a log when worshipping D. When you consider God, his works, his greatness, don't hold back 1. Praise is becoming 2. God does not say, "You are getting to excited about me! Stop it!" 3. That brings us to the next point
III. In the appropriate way: With all your heartA. Best way to sum up these verses, praise God with all you have B. What is praise? 1. Here are a few verses in Psalms dealing with praise a. Ps 22:3 - Lord is enthroned on our praises b. Ps 27:6 - I will offer up sacrifices with shouts of joy b. Ps 30:11 - You have turned my mourning into dancing c. Ps 47:1 - Clap your hands, shout to God with joy, for the Lord most high is to be feared, a great King over the earth c. Ps 71:8 - My mouth is filled with your praise d. Ps 71:23 - My lips will shout when I praise you e. Ps 78:4 - I will tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord f. Ps 95:1 - Shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation g. Ps 100:1 - Shout to the Lord all the earth h. Ps 135:3 - Sing praises to his name, for it is lovely i. Ps 149:3 - Praise his name with dancing 2. Does any of this make you uncomfortable? Why is that? a. We all know that praise is good b. We all say we should praise God c. But to actually do it with high energy is uncomfortable 3. Prentice Meador Jr suggests reasons we have difficulty with praise a. May have been brought up to think that it is inappropriate - It is out of place, or too emotional. - Need to be done decently and in order, 1 Cor 14 - Decently in order does not mean take away praise b. Hard to express praise during difficult times in life - How can you praise God when things are so hard? - Perhaps problem is pre-occupation with self c. Does God really need my praise? - Why God tell us to praise him? - Does God really need it, or is it for our good? d. "Praise the Lord" can become trite - Can be superficial, rote response - Can't manufacture it, it needs to be genuine 4. Awareness of these concerns shouldn't squelch praise, only make it better, more genuine a. Nothing compares to genuine praise b. Genuine praise not only lifts God up, but us up as well C. ILL: 1. I remember new members when growing up a. They raised hands in worship, shout Amen, Praise Lord b. Were told, "We don't do that here." c. The wife said it was so hard, urge to raise hands & shout d. So she quietly restrained herself 2. Fortunately, the congregation matured past that a. If praise is becoming, then praise with all your heart b. God wants you to praise him with all your heart c. God does not say, "settle down, you are too excited" d. Worship improved dramatically - They sang with all their heart - They expressed their praise and joy 3. Lady said that God lifted her up in praise and worship a. She could be depressed, angry, bitter b. In praise, took focus off self and onto God c. Lifted her out of the ditch and into the heavens D. How can you not praise the Lord? 1. Isn't he worthy of our praise? 2. May we never give him half-hearted praise a. Like Miriam who led the ladies in worship after crossing the sea, may we worship with all our heart b. Like David, who leaped about with all his might, may we worship will all our strength c. Like the children who cried out, "hosanna" to Christ, may we worship with all our soul 3. May we worship with all our heart, strength and soul
Concl: 1. Did you know that early Christians believed they were adding to worship that already was taking place? a. Many passages speak of this music of the spheres - Ps 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God - Ps 65:8 - Dawn and sunset shout for joy - Ps 89:5 - The Heaven's praise your wonders - Ps 98:8 - The rivers clap their hands b. #21 - The Spacious Firmament speaks of this song - When we, the redeemed sing, we join the chorus of creation - How ironic when the only part of creation not praising God are those created in his image 2. You remember when crowd worship Jesus as he approached? (Lk 19:35-40) a. They cried out, blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord b. Leaders told Jesus to rebuke them c. Jesus said if they were silent, then the stones would cry out! 3. Song based on this: Aint no Rock going to cry in my place! 4. Like the Psalmist said, "I will praise the Lord while I live, I will sing praises to my God while I have my being" - Ps 146
----- Perhaps appropriate to respond with a song of praise rather than an invitation song at this time 3 - How Great Thou Art 79 - O Praise the Lord 17 - Hallelujah Praise Jehovah 116 - Worship the King 703 - Rejoice in the Lord 99 - Praise Him Praise Him 88 - Wonderful Grace of Jesus 47(b) - Shout to the Lord
BULLETIN OUTLINE
Sermon: Hallelujah
Summary: Our final word to God is praise wherever we are and at any time because God does mighty deeds for us in his greatness. As a result, we praise God with all our heart and with all our might.
Intro: (Ps 150) - The Psalm calls us to praise the Lord How?
I. In the appropriate place: EverywhereA. Praise him in his sanctuary 1. (Jn 4:21-23) - Worship not tied to a place 2. (1 Cor 3:16) - You are a temple of God B. Praise him in his mighty expanse/heavens/firmament 1. Is 66:1 - Heaven is his throne, the earth is his footstool 2. (Ps 139:7-12) - God is with us everywhere 3. So we worship everywhere C. Ps 146 - We are to fill the creation with praises D. Ps 147 - Praise is becoming
II. For the appropriate reason: His greatnessA. Worship is not an empty thrill B. Praise him for his mighty deeds C. Praise him for his excellent greatness D. Don't hold back
III. In the appropriate way: With all your heartA. What is praise? Ps 22:3; 27:6; 30:11; 47:1; 71:8, 23; 78:4; 95:1; 100:1; 135:3; 149:3 B. Possible reasons of difficulty 1. Think that it is inappropriate 2. Hard to express during difficult times in life 3. Does God really need my praise? 4. Can become trite C. Never give him half-hearted praise D. Like Miriam, David, the Children who cried Hosanna
Concl: 1. The music of the spheres, Ps 19:1; 65:8; 89:5; 98:8 2. #21 - The Spacious Firmament speaks of this song 3. (Lk 19:35-40) Even the rocks will cry out ------------------ Small Group Notes: Hallelujah
Summary: Our final word to God is praise wherever we are and at any time because God does mighty deeds for us in his greatness. As a result, we praise God with all our heart and with all our might.
Text: Ps 146-150
Open (choose one) - Why are spiritual issues sometimes difficult to talk about with others? - How do you feel when you tell someone about what God has done for you?
Explore
1. How do these psalms characterize the Lord? What is the overarching theme of these psalms?
2. What should motivate God's people to praise the Lord?
3. What can we learn about how to worship God?
4. What responsibility do God's people have to tell others of God's goodness?
5. What specific words of instruction are given to God's followers?
6. How is Psalm 150 a fitting conclusion to the book of Psalms?
Apply:
7. How has the Lord demonstrated His love for you?
8. What motivates you to praise God? What hinders you?
9. What practical instructions do you gain concerning worship from these Psalms?
Prayer:
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