Title:  After Redemption

 

Summary:  The very first recorded Psalm in the Bible is a high point because the people fulfill one of the stated desires of God, which is for his people to worship him.  The Psalm demonstrates that worship is God centered and focuses not merely on the human experience, but the redemptive acts of God not only in the past, but also in the present and in the future.  Our Christian songs in worship ought to have some of the same balance.

 

Text:  Exodus 15:1-21

 

Scripture Reading:  Psalm 98:1-4 (-9)

 

Intro:

1.  What would you say is the highpoint in Exodus?

          a.  Plagues? Crossing of the Sea? Covenant at Sinai?

          b.  There is a high point that is typically overlooked

2.  The scene by the sea after the crossing of the sea is the/a high point

          a.  God just destroyed the Egyptians, they would never see them again

          b.  Israel begins to sing their very first song as the redeemed people

3.  Why would this be a high point in Exodus?

          a.  Why did God want to deliver and redeem Israel?

                    - There was the promise to Abraham

                    - God had made a promise that Abraham's descendants would

                      become a nation of people

          b.  Look at reasons given to let Israel go

                    - 3:18 - That they might sacrifice to God

                    - 5:1 - So they can celebrate a feast to God

                    - 8:1 - So they can serve God

          c.  God's desire was for Israel to worship and serve him

          d.  On the banks of the sea, they begin to fulfill God's desire

4.  How did they do this?  Look at the song and what we learn from it

 

I.  (Ex 15:1-21) Content of the Song

          A.  It is praise to God

                    1.  v.2 - He is their strength and their song

                    2.  v.3 - He is called "Yahweh"   who is a "warrior"

                              a.  "LORD" is a traditional rendering of Yahweh

                              b.  Know his personal name, Yahweh, from covenant

                    3.  v.11 - Incomparable among the gods

                    4.  v.14 - Terrifies his enemies

          B.  Praises God for what he has done

                    1.  v.4 - Has defeated the most powerful man on earth

                    2.  v.10 - God used the wind to cast Pharaoh's army in the sea

                    3.  v.8 - Congealed the depths of the sea so they could cross

                    4.  v.17 - Redeemed and leading his people to his mountain home

          C.  Miriam and the women respond in song - v.21

                    1.  Sing to Yahweh, he is highly exalted

                    2.  The horse and rider he has hurled into the sea

                    3.  Everyone was rejoicing

          D.  Text could have merely said, "There was much rejoicing"

                    1.  Instead, it pauses and gives us the words to the rejoicing

                    2.  Why does it do this?

 

II.  Look at some Characteristics of this Song

          A.  The song praises God for something specific

                    1.  Is not content merely to praise God in the abstract

                    2.  Every statement about God is rooted in something God has

     specifically demonstrated

                              a.  v.1 - He is highly exalted.  Why?  Overthrew horse & rider

                              b.  v.6 - Right hand majestic.  Why?  Shattered the enemy

                              c.  v.11 - Majestic, awesome.  Why?  Stretched out right

     hand, earth swallowed them

          B.  The song looks to the future - Indicates God's leading of the people

      through the sea is not a one-time event

                    1.  v.7 - You overthrow those who rise up against you

                    2.  God rises up on behalf of his people and delivers them with

     great power and judgments

                    3.  Song is recorded, so it can be repeated and remind his people

                              a.  God is not merely a God of the past

                              b.  God is not just a God of the future

                              c.  God is the God of now

          C.  God is at the center of the song, not Moses or the people.

                    1.  God is the one who unmistakably did it all

                    2.  This and many other songs preserve the stories of God's

     deliverance for Israel to be handed down to future

                              a.  Psalter in Old Testament laid out in five books

                              b.  Often nicknamed the "2nd Torah"

                                        - What is Torah? - Refer to first 5 books

                                                  = Many often translate it as "law"

                                                  = If read, it not look like our laws today

                                        - There is a verb form of Torah - "To instruct"

                                        - Torah is "Instruction" - God instructing his people

                              c.  Psalter nicknamed second torah - purpose to instruct,

     remind, focus, guide the people

                    3.  In New Testament, Psalms most quoted part of Old Testament

                              a.  It would have been very familiar to the Israelite

                              b.  Could probably quote from the Psalms like we can quote

     from our song books

          D.  How does this Psalm compare to songs that we sing?

 

III.  Examine Songs We Sing

          A.  Interesting to compare characteristics of our songs to the

      characteristics of biblical psalms and praises in the Bible

          1.  Sacred singing is an important part of our formation

          2.  In 19th century, Walter Scott - "It is the office of a hymn to arouse

 

     impassioned devotional feeling as it is the office of teaching to

     illuminate the understanding. It encourages and preserves faith"

          3.  Alexander Campbell on Hymn Book

a.  In the Preface to 1853 printing of his Hymnal, Psalms,

     Hymns and Spiritual Songs  "It is the best substitute in

     the world for what is usually called a confession of faith,

     an exhibit of Christian doctrine and Christian instruction.

                              b.  In the Introduction, "In other words, they are our creed in

    metre. . ."

                    4.  Songs we sing over the years have a huge impact on our

     understanding of God and on spiritual things

          a.  Therefore it is a good idea to periodically take time to look

     at what we sing

          b.  What want excellence, both theologically and musically in

     the songs we sing

          B.  Ask our selves questions based on characteristics we see in the

     Biblical Psalms and Praises

                    1.  Is this God centered, or self-centered?

                              a.  If not careful, too much of singing can be self-centered

                                        - Blessed Assurance - All about MY assurance

                                        - We WE all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing

                                        - I'VE got a Mansion, just over the hilltop

                                        - Oh Yes I'LL live in Glory, By and by

                              b. Nothing wrong with these songs

                                        - Bible has similar types of Psalms        

                                        - But there is a healthy balance of God centered song

                              c.  Even Exodus 15

                                        - Begins with "I" will sing to Yahweh, I will praise him

                                        - Psalm quickly shifts focus from "I" to God

                              d  Here are some great God-centered songs

                                        - 17 - Hallelujah Praise Jehovah (adapt from Ps 148)

                                        - 166 - One Day (goes through life of Christ)

                                        - 76b - Wonderful Merciful Savior (Focus on Christ)

                    2.  Do our songs not only look to what God has done, but also what

     God does and will do?

          a.  Our God is not a god that only did something in ancient

     times, but he is the living God

- 443 - Purer in Heart O God

- 215 - All the Way My Savior Leads Me / 201 Each

Step I take

- 52b - God will make a way

                              b.  Our Savior will Return

                                        - 515 - God Shall Wipe Away All Tears

                                        - 567 - There's A Great Day Coming

                    3.  Do our songs praise God for specifics?

                              a.  There are some beautiful songs we sing that praise God

                                        - Fairest Lord Jesus (but why is He the Fairest?)

                                        - Worthy Art Thou (Why is he worthy?)

                                        - Not bad songs, but need to include songs that are

specific too - or remind selves WHY we praise

b.  Look at these example:

- 72b - How Deep the Father's Love

- 48b - You are my All in All

- Lord I Lift Your Name On High

          C.  ILL:  Several Years Ago, Myself and Bonnie created supplement

                    1.  Many songs of excellence written since Hymnal Published

                    2.  Adds greater balance, many God-centered Songs & praises

          D.  Here is an encouragement

                    1.  If song, message in your heart - write it down

                              a.  We need more hymn and song writers

                              b.  Can write the poem, or music, or both

                              c.  Students - Song writing is an LTC event

                    2.  Song leaders, use balance of all kinds of songs

                    3.  Everyone - Use part of your devotional time to read and reflect

     on our songs.  They focus our praise, teach, remind, edify

 

Concl:

1.  Rev 15 - Final Song called the Song of Moses AND THE LAMB

          a.  This is a song of deliverance

          b.  Our exodus from bondage/sin into Heaven comes through Christ (inv)

2.   High point in your life - born again and begin to worship and serve God

3.  Time is coming when Jesus will return.  Redeemed, and will continue to serve him night and day, but never get tired, and will reign with him for ever and ever.