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We have an opportunity this morning to reflect together on God - what He’s been doing in our lives - in the lives of those around us.  To spend some time praising Him.  Which we’re going to do in a few minutes as we continue singing together - and sharing God stories - and in prayer.  This morning - in order to help us think together about God and who God is and who we are before God - I’d like to share with you from Psalm 100 .

Psalm 100 is probably pretty familiar.  We often hear it read as a call to worship.  Psalm 100 actually comes at the end of a group eight psalms - starting with Psalm 93.  Psalm 93 that begins “The Lord reigns!”  Then Psalm 94 - which declares that even in the worst of things God never leaves us.  “The Lord has been my stronghold, and my God the rock of refuge.”  Psalm 95:  “O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.”  Psalm 96:  “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord all the earth.”  Psalm 97:  “The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice.”  Psalm 98:  “Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wonderful things.”  Then Psalm 99:  “The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble.” 

All of these wonderful Psalms declare God’s majesty and dominion and sovereign reign - finally bringing us to Psalm 100 - where we’re encouraged - called - to worship and praise this wonderful God.

To Psalm 100 fresh in our minds - would you read this Psalm out loud with.  The words are up here on the overhead.

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before Him with joyful singing.

Know that the LORD Himself is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

And His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name

For the LORD is good;

His lovingkindness is everlasting

And His faithfulness to all generations.

There are two parts to this Psalm.  The first part deals with who God is.  The second part focuses on what God does.

First - Who God Is.  Let’s say that together.  “Who God is.”

The Psalm begins:  Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

Long ago in a church far far away there was a school down the street from us that was run by a church on the opposite side of town.  School on one side of town - office - people responsible for the school - on the other side of town.  Once a year the church - on the other side of town - would have a festival at the school on our side of town - just down the street from us.  Food - stuff to buy - dancing - live music.  Very festive - very fun - and very loud.  Really loud.  Until really late a night.

The people who lived in the apartments across the street from the school and across from where our church was located - since both the school and our church were of the same ethnicity - they naturally thought that we were all part of the same organization. 

Which meant that - while this festival was going on at the school - we - at the church - would get these late night angry phone calls - messages left on our answering machine - with words I won’t repeat.  “You’re too [blank] loud.  You’re bothering the people around you.  If you don’t turn down the volume I’m going to call the police.  You guys are [BEEP]”  

Imagine people calling the Creekside on a Sunday morning to tell us we’re too loud.   “You guys are worshipping to loud.  I’m calling the police.”

That’s the idea behind “Shout joyfully to the LORD.”  There are times when we need to meditate and be still and know that He is God.  But, this is not one of them.  We’re talking loud uninhibited worship that boldly declares who God is.  God is worthy of that kind of worship.

The Psalm goes on - Serve the LORD with gladness…  Some translations put this “Worship the Lord with gladness.”  Same idea.  The Hebrew has the idea of worship that physically moves us.

Ever been to a football game?

We watched the Nutcracker Ballet video last night.  Ballet audiences are a different.  Right? 

Football crowds - have a different intensity than ballet audiences.  There’s a different intensity - an enthusiasm - all focused on what’s happening on the field.  Thousands of intense uninhibited rabid fans jumping out of their seats - loudly showing their support for their team.

Worship of God should bring us out of our seats.  Singing - praying - body language that expresses what’s going on in our heart.  Joy - gladness - taking pleasure in who God is.

Then:  Come before Him with joyful singing.  Joyfully.

Sunday is a day of rest.  Sometimes being here is the one time of the week when we get to shut down. 

Years ago I remember a man - center aisle - center row - right in the middle of the sermon did one of these:  “Whaaa-huhrumph.”

This is a sanctuary.  These chairs are comfortable.  The temperature is just about right.  Its understandable. 

Sometimes its hard for us to get enthusiastic about worship.  Let’s be honest.  There are a lot of other things going on in our lives - a lot of things floating through our minds.  What we went through just getting here.  What this past week was like.  We can come to the end of the week and think to ourselves, “Let someone else can shout joyfully.”

Notice our motivation - verse 3: 

Know that the LORD Himself is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

“LORD” is the Hebrew word “Yahweh” - which describes God as the One true and only God who always has been - always is - and always will be.  God who is - absolute - unchangeable - holy - sovereign in responsibility and authority over everything.   In worship we need to know that down at the heart level.  God alone is worthy of worship.

And this:  “Yahweh” describes the God who choose Israel - choose them out of all the peoples of the earth to make them to be His people.  God saved them from bondage in Egypt - covenanted with them on Mount Sinai - led them through 40 years in the wilderness - gave them the land He promised them.  They’re His people - chosen by God to be His sheep in His pasture.  They can’t take credit for that.  God did it.

Sometimes we use words like:  “This is our church - our congregation - our ministry.”  Which in a sense is true.  Its great to belong - to be a part of a congregation like this.  But sometimes when we come to worship we get distracted by ourselves - our attitudes - our expectations.  If we’re focused on ourselves its no wonder we doze off.

We need to hold on to - at the heart level - the awesomeness of who God is.  That all this - all of creation - is about Him.

And, that the church - who we are in Jesus - is what the sovereign God has created though His gracious and loving work in Jesus.  We - each of us - we get to know the sovereign almighty God of creation personally.  We get to know His presence in our lives - His forgiveness - His healing - His peace - to live out His purpose for our lives - because He’s chosen to make us His.

Ponder all that God has done for you.

God gives us a glimpse of who He is.  Allows us to know Him.  We get to worship Him.  Because He chooses to allow us to do so.

When we think about it - that’s astounding.  Let that astounding reality be in the forefront of our thought process - our attitude - our motivation - for getting up on Sunday morning and coming to worship.

Shout joyfully because God is God and we are His sheep.

Psalm 100 says that we shout to the Lord.  We serve the Lord.  We come before Him.  The focus is not us but on God - who He is.

The second part of Psalm 100 focuses on What God Does.  Let’s say that together, “What God does.”  Verse 4: 

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

And His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name

Several years ago I was in the Soviet Union - back in the days before communism there fell.  I had the opportunity to attend services of the underground church.  They’d pick me up and then we’d drive all over the place until we finally got to where the services would be - different locations for each meeting.  Once we met in a cemetery.  Another meeting was in a forest clearing.

What did that church - God’s people - what did they have to be thankful for?  Running around hiding - the secrecy - the oppression - the persecution - a regime that was against them.  Yet hundreds of people came to give thanks - to praise God - to bless His name.

How many of you have heard of Voice of the Martyrs?  Each month I get a copy of the Voice of the Martyrs newsletter.  Month after month - account after account - of brothers and sisters in Jesus who today are suffering and dying simply because they refuse to deny Jesus.  Our siblings in Jesus who continue to give thanks to God.
   

I don’t know all of the circumstances you’re in - at work - at home.  As we talk and visit I get an idea of some of what you deal with.  What we go through may not be as extreme as the persecuted church.  But its real.  Sometimes “thanksgiving” is not the first thing on our mind.  But, Psalm 100 says, Enter His gates with thanksgiving… 

Verse 5 - why?  Verse 5:

For the LORD is good;

His lovingkindness is everlasting

And His faithfulness to all generations.

Think about what that means.

Whatever we go through we know that God is good.  God takes care of His own.  He sustains us - preserves us - renews and refreshes us.  Leads us through life gently and carefully.  Even in suffering and death, we’re never alone.

God’s lovingkindness is everlasting.  His love is personal.  His loving us is rooted in an intimate knowledge of who we are and our specific needs and concerns.  His love is sacrificial - whatever the cost - even to the point of His own suffering and death.  And, He never runs out of it.  We can’t exhaust God’s love for us.

God is faithful to all generations.  That means that the promises He makes in the Bible don’t come with a warranty period.  They don’t expire on a certain date - usually the day before we need them.  God is always faithful.  He’s absolutely dependable to do what He says He will do. 

When I was in seminary I had the privilege of taking Hebrew from Dr. Ronald Allen.  Dr. Allen was the senior editor of the Old Testament for the New King James Version.  This man knows Hebrew.  Listen to how Dr. Allen translates Psalm 23 and think about God and how He cares for His sheep in His pasture - God’s goodness - God’s lovingkindness - God’s faithfulness:

Yahweh is my shepherd

I do not lack

In verdant pastures He causes me to lie down;

By waters of quietness He gently leads me.

He refreshes my being;

He leads me in well-worn paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Even though I were to walk through the valley of deep darkness,

I will not fear evil; for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You arrange before me a table in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint with oil my head;

My cup is overflowing.

Surely goodness and loyal love will pursue me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever.

God is sovereign and yet He chooses us - you.  God, by His actions towards us, deserves our thanksgiving - our praise - our worship.  Powerful reasons for God’s sheep to shout with joy!

Last Sunday we asked if you all would write down on the back of your  Communication Card 2 suggestions of what songs we could be singing this Sunday.  Any guesses as to how many songs were suggested?  25 - including The 12 Days of Christmas - and some pretty great choruses and hymns.  We had to make choices so we’re going with the songs that were most often suggested. 

These songs come from the heart.  As we sing let’s let the words help our hearts to get in tune with God.  To focus on who He is and all that He’s done for us.

After we’ve focused on God in song we’re going to take some time together to share God’s stories and praises and testimony of who God is and what He’s been doing in our lives - maybe recently - or over this past year.  Then we’re going to break into groups and do some praying together.

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE ®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.  Used by permission.