Malachi Week 2: The Charade of False Worship

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

The Charade of False Worship

Spencer Cary

Transcript

So we are in our second week of the Book of Malachi as we finish the year off in this uh last prophetic book in the Old Testament we're going to be in Malachi 1: 5 through 14 which you can turn there and follow along with us as we walk through the text together uh we introduced this last week and we said that Malachi is made up of six different disputations these are six different disputes that God has with his people and we're in the.

Second disputation the second dispute that God has with his people and this one specifically is a rebuke of the sacrifices that the people of God were bringing to the Temple of the sacrificial system that was being practiced at the time now in order for us to understand what's happening in this rebuke you really need to understand the positive version what was actually the ideal version of what was supposed to happen and at times in the history of Israel did happen when it was actually a beautifully worshipful system.

So I want you to to imagine a levitical priest from the tribe of Levi who God has called into by the nature of the tribe that he was in and his Calling On this man's life to be a levitical priest his father was a Le a levite levitical priest his grandfather was levitical Priest he is carrying on this Legacy of being a priest who helps the people worship at the temple and every day he wakes up up and he's joyfully praising.

God to own the calling of being a priest and as he puts on his Priestly garments he's singing Psalms and and praising God that he gets to lead the people in worship and then he puts on his Priestly garments and he Praises Yahweh he Praises God then he walks out into uh the inner part the inner parts of the temple where he's going to facilitate worship where he's lighting incense where he's ready to receive these sacrificial offerings and he's praising God saying I get to help the people of.

God worship I get to help the people of God experience what it means to have a covering for their sin that our sin can be atoned for through sacrifice and he owns that beautifully and wonderfully and then in walks a man who's from the Judean Countryside and this man is a man who has a farm and on his farm he has all types of livestock and one day he looks at his livestock and he sees he's a bull the most wonderful beautiful strongest bull that he could sell on the open market.

For a lot of money and he looks at his Hired Hands and he says that bull right there that's the one that's the best of what I've got and that is what I'm going to take to the temple tomorrow we all go to the temple family work hands all of us are going to the temple to offer this bull as a burnt offering as a sacrifice for our sins and the next day he takes that bull with his family and his and his whole uh his people and they start walking towards the temple and they're singing Psalms of a sense these are the Psalms they would sing as they ascend towards the temple.

For worship and they arrive into the temple and he takes that bull and he brings it to that levitical priest joyfully celebrating this wonderful offering the best of what he has to bring to this priest who's joyfully worshiping saying is this what you've brought for sacrifice and he says yes it's the best of what I have to offer praise God this will be a wonderful burnt sacrifice that is what it was supposed to be and at times in the history of Israel that's what it was.

But that's not what it is when Malachi is prophesying that's not what's happening at the temple so what we're going to see and the second dispute that God has with his people is we're going to take a look at some of the corruption that had really seeped its way into the sacrifices some of the Corrupt Practices that were happening at the time as we look at this and their context we ultimately will see really the root of this corrupted worship and really how that root and I argue that rot still exists even.

Today so let me pray for us and then we'll walk through this together Heavenly Father we thank you for the good news of Jesus that claims us and saves us and sets us apart to worship you and to Delight in you and to glorify you and I pray that you'd help us see the gift that it is to worship our King and I pray that you would expose by the power of the word of God by the power of your word you'd expose the thoughts and intentions of our hearts and that we would receive your word and we'd walk this out in worship and repentance and faith and delighting in you.

Because you're worthy the other we ask this in Jesus name amen all right so verses uh 2 through 5 as we walked through that last week was the first dispute that God has with his people and what we saw if you weren't here last week is that God out the gate before he spends the rest of this book rebuking the people of God that out the gate he reminds them that I love you you are my people I love you oh people of Jacob oh people of Israel I love you that his Covenant Love begins this book and it's the foundation.

For what everything he's going to say next but he needs his people to remember I love you fiercely with this wonderful Covenant Love and out of that love that he has for his people he begins to rebuke him in the second dispute verse six a son honors his father and a servant his master if then I a father where is my honor and if I'm a master where is my fear says the Lord of hosts To You O priest who despise my name.

So he's speaking in terms that were very crystal clear to the people of God that would have absolutely understood this language and really the force of what he is saying he says Israel I am your father oh people of God I'm your I'm your father you are my son you are my child where's the honor that is due to me like they they understood the fifth commandment in ways that we just don't the type of Honor that a parent is is deserved he said where is my honor as your.

Father he used the language of servant and master which is language that was really uh familiar to them as an ancient near Eastern World they built into the very fabric of their economy and all the economies was this servitude system and he says Where is My Honor where's my fear where's my obedience where is this o Israel what you have shown is that you don't fear me you don't honor me you actually despise me which is a a sharp rebuke I mean.

If we if we received a rebuke like that like if your boss called you in the office and if your rev you laid out all your work for the year and then said you know by your work what I can so clearly see is that you hate me that you despise me that's what your work shows if you if you heard that I mean that would be the start of a very scary moment it's like oh okay you've got my attention.

Now let's talk like that's a strong rebuke and he says what you have shown is that you despise my name and this is ratcheted up even more for a culture that understands honor and shame more than we do so he calls them to account and it continues in verse 6 but you say how have we despised your name so he gives their their rebuttal wait wait how how have we despised your name they're incredulous wait you're saying that we don't honor we don't fear we don't how how have we despised your name oh.

God and then God continues in verse 7 by offering polluted food upon my altar but you say how have we polluted You by saying that the Lord's table may be despised verse 8 when you offer blind animals and sacrifice is that not evil and when you offer those that are lame or sick is that not evil so he answers them you've polluted the worship you've polluted the offerings and specifically you've done this by offering blind and lame animals for sacrifice now that's rooted in the Old Testament law right.

So Leviticus or Deuteronomy 15:21 says talking about sacrifices but if it has any blemish if it is lame or blind or has any serious blemish whatever you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God Leviticus 22:22 says animals blind or disabled or mutilated or having a discharge or an itch or scabs you shall not offer to the Lord or give them to the Lord as a food offering on the altar so clearly in the law and you might wonder okay it's in the law sure.

But why why is that a big deal I mean it's a blood sacrifice it's an animal what does it matter what condition it comes in because it's going to be slaughtered the reason this is important and anytime we're approaching the Bible anytime we're approaching teachings it's try to understand why those teachings are in place in the first place okay and what is clear here is that it shows the heart behind the sacrifice what they are bringing shows the heart behind their worship.

Because sacrifices are supposed to be and this is going to blow our minds sacrificial it's supposed to cost it's supposed to cost you something and and this isn't costly worship at all I want you to imagine we get closer to Christmas and there's end of your Christmas parties I want you to imagine that your your boss says you know you guys have had a stellar year it's been a great year for the company I want to reward y'all with a Christmas party like the most epic Christmas party we've ever had.

And then you show up and it's a Christmas party that has wonderful food and wonderful drink it has a great band I mean it's just a night that you are certainly going to talk about in the office for years to come this I mean he's he's he's giv out Christmas gifts and bonuses all kindes of stuff this a wonderful Christmas party and he just tells them it's because I love youall we're taking some of our our profits this year and we're blessing you this is what you've earned congratulations.

And then the next week you get your paycheck and you look at your paycheck and it's about $1,000 left and you're like wait what you go to the accountant you say Hey listen I'm I'm short $1,000 and the accountant says oh yeah that's for the party it's it's everyone came out of their paycheck this year it's for the party your joy for for that gift that was being brought to you in the party is now wrath because you've been robbed you would have just taken the, that that's what's happening here it's it's the presentation of a sacrifice and it's not a sacrifice a blind animal is not sacrificial at all it's not a gift at.

All because that blind animal could not be sold for anything on the market it's worthless I mean if you try to go and take that blind animal and sell at the marketplace the moment that Ram like just rammed its head into the wall and fell over homeboy trying to buy it just lifts it up looks at his eyes and says it's blind this is worthless you're trying to Def me this means nothing it would be a deep dishonor and the people deep down they know this you know how they know this.

Because of how God really puts this into context in the very next phrase he mentions the Persian Governors so they're still ruled at this point by the Persians he mentions really the Persian Governors that were ruling over them he says with that blind offering that you're bringing present that to your Governor will he accept you or show you favor says the Lord of hosts he says try passing off these blind sacrifices try passing off these lame animals try passing that off to one of the governors one of the rulers who you can.

See try passing that off and see if that gift gets you anywhere be like trying to bring your Christmas gift in for your boss like a good a good boss who doesn't like do a bait and switch of the party like an actually good boss you bring in your Christmas gift and it's a half eaten tray of cookies and like a you know half open drank bottle of Two Buck Chuck from Trader Joe's that's like a week and a half old that's.

Now like not even barely cooking one and it's like here's your gift you'd never do that we'd never present that to somebody who has influence in our life no chance it would be a great dishonor your boss would get that and be like what in the world is this trash and I've got my eye on you it's just we would never he's saiding you would never present this blind animal to a governor to a governing official you would never try to pass this off as a gift how low the people of.

God must have thought of him must have thought of their God that they could try to present these animals with the appearance of sacrifice with the appearance of worship when really they're keeping the best animals for themselves they're keeping the best of what they have for themselves and God the God who brought them out of captivity the the God who's forgiven them the God who loves them sees this and he rebukes it and he continues in verse 9 he says.

Now entreat the favor of God that he may be gracious to us with such a gift from your hand will he show favor to any of you says the Lord of hosts verse 10 oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors that you might not candle fire on my altar in vain I have no pleasure in you says the Lord of hosts and I will not accept an offering from your hand so he continues this rebuke this charade the appearance of godliness and bringing worship.

God just says if just one of you priests if just one of you had a Zeal for me had a Zeal for the law had a Zeal for what is good which next week we'll spend the rest of this disputation we'll spend talking more about the priesthood but right here he's just like if just one of you had Zeal for my law and for me that you would stand up and you would shut the doors of the temple and say no one else comes in here that you D the Flames of sacrifice and say nothing else gets sacrificed in this altar.

If just one of you would stand up for righteousness just one of you had a Zeal to do what is good and would shut the doors but there's none among you that are doing this none of you are standing up to end this charade this farce this Bakery and God continues verse 11 for from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the Nations and in every place incense will be offered to my name and a pure offering.

For my name will be great among the Nations says the Lord of hosts so God reminds them who they're trying to con he reminds them who they're trying to trick I am the God God who amongst all the nations All Peoples from the farthest stretches of the Eastern sky where it rises to the farthest skies in the west where it sets everywhere across the world is what he's saying I will be worshiped incense will be offered that's the picture of worship worship will be offered amongst all the nations do you know who you're trying to con do you understand who you are trying to trick I'm the.

God over all peoples and one day you're going to see me worship among all the nations and you think that you can bring this type of charade before me what a travesty here is what the people fail to see God doesn't need their sacrifices God doesn't need their worship God doesn't need the temple he didn't need any of this God is inexhaustible he will be worshiped amongst the Nations he he doesn't need this worship but they believed they could bring their worst and pass it off as their best they belied they could come to the temple with this charade and it was all going to be good.

God says you don't know who you are worshiping you don't know who you are conning here and he continues in verse 12 but you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted and its fruit that is its food may be despised but you say what a weariness this is and you snort at it says the Lord of post which what he just said was is not only are you doing a charade not only is all this fake you're bored with it you're you're bored what a weary what how weary is this he's like you're bored with this Con and you even picture that like just day in day out the priest who.

Doesn't care about his calling just doing it it's a job just puts on his Priestly garments and walks out there and says all right what you got next um you that animal looks good yep B in there drop your money off of the the offering plate like if just day in day out just bored with it and God is incensed by this you're not only is a charade you're bored with it and then it gets worse he says you bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick and this you bring as your offering shall I accept that from your hand says the.

Lord so not only are these lame and blind animals and they're bringing their worst not only it's everyone just kind of bored with this charade there are even people who are bringing sacrifices that they took by force which means that the kind of people that had a field and they saw their neighbors Ram wander into their field and they said that's a nice one I'll take that for myself that'll be the one that I offer at sacrifice uh at at the next Temple Festival.

So I don't have to get rid of any of my own what a a great deal and the ram wanders in he takes it into his fold and his neighbor comes out and says have you seen my Ram it's about Yi it's got spots on it oh there it is oh you found it so oh thank you so much and he says nope it's mine now takes it by force and then thinks that he can go and offer that as a sacrifice to.

God it's like are you kidding me do you know who you're trying to con here shall I accept that from your hand says the Lord the this is how corruption had seeped into the people of God who either did not read the Torah did not read the law or read it and did not care but just said this is what we do we're going to continue bringing these sacrifices that's what we do and God ends this first half of the disputation the.

First half of the dispute in verse 14 he said cursed be the cheat who is a male in his flock and vows it and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished for I am a great king says the Lord of hosts and my name will be feared among the Nations so God calls them cheats you have cheated me out of what is rightfully mine God owns everything everything belongs to God everything I mean we're very individualistic we're very you know capitalistic culture and I earn this no.

God gave this to you you are a steward we are stewards of what God has given us we are co- reigning with God on this Earth bringing Dominion to this Earth but that ain't yours it's God's and he and he's calling this out you've cheated God out of what he so rightfully deserves but I will get by Glory amongst the Nations and the Nations will fear me so that's the first half of this and you got to ask the question like what why why do they think they could do this what's going on in their brain.

When they're in their soul when they're actually doing this because we don't give there's not like further verses that explain exactly why they did this we can tell a little bit from the context and I think you could read into this and kind of see kind of the most plausible reasons but I think one of the big ones is is that bringing a sacrifice is costly it just is it costs money cost time cost the energy of your like it that it's costly.

So I think part of them really just love what they had and they they love this world they love Earthly treasures and being able to pass off a lame sacrifice was just easier I think it's also very possible that really they really wanted to do was to give the appearance of godliness to get the appearance of worship to we give the appearance of what it looks like to be a holy man of God a holy woman of God that they' pass this off.

Because they like the appearance without actual sacrifice without actual worship so next week what we're going to do is we're going to look at really the priests and their role in this but this picture that he ends with here in verse 14 is something we need to sit in because what happens sometimes is that we can read things like this and distance ourselves because it feels foreign to us cuz spoil alert next year between songs we're not going to bring out a ram and cut his throat like that's I know that's going to shock you.

But that's just not what we do here and there's a reason we don't do that first off be wildly weird uh second Jesus fulfilled that entire system so people wonder why why don't you why why does the Old Testament law not continue like it because is Christ Christ becomes the final sacrifice fulfilling that system like that the whole book of Hebrews helps poetically and wonderfully help helps capture this idea the reason we don't offer sacrifices is because Jesus was the final sacrifice that everything in this system this offering of unblemished rams and unblemished Bulls and unblemished uh pure offerings this is all meant to point.

For that was the main goal was a shadow of what was to come it was ultimately pointing forward to the unblemished perfect sacrifice of Christ when Christ comes fulfills this with his death on the cross and his blood is shed for the sins of the people for the rest of time we point back to the Spotless land that died in our place in Christ so that when we read this though it feels foreign because we're so far removed from it because we don't do this it feels ancient feels foreign and it's easy us to read this.

Look at the people of God and even have the mindset of how Wicked is this how broken were the people thinking they could do something like this which honestly is a little bit of a historical historical fallacy that's just what a lot of people do when they look back at history people look back at history and said I would have never done that back then I would have never I would have acted justly I'd have been a warrior for what is good and it's like probably not CU you're Sinner and your heart's Wicked and you're more influenced by the by the culture of the time just like every single human being.

For the last thousands of years so no you're not like some Star Spangled awesome example that would stand out no you're just you're just not and it's and we'll do that sometimes you just read this and just kind of separate yourself from it all and it doesn't do it reflectively we so the way that we should read this is to understand the truth of what's happening in this text and actually look at our own hearts and ask some questions of ourselves of what's happening in our hearts.

When we worship the God in what ways do We Worship the Lord that has the appearance of godliness but in actuality it profanes the name of our God like in what ways do we bear the name of Christ but our actions and the way that we live show something different in a way that God Says by the way that you are living it shows that you despise my name so the question here is how do we worship though not in the same form.

But actually has the same kind of substance and Same Heart that's the bigger question that's at play for us as we read this text now there are a few different words for worship in the New Testament a few different words in the Greek that help capture worship the the two main uses are a type of worship that is praise singing kind of prostrating yourself humbling yourself before God so the main use of worship in the New Testament is that picture this praising of.

God like the songs that we just sang okay that's the first main use of worship in the New Testament you see over and ever again is this humbling joyfully praising the Lord the second main use is service it's the type of Life Worship how we honor the Lord with our lives How We Worship the Lord with our lives and how we live our lives so praise and life and those are the two main uses of worship in the New Testament then we should.

Look at how they worship with the system ask those same questions of our own lives within those two categories and that's what I want to do for a moment I want to look at how we might have the same Folly the same error when it comes to praise worship and Life Worship so first how might we be a people that have the same sinful patterns that the Israelites did and how we praise and bring our praise and worship to God so some of us might worship boldly on a Sunday with hands hands raised singing loudly and what we're really doing is we're more worried about how people.

See us how they see us lift our hands and how they hear our voices that we know the words of this song and and and what we're doing there is we're more concerned about how we look as opposed to actually worshiping God for who he is and that makes us the center of worship this is a really big danger for those who lead in worship because one of the problems is is that when you lead in worship sometimes it can be.

So performative you can so Focus so much on on on the technical aspects and how you sound and if we're on beat and all the different technical aspects of worship it becomes performative that you lose the thread on what it's actually supposed to be helping lead the people of God in all of who Jesus is and worshiping our King for who he is I mean years ago Raz this is a quote that he loved I don't remember where it came from.

But basically the the idea that came out of it was is that if the all the electricity was taken out of the building could we still worship God like we're supposed to and it's like oh that's man so there's a performative aspect that gets in the way that we're not actually thinking and worshiping God like we're supposed to some of us go through the motions of Sunday worship sing the song and we listen to the sermon and the whole time it's happening the whole hour and 15 minutes it's happening or 90 minutes depending on who's preaching how many jokes he's got to tell and the whole time that's happening your mind is elsewhere you're thinking.

About things from the week last week you're thinking about things you got to do today you're thinking about things that are coming up and you go through this just check in the box and sing King of Kings cool pray all right sermon cool all right and then you're out and you're just going through the motions we're just going through the motions check in boxes as opposed to seeing what we have here as a gift a gift that God has given us that we get to come together with the people of.

God and worship him and Enlighten him for who he is because he's wonderful and he's worthy of it it's good for our souls to do that now way this can happen and less can happen in our Church because of how we giving but there can be a little bit of part of worship is I'm bring my offerings and I want to be seen as someone who gives I want to be seen as a giver which the offering plate could make that a bigger temptation.

But we've robbed you of that so you got to do it at these boxes in a way that would be more performative which doesn't happen as much but it's the heart behind it is I I want to be seen as someone who's generous who's seen as someone who brings their offerings before the Lord and it's not about actually sacrificially giving God joyfully this is what we're bringing to you but it's it's about being seen there's a lot of different ways this can play out the heart behind it is all there it's a charade it it it's checking the boxes it's being seen it's not actually worshiping like we're supposed to that.

Second category of Life Worship this honor and worship that we're supposed to have we're supposed to give to God in every aspect of Our Lives that's a bigger one that many of us fall into and it's especially hard because we're in the South and Southern Christianity is just I mean the overwhelming majority of people in the South will claim to be a Christian like people from the north move down here and they're like there are churches everywhere do you not see this this isn't normal and it's not there like more churches per capita in the South than almost anywhere in the world and what happens is is that Christianity is just who we are it's.

What we're supposed to do and what happens is is that anyone claims to be a Christian in the South and what happens if if there is any bit of regularity in Sunday worship that Sunday becomes the Pinnacle of what it means to be a Christian that this is it this is the height of it but it doesn't actually show up in the other aspects of life doesn't show up in the regular repentance and walking this out in community doesn't show up and reading the Scriptures and being convicted doesn't sing up in the prayers and humbling ourselves before the.

Lord and it's this life that says I'm a Christian but the rest of life doesn't back it up at all now the way this happens in the South profaning the name of the Lord claiming the name of the Lord and acting very different it shows up in business practices shows up in using the name of God to gain Social Capital with others or business Capital with others that's why when I see a Jesus fish on a bumper on a a business card I get a little nervous oh boy you know I I used to.

So many of you know this I did Real Estate uh by vocationally I was a pastor and a real estate agent for years and now I'm just full-time here I still have my license but uh for years my license at the same place is at a brokerage um and my brokerage I love like I just I love them it's a Rowdy group of people it's kind of known to be a Rowdy group of people they just they're they're good at what they do.

But they have fun and it's a Rowdy crew and I for years would go to the office and they knew I was a pastor and you know just some jokes that kind of come with that that they're fun but they really I think they appreciated me I'm not a moralist I don't tell people how to live I tell them who to live for I tell them about Jesus but I'm not going to tell them how to live so you can live your life do whatever you want and I and I operated in there.

For years and one of the things that I found incredibly frustrating is that there was uh another brokerage that really built their name off Christ they they kind of built their branding off of Jesus and what was wildly frustrating was they also had a reputation from some of their agents doing some shady stuff and I heard our guys talk about that brokerage and make fun of them oh yeah they're Jesus he real Christian over there and they did some of the most unethical things in the market and it just drove me nuts.

Because I had a bunch of Rowdy group of people but they did things ethically and right and as a Christian I'm there and I'm trying to represent Christ and I got agents across town just doing stupid foolish wicked things infuriates me that mess happens all over the place people that bear the name of Christ that use the name of Christ to advance their career or their their their their resume in a Christian culture and its wickedness and it profanes the name of.

God you must despise the name of God to practice like that so it can happen the way way that we live our lives in the business world how we work it can happen in the offerings that we bring to the Church so the money that we bring to the Church if it's if it's given off of stuff that's stolen from other people stolen from the government and what's owed to the government stolen from from any anyone or anything and we bring that and say.

God here's your gifts here's your offerings that aspect of our life has not been Sanctified it's not Jesus is working it show that's not worship that's a charade it's not breaking your heart to do what is actually good honestly with this category it's just it's anything that claims the name of Christ anything that simply that that simply has the appearance of godliness has the has Jesus slapped on top of it but actually is not backed up at all or maybe it's you're the kind of person that that has the mindset of I'm just I'm doing good.

So I can get into heaven and I'm just getting Kingdom credits through just claiming to be a Christian and doing the things and whatever but it actually isn't backed up by a life where the heart has been so sh so changed and captured by Christ that though we walk sometimes in sin and make mistakes that we're walking that out in Repentance and worshiping and delighting in him if it's not that then you're just going to the motion and you're checking boxes and it doesn't honor.

God there two main aspects of worship but it's praising here in a Sunday or the lives that we live it really shows our hearts that we're not all that much different than the Israelites whether it's we're doing it to be seen as holy I'm checking boxes so I can be seen as one of the good ones or if it's just the idea of of well it's just what we do we're seveners and we're Christians therefore we just we do the things.

When it's actually not a vibrant faith that costs a vibrant Faith where Jesus said says take up your cross and follow me to deny yourself and follow me that the moment that Christianity becomes you having to be someone who's repenting of sin or being obedient to his mission or being sacrificial with your life towards others or the moment There's an actual cost like I don't know about that that's a little overly religiously that's just a little bit too much for me it's just what we do and that's the heart.

But how we approach this and the reality is is our approach to God what what what what's really revealed in how we actually approach life is that sometimes the way that we the way that we that we live our lives earnestly for things that we can see for Governors that oversee us for for for employers that oversee us for the people that actually can bring the the change we can see in our lives that will do more earnestly for those worldly things than we will.

For God and it reveals what's happening in our hearts and it reveals that any of the practices that we bring here in a Sunday or in groups or whatever is more of a charade brothers and sisters Ecclesiastes is correct there is nothing new Under the Sun we we we repurpose and we repackage the same old practices the same old things we're just like the Israelites and there was a prophet that was raised up to help them see the error of their ways that Malachi is trying to help them.

See don't do this don't do this here don't don't don't engage in these practices and we have a better Prophet a better priest and our great high priest in Christ and a better King in Jesus who came and shed his blood for us and offer sacrifice blood to cover our sins and his perfect righteousness to stand for us and it invites us into that kind of faith we put all of our hope in Christ and then calls us into a worship that Romans 12:1 teaches I appeal you there appeal to you.

Therefore Brothers by the mercies of God to present your bodies as the Living Sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship though he place all of our hope in the finished work of Christ he changes us and then sets us apart to present Our Lives as a Living Sacrifice to God that we might lay down our lives to follow him and to worship him and to Delight in him and it would show up in all the different aspects of how we sing and how we live and what we do.

But I'll finish back with verse 14 when the Lord says cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock and vows it yet sacrifice to the Lord what is blemished for I am a great king says the Lord of hosts and my name will be feared among the Nations just remember God doesn't need this he do need this he's going to be worshiped amongst the Nations he's going to be glorified every knee is going to bow to him he doesn't need this this.

And if this ever becomes a charade if this ever if we ever the Church that preaches a Gospel and doesn't live if weever a Church that says all the right things but that doesn't actually back it up with our lives if all this just becomes checking boxes and just performative then man let's close the doors let's lock it up I'll go back to selling real estate I mean just we'll lock the doors we'll sell this building off that educational Wing you can make condos out of that thing this could be a nice little bar in and and and music venue I mean let's close up the doors and say move on.

Because God doesn't need a half-hearted people that are just going through the motions he wants a people who laid down their lives because we love him so deeply and we realize eternally what that he's worth it and we be a people that backed that up with our lives not as perfect people because we're going to make mistakes but where we see our sin we're confronted by the good news of the Gospel and we trust in him as our only hope and and we walk this out worshiping him and honoring him.

But if that ain't it we'll close the doors and move on but there are four Elders here that are never going to let that happen first their own lives and then as we lead forward we want to be a people who don't treat this as a charade but take the Lord seriously and the good news is God loves us enough to reveal this to us God loves us enough to be able to reveal what's happening in our hearts Stay With Me loves us enough to reveal what's happening in our hearts.

So that we can go to our community groups this week and confess sin and confess where we're falling short confess where we've treated this like a charade that we can be a people that actually are changed by Jesus and become better worshippers come better people who Delight in him but also there might be some of you where all this has ever been is going through the motions and all this has ever been is checking boxes and I want you to see.

See so clearly this morning God loves you enough to confront you and to call you into an actual real sacrificial faith in him don't treat this like a charade don't treat this as checkin boxes he's actually worth it and he's good and when you truly discover who our God is and you lay your life down for him you'll see that everything that comes after that is wonderful and is delightful and is worth it let me pray heavenly father I pray that you would help convict us of sin I pray that you'd help us.

Remember the good news of the Gospel that saves us so that we can be a people that actually worship you we can be a people that actually lay down our lives for you because it's good because we gain more of you because you died on a cross for our sins and you have a Heavenly home that await says and that's worth it it's worthy of Our Lives May we be a people that worship you not half-heartedly but truthfully in Jesus name amen man's going to come up and as we prepare to worship take a few moments to just breathe and pray.

Remember who this God is remember who he is and that he's worthy he will be worshiped amongst the Nations every KNE is going to conf is going to Bow every tongue is going to confess that he is Lord that is who our God is he's worthy of it so prepare your hearts to respond in worship but if you don't know him the invitation is there for you to actually know him and to surrender him and for this not to be something that you check off.

But to be a means of delighting in him because he's worthy of it.

Psalm 100: Make a Joyful Noise

Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.

Psalm 100: Make a Joyful Noise

Spencer Cary

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Transcript

Good morning. My name is Spencer and I am one of the pastors here. We are in Psalm 100 today, which is on page 287, your blue Bibles that are under you, around you. You can follow along there. You can also follow along on the screen. The text will be on the screen this morning.

So, we've been in the Psalms this summer. This is our final week in the Psalms. And then a couple of years ago we were in the Psalms. And we'll continue to come back to them because they are good for our souls to sit in. But there's a lot of similarities in the Psalms and all 150 of them.

But there's also some differences. They do different things. You look at Psalms like Psalm 19 and 139 that we looked at this summer. And those Psalms had immense depth and truth in them and doctrine that helps shape us and guide us as the people of God. You look at Psalms like Psalm 23 and Psalm 42. And those are Psalms that help us in the midst of loss and suffering and grieving.

And they help us worship God through lament. You look at Psalms like Psalm 51 that help us in repentance. Psalm 67 that gives us a taste of Jesus reaching the nations. Like there's Psalms that do all kinds of different things. Some of them are very long and some of them are very short. And then you get a few Psalms like we're going to be in today.

Psalm 100 is five verses. It is a short, succinct look at how we are called to worship God. And there's a few Psalms like this that are real short, real compact. But they just help us praise God because He's worthy of it. And that's how we're closing up our summer in the Psalms. It's looking at Psalm 100, receiving its commands to help guide us in worshiping God and then helping see why we're called to do it.

So I'm going to read through it all at once and then we'll walk through it together. Psalm 100. Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come into His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God.

It is He who made us and we are His. 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 steadfast love endures forever and His faithfulness to all generations. Let me pray for us and then we'll walk through this together. Father, I thank You for the Word of God. I thank You for the Psalms. This beautiful Psalm book that we get to come back to over and over again that helps us worship You. These songs and prayers that guide us towards the heavens, towards You.

God, I pray that You would help us be present this morning. That You would speak to us and that we'd respond in faith and repentance and obedience and worship. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Okay, so there's a subtitle in Psalm 100 that kind of frames up the Psalm.

It says a Psalm for giving thanks. So this Psalm comes at the end of a five-Psalm set called the kingship Psalms. Okay? It's all about God is our king. And this one is saying, no, we're going to be thankful to our kings. That frames it up.

And then verse 1, the first of many commands that we're going to see here. Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth. All right. So, make a joyful noise. So, it may not be something we're as familiar with here because we're not Pentecostal. But we're better than most Baptists, you guys.

We get a little animated. But let's just make a joyful noise. Maybe the most familiar setting where you would hear this is coming up Saturdays in the fall in the south. Yep. Preach. It's college football.

That's what we're probably most familiar with. That's where you hear a joyful noise. Where you hear 80,000 plus fans. Not too far away from here. Directionally, wherever that is. At Williams-Brice Stadium.

Who may or may not. Depends to be. Or remains to be seen. Have a joyful thing to celebrate this fall. We always hope for the bestest Gamecock fans. And they never always let us down.

But, that's it. Right? That's the most joyful noise that you're going to hear in our area. Is a bunch of people. Mostly adults. Cheering on 20 year old young men playing a child's game.

It is. Silly. Can't be idolatrous. But that's where you most are familiar with this type of joyful noise. That's being commanded here in Psalm 100. And the psalmist.

In some Psalms. They're concerned with the congregation worshiping God. In some Psalms. They're focusing on the individual. Interacting with God. This Psalm is bigger.

It says. No. Make a joyful noise to the Lord. All the earth. This isn't just all the peoples. This isn't every body.

This is all of creation. That's what earth is getting at. Make a joyful noise to the Lord. All the earth. This is similar to when Jesus. Is doing the triumphant entry into the city on Palm Sunday.

And the people start praising him. And the Pharisees get upset at this. And say. You need to stop this. And he says. I tell you.

If these were silent. The very stones would cry out. He's saying. You don't understand. The whole earth. Praises.

Me. Because we're. I'm worthy. Of. This. As we're getting at Psalm 19.

We looked at this summer. The whole earth is testifying. The whole creation is testifying. To the glory. Of God. And Psalm 100 says.

Let's join in that. Let's join in the whole chorus. That's. Joyfully. Praising. God.

Don't miss this. We're called to do this. Joyfully. We're commanded to do this with. Joy. And listen.

This isn't something that we just manufacture. Okay. That's not the kind of joy that's happening here. This is what it means to behold God for who he is. And his glory. And his goodness.

And his beauty. And the. When you behold him. What flows out of you. Is. Joy.

Like if you've ever seen a. Set of new parents. Holding. Their newborn. Child. They are.

Beaming. With joy. They are. Grinning. They are. Excited.

They are. Terrified. There is an. All. In them. You see that.

Now listen. They don't have to. Manufacture that. They're not faking that. That's real. Because they're holding the most.

Beautiful creature. That they've ever seen. In their entire. Lives. And listen. Children are.

Beautiful gifts of God. Okay. They make jokes. But they're wicked sinners. And they are. But don't miss it.

They are beautiful. Amazing. Gifts of God. That reaction. Is how it should be. But our children.

Pale in comparison. To the glory of God. Our God is. More. Beautiful. More.

Glorious. More. Worthy of all. And. Joy. And when you behold him.

For who he is. You get to. See an overflow. Out of you. That is. Joy.

Because you are. Worshipping. The Lord. Okay. So. He says.

Make a joyful noise. To the Lord. All the earth. And then he gives a. Second command. Serve the Lord.

With. Gladness. Serve the Lord. With gladness. Now. Serving with gladness.

May be a category. That we're not familiar with. That's not. Like if you're. If your boss says. All right.

I need you to stay late. Okay. I need you to finish out. The reports. So we close out the quarter.

I need you to. Finish up these cars. So we can get them off the lot. Back to the customers. I need you to stay late. A few hours after.

Five. Most of you aren't like. Yes boss. I'm in. With gladness. I will serve you.

That's just typically. That's not a natural response. For us. Is this joyful. It's almost childlike. Giddy.

Glad. Service. My son. Bridgers. Is at. Like the perfect age.

He's at five. And it's awesome. Because I am like. The greatest to him. He. He thinks I'm the coolest.

He thinks I'm the smartest. He thinks I'm the strongest. Like I. He is. Very excited. When I ask him to come serve me.

I say. Hold this tool. While I'm doing this. He is. Glad. Because his dad is the greatest.

Now. He's in for a huge let down. When he realizes. Like I have the back. Of like a 60 year old man. That like I just.

I'm rarely the smartest person in the room. That includes. In my own home. So like. He's due for a let down. But hear this.

There's no let down with God. There ain't no let down with God. When you serve the Lord. And you realize how good he is. There's a lot of joy. In it.

Because his perfection. Is untainted by any. Perfection. That his power is unhindered. By any weakness. He is.

Inexhaustible. That his love. Is uncorrupted. His grace is unfathomable. His wisdom. Is unsearchable.

You see. All the attributes. Of God. Lined up. And there's. No one in this world.

That comes. Close. So as you follow God. And you're obedient. To his word. And you're obedient.

To where he calls you to. In life. We get to. Serve him. With. This.

Gladness. Because our God. Is truly amazing. Then he issues. Another command. He goes on to say.

Come. Into his presence. With. Singing. Come into his presence. With singing.

He commands. His people. To sing. He commands us. To sing. Now some of you.

Just got really excited. Because like. You're like Matt Freeman. Who just sings. All the time. He does.

He sings. All the time. Y'all. And. And singing. Singing to the Lord.

Is something. That you're all in on. Say yes. Amen. I'm going for it. I will sing to the Lord.

All the time. And some of you are like. Please no. I'd rather not. I'll go do the service stuff. But I don't.

I don't want to sing. And I want to take a few minutes. Just to. Help you see. Why this command is good. For those of you.

That don't really enjoy. Singing. Maybe you don't really sing here. On a Sunday. I want to help you see. Why this is actually.

Really really good. About working through. Some of the reasons. Why you might not sing. And the first is. Is that it's humbling.

It's humbling. Some of you may find it humbling. Because. The when you sing. It sounds more like verse one. Sounds more like a joyful noise.

Coming out. That's. Listen. I'm on your team. All right.

When I sing. It's not the most pleasant sound. In the world. So maybe that's you. You don't like to sing. Because you're just not very.

Good at it. We would never set you up here. On a Sunday. And leave others. In worship. Maybe you don't sing.

Because you think it's silly. That it's. It's a little silly. It's a little childlike. It's a little beneath you. It's just a little like.

Ah. Just I don't. I don't. I'm not all about that. Listen. It's humbling.

Okay. Whether you struggle to sing well. Or whether you. It's a humbling experience. If I sing to my wife. Which I don't do.

Because that doesn't show her love. She wouldn't appreciate that. Okay. But if I sing to her. I position myself beneath her. Right.

I'm humbling myself before her. In singing. So yes. Singing. It is. Humbling.

Okay. It absolutely is childlike. And some of you. And to be honest. And this is anecdotal. I don't have stats to back this up.

But the majority of people that don't sing. In worship. Are men. That's been here. That's been. All the churches that have been a part of.

Is that men are less likely to sing than women. You may have a lot of reasons that you don't sing. But let me tell you why you should. Because if you are willing to. Joyfully praise. 20 year old.

Young men. Throwing a football around on a Saturday. If you are willing to. Joyfully sing at a concert. While the lead singer is singing about ants marching. Or thunder.

Or a pickup truck. And a girl. Which is like a thousand different country songs. Whatever your speed is. If you are willing to join the chorus. At a concert.

If you are willing to. Cheer people online. Who are playing with a fake digital character. Playing another nerd. Halfway across the world. Who has their own digital fake character.

Listen. I don't understand it. I don't have to. You do you. But if you are willing to do that.

And joyfully cheer someone else on. But you are unwilling to sing here. On a Sunday. You have misunderstood reality. No. We need to sing to our Lord.

He is worthy of our worship. We need to joyfully celebrate him. It is humbling. If you are willing to humble yourself. Before anything else. And not the Lord.

We need a reality check. We need to change here. Repent here. And actually sing. And obey this command. The second reason.

It is about your heart. Not your ability. Okay. It is about your heart. Not your ability. You might have a very pleasant voice.

For a church our size. I am unbelievably blown away. At the amount of people. That God has gifted. To lead us. In worship.

It is such an immense. Blessing. But you might have a great voice. But guess what? If your heart is not in the right place. Right?

If it is about self. If it is about how good you sound. Or look before others. The Bible says very bluntly. God hates that. God.

The book of Amos. Says that very bluntly. In Amos 5. It says in verse 21. I hate. I despise your feasts.

I take no delight. In your solemn assemblies. Because the people of God. Were still having assemblies. And still praising God. And bowing down to idols.

And not doing justice. That God had called them to do. They were still living in sin. And acting. Doing the part. Their heart was in the wrong place.

And still doing the actions. Then it goes on in verse 23. To say take away from me. The noise of your songs. To the melody of your hearts. To the melody of your hearts.

I will not listen. That corrects the heart. That sings about themselves. But that also gives us the picture of. That it's truly about the heart. Which means.

If you sound like a bad American Idol audition. Right? That's okay. Because it's not about your ability to sing. It's about your heart's position before the Lord. Third.

It's not about you. The third reason why you should sing. It's not about you. That's one of the things I appreciate about congregational worship. It's not about the individual. It's about the corporate.

I personally. Love the cover. Of all the saints in the room singing. It's great. It means I can sing louder. Right?

The only people who have to endure my singing. Are the ones who sit directly in front of me. So. Sorry. Sing louder. You won't hear me.

But I love that. Because that's how. Listen. I would argue. That's by design. Okay?

When you zoom in on the individual. You're going to hear all the imperfections. But when you zoom out. And you hear the collective. You hear a beautiful chorus. Right?

Like we went to a pastor's conference called. Together for the Gospel. This. In April. And Together for the Gospel has these. The worship at those conferences.

Is a guy on a piano. With a microphone. And 10 to 12 thousand. Pastors and ministry leaders singing. And their albums are on. On Spotify.

And you listen to them. And it's amazing. Dear 10,000. Voices. Praising God. It's poetic.

It's. It's. It's. It's brilliant. It's so. Pleasant to hear.

And I think that's by. Design. I think that's the God view. Of worship. That's what he gets to hear. As the saints come together.

For corporate worship. Which tells you. It's not about you. You get to join in the chorus. Of all the saints. Praising our God.

For who he is. So. Listen. Obey the command. Obey the command. Come into his presence.

With. Singing. Third. Or verse three. Know. The Lord.

He is. God. That's the next command. It says. Know that he is God. Which is one of the ways.

That we do this. Is through word. And prayer. That we want to know. That he is God. And be reminded of this.

On a daily basis. To know. Him. And then he goes on to say. It is he. Who made us.

That's creator. Language. It is he who made us. And we are. His. Now we're switching into more covenantal.

Language. This is the covenant relationship between. God. And Israel. And the Old Testament. And it.

Furthers the idea. When he says. We are his people. And the sheep of his. Pasture. That's God in Israel.

That's the shepherd in his. Sheep. And the truth that's being taught there. Is that we belong. To God. We belong to him.

And that's powerful. For two reasons. First. It means that we are his possession. It means that. If you believe in.

Christ. You belong to him. He possesses. You. The Old Testament. The Old Testament taught us.

In Deuteronomy 7. When it says. For you. Are a people. Holy. To the Lord.

Your God. The Lord. Your God. Has chosen you. To be a people. For his treasured.

Possession. Out of all the peoples. Who are on the face of the earth. That's true. In the new covenant. In the new testament.

In first Peter. When he says. But you are a chosen race. A royal priest. A holy nation. A people.

For his own. Possession. That you may proclaim. The excellencies of him. Who called you out of darkness. Into marvelous.

Light. He. Possesses us. We belong to him. In that way. In the same way.

That my children. Belong to. Me. Like I helped. Make. Them.

And I have to remind them. Sometimes. That my wife and I. We bought everything. In this house. Because they'll fight over toys.

And they'll fight over territory. And it's like. Listen. Stop. We own everything. In this house.

It is on loan to you. To be able to use. For your enjoyment. But we. Bought all of this. You belong to us.

And there's a lot of benefits. That come with them. Belonging to us. We love them. More than anyone else. In this world.

Does. We. We would protect them. More than anyone else. Would want to. Like we.

If someone touches my child. It's on. Right. That's built into parenthood. I'm their biggest fan. Like I get to coach my.

I got to coach my son's. T-ball team. This last spring. And I did my best. And I think I did a decent Job. Of being the coach.

Who's objective. Okay. Who you know. Didn't. Try to favor his son. Over the other kids.

But there were moments. When I watched him hit a ball. And run. Awkwardly. To first base. As fast as he could.

That I was beaming. I was like. Yes. That's my boy. Woo. Like I was going for it.

Because. I'm his biggest fan. I'm my children's. Biggest fan. Because they belong to me. That's built into the relationship.

And it's built into the relationship. Of God and his people. That there's immense. Benefit. And belonging to him. That he possesses us.

That he's in our corner. More than anyone else. That he's for our. Good. And our ultimate good. More than anyone.

Else. That's the first picture. That I think is really powerful. For belonging to him. To being the sheep. And his.

Pasture. The second. Is that we have a place with him. I love that picture of. We are his people. The sheep of his pasture.

That we. We have a place. With the Lord. That we. Belong with him. In that way.

Because many of us. Have been searching for belonging. For a very long time. You felt it in middle school. Where you. Were searching.

For a place to belong. And you kept searching. And. You know. It might change. Middle school.

You know. Is one thing. But. That. Search. Continues.

Throughout life. Looking for a place to belong. Looking for a people to belong to. And I want to tell you. And very. Be very.

Candid. I. I think the church. Is an. Is an. Unbelievable place to belong.

I think our church. Is an unbelievable place to belong. The church. Of Jesus. The local church. Is a beautiful.

Messy. Wonderful. Place. It's a bunch of misfit sheep. That got us called together. As his people.

People. And our shepherd. Is really. Really good. So. You've been searching.

For a place to belong. The people of God. Is a wonderful place. To be. That's how it always has been. All the way back to Psalm 100.

When this was written. That the pasture of the Lord. Is a wonderful place. To belong. If you've ever. If you've ever wandered.

A long distance in life. Trying to find belonging. Hear the encouragement. That Jesus offers here. Then he gives the next commandment.

Verse. Four. He says. Enter his gates with thanksgiving. And his courts with praise. Give.

Thanks to him. Bless. His name. Now. This picture. Is the Old Testament picture of worship.

When they would travel to Jerusalem. To the temple. And the temple courts. Where they'd offer sacrifices. Where they would sing. Praises.

And offer thanks. To God. But the command to give thanks. Is something that. I think is lacking. For many of us.

I think many of us. Forget all the things. That God does for us. And all. I think we forget. How great he really is.

And we. We don't give thanks enough for that. And being as children. That. That happens. Children can be entitled.

Like I. When I was. At the end of the day. End of my junior year of high school. My mom sold her family business. And became a stay at home mom.

And she actually was. She's already. Was a good cook. She was actually going. At some point. For culinary classes.

To further just her skills. Because she wanted to. So my senior year. I had the distinct privilege. Of being able to eat. Some wonderful meals.

It was great. And what would happen. Is I would finish football practice. I would finish baseball practice. And I would call home. And my.

My school was about 30 minutes. From my house. I call home. And she said. What do you want for dinner? And I said.

I don't know. Steak. Your brown rice. That you make. Our secret family recipe. For mac and cheese.

Which was Stouffer's. Which. Is a very underrated mac and cheese. In fact. I would argue. That the Chick-fil-A mac and cheese.

Is just Stouffer's. They sprinkle some cheese on. Okay. For those of you. Love it. I can't back that up.

But. That's my theory. I was like. Can you make it? And she'd say. Yes.

She would. That whole senior year. I got to eat all these great meals. Got to come home. And I'm sure. Every now and then.

I said. Thank you. But at the same time. You just got. I got accustomed to it. For the whole year.

It was very. Great. And that happens with kids. You just. They just get. Like I realized.

As I became an adult. When I finally realized. That I didn't give enough thanks. To my parents. Is when I started having my own kids. And I started watching them.

Do the same things. That I used to do. To go through life. Expecting this. Expecting that. Expecting this.

Getting mad when you don't get this. Getting mad when you don't get that. Rarely saying thanks. And I'm trying to. I'm working. We're discipling our kids.

I'm trying to coach them. Trying to say. Hey listen. Your mama just did that. Thank her. Say.

Look at her eye contact. Thank you. Thank you. But that doesn't naturally flow out of them. But here's what I've realized.

As a parent. I don't do it for the thanks. My wife doesn't do it for the thanks. We do it because we love them. We love our kids. And we sacrifice for them.

And we do all these things for them. Not to get applause. But because we immensely love them. And that is how our God is with us. And then some. God loves us.

Deeply. It is all the things for us. And all the ways that are seen and unseen. Because he loves us. And we're missing out. If we don't thank him.

Thank the God who gave us life. Who gave us existence. Thank the God who gives us daily bread. That we take for granted. Thank the God who gives us different abilities and talents. And if you're a Christian.

Thank the God who gave himself up for you. Thank the God who in Christ gives us immense spiritual blessings. Thank the God who gives us an unbelievable unending eternity of joyous praise before him. And we have unbelievable benefits. Endless benefits. That he's worthy of thanks for.

It is good for our souls. The people of God. They had to come to Jerusalem. To be in the presence of God. To offer thanks to him. And in Christ.

We don't have to do that anymore. If you believe in Jesus. You can wake up each day. And you can thank the Lord. You can go to sleep each night. And you can thank the Lord.

One of the things. I quote Philippians 4.6 quite often. Do not be anxious in anything but through prayer. And supplication. With thanksgiving. Make your requests to be known to God.

I focus on a lot of times. Do not be anxious. Which is a powerful part of that. And make your requests. Which is a powerful part of that. But with thanksgiving.

Often gets missed. Our prayers should be lined. With thankfulness. I want you to do something this week. I want you to set a timer for ten minutes. Grab a pen and a pad.

And for the first five minutes. I want you to write out. Thanking God for who he is. Just who he is. God you're merciful. God you're loving.

God you are the creator of all things. God you are gracious. God you are a God of justice. I want you to just take five minutes. And write out. Thanking God for who he is.

And in the last five minutes. I want you to thank God for what he has done for you. Specifically. Thank God for the things he does for you. On a regular basis. The big things he's done for you in life.

The small things. Just take ten minutes. And you will start to line that paper. With all kinds of reasons. And you're not even scratching the surface. We're called to give.

We're commanded to give thanks to our God. Alright. He gives command after command. After command. After command. To help us worship God.

And the way that we were designed to. And then he says what? Verse five. For. That's purpose. For.

The Lord is. Good. Good. His steadfast love. Endures. Forever.

And his faithfulness to all. Generations. The Lord. Is. Good. Now that's hard for us.

In the English language. Because goodness. Is kind of a very generic. Vague. Category. Just is.

Try to define it. Try to use it. I can say. That the. Pork chop. Dinner.

At. Bodhi Thai. In Lexington. Or. Five Points. At Saludas.

Either one of those places. You want a fancy dinner. You get to the seared pork chop. With the sides. They're different. Different places.

But that is good. That is a good. Meal right there. I can say that the drum solo. And in the air tonight. By Phil Collins.

Do do. Do do. Do do. Do do. Do do. Do.

That is. Good. And it is. And then I can say. The Lord is good. And go.

Oh. What? Those aren't on the same level. Right? Now. A few of you.

Are going to want to fight the good fight. And say. I will never say anything is good. Somebody is going to ask me. Are you good? You don't even know what good is.

Listen. It is a losing. It is a losing battle. Okay? The English language. It is just not.

It is kind of a mutt language. It is not very good with words. Or. When you hear. The Lord is good. You elevate that.

To a category. Of spiritual. Goodness. That has. That is completely untainted. With evil.

There is no sin. In that. Goodness. There is no failure. In that. Goodness.

There is only purity. And perfection. In that. Goodness. When you are. When you are thinking of the attributes of God.

And you are just saying. God. You are so. Faithful. You are so. Gracious.

Like. One of the things that just fall back on us. I don't. You are just so. Good. And it is just almost a catch all.

For everything that he is. He is just. Good. And then he goes on to say. His steadfast love endures forever. And his faithfulness.

To all generations. Now. Those phrasings. Are some of the more. Repeated phrasings. Throughout the scriptures.

You hear all the time. His steadfast love endures forever. His faithfulness to all generations. And what is powerful here. Is the psalmist. Wasn't even able to fully.

Realize. What that meant. He wasn't even fully. Able to realize. How that was going to be fulfilled. When God inspired this in him.

Because. But this side of the cross. And this side of the empty tomb. We know what it means. That his steadfast love endures forever. And his faithfulness.

To all generations. Because the goodness of God. And his steadfast love. And his faithfulness. Was perfectly displayed in Christ. That Christ left the heavens.

And took on flesh. And dwelt among us. That he fulfilled the law perfectly. That he went to the cross. To be crushed for our rebellion. That he walked out of the empty tomb.

To make. To give us a way. To be partakers. Of this beautiful promise. Of this beautiful. Steadfast love.

He was faithful to us. Who were faithless. We understand. What this means. And we get to. Anchor this deep.

Into our soul. Over and over again. When we come across Psalms. Like this. When you look at this Psalm. And it's brief.

Five verses. It's so basic. In fact. The phrases in this Psalm. Are repeated. All over the Psalms.

You can flip and flip. And see back and forth. You're going to see this. All over the Psalms. So why at the century Mark.

Of the Psalm book. Did God. Inspire such a succinct. Five verse picture. Like this. I'd argue.

It is because these truths. Need to be. Anchored deeper. Into our soul. They need to be sung. Into our soul.

The Psalms were songs. They were prayers. They were meant to be repeated. Over and over again. So they could be.

Anchored deeper. Into our souls. That's what singing does. Y'all. Singing. Anchors.

Truths. Into our soul. There's a reason why. A whole generation. Of baby boomers. Have the philosophy.

You know. You can't always get. What you want. But if you try sometimes. You know. You might find.

You get what you need. You know why. Because the philosopher. Mick Jagger. Wrote that. And they sang it.

A thousand times. They sang that truth. Deep into their soul. That's what singing does. It sings. Truth.

Deep into your soul. And we need Psalms. Like Psalms. 100. To be sung. To be recited.

Deep into our soul. That's good for us. Y'all. When you can't remember scripture. Sometimes. You can't remember a song.

I got. When I'm struggling. With sin. And suffering. I might not be able to remember Romans 8. My mind might be all over the place.

But I can remember rock of ages. Cleft for me. Let me hide myself in thee. Let the water and the blood. From my wounded side. Which flowed.

Be of sin. The double cure. Saved from wrath. And made me pure. I can remember that. And that reminds me.

Of how good our savior is. We need this y'all. We need truth. Sung deeper into our soul. We need these Psalms recited. Deeper into our soul.

Like Matt Freeman. Our pastor of worship. Who's over here in the keys. Like he spends time y'all. And he has help sometimes. With some different volunteers.

From our worship ministry. But he writes the liturgy. And he's thoughtful about it. And y'all. This liturgy that we recite. Every Sunday.

It gets repeated. Like Psalm 100 gets repeated. Once every two or three months. Which is going to blow. Some of your minds. Because some of you.

Miss that every week. Because you roll in late. But if you came in on time. You'd hear Psalm 100. Once every two to three months. And you hear it over.

And over. And over again. And that truth. Would get sung deeper. And deeper into your soul. And listen.

We need that. We need to know the command. To make a joyful noise. The Lord. We need to know the command. To serve the Lord.

With gladness. We need to know the command. That we're called to come. Into his presence. With singing. We need to know.

That he is God. We need to realize. And let it sink into our hearts. That we belong to him. And all the benefits. That come along with that.

Because he's good. Because his steadfast love. Endures forever. And his faithfulness. For all generations. We need that.

And we're going to do that. As the band comes up. We're just going to sing. Two more songs. And I want us. To sing.

I want us to sing. And grow in this. To sing these truths. Deep into our soul. Listen. You may not know the songs.

I would encourage you. If you want to know the songs. Go talk to Matt. After worship. It gets in your playlist. It can send you some songs.

That you can sing regularly. To be familiar with them. But we need this. We need to grow. In actually. Worshiping.

The Lord. We need to grow. In singing. Praises. To our God. And actually.

Singing. We need to grow. In thankfulness. Thanking the Lord. On a regular basis. For all.

Who he is. And everything. That he does. For us. We need to grow. In worshiping.

Our God. Because he's. Worthy. Of it. Now some of you.

May be checking. This out. Maybe checking out. Jesus. Maybe. Feel like an outsider.

Listening into an insider. Conversation. And I just want to say. Very clearly to you. If you are exploring. Our faith.

You don't know where you stand. Before the Lord. I want you to hear. What he says. Very clearly. There's an invitation.

Here to be a sheep. At his pasture. There's a place. For you to belong. Amongst the people. Of God.

Our shepherd. Is unbelievably good. He's unbelievably loving. And he loves you. So much.

That the shepherd. Came and laid down. His life. For you. So that you could experience.

This endless joy. This endless love. This unbelievable faithfulness. There's a place for you. In the people of God. And the invitation is there.

And my hope is. Is that as we sing this morning. You'd so clearly hear. The invitation of our shepherd. And that you would place. Your faith.

In him. Because he's worthy of it. Let's pray. Heavenly Father. Thank you so much. For the Psalms.

Thank you. For a couple of months. Just to gaze upon. In your beauty. In your glory. In your faithfulness.

God help us worship. Help us be a people. That are so blown away. That are so enamored. With who you are. That the overflow of that.

Is this obedience. In Psalm 100. God I pray. If there's anyone here. That does not know you. That doesn't know.

How good of a shepherd you are. That this morning. They would. That you would break down. The doors of their heart. And they would believe.

We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

Psalm 62 - Emotionally Healthy Worship

Psalm 62

Chet Philips

Transcript

Well, good morning. My name's Chet. We are in a series on the Psalms. We've been spending some time just walking through and allowing the Psalms to train us in what it looks like to relate to God in the normal, everyday parts of life. To walk with Him when things are good, when things are bad, to be able to praise Him, and just kind of train us in what it looks like to live a life of worship. Today we're going to be in Psalm 62.

We'll start off there. We'll look at the first eight verses. We're going to talk a little bit today. Because we've been studying the Psalms, one of the things we're seeing is that this is the Bible's songbook, and there's poems, prayers, and songs. And one of the things you'll run into any time you begin to interact with poems, prayers, and songs is that you're going to face and get to see an inside look into real human emotion. That one of the things that happens for humanity in our songs, in our prayers, in our poems, is we pour something of ourselves into them.

And that's one of the things that we get to see in the book of Psalms, is that there's a lot of emotion. Now, many of us are unhealthy emotionally. We just are kind of emotionally unhealthy as Christians, and so today we're going to spend a little bit of time just talking about how the Psalms train us in our emotions, how they help us out to begin to have some healthy emotions. We're not, in the next 40 minutes, going to fix you, so don't get your hopes up. We are, though, going to try to learn a little bit from the Psalms in how to begin to take a step towards having healthy emotions. Next week we'll specifically spend our whole time talking about lament, which is being sorrowful, which I think is an area that we need to grow in America, and in American Christianity is learning how to lament.

But today we're going to talk about kind of a wide range of emotion, and we'll start in Psalm 62. I'm going to pray, and then we'll read the first eight verses to get us started this morning. God, we just ask for your help this morning. We are complex in so many ways that so much plays into our health, our mental state, our temperament, and we just ask that you'd give us wisdom and insight into our own hearts this morning, that you might begin to go to work on us, that we might look more like you. We love you, and we praise you in Jesus' name. Amen.

Psalm 62, it's on page 274. If you have one of these white Bibles, if you don't own a Bible, take this one with you. That's our gift to you. We'd love for you to have a Bible. We'd love for you to read it often. Verse 1.

For God alone my soul waits in silence. From him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I shall not be greatly shaken. How long will all of you attack a man to batter him like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.

They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. So the psalmist hears this David, and he's saying, I'm going to wait on God. I'm going to trust in him. He alone is my salvation. And he kind of turns and says, Everyone around me is just trying to tear me down, trying to destroy me.

Verse 5, he basically repeats what he said at the beginning. For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence. For my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress. I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory.

My mighty rock, my refuge is God. And verse 8 is where we'll end and where we'll spend most of our time focusing this morning. Trust in him at all times. O people, pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. So David's kind of talking about his own situation.

He's talking to his soul. He's talking to those who are attacking him. And then he turns and talks to the people. And he says, he kind of gives this call to trust in the Lord. Trust in him at all times, O people. Pour out your heart before him.

God is a refuge for us. So he says to trust in him. He says, pour out your heart to him. And then he says he's a refuge. Which means that in the middle of pain and trial and difficulty and fearfulness, we can run to him. It's like a storm shelter.

That if you had some sort of underground buried thing in the middle of a tornado coming, you leave your house. You run and you get in that thing. You close the door and you're okay. A storm shelter or a bomb shelter. Like that's the, what he's saying is like, he's the thing we ought to run to in the middle of everything being chaotic and difficult and painful. And right there in the middle, he says, pour out your heart before him.

So I just want to, I want you to think for just a second this morning. If you could accurately do that, actually take your heart, all your hopes, all your dreams, all your fears, all your desires, all your sadness, all your anger. If you could accurately go to God and just pour that out, what would come out? What would happen if you were actually able to do that? If you were actually able to take everything that's in the deepest, most real part of you and pour it out before God, what would be poured out? Now, some of you, maybe you have a pretty good answer for that.

Maybe you already know kind of what's going on in there. I think for many of us, it's like, I don't know. I think it'd be a hot mess. If you're like me, it's like, honestly, I've learned how to stay up in this zone. I don't get down in that. Like, I don't mess with that heart level stuff.

Like, I'm up here. You know, it doesn't say take your logical thought process to God. No, it says pour out your heart before him. Take what's in you and real. And honestly, we need to learn how to do this. And that's what we're going to start talking about this morning is how to begin to do this.

Because for many of us, specifically maybe for those who've ever tried to stop smoking or for those who've ever tried to go on a diet, we learn something very quickly. Our brain can know things. But if our heart isn't in it, it ain't going to happen. They can put as many little pictures of gum cancer on a cigarette box as they want to. Your brain can know all you need to know about cancer. But if you don't have your emotions behind it, if you don't have the willpower behind it, it's not happening.

Like, that's just the way we work. And so some of us, we need to begin to learn what's going on in us and learn how to run to God in the middle of everything and learn how to pour our hearts out to him. So, before we get into this this morning, we're all over the place. Some of you, a lot of how we deal with emotion and think about emotion comes from where we grew up. I'm not going to, I don't have any kind of analysis for this. I'm just trying to help you see it.

So I don't feel like I'm about to, like, psychology this up. I just want you to know. It comes from, a lot of it comes from where you grew up. So, like, some of you came from households where emotion, feelings weren't talked about. They didn't exist. Maybe you had a dad when something happened and you started crying.

Maybe your dad or your mom looked at you and said, we can continue this conversation when you'd like to be reasonable. And you learned tears, tears ain't cutting it here. This isn't happening. Maybe you had, like, like a 30-second timer. It's like, okay, you can be sad until it's cutting on my nerves. You're going to have to cut it down.

Like, you just got to shut it. Like, maybe some of you came from households where emotions steered the ship. It wasn't odd for people to blow up, throw things, whole plans be changed based off of fear, lifestyle be changed based off of anger, sadness to shut everything down. Like, maybe you came from households where someone who was in charge was, like, just their emotions ruled the day. Some of us come from households where certain emotions are okay and other ones aren't. So maybe you grew up in a house where anger's fine.

We can handle anger. We know what to do with anger. Anger makes sense. Of course you'd be mad about that. Like, if this was inside out, that little red dude's just driving the thing. Everybody else is tied up in the corners.

Like, he's already putting them down. Like, he just is getting to do his thing. Some of you, maybe it was sadness. If somebody was sad, everything stopped. They're sad. They're feeling things.

But if you got mad, it was like, we don't do that here. You cannot act like that. It's completely unacceptable. Just to put my cards on the table a little bit, I want to tell you a family story. I grew up in a house. I have two brothers.

And my dad's a rather intense guy. And this actually happened with my younger brother when I was off at college. So he was in high school, middle of high school, sophomore year, junior year, somewhere around in there. And my dad was cutting his hair because my dad always cut our hair because it saves money. And that's why we still cut our hair sometimes. I got to cut my own hair.

So everyone's like, if you think, man, it's a terrible haircut, it's because I did it myself, you guys. And I remember actually the first time I ever got to go to a barber, I was surprised at how gentle they were. Because I'd only ever had him cut my hair. And he would just grab your head and move it. And your natural reaction is to push back. But if you did that, he would just hit you.

And so you learned real quick when his hand came up to just like go limp, let him do whatever he wanted to. And so he was cutting my younger brother's hair. And I don't know what they were talking about. And I don't know if it was about the haircut or about something else. But my dad called him a name that I am not allowed to repeat up here.

But he called him a name. And my brother said, he's like, Daddy, you shouldn't talk to your son like that. Like you should not call. He said, do you know how that makes me feel when you call me that name? And so my dad stopped, cut his clippers off, came around and he said, Vince, I never knew you had feelings. If I'd have known about your feelings, everything would be different.

I'm so sorry I hurt your feelings. I was at college. He called to tell me. He called to tell me that my younger brother had feelings. But it's a real story.

It's how my family worked. And because I'm a part of this family, every year my mom at Christmas would get an ornament for the tree that kind of represented things that happened that year. Like if we had moved or we started school or somebody was playing a sport. And I was walking with my wife, Anna. She wasn't my wife then. But we were walking through a mall.

And they had a little cart where they would make ornaments, like special ornaments. And so I found a little pink cart with a little bow and some little ballerina shoes. And I had them write, Vince has feelings and the year. And every year we put that on our Christmas tree. And he's still known as the person in our family who has feelings. And every time you bring it up, he gets his feelings hurt.

And we're like, hmm. For real, if he ever comes to visit us, y'all should be like, oh, you're the one with feelings. And just watch his face. I don't know where you come from. I had to learn. You guys, I had to grow up and learn.

Some of that's not healthy. I didn't know that. It took me four years. Four years of being married to realize if my wife cried, I should hug her. Four years. It was way better after that, you guys.

She would cry. And I was just like, what? I don't even know what to do with this. And like one day I was like, it was something. Maybe it was the Holy Spirit helping me out. I was like, maybe you should hug her.

So I just hugged her. And it was like, whoa. This completely helped. So now I still don't like empathize, but it's like I see tears and I know what to do. She yawned the other day and a tear ran out. And I was like.

So I don't know where we're coming from. Some of us right now are like, yes, we're going to talk about feelings. Other ones of us are like, we've said the word feeling and emotion way too much already. Pour your heart out. No, thank you. So I don't know where we are, but I want us to see that for us to be emotionally healthy, the Bible actually equips us maybe in some ways that we hadn't seen and helps us out in some ways we hadn't seen.

And the Psalms interact with emotions maybe in some ways we hadn't noticed. And so what we're going to do for just a second is I'm just going to read some Psalms that move around in different emotions to help us hear it. And so I will put the Psalm, like the actual Psalm on the screen, not the words of the Psalm. I would rather you just, if you want to jot them down so you can refer to them later, but I'd rather you just listen. Just kind of like if you were listening to an album or, you know, this was an open mic night at like a poetry dram or something. Like, I don't know, the things they played a little.

I can get on that thing and just be like. So just listen to try to hear the emotions behind the Psalmist as they write this and the fact that this has been included in Scripture for us to see, for us to study, for us to learn from. And so I'm going to move around a little bit. I'm going to read these and try to help you see kind of the different emotions in some of these Psalms. So we'll start with Psalm 100.

And in a lot of ways, we're just going to hear joy and gladness and celebration. So make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord, he is God. It is he who made us and we are his.

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 steadfast love endures forever and his faithfulness is to all generations. So it says enter his courts with singing, enter his courts with thanksgiving and praise.

Be joyful, rejoice. And there are so many Psalms that say this. For us to sing, for us to dance, for us to be glad, for us to celebrate. And I think for some of us, we believe that that is the appropriate way to approach God. Gladness, thanksgiving, joy, rejoicing. That's the way to approach God.

And that's the only way to approach God. So that when we're somewhere else, when we're in sadness and pain and frustration and anger, we've got to get it together because we've got to enter his courts with thanksgiving and with singing and with praise. I think some of us, even if we don't realize that's what we believe, we start doing that when we show up in the parking lot out here. You don't realize that's what you're doing, but that's what you believe. I know. Everything else, I just got to rise above.

Everything's got to be fine. We believe this is the only way to approach God. It's a good way. It is a way. We should celebrate. We should rejoice.

But it's not the only way. I'm going to read Psalm 13. In this Psalm, we're going to hear the psalmist basically pleading with God, trying to understand his situation and why things are working out the way they're working out. Psalm 13. How long, O Lord, will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord, my God. Light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemies say I have prevailed over him, lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love.

My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt bountifully with me. So the psalmist there is saying, how long am I going to be stuck here? How long is this how this is going to work? Some of you, maybe you feel like you're in that situation or you've been there before where it's like, God, I thought things were supposed to be better by now. I thought I was supposed to be better by now.

I thought I was supposed to be like, how long am I going to be stuck here? Are you not going to help me? Or can you not hear me? Will you consider what I say? And then he gets to the end and he ends with, but I trust you and I'll sing. And so there is some appropriate amount of being in a painful place and saying, no, no, no, but I'm going to remind myself of what I believe and what's good.

And a lot of Psalms do that. They talk about bad stuff and the pain and the brokenness and then they'll end with, no, but I have faith and I have hope and I'm going to run to you. But not all of them. I'm going to read Psalm 88. And this is a little bit longer, but I think it's helpful. Listen for the desperation, the depression, the despair, and the bitterness that are included in this Psalm for our benefit.

Oh, Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out day and night before you. Let my prayer come before you. Incline your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of troubles and my life draws near to Sheol. That's the place of the dead. I'm counted among those who go down to the pit.

I'm a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions of dark and deep. Your wrath lies heavy upon me and you overwhelm me with all your waves. You have caused my companions to shun me. You have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape.

My eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O Lord. I spread out my hands to you. Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Is your steadfast love declared in the grave or your faithfulness in Abaddon?

Are your wonders known in the darkness or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But I, O Lord, cry to you in the morning. My prayer comes before you. O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors.

I am helpless. Your wrath has swept over me. Your dreadful assaults destroy me. They surround me like a flood all day long. They close in on me together. You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me.

My companions have become darkness. And that's it. No hope. No, I'll trust you. He says, I pray every day. Why do you cast my soul away?

I come to you. I cry out to you. You have placed me in the deep and the dark. And you've made all my companions shun me. My friends are darkness. Psalm 137.

This is a Psalm for those who had been taken into captivity into Babylon. So they had been, the Babylonians had ridden in, had destroyed, burned down, killed, and then dragged off slaves to Babylon. By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there, we hung up our lyres. Those are instruments. They said, we're done.

We're done singing. We're done with joy. We're hanging them up. For there our captors required of us songs and our tormentors mirth, saying, sing us one of the songs of Zion. So they're saying our captors, our tormentors, those who have enslaved us said, hey, sing us one of your happy songs that you used to sing in your childhood when you lived in Zion before we rode in and killed everybody and brought you here.

Sing us one of those. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill. Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy. Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites. That's a group of people.

The day of Jerusalem. How they said, lay it bare, lay it bare down to its foundations. O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed. Blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us. Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock. So that's a Psalm included in the Bible that ends with, may God bless everyone who rides into Babylon, grabs a child, and smacks it on the ground.

May God bless whoever comes in and burns this place down. May God bless them forever. May they be lifted up. May they be glorified of those who would come in here and harm you and your children. May they be glorified of those who are Christians and learn things from Jesus like love your enemies and pray for those who hurt you. Maybe a question rises up with like, is that okay to say?

Can we actually pray for this? And that's a really good question. Psalm 42. I'm going to read just the first half of this. And I think it's helpful because we see that the psalmist is just kind of confused. It says, Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him. My salvation and my God. And then he goes through and says it all again, basically, what's going on. And then he says, Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God. And so you almost see the psalmist wrestling with himself and saying, I believe that God is good and I trust in him. But why can't, why can't I actually make that stick? Why can't I undepress myself? Why is my soul cast down? Like trust God that he's good.

He knows what he's doing. But it's like it's not taking. It's not working its way in. It's not become real yet. He can't make it roll over into joy and to peace. See, in the Psalms we see grief and anger, guilt and fear, pain, confusion, frustration.

And even as we read those, I want to ask, do you feel like you are allowed to say some of the things that were said in these Psalms to God? Because there's something that we read and you're like, no, can't say that. No, he doesn't want to hear that. No, you can't end the prayer like that. You can't, you can't pray and end with, you made all my friends hate me. And then like slam the door like some sort of teenager.

Like you can't, you got, you got to, you got to end with like, but you're good still. Like, I mean, I'm asking. Are there some, like the prayer, like I, blessed be anyone who takes your children and dashes them on rocks. Like, are we allowed to? Are you saying, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You can't, you can't go to God and talk like that.

You can't ask for that. There's Psalms where, where the psalmist says, thank you, God, that you break the teeth of the wicked. He doesn't mean cavities. He means you hit them in the face. And it's like, are we, are you, can you say that? And so I want us to read, if you're still in Psalm 62, if you're not, I want us to look back at verse eight.

Trust in him at all times. Oh, people pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Trust in him at all times. Oh, people pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us.

So, do we trust God enough to honestly and accurately tell him what's going on inside of us? Do we believe he's a refuge enough that we can be real with him about our sorrow and our depression and our pain and our anger? Or is he not trustworthy enough? Is there a chance that we'll tip our hand and he'll get rid of us? Is there a chance that he's only a refuge for those whose hearts have good things to talk about? Is there a chance that when we come to him, he's not, he's not going to accept what we have to say?

He says, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart before him that he is a refuge for us. That we can run to him with everything we have. And so I want to make a few real basic kind of quick observations from what we just read and from what Psalm 62 is telling us. Emotions are real and they matter. Emotions are real and they matter.

We were intentionally designed to be emotional beings and they're real. Sadness is real. Anger is real. And it matters. See, if it didn't matter, we wouldn't have all of this real raw emotion shown for us so clearly in the scriptures. We wouldn't have them.

This would be teaching us. No, no, no, no, no, no. Put your emotions on lock. But it doesn't. It talks about taking them to God. It talks about talking about him like it shows us how they lay it all out before him.

David says, pour your heart out. Christianity does not call you to be perfectly stoic. And perfectly unfazed by anything. That's not Christianity. That's ancient Greek stoicism. That's the enlightenment.

That says that you should never be in some sort of Zen. I'm a Christian. So nothing ever bothers me. That's that's not the God we meet in the Bible. We don't see that in Jesus. That you've not been called to be perfectly unflappable.

That you have real feelings and you should investigate them. In some ways, our emotions are like if you were sitting in your house or maybe in your office and you heard a beep. It doesn't really even matter how loud. Maybe you're just sitting in your office and you hear boop, boop. You look at your computer like, what? You go back to work 30 seconds later.

Boop, boop. Eventually, if this keeps happening, you're going to get up and figure out what's beeping. Or you're going to lose your mind. They actually make a thing that beeps at random intervals with different noises that you can hide in someone's magnetic. You can hide somewhere to make someone go insane. Like if you did that to your roommate, my only hope is that they take it out on you.

That's a real thing. When you hear a noise, if it's a loud beep, if it's a my son was it was early in the morning. Something beeped in our kitchen. He was in his room. It was like nine o'clock in the morning. It beeped.

He looked at me when my pizza is ready. I was like, no, but maybe we should change up your diet choices. If you hear a beep and you think pizza, we maybe need to step up our parenting game. But that's a real thing. And for some of us, we're sitting and our anger is going boop, boop, boop. And we're just ignoring it.

And here's the thing. That keeps beeping and you don't deal with it. You're going to go crazy. That's not going anywhere. Some of us, our fear is doing that. Some of us, our sadness is doing that.

And we're just saying, nope, can't hear it. La, la, la, la, la. And the people around us in our house are like, hey, what's that beeping? What's that noise? And you're like, I don't know what you're talking about. And they're like, you need some help.

Well, so I'm going on with you if you can't hear that beeping. Like if you can't tell how you just responded in that situation, no, no, I'm fine. Like some of us need to realize that you have real emotions that need to be investigated. They need to be checked out. You've got to figure out what's going on. That if you're angry, you're angry for a reason about something.

If you're fearful, it's about something. These are worthy things to begin to investigate your heart so that you can pour them out to God. But acting like it's no, no, it's fine is not biblical. It is not faithful. And you are not trusting in God at all times and believing that he's a refuge. That we ought to, our emotions matter and they're real and they ought to be investigated.

Secondly, your emotions are not in charge. They're real. They're not necessarily valid. So when you're angry, you're actually angry. It's a real emotion. But maybe you shouldn't be angry.

They're not in charge. That's why they have to be investigated. And secondly, they have to be submitted to God. That's why he says, pour out your heart before God. He didn't say pour out your heart on everybody that lives near you. He says, pour out your heart before God.

Bring it to him. He's a refuge. He's like, take him and let him. It's submitting it to him. That you're bringing it to him and saying, you're trustworthy. And I can run to you in the midst of everything.

And I can trust you to make this good, to make it safe, to work here. That's actually what happens in every single one of these Psalms. Even in Psalm 88, where he just ends with, all my companions are darkness. Do you know who he was talking to the whole time? God. Even in the midst of that, he's still bringing it and submitting it to God.

He's still acknowledging that God's the authority over this. That God's reigning over this. That he can come talk to him about whatever. And he can bring it to him and say, like, this is a real thing. It's all in submission to God the whole time. That your emotions are real, but they're not in charge.

And they're real, but they're not necessarily valid. Some of you have some things that are beeping. And really, the batteries just need to be changed. You just got to fix the, you shouldn't actually be angry about that. You should have communicated better on the front end. You shouldn't actually be fearful about that like we're supposed to.

But the only way that happens is as we begin to investigate that and submit it to God. And he begins to work on our souls. He begins to train us. So there are some of us in this room who our goal has been to be perfectly stoic. I feel nothing. I'm fine.

And we need to begin to learn to sit long enough and to listen well to figure out what's going on with us so that we can talk to God about it. To investigate our hearts so that we can present it to him so that we can pour it out to him. And some of us in this room, you're like a ship without a rudder. And it just depends on how the wind's blowing, what the waves are doing that day as to where you're going to be. And those emotions have got to be brought to God and submitted to him before they're acted on and before they begin to run everything. That we would be slow to anger.

That we would be slow to respond in so many ways. That we would learn that our first step is to investigate and take it to God. Say, this is what I'm feeling. This is what I'm... Help me know where your truth lines up with this. Help me know if I'm right.

Should I be mad about this? Should I be happy about this? Like, work in me. That that's the response. That's it. When I said we're just going to learn kind of a first step in this, that's it.

That we would begin to investigate our emotions and bring them to God. Now, I think some of us maybe just heard, okay, go somewhere towards the middle. If you're not really emotion-y, start having some emotions. Maybe cry at something really magical like the end of Sandlot. And if you're too emotion-y, maybe tone it down. Got it.

That's not what I'm saying. That's not what I think the Bible says. I honestly think that Christians should have very powerful, potent, real, and raw emotions. That there are times in your life where wrath needs to be the best description. That there are times in your life as a Christian where sorrow needs to be the best description. Where fullness of joy needs to be the best description.

Not moderate, temperate. No. Such a good humor. Such a rich laugh. Such a joy that you make everybody else around you more joyous. Such sorrow that it infiltrates a room.

You see, that's the example we have in Jesus. We have God becoming a human who sits down and weeps. Who at other times, because he's slow to anger, makes a whip before using it. And then walks into a temple with a whip and flips everything over and drives everybody out and stands there and preaches. With zeal and anger that was terrifying. And I know it was terrifying.

Because if you went and did that at the flea market, you would have to be insanely terrifying for them to let you stand and keep preaching. Nobody came walking back towards him. He got to say what he wanted to say. Because wrath was the best word to describe it. Who's weeps and is sorrowful. Who's joyous.

The Bible doesn't recount this, so I'm making this up. But it seems so fitting because of how we're designed. I think Jesus had the best sense of humor. I think he laughed at exactly the right time and made jokes at exactly the right time. There's something very human about when your brain trips over itself that you just laugh. Have you ever thought about how weird that is?

It's like your brain, like it just like, it's like that shouldn't have happened that way. And you're like, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, like it's a weird thing to just shoot noise out of your mouth, you guys. But God designed that in us. And there's something about it that's good and joyful. That wells up in us. And you say, oh, I laugh a lot.

Well, maybe there are times where you're laughing when you shouldn't be and it's inappropriate. See, I don't think Jesus was flippant. I think he had a good sense of humor. And I think as Christians, we're designed to follow Jesus with a real, raw, deep emotion that's acknowledged, that's walked in, but always under the authority of God, submitted to him and his truth and his wisdom and the fittingness of the occasion. Some of you are saying, okay, what if I'm naturally, like I just naturally calmer? That's okay.

What if I'm naturally more emotional? That's okay. Like some of that, like, you're good. But all of us need to begin this process of engaging our heart, investigating our hearts and submitting it to God. If you're naturally more fiery, naturally more excitable, yeah, start there. But maybe some of that needs to go away.

Maybe you need to grow out of some of that. And some of that's okay. Like we've got some people here that are a blessing to our church because if you're sad, they will immediately get sad and it's not fake. There's some people in our church family who when you aren't doing well, they'll walk up to you. You have told no one that you're not doing well. They'll walk up to you.

They'll look at you. You will start crying and be like, I need to tell you everything that's ever happened. That's beautiful. And we need that. We have some other people that in the middle of situations will sit like a rock in the middle of it and go, no, no, no, no, no, guys. Come on.

Come on back. No, no, no. You can't drift over there. Come on back. We've got to remember what's true. And that's beautiful and good.

But all of us have to begin. We can't keep ignoring the beeping. We can't keep ignoring the emotions and we can't keep letting it just toss us about. We've got to begin to investigate our hearts and take it to God. And here's what happens when we do that. Here's what happens for us as a church and as people who follow Jesus when we do that.

When we are emotionally healthy as Christians, we then accurately and beautifully reflect the tone of the gospel. And when we're emotionally healthy Christians, we can accurately and beautifully reflect the heart of our God. You see, we're people of the cross. The Christians are people of the cross, which means that we ought to have great sorrow, great bitterness and anger towards sin and its effects. There should be times that we weep. There should be times that we fall before God unconsolable over the brokenness that's going on in the world.

There should be times when we are angry, when we are wrathful because we're people of the cross. There should be times that we do sit down with those who are hurting and mourn with them over death and loss and pain, all of which have been led by the enemy into a good world and have infiltrated and caused destruction and difficulty that would not have happened outside of sin. And we ought to be people of the cross who can engage in that. But we're also people of an empty tomb who have an untouchable hope, an overwhelming joy that rides underneath everything because our our certainty of a future and inheritance with Christ has been made sure by an empty tomb.

Like so we we ought to be the people who are the most fun at parties. And the most consoling at funerals who are leading in the midst of injustice and brokenness and hurt along those who are hurting and who are celebrating everything that's worth celebrating. You see, some of us are so afraid of emotions when things are good. We don't even celebrate well. We're just like, well, I don't want to get too cocky. Just kind of quietly enjoy it.

I had a football coach who used to say when we'd win, he'd right before we win, he'd say, act like you won before. Which means like don't pour everything out and set everything on fire and act like crazy people. Pretend like you've done this. And some of us in the middle of really good seasons in life are like, I'm just going to keep it cool. Not really going to be excited. And it's like, no.

Celebrate. Play some music. Start dancing. I don't know how good you dance. Stop when other people get around. But, you know, celebrate.

That we're a people of the cross and we're a people of the empty tomb. And so we get to walk in real deep, genuine emotion without having it rule us. And we get to see that in the Psalms. And we get to begin to engage in that and grow in that as we walk with each other in life. I'm going to pray. And then the band's going to come back up.

But I'm going to pray first. God, we ask. We ask that through the power of your Holy Spirit, you would begin to help us see what's in our hearts. That we might learn to begin to pour that out to you. For those of us who have grown in a pattern of shielding ourselves from emotion and feeling, I pray that you'd help us to learn the joy and the depth and the reality of them that you've given us. That we would look more like Christ.

And for those of us in this room who have been tossed about and ruled over by our emotions. I pray that we would begin to rest in the hope and the surety and the truth of your gospel and of your rule, submitting those to you, and that we would begin to look more like Christ. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Psalm 96 - Music and Song

Music and Song

Matt Freeman

Transcript

Good morning. I think that was the remix version. Get halfway through. God's working magic up there. It's good to see you guys today. My name's Matt.

I'm one of the pastors here with Mill City. If it is your first time hanging out with us, welcome. We're glad you're here. We do pray that this morning there'll be a blessing to you. And as Spencer said earlier, we are walking through the book of Psalms, basically talking about what does it mean to have a life of worship. And today specifically, we're going to talk about singing and music.

And for most of us, if you grew up in and around the church, that's actually the thing you think of first when you hear the word worship. You think music and song is the first thing that kind of pops in your mind. And I kind of want to address this right up front. So singing and music are worship, but worship is not just music and singing. Okay. So what we do on Sundays is worship, but worship is not just Sundays.

We believe that worship is a lifestyle. That's the way the Bible talks about it. That basically anything we think, say, or do when done for the glory of God is worship. So that's everything, which also means that music and singing do fit into that category. So as we continue the Psalms today and talk about worship, we're going to talk about music and singing.

Make sense? Got it? All right. I'm going to interchange those words today. So I just want to make sure we're all on the same page.

Go ahead. Grab a Bible. Turn to Psalm 96. It's going to be on page 286 in the white Bibles. As you're turning there, if you don't have one of these, if you don't have a Bible that's your own, I want you to take this one with you. We want everyone to have a Bible.

And as Spencer said earlier, we do have our Psalms books kind of over there by the door. But here's how Psalm 96 begins. Oh, sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name. Tell of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. You guys pray with me as we get started this morning. God, your word very clearly commands us to sing, commands us to make music. And so our prayer this morning as a church family is that as we continue to grow in what it looks like to have a lifestyle of worship, God, that you would work as your Holy Spirit speaks, as you speak through your word to teach us how music and singing can be used as worship of you and how we ought to do that. I pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

All right. So right from the get, Psalm 96, Oh, sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord. Sing to the Lord. Tell of his salvation. Declare.

Bless. So like right up front, you're kind of hit with a whole bunch of commands. A whole bunch of commands right at the beginning. Sing, sing, sing. And then the other three commands, bless, tell, and declare, are all just tagging back to this idea of singing. So right out the gate, this, this Psalm is talking about singing and music.

And really, all told, the Bible has over 400 references to singing and music and over, there's 50 direct commands to sing. I mean, that, that's crazy when you think about all of scripture. Uh, the book of Psalms is really one of the largest books in, in the Bible. And it's basically a book of songs. In the New Testament, we're commanded in two different places to sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs when we're together. Uh, Psalm 22, which is, uh, in reference to Jesus says that in the midst of the congregation, I will sing.

The night before, uh, Jesus was crucified, he gathered with his disciples and they sang a hymn. In Zephaniah 3, 17, we get this picture of God singing over his people, exalting in the midst of his people. And it's just kind of crazy how much the Bible actually talks about, uh, music and singing. But if you think about it, that's, that's kind of weird. Or, or it at least makes you ask the question, why? Why does God command us to sing and make music?

Because I think for most of us, there are other commands that it's way easier for us to get on board with, right? It just, it just kind of makes more sense. Uh, so when the Bible commands us to love one another. Okay, makes sense. I can see how that works out well for us. Uh, the Bible says don't commit murder.

Okay, well, if we're going to love one another, that makes sense. Probably, probably shouldn't kill each other. Bible commands, open your mouth and sing loudly with a group of other people. That, it just, it just doesn't quite fit in the same category. Like, if I'm sitting down with someone and I'm kind of in a, oh, lost my papers here. Uh, if I'm in a pastoral counseling situation with someone, and they basically look at me and say, Matt, I am really struggling right now with two sins.

Two major sin areas in my life that I am just struggling with. I'm stealing. Every time I see something that I want, I just, I just take it and I'm stealing. And when our church gets together on Sunday, I don't sing. There's one of those that I'm just going to kind of just move to the side. I'm saying, all right, grab a Bible.

Let's go to the 10 commandments where it says you shall not steal. It also says you shouldn't covet. Uh, let's talk about the punishment for stealing. And like, that's, that's the one I'm most comfortable going after. Uh, but here's the deal. The Bible actually only talks about theft and stealing in general 52 times.

The Bible talks about music and singing 400 times and has 50 direct commands to sing, but that's not the one I'm going after. I'm just kind of shooing that one to the side because for some reason in my brain, it fits in a different category. Like it's, it's not a command. It's a, it's kind of like a suggestion or maybe it's optional. It just doesn't fit in the same category. I've even been in conversations with people, uh, like about what we do on Sundays and they'll say things like, wow, man, you know, I really don't like to sing or I'm not a huge fan of the music that we do on Sundays.

And I have in those conversations said, ah, it's not that big a deal. You know, just stand, you know, just, just listen. Don't worry about singing. Bad pastor, bad, bad pastor. Like if I have said that to you wrong, like I am wrong there. The Bible commands us to sing.

It carries the weight of obedience, which means that God's serious about it. And when we don't do it, it's actually sin. So, and I think, truthfully, I think there are all kinds of reasons why, why people don't want to sing on Sundays. So, uh, for some of us, it's a self-conscious thing. Okay. Like we just, we do not sing well.

And so we do not want other people to hear us sing and therefore be a distraction. I get that. Uh, for some of us, maybe just music isn't your thing. You don't connect with music or maybe you just don't, uh, see the point. Uh, maybe you're a guy and you think, ah, music's kind of effeminate. And look, I know our church family.

Uh, some of you are going, I don't know about that fancy musical term effeminate, but it's kind of girly. Uh, fair point. Uh, maybe you just kind of think it's weird and awkward. Okay. So maybe you didn't grow up in and around the church.

And so standing with a bunch of other people and singing just isn't comfortable. Or maybe you like music. Maybe you're kind of a music person and you like coming in and singing songs, but you just kind of come in and you just kind of go through the motions. Like you're singing good, good melody. It's like you're, but you're not actually thinking about the words. And the truth is whatever spectrum you kind of fall in, uh, wherever you fall on that line across the room, we got to wrestle with the fact that God commands us to sing.

And this really is one of the most unique aspects for us, uh, as followers of Jesus. There are very few organized groups and even organized religions that gather on a regular basis for the purpose of singing together. And I'm not talking about like at a concert where you sing along because you know the words or like in a high school course. I'm talking about singing with a group of other people because you believe the same thing. And the purpose is to glorify and magnify and lift up the name of Jesus. Like that, that's us.

And it's part of what makes us, us. It's very unique. But if you think about it, it, it is kind of weird. It is odd. It is different. So the question we got to wrestle with is why would God command us to sing?

Why would he command us to do that? Um, most of you know this, but I studied music in college. And so I just tried to, to take a second that when the Bible says, sing to the Lord, a new song, sing to the Lord, all the earth. Like, I wanted to just think like, what is it? What could it be about music in general? What, what is it made up of, uh, that might clue us in on why God might call us to sing?

Why might command us to make music to him? So these are just, these are some general observations. These are not coming directly out of the text, but I think we would all agree to most of this. And I think it'll help us see why God commands us to sing. We're, we're actually going to put these up on the screen. Uh, if you're a note taker, uh, maybe these are helpful for you.

If not, just, just kind of listen along. Uh, the first one is this music helps us learn, remember, and internalize. It does. Music just helps us learn, remember, and internalize. Think about, think about this situation. What if I asked you, what are the three letters that come after I in the alphabet?

Yeah, someone's, I heard it. I heard someone singing it. That's how you got there, right? You didn't just go J KL. Nobody's doing that. You went A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L.

Also, did anyone think elementa was a letter for a while? Elementa, man. Sorry, that's a tangent. Helps us learn good things and bad things. J KL, it's how you learned, was by song. Here's another one.

Play along. One little, two little, three little chickens. I'm going to try again. And I'm going to expect better results. One little, two little, three little chickens. All right.

Yep. We're talking about making a joyful noise in a second. But yeah, that's part of how we learn to count. And music has that ability. It helps us remember things. It makes things sticky.

It just does. Play along again. Ready? Ba-da-ba-ba-ba. Yeah. You all know the jingle.

When you got $3 in your pocket and it's midnight and you kind of want some semblance of a hamburger. You know that jingle. Okay. Don't stop. Oh, that was better. We were having more gusto on that one.

Yeah. Everyone's favorite wedding song. Music just sticks with us. It helps us remember things in a way that without music we're not able to. If you were to sit me down and ask me the question, Matt, what has more value? The book of Ephesians or Limp Bizkit's album from 1998?

I would without batting an eye tell you the book of Ephesians. If your follow-up question was, which one of those two do you have mostly memorized? Don't judge me. Stop it. Stop it. You all have songs and albums memorized that you couldn't forget them if you wanted to.

Music has that ability. It just makes things stick with us. It helps us learn, remember, and internalize in a way that without it you can't. You can remember an entire song but not the parts of the body on an exam. I mean, like, that's how it works. Music helps us do that.

The second thing is this. Music can bring us together. It is. It's just one of the properties of music. Music has the ability to bring us together. For those of you who are Carolina fans, just imagine.

In a couple of weeks, you're in Williams-Brice Stadium with upwards of 20,000 other people. And sandstorm. Yeah, it'll sink in. And sandstorm comes on. And you're just like... You didn't say two words to the person sitting next to you until that song came in.

And now you're just in it together. I mean, it's your favorite two parts of the ballgame. Music just has the ability to bring us together. That one will sink in later. Okay. Or imagine you're at a baseball game.

Imagine you're at a baseball game and this is what you hear. Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum. What are you doing? You are standing up. And you're going to sing. You're going to sing with other people who are Americans.

The national anthem. Or you've probably been to a concert where you've just gotten like lost in the moment. Some of our church fam went to a Beyonce concert last year. And they just talked about it forever and ever. And ever. My wife and I are going to see...

In Charlotte next week, we're going to see Counting Crows. And Matchbox 20. I'm very excited. It'll be a bunch of other 30-year-olds who now have kids that were product of the 90s. And we'll throw on our Birkenstocks and sing Mr. Jones at the top of our lungs.

But there's something about that moment that just makes you connected to the people who are around you. But not even on the big scale like that. Think about small scale. Let's imagine you're working with someone. And then all of a sudden you realize they like the same band that you do. Like a whole new level of friendship is unlocked.

Or maybe you find out it's like they like country music. Like old country music. Not new country music. They actually hate new country music. They love old country music. Your best friends from forever except for like Chris Stapleton.

We'll take him. But it does. It just helps us connect. We bond over music. What happens very often after tragedies like the Manchester bombings or even after 9-11? Benefit concerts.

Why? Because music has the ability to heal and to bring us together. Okay. The last one I just want to point out as I thought about it is that music also has the ability to connect with our emotions. It just does. Even if you're not an emotional person, music has the ability to connect with our emotions.

Music can get behind our walls and boundaries that we have set up and get to our hearts. And in some ways music can get deep inside of you to stuff that you didn't even know was in there. Think about it like this. If you're in a good mood, if you're happy and you listen to a happy song, it makes you happier. If you're sad and you listen to a sad song, it makes you sadder. It helps us connect with our emotions.

Music does in a way that really nothing else can. And I want to just illustrate this. Okay. So, I'm going to play some stuff on the piano. And I'm not going to tell you what to feel. I just want you to think about what it makes you feel in the moment.

Okay. You ready? Just turn it on. We're good? For real, imagine Jaws without the soundtrack, right? It would really be a camera person following someone doing a beautiful breaststroke and then shark.

Like there's no suspense, no buildup at all. Like really any movie. Think about any movie without the soundtrack. Or just imagine you've got the camera angle where you're looking up through the water at the person swimming. Doesn't match, right? It doesn't create the same type of emotion.

Okay, but it's not just fear. Like some of you are ready to go run right now. Okay, here's another one. Some of you makes you think about a wedding. Some of you guys got that sick feeling in your stomach again. I will remember you.

I will remember you. I will remember you. Will you remember me? It's not like you say sorry. Who's waiting on a different story? This time I'll...

Music does that. It has the ability to make you feel all kinds of different things. And here's what I want to point out. If all of that is actually true about music. That it has the ability to help us learn and remember and internalize. And it can bring us together.

And it can make us feel things in a way that without it we can't. Doesn't it make sense that the God who so desires a relationship with us to connect with us would give us the gift of music. And its fullest expression would be when we actually give it back to Him. God didn't discover music. He created it. He made it potent and powerful.

And He's weaponized it. That melody and harmony and beat and rhyme and meter and melody and harmony. All of it can be used by Him to teach us who He is and to help us connect with Him. So when the Bible actually commands us to sing to the Lord. God's got a purpose in it. And it's to help draw us closer to Him.

So with those kind of things in mind. Since music actually can do that. Now I want us to walk through and look at these verses. And basically say if that's what music can do. What should be the substance of our music and song? What should the worship actually look like?

So we're just going to walk through. I'm going to kind of move at a quick clip. Because I think the scripture helps us see this very clearly. We're just going to make six observations about what music and song and worship should look like. So pick back up.

Psalm 96. Verse 1. Oh sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord bless His name. Tell of His salvation from day to day.

Declare His glory among the nations. His marvelous works among all the peoples. Okay so we already said this. But it starts off with six commands. All of which are pointing towards singing. Sing to the Lord.

Sing to the Lord. Sing to the Lord. I want to read that again. And I'm just going to add some emphasis. Because I think it will help us see the first aspect of worship. Oh sing to the Lord a new song.

Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord. Bless His name. Tell of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations. His marvelous works among all the peoples.

Sing to the Lord. The worship of the church should be God centered. That's the purpose. So when it says sing to the Lord. Our worship is about Him. It's to Him.

It's for Him. It's through Him. The songs that we sing collectively are in worship to God. So they're going to be for Him and about Him. And I want to point this out. So perk up this morning.

If any of those hesitations or reasons for not singing kind of resonated with you earlier. I want you to hear this. Because this is important. Maybe the most important thing you hear this morning. Whatever reason it was. So like take the example of I don't like to sing.

Because I don't sing well. Okay. The Bible actually kind of addresses that one clearly. Raz read it earlier. Psalm 95, 98, and 100. All say make a joyful noise to the Lord.

But all of those reasons that we give. Whether it's we don't like music. Or we don't feel it. Or it really doesn't do anything to us. Think about this for a second. What better way for you to make your worship God centered.

Than by moving past all of your personal thoughts about music. And singing to God. You see that? So every one of the reasons or excuses that we leverage to say. Well I just don't sing. It's not my thing.

What better way for you to worship God. To make your worship God centered. Than by putting those to the side. Because what happens is. What's happening in those moments when we choose not to sing. Or when we choose not to make music.

Is that worship is actually about us. We're the most important thing in the room. But when we move past that. And put it to the side. And give ourselves fully into worship. God's honored through that.

And if you tag back to some of what we said at the beginning. God's got a purpose in it. If the songs that we're singing are to him. And for him. And about him. God can use those.

To help us learn. And remember. And actually begin to internalize truths about him. That music can take that truth. And plant it in your hearts. In a way that affects normal everyday life for you.

So when we gather for corporate worship. It's going to be about him. He's the point. It's to him. And for him. Verse number two.

Kind of repeating a little bit of what we've already read. But it says. Sing to the Lord. Bless his name. Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations.

His marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord. And greatly to be praised. Okay. I want to point something out. That if you just read the text.

It's hard to pick up on. If you go back to the original language of Hebrew. That this was written in. You'd notice one thing. That every one of those verbs. And commands.

Are not in the singular. They're plural. It's not you sing. You tell. You declare. It's y'all.

Y'all sing. Y'all declare. Y'all tell. Which means that. The worship of the church. Should be congregational.

Should be congregational. It's an us thing. Or here's. Here's kind of another way to say it. The worship of the church. Should be corporate.

It should be unifying. It should be among other people. It should bring us together. It's not solely a personal thing. It can be. It absolutely can be.

Music and singing can be a personal thing. But we are commanded together. To sing. To the Lord. Among other people. And let me give you a little clue into why.

At least why I think this is so good. Have you ever walked into this room. Just not feeling it. You're down. You're depressed. Maybe you're angry.

About something. Maybe you're struggling with sin. It's just. You're done. You're just done. But you showed up this morning anyways.

And you walk in. And people stand up. And they start singing. You stand up with them. But you're not singing.

But you're listening. You're listening to people singing on your left. And on your right. And they're singing truths about God. That you're wrestling with. Believing.

Whether they're even true. And God starts doing something in that moment. That as you hear your brothers and sisters. Stand and sing about how good God is. And how he's to be worshipped. And how loving he is.

The Holy Spirit starts doing something in that moment. To encourage us. He's helping us see that like. We're not alone. We're not by ourselves in the midst of that fight. That you've got people on your left and right.

Who believe the same thing you do. Who are going to bear burdens with you. Who are going to call you to holiness. He does something in the midst of us singing. That encourages us. And brings us together.

So in those moments where we think. Well I don't need to sing. Or I don't need to participate. What's actually happening. Is that we're short changing the people around us. From one of the means that God actually uses.

To heal them. That part of the reason the church is called to sing together. Is to remember that we're in us. That we are a family. That we are in this together. So we can actually.

The worship of the church should be congregational. So that we can remember that we're in us. That we're actually together. And let me just say this. There are going to be times. There are going to be times where you need to sit and listen.

There are going to be times where you're not there. You're wrestling with whether our singing is actually true. You need to sit and listen. And to ponder that. But on the whole.

We're commanded to sing. And it should be done. Together. Grab your Bibles. Go back to verse 7. Ascribe to the Lord.

O families of the peoples. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Oh I'm sorry. I jumped. I jumped. Go back.

Strike that. Go. Go back to verse 4. Says this. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. For he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the people are worthless idols. But the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Says great. Great is the Lord and worthy to be praised.

He's worthy of it. Because of what we've already talked about earlier. His wonderful deeds. And his marvelous works. And then it says. He is to be feared above all gods.

Little g. Gods. We said this earlier. But music has the ability to get to our emotions. In a way that nothing else really does. Has the ability to get past our walls.

And our boundaries. To get to our hearts in a way that exposes stuff. So that when it says that God is to be feared above all gods. It is tapping into the idea of our emotions. Fear has the ability to influence in such a way. That it becomes the dominant feeling or emotion.

But fear and emotion. It goes beyond that. It goes to a place where it's a recognition. That begins to expose what we love. What we value. What we hold up and honor.

Fear. So when it says he is to be feared above all gods. What it's saying is. When we come together and we sing these truths. What happens is that it begins to expose. All of the areas in our hearts and in our lives.

That we're fearing all of the other little g. Gods. That something else holds sway in our life. Other than God. There's all these little g. Gods.

And that can be our spouses. That could be our work. That could be our bank account. And what happens is. When we come together and we start singing. There's something the Holy Spirit does.

That is you're singing truths about how big God is. And how glorious. And how he provides. And how he redeems. It actually begins to expose. All the other little things that we're trusting in.

That aren't God. So in that moment. Music is getting to our hearts. In a way that we weren't ready for. And so the worship of the church should affect our hearts. And lead us to repentance.

And faith. So that in that. In those moments where we're singing. Truths about God. And the Holy Spirit's moving and working. There should be times.

When you are absolutely cut to your core. Because you're singing something about how God provides. And the Holy Spirit's going. Not your bank account. You don't believe that. We're talking about how big.

And how good. And how loving God is. Because it's not your wife's Job. And we're broken. Over it. And the Bible says.

In that moment. We get to repent. We get to turn from. Wrong belief. About who God is. And turn to.

Correct. Belief. That's part of what music does. It has the ability to get to our hearts. And help us see that. Help us see what we're loving.

Trusting. And believing in. More than. Jesus. And so we turn from it. In.

Repentance. And faith. Verse 7. Now. Now we'll do this one.

Ascribe to the Lord. O families of the peoples. Ascribe to the Lord. Glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord. The glory.

Do his name. Bring an offering. And come into his courts. Worship the Lord. In the splendor of holiness. Tremble before him.

All the earth. Okay. So it starts off with. Ascribe. Ascribe to the Lord. Ascribe.

Ascribe is a fancy word for acknowledge. To acknowledge that God is the source of. Fill in the blank. And maybe another way to think about it. Is to. To give credit to.

Or to attribute. Something to. But it's not really a word we use very often. But basically it's saying. Acknowledge that God is worthy of worship. Or he is the source of.

All of these different things. That. That. Glory and strength. Or do his name. That we should bring an offering.

That we should. Tremble. Before him. And here's. I want to take a step here. And help us see something.

If our worship is supposed to be. God centered. And we're supposed to. Ascribe. Or acknowledge him. As we ought to.

Then it's on God. To reveal himself. To us. So that we know who he is. And what he's done. And the way that he does that.

Is through the Bible. Okay. So it's not specifically. Saying that here. But the only way.

We're going to be able to acknowledge God. As we ought to. Is through the Bible. So the worship. Of the church. Should be.

Formed. By the Bible. It should be huge for us. That's why we spend so much. Time in our worship gatherings. Together.

Preaching. It takes the majority of our time. But even as we. Talk about praying. We're talking about it. In reference to the Bible.

Giving. Because God calls us to. To it through his word. The songs that we're singing. Are coming directly. From the Bible.

Without the Bible. We're sunk. When it comes to worship. But through the Bible. We begin to learn. Who God is.

And what he's done. And why we ought to be. Worshiping him. Most of you know this. But part of.

Part of my job. As one of our pastors. Is that I get to plan. Our time of worship together. And I have a great team of people. Who help me do this.

But that's. Really what we're shooting for. When we're choosing songs. For us to sing. Are songs that. Accurately reflect.

What the Bible says. About God. And what he does. And in turn. What that means for us. And what we do.

Because music is so catchy. It helps us learn. And remember. And internalize. If we're singing things. That aren't true about God.

Or aren't true for us. It's actually helping us. Rehearse bad theology. It's actually part of the reason. We. You probably noticed.

That maybe you don't know. All the songs. When you show up. We steer away. From some of the stuff. That's on Christian radio.

Because it has the ability. To just talk about us. But the point of worship. Is God. So we try to find songs.

That actually help us. Remember. And learn. And internalize. Things that are true. About God.

And here's another thing. The Bible not only tells us. About God. And why we should worship him. But it tells us.

How to do it. So. We're already talking about. Sing to the Lord. But here.

Just check out this list. Okay. I'm going to kind of tag it quickly. And we'll keep moving. Psalm 9. 2 says singing.

Isaiah 29. Says standing. Dancing. Psalm 71. Says shouting. Psalm 5.

Says praying. Psalm 30. Says dancing. I'm going to say that one again. Psalm 30. Says dancing.

Some of you with Baptist roots. Just died a little bit inside. I need y'all. Church. I need y'all to hear that this morning. I know the predominant stance.

In worship. Is coffee cup. In this hand. In this hand. In this pocket. But watch.

You can. You can. Guys. You can move. You can dance. As a part of worship.

Says clapping. Psalm 47. Guys. You can clap. Before a song. During a song.

After a song. Permission granted. Go for it. Lifting hands. That's Psalm 134. Bowing down.

That's Exodus 34. The Bible actually tells us. How to worship. It tells us how to do it. I want our church. To be a place.

Where you can freely. Express yourself. In worship. If you want to raise your hands. Do it. If you want to clap.

Do it. If you need to bow down. And pray. Do it. As part of the reason. We're doing a worship night.

This coming Thursday. Is that we've got room. To grow. As a church family. And actually being able. To express ourselves.

In worship. One of the coolest aspects. Of this Psalm. In particular. Is that it's actually used. In worship.

In the Bible. In 1st Chronicles 15. And 16. David's leading the Ark of the Covenant. Back into Jerusalem. And the people actually use.

Part of this Psalm. To worship God. They're singing. And it says. They're clashing cymbals together. And people are playing trumpets.

And they're playing lyres. Which is like a string instrument. It says the people. Were singing. And making music. Loudly.

David. Danced. Before the Ark of the Covenant. And that was a man. After God's own heart. So we've got room.

To grow. As a church family. What it looks like. For us to worship. I'm not afraid. To put a saxophone.

On stage. Not afraid. To have a drum set. Be up here on stage. That's why. It looks a little bit different.

Every Sunday. Because there's so much. Variety for us. In worship. And we've got a lot. Of room to grow.

But for us. The Bible is central. It helps us see. Who God is. And how. He wants to be.

Worship. Verse 10. Say among the nations. The Lord reigns. Yes. The world.

Is established. It shall never. Be moved. He will judge. The peoples. With equity.

It says. Say among. The nations. The Lord reigns. The whole. The whole world.

Tell it. To everyone. The worship. Of the church. Should propel us. To mission.

It should. The worship. Of the church. Should drive us out. To tell more. And more people.

About. Jesus. The part of the reason. We come together. As a church family. On Sundays.

Is to sing. And to celebrate. And to remember. The good news. Of the gospel. And that it's good.

So that when we leave this place. We're more apt. Because we've been reminded. That God is good. And the gospel is good news. For everyone.

So the worship of the church. Should drive us out. Should remind us. That as believers. We've been called. To share that message.

To tell. To bless. To declare. To sing. To go tell as many people. About Jesus as possible.

And I'm going to lay all my cards. On the table. If you. If you're in this room. This morning. And you are not.

A Christian. That's what we believe. We believe. That Jesus. Came and rescued us. At our point of need.

That we were dead. In our sin. Without hope. And that Jesus. Came to rescue us. And to redeem us.

That he died on the cross. To pay for our sin. And he rose from the grave. So that we could have. New life in him. And that's why we come together.

To celebrate. And that's the good news. We want you to know. You can place your faith. In Jesus today. And for us.

As a church family. When we sing. Songs about the gospel. It drives us out. Drives us out. To tell as many.

People. About it. As possible. Verse 11. As we wrap up. Let the heavens be glad.

And let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar. And all that fills it. Let the field exult. And everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest.

Sing for joy. Before the Lord. For he comes. For he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world. In righteousness.

And the peoples. In his faithfulness. You see that? The sea is going to roar. And all the animals that fill it. Fields and creation.

Come to life. Trees singing before the Lord. As he comes. What we get here. At the end of this Psalm. Is a look forward.

To what's going to happen. In the future. Which means the worship of the church. Should fill us. With hope. And joy.

In Christ. Should fill us with hope. That one day. Jesus is going to crack the sky. And come back. And get his church.

And everything that is wrong. With the world. Will be made right. The world itself. Will be returned. To a state.

Of the garden of Eden. That justice. Will be had. That vengeance. Will be served. And God's going to set up.

His eternal reign forever. And that's actually good news. For Christians. That's the best news. Because it says. He will judge the world.

In righteousness. His. Right. His righteous standard. And for those that have placed faith. In Jesus.

Your hope is secure. There's joy. That we can go through. What. Everything we're going through. Right now.

Is just a blip. On the radar screen. Of eternity. We can walk through life. Right now. With hope and joy.

That we have in Christ. In fact. When the church gathers. On Sunday. When we gather to sing. It's actually just a little bit of practice.

For what eternity is going to be like. We're actually getting in work now. That when you sing with brothers and sisters. All across this room. That's just a small picture. Of what heaven.

Is going to look like. Should fill us with hope and joy. Raz and Bianca are going to come back up. And we're actually. We're going to take a little bit of time. To just put this into practice.

That when God commands us to sing. He's serious about it. But it's for our joy. That he created music with a purpose. That it can help us learn. And remember.

And internalize. And bring it. It can bring us together. And can help get to our emotions. So that as we sing as a church family.

We're going to make it about God. We're going to sing songs together. And remember that we're unified. We're going to allow the Holy Spirit to work. And get to our hearts. And lead us to repentance.

And faith. We're going to sing songs. That come out of the Bible. Like we're about to. That come from the book of Romans. And 1 Corinthians.

And John. And Psalms. And Hebrews. And then as we leave this place. We're going to be filled. We're going to be reminded.

That our worship should. Propel us out to mission. And give us joy. And hope. I want to ask you guys to stand. Go ahead and stand.

We're going to sing in just a second. God my prayer. Is that we would be a church. That rightly sees the joy. Of your command to sing. To sing to you.

And bring honor and glory to your name. That God you use it. You use it powerfully. God to work in our lives. In such a way that we. Come to know who you are.

Or that you can get to our emotions. You can bring us together. Father. So God my prayer. Is that you would actually. Help us push back.

All of the hesitations. All of the reservations. All of the wrong thoughts. About your commands to sing. And your Holy Spirit. Would allow us to do so freely.

This morning. Because you're worthy of our praise. In Jesus name. Amen. You guys sing with us.