Men And Praise Series

"MEN AND PRAISE"

Sermon by Pastor Robert Earl Houston, Sr., Assistant Pastor

Westwood Baptist Church, University Center

Nashville, Tennessee - www.westwoodbcuc.org

www.roberthouston.org

James 5:13(b)

Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.

Perhaps one of the most raging controversies in the church today needs the most attention. Some controversies are never dealt within any forum, and they lose the Biblical narrative that should be sounded. Today - I want to deal with it. It is the idea of Men and Praise. I want to begin by saying that there is a disparity between women in worship and men in worship. You don’t have to be in the church long to notice that men and women act differently in worship.

However, the act of praise - the act of giving God glory and honor for the things that He has done should not be relegated as a "woman only" function. But men can and should be fellow travelers in the area of praise.

Our churches are filled all over this nation with women who love God. Women who give Him ultimate and unashamed worship and praise. Women who lift up their hands and surrender themselves in the worship setting. Matter of fact, in some of our churches, if the women acted like the men, some churches would be turned into a quiet retirement center or a cold mausoleum rather than the place of praise.

It is the direct will of God that we as a people would fulfill the purpose for which God made us. He did not make us to sulk and sit. He did not make us to fold our arms and cross our legs. He did not make us to roll our eyes and grit our teeth. But the Lord created us to give Him praise.

Maybe someone doesn’t understand that not only should we give God praise, but He is praiseworthy!

He’s due praise because of His majesty.

He’s due praise because of His glory.

He’s due praise because of His excellency.

He’s due praise because of His greatness.

He’s due praise because of His holiness.

He’s due praise because of His wisdom.

He’s due praise because of His power.

He’s due praise because of His goodness.

He’s due praise because of His mercy.

He’s due praise because of His loving-kindness and mercy.

He’s due praise because of His faithfulness and truth.

He’s due praise because of His salvation.

He’s due praise because of His wonderful works.

He’s due praise because of His consolation.

He’s due praise because of His judgement.

He’s due praise because of His fulfilling of His promises.

He’s due praise because of His Pardon of Sin.

He’s due praise because of His constant care.

And grand mama, if she were here today, would say, He’s due praise because He woke me up this morning and started me on my way. However, the issue of praise is tantamount because some men are just "not with it" when it comes to praise.

Some feel it’s not "manly" to lift up hands to the Lord.

Some feel it’s not "manly" to say "hallelujah."

Some feel it’s not "manly" to stand before the presence of the Lord.

Some feel it’s not "manly" to kneel and bow and worship the Lord.

I’ve got problems with that. Because as men, we are more expressive in other places than church - and we use worship techniques everywhere else except the church.

We’ll lift up our hands at a football game.

We’ll shout to the top of our lungs at a wrestling match.

We’ll stand up during the final round of a boxing match.

We’ll even have the audacity to kneel, bow, and roll over, during an important game on television, wearing little or nothing on, with or without shorts.

There is nothing "sissified" or beneath the God given role of a man to give God praise.

If you can say "shoot it" in a ball game - you can shabach the Lord.

If you can lift your hands when the police stop you - you can lift up holy hands.

If you can cry when watching "Brian’s Song" - you can cry when hearing God’s voice.

The apostle James gives us a glimpse and insight into this issue. I just want to examine two points. Actually they are two questions that every man - and let me digress - the reason why I point this message at men is because of the gender of the words "Is any . . . " in Greek the words condense to "tis" which is a male gender word for "anyone."

So, if we’re going to unpack this text, I just have two questions for every man under the sound of my voice:

First point is, Are You Happy? .

Second point is, Are You Praising Him?