M Is For Majesty Series

Introduction

1. JOKE

2. As we continue to learn our ABCs...

We come to the letter M...

M is for Majesty or majestic...

According to the Dictionary...Majesty means...

impressive stateliness, dignity, or beauty :

experience the majesty of the Rockies.

2 royal power : the majesty of the royal household.

• ( His, Your, etc., Majesty) a title given to a sovereign or a sovereign’s wife or widow : Her Majesty the Queen.

ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense [greatness of God] ): from Old French majeste, from Latin majestas, from a variant of majus, major- (see major ).

3. The word majesty or majestic appears 51 times in the Bible...

It is found in both the Old and New Testaments...

I would like us look at a brief summary of the different uses of MAJESTY.

Read Text: Deuteronomy 5:24

1. Majestic: Mountains and stars (2)

A. Psalm 68:15 says, “The mountains of Bashan (BAY shun) are majestic mountains; rugged are the mountains of Bashan.”

If you have ever visited the mountains...

you begin to get a sense of the word “majestic”...

I’ve seen the Appalachian Mountains...

My wife and I camped on the highest point east of the Mississippi River...

Mount Mitchell...6,684 feet

I’ve stood on the highest mountain in Alabama...

Mount Cheaha...2,407 ft.

My family and I hiked to the highest point in the Smoky Mountains...Clingman’s Dome..6,642 ft

and it took our breath away...

literally AND figuratively...

I’ve climbed some of the beautiful mountains in Ecuador...

Perhaps some of you have visited the Rocky Mountains out west...Mount Elbert is the tallest at 14,433 ft

or perhaps some of you have hiked to the top of the Northern terminus of the Applachian Trail...

Mount Katahdin...5,268 ft

The tallest mountain in the World is Mount Everest...

at 29,028 feet.

B. Whenever we see the mountains...

we are deeply moved by their majesty and their grandeur.

often, as we view the beauty of the mountains...

we are drawn to the power of God...

Even in one of our county’s beautiful songs...

America the Beautiful...

Katharine Bates wrote:

“for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain”...

And then she points to the Creator behind the majestic mountains...

“America, America, God she His grace on thee”.

In Psalm 76:4, Asaph writes that God is “more majestic than mountains”

B. Song of Solomon 6:10 speaks about the stars being majestic...

There is something about the majesty of creation...

and naturally draws us to the creator...

In Romans 1:20, Paul writes, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

Paul is explaining how people can look to God’s creation...

and they begin to get a glimpse of divinity...

even someone who has never heard the Gospel...

as they look around and view the beauty and the splendor of God’s creation...

they are drawn to believe in a Higher Power.

2. Majestic: Troops with banners (2)

A. In Song of Solomon 6:4, the writer is writing a love note to his beloved...

and he writes that she is “majestic as troops with banners.”

If you have seen troops marching in full dress uniforms...

complete with guns and flags and banners waving...

perhaps you get a feeling of the splendor of that sight...

Everyone marching in order...

perfectly matched...

in unison...

it is a thing of beauty.

3. Majestic: Earthly Kings/Priests (5)

A. We see King Xerxes in Esther being described as majestic...

Countries like England...

who have a long history of royalty...

kings and queens...

they have a better understanding of majesty that we do here in the states...

There is a respect there...

There is a giving of honor there...

if nothing else...simply because of the honor of their position...

Here in our country...

we don’t really have royalty or understand royalty...

our leaders are subject to harsh judgment and criticism...

there isn’t a sense of majesty or respect from our media as they tear down our leaders...

Comedians make our leaders the butt of late night television jokes...

and really, there is a general lack of respect.

because of this, I wonder if we here in America have a more difficult time honoring God?...

We don’t have the history of giving honor and respect to anyone but ourselves...

Even in the church, we often talk about that personal relationship with Jesus...

and how God is able to draw near...

But I wonder...since we talk so much about the closeness of God...

if we have lost sight of the majesty of God?...

B. On March 23, 1743, when "The Messiah" was first performed in London, King George II was present in the great audience. When the majesty of the Lord was proclaimed by the words of the Hallelujah Chorus, King George rose to his feet to give honor and respect to the Sovereign King of the Universe...