Introduction:
A Psalm 100:1-5 (NASB) 1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.
1 We sang “Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow” earlier in the service. (Pg. 253 in The Baptist Hymnal)
a Written nearly 450 years ago, often called “The Doxology.”
b To the tune “Old 100th”, the song is a paraphrase of the 100th Psalm.
2 This Psalm (at the end of a group Psalms called “The Royal” (Psalms/ 93, 95-100.)
a This group of Psalms emphasize the soveritnty of God, His rule, His goodness to His people & the responsibility of all nations to exalt/acknowledge Him.
b Also stresses the importance of especially God’s people to exalt & worship Him
Psalm 95:1-2 (NASB) 1 O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
Psalm 95:6-7 (NASB) 6 Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. 7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice,
B In Eph. 5.18, we are told to be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 (NASB) 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
1 The evidence of being Spirit-filled is manifested by three traits:
a (5.19) We are joyful; (5.20) We are thankful; (5.21) We are Submissive (to each other.)
Ephesians 5:19-21 (NASB) 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.
aa (v.22) Wives subject to husbands.
Ephesians 5:22 (NASB)22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
bb (v.25) Husbands love wives like Christ loves the church.
Ephesians 5:25 (NASB) 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her
cc (v.24) Church subject to Christ.
Ephesians 5:24 (NASB) 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
dd (6.1) Children subject to their parents.
Ephesians 6:1 (NASB) 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
b Col. 3.16-25, we are told to be filled with the Word of God with these same three traits following the infilling of His Word that accompanied the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 3:16-25 (NASB) 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. 18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. 22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
aa v.16, Joyful
bb v.17, Thankful
cc v.20-25, Submissive.
2 These same three characteristics (Joy, thankfulness, Submissiveness) of a Believer filled by the Spirit/Word are presented in the Old 100th, Psalm 100.
a This week as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, I believe we are people/nation that have been truly blessed by God.
b And of all those who “v.4, give thanks to Him & praise His name” our name should be at the top of the list!
C Our forefathers exited off the Mayflower with no money, no place to spend it even if they did but they had a boundless faith in God.
1 In a time when powerful forces are at work to strip us of every reminder that the very foundation of our nation was built upon the conviction that we are “one nation, under God” we need to be reminded that we were established as a nation under the sovereignty of God.
a In 1789, George Washington made this public proclamation. . .
“Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, & humbly to implore His protection & favor, and whereas, Both Houses of Congress have by their joint committee requested me ‘to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving & prayer, to be observed by acknowledging the grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God . . .Now, therefore I do recommend & assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great & glorious Being who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be . . .”
b We have been blessed as a nation by the hands of almighty God (Usually, the more you have been blessed the more you have to be thankful for to God.)
c I think the 100th Psalm was written to remind us of our need to be thankful.
aa Although the Psalm was written to remind Israel to be thankful to God, if you look between the lines, our names are there too.
bb v.1, “all the earth”; v.5, “all generations.”
2 This morning, We’re going to look at how being “joyful, thankful, & submissive” are responsibilities that every believer must take seriously.
I We are called to be “Joyful.” (V.1-2)
A Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness, come before Him with singing.
1 The idea here is the blast of a shofar, raise a shout or a war cry.
a A shout of joy that came from the very soul of the worshipers.
aa God had blessed them, chosen them, helped them, defended them, . . . the shout came from the depths of their souls for His goodness.
bb Their worship was supposed to be joyous & loud.
b Not long faces & sour puss expressions: Your worship should be “Happy Hour!” (Look at the people around you the next time you are worshiping. Do they look happy? Scowls? Before you look at their face, evaluate yourself.)
aa A medical missionary was serving in a village where nearly every tribesman became blind as they got older.
bb The missionary developed a treatment to cure the progressive eye disease & because of the missionary their sight had been saved.
cc The people of the tribe had no word for “Thank You” but they had a word that meant, “I will tell your name.” Where ever they went they would tell the name of the missionary who had cured their blindness.
c That is what the Psalmist is saying to us!
aa Suddenly we realize that God has been so good to us that we can’t keep it inside anymore. From the depths of our being we shout for joy unto the Lord.
bb Our shouting should lead to service!
2 “Serve the Lord with gladness.”
a It doesn’t say “serve the pastor, church, leadership, or the organization.” The text says “serve the Lord.”
b It is interesting that service is connected on the heals of worshiping the Lord.
aa We can shout, clap, jump, sing all we want but it should lead to us serving the Lord.
bb Worship leads to service and true service is worship.
II We are called to be Submissive (v.3)
A The verb “know” means “to know by experience or acknowledge.”
1 Israel knew God in a conventual experience. (Chosen, called out, established by God.)
a “He made us . . .” More than just creating but literally made us to know Him!!
b He made us to ”know” that we were made to be His people!
2 He not only made us . . . He’s still making us.
a He’s not satisfied with the unfinished product.
aa He’s still working on our tempers & the weaker areas of our lives where we give into temptation.
bb He’s still working in our lives.
b He is our maker, we are made in His image . . . therefore give Him praise for who you are.
B We are to submissive to our maker as sheep are to their shepherd.
1 Most of us want to be the shepherds, not the sheep.
a But the problem is, the sheep do not know where the still waters and green pastures are. . . & anytime we go looking for them on our own we wind up lost.
b He is saying, “You be the sheep, I’ll be the shepherd, and I’ll lead you beside the still waters, to the green pastures . . . just let me lead.”
2 If the sheep do not submit to their shepherd, they will stray into danger.
a How do you become a sheep? You must be redeemed.
aa This is a case where the Shepherd died for the sheep; the sheep did not die for this Shepherd.
bb What sheep are being talked about in this psalm? The sheep are Israel. The Lord is their Shepherd too.
cc The Lord Jesus told them that He had "other" sheep that were not part of the flock of Israel.
"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" (John 10:14-16).
b The Lord is the Shepherd of Israel; He is also my Shepherd and yours -- if we belong to Him.
III We are to be “Thankful.” vv. 4-5
A As the worshipers in the OT approached the Temple they burst out in songs of praise because of the Lord’s goodness, mercy, faithfulness.
1 The Temple symbolized the presence of God.
a As they came to Mt. Moriah (The Temple Mount) they knew that they had come into the presence of God.
b When we come to worship we come to church & enter this room called a “sanctuary” indicating that God is here.
aa That is not to say He’s not with you everywhere.
bb He’s always with us!
2 If we ever wonder what we have to be thankful for this truth is enough to trigger our shouts of joy . . . He’s ALWAYS with us!
B We also have the opportunity to pass on our love for God to our children/next generation (v.5.)
1 They need to see us enjoying God, praising Him, being submissive to Him!!!
a When we praise Him, Thank Him, Submissive to Him ONLY when things are good . . . we are teaching our young ones that we only bless Him when we “feel” like it.
b What if God began to treat us like we so often treat Him?
aa What if God met our needs to the same extend that we give Him our lives?
bb What if we never saw another tree bloom or flower pop because we grumbled when God sent the rain?
cc What if God stopped loving & caring for us because we failed to love & care for others?
dd What if God took away His message because we refused to listen to the messenger?
2 What if He wouldn’t bless us today because we didn’t thank Him yesterday?
a What if He answered our prayers the way we answer His call for service?
b What if God decided to stop leading us tomorrow because we didn’t follow Him today?
c Psalm 103.10 reminds us to be thankful because He does “not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”
Conclusion:
A We’ve seen from Scripture God wants us . . .
1 Joyful, Submissive, & Thankful.
a This Thursday I have a challenge for you.
aa Before your meal . . .
bb Would you read the Old 100th?
cc Go around the table & ask “What do you thank God for this Thanksgiving?”
b We make lists for things we want for Christmas, but I think we need to start making lists of what we’re thankful at Thanksgiving.
2 A Thankful spirit is a triumphant Spirit.
a In the Garden of Eden, our parents Adam & Eve were surrounded with every blessing imaginable . . . instead of being thankful for what they had they listened to the devil’s lie that God was holding out on them (”every tree”.)
Genesis 3:1 (NASB) 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"
b When they stopped being thankful they fell into sin.
B Alex Haley, the author of "Roots," had an unusual picture hanging on his office wall. It was a picture of a turtle on top of a fence post.
1 When asked, "Why is that there?" Alex Haley answered, "Every time I write something significant, every time I read my words & think that they are wonderful, & begin to feel proud of myself, I look at the turtle on top of the fence post & remember that he didn’t get there on his own. He had help."
a That is the basis of thankfulness - to remember that we got here with the help of God, & that He is the provider of every blessing we have.
b In Hebrew, the word for gratitude - hoda’ah - is the same as the word for confession.
aa To offer thanks is to confess dependence, to acknowledgment that others have the power to benefit you, to admit that your life is better because of their efforts.
bb When we “Thank” God we’re confess absolute dependence on Him & our lives are better with Him in them.
2 What are you thankful for this morning that you need to tell God about?
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