INTRO.- ILL.- Everyone needs recognition for his accomplishments, but few people make the need known quite as clearly as the little boy who said to his father: "Let's play darts. I'll throw and you say "Wonderful!'" Human praise. Do we ever overdo it? I think they overdo it in Hollywood! But perhaps on a daily basis we don’t praise enough. However, there is someone who deserves more praise than we can ever give Him!
1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! We sing the song:
O Lord, our Lord
How majestic is Your name in all the earth.
O Lord, we praise Your name!
O Lord, we magnify Your name;
Prince of Peace, Mighty God,
O Lord God Almighty
ILL.- Dr. Jack Hayford is the 80 year old former minister of the Church on the Way in Van Nuys, CA. He ministered there from 1969 to 1999. It was the silver anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth II as Queen of England in 1977. Dr. Jack Hayford of California was touring England with his wife. As he felt the courage and motivation of the English people, Hayford realized that there was also a deep feeling in their hearts for the royalty who stood with them in dark hours. Suddenly there came to his mind a feeling that Christ wants his church to have such a sense of loyalty and fellowship, because he must be our leader in good times and bad.
One word seemed to charge to the forefront: majesty! Dr. Hayford said to his wife: “Take the notebook and write down some words, will you?” He then began to dictate the key, the notes, the timing, and the lyrics to one of the most popular songs which is still being sung by Christians everywhere:
Majesty, worship His majesty,
Unto Jesus be glory, honor and praise,
Majesty, kingdom authority,
Flow from His throne, unto His own,
His anthem raise.
So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus,
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus the King.
Majesty, worship His majesty,
Jesus who died, now glorified,
King of all kings.
Our King of all kings is indeed, majestic. It is only proper that we call him, “Your majesty,” because He is majestic in every way possible, from his birth to His death on the cross and from the beginning of creation to the end of time as we know it.
PROP.- According to our text in Psalm 8, God’s majesty is witnessed or seen in various ways.
1- God’s majesty is seen in the heavens
2- God’s majesty is heard from the children
3- God’s majesty is witnessed by the enemy
I. GOD’S MAJESTY IS SEEN IN THE HEAVENS
1 You have set your glory above the heavens. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place.
ILL.- Kepler, the astronomer, was troubled by one of his friends who denied the existence of God and took the view of the universe that it came into being of itself by mechanical methods. Kepler, in order to convince his friend, constructed a model of the sun with the planets circling round it. When his friend came into the Observatory and saw the beautiful model, he exclaimed with delight, “How beautiful it is! Who made it?” And Kepler carelessly answered, “No one made it. It made itself.” His friend looked at him and said, “Nonsense, tell me who made it.”
Kepler then replied, “Friend, you say that this little toy could not make itself. It is but a very weak imitation of this great universe which, I understood, you believe did make itself.”
We believe in the God of creation who flung the stars into the universe! It didn’t happen by itself or by some cosmic explosion.
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of stars, planets, comets, etc.
ILL.- Someone said: If you were to hold out a dime at arm's length, the coin would block out 15 million stars from your view, if your eyes could see with that power. Astronomers know that there are over 100 billion stars in our galaxy alone, and probably billions of galaxies similar to ours. Science has proved that man cannot count the stars.
What did God say? “The host of heaven can no man number” (Jeremiah 33:22).
ILL.- A minister attended a seminar on astronomy, where the scientist related many astonishing things. He told of planets from which light started one million years ago. Though light travels at the rate of 186,000 miles per second, that light is only now reaching the earth.
“I feel pretty small tonight,” said a friend to the minister at the close of the lecture. But the minister’s reply was, “I don’t. I feel larger than ever.” Then he explained: “Because, great as is the universe, God is greater.”
ILL.- Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote: “It takes no brains to be an atheist. Any stupid person can deny the existence of a supernatural power because man’s physical senses cannot detect it. But there cannot be ignored the influence of conscience, the respect we feel for moral law, the mystery of first life...or the marvelous order in which the universe moves about us on this earth. All these are the evidence of the handiwork of God. For my part that Deity is the God of the Bible and of Jesus Christ, His Son.” AMEN. And I like Ike!
II. GOD’S MAJESTY IS HEARD FROM THE CHILDREN
ILL.- A father of four boys came home to find them all engaged in something of a free-for-all. Addressing his remarks to the most aggressive of the four, he asked, “Butch, who started this?” “Well, it all started when Harold hit me back,” exclaimed Butch.
From the lips of children come many words and they are not always accurate. But for the most part, children are fairly honest in what they say and often, very blunt.
2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.
ILL.- A man had a dream about a church service. In his vision he saw the organist vigorously playing the organ, but no sound was heard. The choir and congregation began to sing, but their voices were not heard. Then the minister began to pray no words came from his lips. The man turned in wonder to his angel guide. “You hear nothing,” said the angel, “because there is nothing to hear. These people are not engaged in worship, but only in the form of worship. Their hearts are not touched, and this silence is the silence that is yet unbroken in the presence of God. But listen again.”
And, listening, the man heard a child’s voice, clear and distinct in all that silence.
Only the child’s voice was heard, because only the child’s heart was touched. “That,” said the guide, “is the only true worship in this great church today: all the others are concerned with but the appearance of worship.” Humbling. Convicting. Could that be our church? That the only true worship may come from the children! 2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.
Matthew 19:13-15 “Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.”
Matthew 21:14-16 “The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?”
From the lips of children should come praise to God!
III. GOD’S MAJESTY IS WITNESSED BY THE ENEMY
2 NCV And so you silence your enemies and destroy those who try to get even. God’s majesty is witnessed in the silence of the enemies or when the enemy is silenced.
ILL.- John Wesley one day said to Dr. Clarke, “As I was walking through St. Paul’s churchyard I saw two women standing opposite to one another. One was speaking and gesturing violently, while the other stood perfectly still and in silence. Just as I came up and was about to pass them, the one woman, clenching her fist and stomping her foot at her calm neighbor, exclaimed, “Speak, you wretch, so that I can say something!”
“Adam,” said Mr. Wesley, “that was a lesson to me; silence is often the best answer to abuse.”
How do you silence the enemy or your enemy? Sometimes the best thing to do is to keep quiet or say nothing.
Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Fire begets fire and anger begets anger. And quietness may well silence anger.
Proverbs 17:28 “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” Sometimes in the face of opposition or anger we are too quick to talk or defend ourselves. Often, the best defense is to say nothing, but rather exercise self-control and trust in the Lord. NCV And so you (God) silence your enemies and destroy those who try to get even.
God’s majesty is witnessed in the silence of the enemies or when the enemy is silenced. And sometimes we silence God’s enemies by being silent. Remember the story of Daniel in the lion’s den?
ILL.- Daniel 6: 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing. 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.
12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. 15 Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, “Remember, O king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.”16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. 19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.” 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den.
And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
What did Daniel do in the face of God’s enemies? Nothing but pray and trust God! And as a result of this God’s majesty and power was clearly seen by enemy! Sometimes it’s not how much we say, but rather how much we keep our mouths shut and trust God in prayer that speaks to the enemies of God!
CONCLUSION---------------------------
God’s majesty is:
- Seen in the heavens
- Heard from the children
- Witnessed by the enemies
ILL.- A friend asked Mrs. Thomas A. Edison, “Have you ever asked your husband where he gets all the ideas that make him so famous?”
Thoughtfully, Mrs. Edison replied, “Yes, I did ask him once. He didn’t say anything. He just pointed upward and smiled!”
If there is anything good in this world and universe of ours or anything good that comes from our lives it’s because of our Majesty above! O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
