Turn to Psalm 136 because you have a part to play in today’s sermon. Why is knowing God so valuable?
1. Knowing God Gives You Confidence
“He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action” (Daniel 11:32).
The people who know God shall be strong. When you know God, you can move forward with confidence, and take action. When you know God you have the confidence and ability to do the right thing. Nothing will give you more day-to-day confidence in your life than knowing God. God gave Elijah the confidence as he faced the evil treachery of King Ahab and Jezebel. God gave Daniel the confidence to fearlessly confront the pressure of Nebuchadnezzar. And God gave the Apostle Paul the confidence to face the persecution for sharing Christ.
A mighty Fortress is our God,
A Bulwark never failing;
Our Helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing
2. Knowing God Gives You Peace
“May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. …” (2 Peter 1:2). As God rubs off on you – not just information about Him – but when He really rubs off on you, your life is transformed. Some people have peace of mind because of their bank account. Others get a sense of peace because of their family (mother, father, husband, or wife). You will really have inner peace and power to live life when you know God well.
3. Knowing God Gives You Composure
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Even if an earthquake shakes up your life, you’ll have composure because of the security God gives you. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea…” (Psalm 46:2). A Christian cannot think about God without thinking about Jesus Christ. The true beginning point in knowing God is entering into a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Today’s passage is one of the most unique in all the Bible for in twenty six verses, the Bible repeats this one phrase twenty six times: “for his steadfast love endures forever.”
This psalm was designed for the congregation to “talk back” by repeating this phrase. Will you read the part that says, “for his steadfast love endures forever,” with me?
Today’s Scripture
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; 5 to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; 6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; 7 to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; 8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; 9 the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever; 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever; 11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; 12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; 13 to him who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; 14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; 15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; 16 to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; 17 to him who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 18 and killed mighty kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; 19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; 20 and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; 21 and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; 22 a heritage to Israel his servant, for his steadfast love endures forever. 23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; 24 and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; 25 he who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever. 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1–26)
Everything in our lives should perfectly reflect God’s great love. Let young and old say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let rich and poor say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let fathers and mothers say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the instructed and the ignorant say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the saved and the unsaved say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” The loudest and sweetest notes of praise come from the lips of the redeemed. Child of God, can you be silent? Can you not with David sing, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (Psalm 103:1)!
Some of you are experiencing a mediocre faith. Today, I want to share with you how to take your faith up to another level. Here are Six Reasons to Celebrate God’s Love. Here are six reasons to celebrate God’s Love.
1. God’s Love is Loyal
We are going to learn a little Hebrew today. Circle the word “steadfast love” in your Bible. That funny-looking little marking is a rich, rich word. If took the Hebrew letters and made them in English, you’d have the letters, “chesed.” Of all the words, it’s the word God choose to describe his rich, committed love toward sinners. This is God saying, “I’ll have hung in there with you. You didn’t hang in there with Me. I stuck with you.” This word is really helpful for you to know – really helpful. This word describes, “When the chips are down,” kind of love. This is the best kind of love you could imagine. Again, it’s the word “steadfast love” or your translation may have the word “lovingkindness.” The word means “loyal love” and is even translated “mercy” at times.
The Bible tells us God has this “steadfast love” or “loyal love” stockpiled: “The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love….” (Exodus 34:6–7a). It is God’s “chesed” that chases His children around in life: “Surely goodness and mercy (chesed) shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6). God takes pleasure in people when you pin your hopes in his steadfast love: “… the LORD takes pleasure in those … who hope in his steadfast love (chesed)” (Psalm 147:11). The dollar maybe up or the dollar maybe down. Your friend may break his promise and your health may fail, but God’s “steadfast love” is undying. God is in it for long haul. His mercy is a loyal mercy. His kindness is a loyal kindness. And His love is a loyal love.
2. God’s Love is Unrivaled
Next, we read of a call to celebration God’s power, his tremendous abilities: “Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 136:2-3). When we say, “God is Almighty,” every aspect of God is Almighty. He is mighty is wrath … He is mighty in wisdom … and He is mighty in love. God is God of All Gods. He is God of all gods and He is Lord of all lords. God isn’t just leading His division and He doesn’t win only because of home-field advantage.
Combining these first two ideas, we discover that God’s love is both powerful and loyal. His love is not fickle; instead, His love is fixed, settled, and established. When you combine God’s power and His love, it means He can pursue you through any sinful lifestyle choices you have done. No matter the “obstacle course” your sinful life presents Him, God unrivaled love is so powerful, He will pursue you. God has a “chase you down” kind of love for His children.
3. God’s Love is Astonishing
“to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 139:4). Verses fives through nine are a celebration of God’s marvelous love by seeing all He created. Many of you love to sing Matt Redman’s 10,000 reasons.
The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes
If you want to really see God, you don’t go to a beautiful sunset. If you want to really feel God’s presence, you don’t sit on a beach. If you want to be near God, you don’t go high into the Himalayas with their majestic wonder. No, if you want to marvel at God’s rich love, you go see a man hang on a bloody cross for your sins. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
Can I tell you this? You cannot make too many withdraws from the bank account of God’s great love.
4. God’s Love is Liberating
God’s Love Rescues Me: “and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 136:24). God’s Love Gets You Out of “a Jam.”
Every moment of Israel’s history was bathed in God’s loyal love. Every moment of Israel’s history was marinated in God’s steadfast love.
4.1 Egypt & the Red Sea
“to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his steadfast love endures forever 11 and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; 12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;” (Psalm 136:10-12). You don’t have to walk long with Jesus until you experience Him defeating your enemies. You may not have any Egyptian armies running after you but you no doubt need His “strong hand and an outstretched arm.” So let the veteran of spiritual combat say, “his steadfast love endures forever.”
Is there any place like battle than in the hearts of teens today? Let the experienced father and mother of teens say, “his steadfast love endures forever.”
Shaun Cunningham took his son, Landon, to an Atlanta Braves/Pittsburgh Pirate spring training game earlier this year. It was Landon’s 9th birthday. Pirates outfield Danny Ortiz was swinging his bat when it slipped out his hand. What happened next could have been so much worse. While Landon was texting his mother a picture of the game, 37 year old Shaun Cunningham went into “dad mode” to use his words. Media team: show picture on screens. Every human father is to emulate the Heavenly Father’s loyal love for His children. God’s love is a liberating, loyal love.
Has anyone heard about a group called the “Bali Nine”? This group was on death row for over a decade for drug trafficking in the country of Indonesia. During their time in prison, all but one of them had turned to Christ. So when the group faced the firing squad, the refused blindfolds and faced their executioners. First, they recited the Lord’s Prayer and then they sang two songs, “Amazing Grace” and “10,000 Reasons.” Their voices were eventually drowned out by gunfire according to witnesses. “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39). Could there be … should there be … one quiet Christian here this morning when men can sing of His praise at their execution?
5. God’s Memory is Excellent
“It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever…” (Psalm 136:24). God never forgets His children … never. God’s love is cover of worth we can place over our worthlessness – “our low estate.” While the unsaved have experienced some of God’s mercy, let the loudest and sweetest notes of praise come from the lips of the redeemed. But you, child of God, you, blood-washed, born-again, baptized in the Holy Spirit, you have the greatest reason to sing His rich praise. You were imprisoned in the shackles of your guilt. You were drowning in the sea of your iniquity, you know well you slavery to sin that once characterized you. Yet, you’ve been led to the cross of Christ. It’s your voice that should sing the loudest, sweetest notes in the choir of the redeemed.
6. I Can Depend on God’s Love
We end where we began. We come back full circle. Notice how verse one and verse 26 repeat one another: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 139:1). Twenty six times the Bible insists that God has a committed, unchanging love. God’s performance always matches His promise. Say this with me, “God’s performance always matches His promise.” His love is a committed love. His mercy is a committed mercy. His kindness is a committed kindness.
Conclusion
When God parted the Red Sea, God’s love was dependable. When King David reigned over Israel, God’s love was dependable. When the Battle of Hastings was fought, God’s love was dependable. When the Declaration of Independence was signed, God’s love was dependable. When the Allied forces defeated the Axis powers on D-Day, God’s love was dependable. When I was born, God’s love was dependable. And when I die, God’s love will be dependable. You can depend on the loyal, committed love of God. So there it is before you… a banquet of God’s rich love.
1. God’s Love is Loyal
2. God’s Love is Unrivaled
3. God’s Love is Astonishing
4. God’s Love is Liberating
5. God’s Memory is Excellent
6. I Can Depend on God’s Love
