Sermon: The Call of A Joyful Sound
Ps 100:1 (The Psalm of Praise) “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. (KJV)
Remember the words of the hymn, Jesus Saves? “We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Bear the news to every land, Climb the steeps and cross the waves; Onward! 'tis our Lord's command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Psalm 100 is the Psalm of Praise that ranks second only to the 23rd Psalm in popularity. Many of us memorized it as children in Sunday School. It’s brief, concrete, and straightforward; plus, it gives us specific direction as to what God would have us to do: We are commanded to Shout for joy to God, make a joyful noise. To Serve the Lord with gladness. To know that the Lord is God and finally to Enter into his gates with thanksgiving. They’re all action verbs, well within our ability. Let’s use them as an outline as we delve into the psalm more deeply today.
Some things just require a joyful sound. Our birthdays, anniversaries, and special days. When we choose to honor earthly leaders, presidents, kings, and even pastors, we want the crowd to make a joyful noise. I have experienced many fond memories over 41 years of ministry. One of my most vivid memories happened in Puerto Rica. The country was preparing for the return of their native son, Santana! Santana’s musical career has touched the world. The community came out by the hundreds and lined the streets from the Airport to the hotel. They cheered and waved banners all along the way. I had never experienced anything like it in my life. I mentioned the event to my Preacher’s steward, and without my knowledge, he planned a similar surprise for my pastor’s appreciation banquet. He picked us up and drove me and my wife to the venture. As we turned the corner, the members of the Church had lined the driveway with banners and shouting, it was awesome! The psalmist has that kind of picture in his mind and calls the whole earth to join him in the celebration of Jehovah. We are encouraged to come with the right heart, attitude, and state of mind.
(1) “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.” - Make a joyful noise, the psalmist says. Don’t just whisper or mumble or stir around, afraid you’re going to disturb the person next to you – shout with all your might! Let the whole world know that the sovereign God of all creation is with us, he loves us, he’s on our side. “Psalm 100 shouts about our God. “Shout for joy to Yahweh, the Lord, our loving Father.” That’s the first step. Express the level joy greater for the Lord than for your favorite team. This psalm calls for celebration. And the second is this:
(2) Serve the LORD with gladness. And before you nod your head and say, “O.K.,” think about the implications: • God is all-powerful. What can you possibly do for God that God can’t do for himself? • God is all-knowing. What tidbit of wisdom could you possibly share with God that God doesn’t already know far better than you? • All creation belongs to God, from the highest mountain range to the deepest ocean, from whole continents to the tiniest molecules. What can you possibly give to God that God doesn’t already own?
So, what does it mean to serve God? First, it means to give what you have as a symbol of your gratitude and devotion. In the words of an old hymn, “Give of your best to the Master; Give of the strength of your youth. Throw your soul’s fresh, glowing ardor Into the battle for truth. Jesus has set the example, Dauntless was He, young and brave. Give Him your loyal devotion; Give Him the best that you have.”
Think of it this way: A three-year-old painstakingly colors a picture to give to his mother or comes up to her with a dust cloth in hand offering to help clean the house. Do you think she’s going to be upset and critical? Heavens no! In the same way, God is pleased with our gifts of love and devotion, no matter how small or crude or inadequate they may seem to be. To serve God is to give what you have – your time, talent, gifts, and service – with a joyful heart.
It’s also to serve others in the name of Jesus Christ. In the Parable of the Great Judgment, Jesus commended the faithful for showing kindness to those in need. He said, “I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink ….” When the faithful asked, “When did we see you, Lord?” he said, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers, you did it unto me.” (Matthew 25:35-36, 40) To serve the Lord with gladness is to be a cheerful giver, lending a helping hand to those in need, showing mercy to those who are struggling, practicing random acts of kindness wherever you go – not out of obligation or duty – but out of gratitude for what God has done for you.
(3)“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.“ You may not be aware of this, but there are many different names for God in the Hebrew Bible. This verse uses two of them: Yahweh and Elohim. What the psalmist wants us to know is that the same God who watches over us and cares for us as a loving father or mother – Yahweh – is none other than the all-powerful God who brought all creation into existence – Elohim. The Lord is God … Yahweh is Elohim. Years ago, I heard a preacher say, “One of the most liberating phrases you can ever learn is this: “God is God, and you’re not.” It works in two ways: One, it lifts the weight of the world from your shoulders and sets you free from trying to be responsible for things over which you have no control. God is God, and you’re not. It’s not all up to you. Two, it limits the power and authority we often give to others. No matter how imposing or wise they may seem, they’re not gods either. It doesn’t matter what position they hold – or what title, or prominence, or power, or wealth – they have feet of clay, just like everyone else. God is God, and you’re not. Remember that next time your world is going to pieces and everyone is looking to you to hold it together. Remember it next time you’re around a bunch of VIPs, who act like they hung the moon.
There’s a little passage in the first chapter of John’s gospel that sums it up nicely. When the temple leaders got wind of John the Baptist, they sent a delegation out to investigate. They found him and asked, “Who are you?” And he replied, “I am not the Christ … I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord'” (John 1:19-23). God is God, and you’re not. That’s what the psalmist is reminding us, when he says: “Know that Yahweh, he is God. It is he who has made us, and we are his. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:3). With this in mind, the psalmist concludes,
(4)“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, and bless his name. For the Lord (Yahweh) is good. His loving kindness endures forever, his faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100:4-5).
During this holiday season, you have many opportunities to express a heart of Gratitude. What are you most thankful for? What one gift or blessing have you received lately that stands out and calls for an expression of gratitude?” What are you most thankful for? Reasons to be thankful come in every shape, form and fashion. There are the biggies, of course – Salvation, a new job, a big promotion at work, the birth of a baby, the celebration of a marriage. Plus, there are countless other reasons to be thankful we often take for granted, such as good health, the love and support of friends and family, a safe community in which to live, the freedom to work and worship as we please. The psalmist encourages us to be mindful of all God’s gifts, great and small, and be thankful. And how important that is!
I once heard that it’s physically impossible to be stressed out and thankful at the same time. It has to do with endorphins, or something. Try this: In the midst of a stressful day, take a one-minute break. Find a quiet place and breathing deeply, holding your breath for a few seconds, then exhale slowly. As you gently relax, think about all the things you have to be thankful for. Just like that, your stress will be gone.
The secret of living a stress-free life is to live a life of gratitude – not sweating the small stuff, but praising God from whom all blessings flow throughout the day. What are you most thankful for? Here’s a short list to get you started:
• Be thankful to be alive. Consider the alternative. To be alive is to have the potential of doing something creative, constructive, and beneficial.
• Be thankful that you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. You may not be perfect but you are saved and know it.
• Be thankful for the gift of love. To love and to be loved turns existing into living.
• Be thankful for the gift of time. You have twenty-four hours every day – just like the President or the Pope – to use in just about any way you choose.
• Be thankful for the clean air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat. They not only sustain your life, they give you strength and pleasure.
• Be thankful for the gift of color. Can you imagine a glorious sunset in black and white?
• Be thankful for the gift of music. It can warm your heart and speaks to your soul.
• Be thankful for earthworms that till the soil and buzzards that clean up road kill, and a thousand other creatures working day and night in harmony with the universe.
• Be thankful for the rotation of the earth – that is, for night and day – and for the seasons – that summer doesn’t last all year long.
• More than anything else, be thankful for a God who loves you, warts and all, and has proven that love beyond all doubt by sacrificing his only son to redeem you from your sinful nature and reconcile you to himself.
Take a moment to make a list of all the things you can think of to be thankful for, then offer them up to the Lord in praise and thanksgiving.
Luke tells the story of how Jesus entered a village and was met by a group of ten lepers. They stood at the required distance and cried out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy upon us.” He told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” “It happened that as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. Jesus answered, ‘Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.'” (Luke 17:11-19)
It’s a matter of gratitude – taking stock of your life and how God has created you in his image and empowered you with his Spirit and blessed you with the gifts of creativity, imagination and love – and being grateful. Above all, it’s to recognize how God has proven his love, once and for all, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, to open the door to a loving, lasting relationship with God and all creation.
As you prepare to celebrate Christmas this year, take a moment to marvel at the beauty of God’s creation and bask in the warmth of God’s love, and be grateful. Never forget: Christ died for you in order to bring you from death to life. Don’t forget to say thank you! You see Christmas is really about Christ coming to a broken world and redeeming it unto himself. Don’t miss the Christ of Christmas!
