VICTORY CELEBRATION
Psalm 149
A chauffeur in a big, black, limousine, was sailing down the interstate at 105 miles an hour. A State Trooper pulled him over, got out, leaned into the window of the car and said, "Do you realize that you were going 105 miles an hour?" The chauffeur said, "Yes sir, I know. But who cares?" The trooper said, "So, you want to be a smart aleck about it. I ought to give you a reckless driving ticket." The man said, "That's fine with me." The trooper said, "Well, I will take you to the judge right now, what do you think about that?" The man said, "I don't care."
So, the trooper took the chauffeur to the next little town and took him before the judge. The judge said, "I think I'll fine you $200 for driving so fast." The chauffeur said, "I don't care. Make it $2000 if you want to. It doesn't matter to me." So, the judge threatened to put him in jail for six months. The chauffeur was indifferent. He said, "Why not make it a year?" Finally, the judge had heard enough. He looked at the man and said, "Sir, why do you not care what happens to you? What is your problem? The chauffeur said, "Well, I happen to be the chauffeur for the warden of the state penitentiary. I'm in prison for life for murder. There is not a thing you can do to me! You can't touch me!"
I want you to think about that statement for a moment: "You can't touch me!" Now, while I would never recommend for you to do what that chauffeur did, there is an important truth in what he said. He said, "You can't touch me!" What a tremendous message that is as we face times of trouble. As a believer in Jesus Christ we must realize that we can get to a place where we can live above trouble. We can get to a place where trouble cannot touch us. We can get to a place where we live beyond the trouble of our world. As a believer in Jesus Christ, we can live a life of celebration. As a believer, we can live a life of praise. How do we do that?
Let's notice what Psalm 149 tells us. The writer of this Psalm described the nation of Israel in the middle of a major celebration. Apparently, they were celebrating some type of victory. The word "victory" used here carries with it the idea of "salvation." That's the exact word used in verse 4. What did the writer mean when he talked about "salvation?" Was he talking about the same kind of salvation talked about in the New Testament? No. The word "salvation" used in Psalm 149 is the idea of being saved from an enemy. It is the idea of being saved in the middle of a battle. The Israelites were celebrating a recent victory, a recent rescue in the middle of battle, a recent salvation over an enemy.
Now, tonight, I want us to spend our few minutes together thinking about two very simple ideas found in this passage. As we examine this passage, I want us to notice the importance of celebrating, the importance of rejoicing in the Lord. As we do, I want us to notice two reasons we have to celebrate and rejoice. The first reason is found in verses 1-5. In those verses, we notice the idea of THE JUBILANT CHURCH. Then secondly, in verses 6-9, we find the idea of THE MILITANT CHURCH.
First of all, let's notice the JUBILANT CHURCH. Look at verses 1-5 again. Israel was instructed, by God, to celebrate. As they celebrated, they were to sing "a new song." The idea of a new song seems to suggest a new situation. It suggests a new way of living. It seems to suggest a new peace they were not accustomed to having in their life. As we read further in these verses, it becomes obvious that Israel's life was now different and a new song was called for. Israel could no longer sing the same old worn-out tune. Israel was to sing a new song. Why? Simple. They were glad and victorious.
Now, that's all well and good for Israel, but how does that relate to us today? Well, the writer seems to say that if a person is truly happy for all that God has done for them, then they will not be able to control their laughter or their joy or their singing. Notice the verses again. The people of Israel could not control their laughter and joy. The people of Israel started singing and dancing and playing musical instruments and celebrating. They were so wrapped up in victory and celebration and joy that they could not help but celebrate the Lord's victory in their life.
Listen to me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating what the Lord has done in your life. There is nothing wrong with singing or playing musical instruments or praising the Lord. There is nothing wrong with rejoicing in the victories the Lord has given to you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Now, I hear the same comments you do. "Preacher, the church is no place for laughing." "Pastor, the church is no place for joking." "Pastor, the church is no place for loud fellowship." "The church is a place of seriousness. The church is a place of dignity. The church is no place for fun."
I want you to listen to me very carefully, if you don't, you are going to misunderstand what I am about to say. The Bible teaches that there must always be dignity in our worship. The Bible teaches that there must be orderliness to our worship. Why? The Bible tells us. Our worship services are about God and our relationship to Him. Every time we gather in church, we meet God face-to-face. When we gather in church, we meet God in song, we meet Him in worship, we meet Him in preaching, we meet Him in fellowship, and we meet Him in Bible Study. So, in that way, we must take what we do seriously. There is nothing more serious than meeting God.
However, the Bible is equally clear in telling us that dignity does not take away spontaneity or our expression of praise. The Bible is just as clear in telling us if we are saved, we should make a joyful noise to the Lord. Let me illustrate that for you. Over and over again, in the book of Psalms, David reminded us to celebrate in the Lord, to rejoice in His love, and to sing our praise to Him. Jesus told us about Mary, who in a spontaneous expression of love and praise, poured perfume down His body. Later in the New Testament, in the book of Colossians, Paul told us to lift our songs and music to the Lord. Clearly, the Bible tells us that there is absolutely nothing wrong with praising God.
That's why it troubles me when people say that we should not celebrate, fellowship, laugh, or enjoy ourselves. Statements like that go against everything the Bible teaches. Listen. The entire life of a believer must be one of celebration. Our entire life must be one of celebrating what Christ has done in us, what He is doing for us, and what He will do in us.
Now, I know what many of us are guilty of. Rather than making a new song, we make a new complaint. We grumble rather than celebrate all that God has done for us. If we are not careful, what happens is that we begin to thrive on being negative or critical or complaining. Now, don't get angry with me. But, be honest about it. Too often we grumble.
Let me show you what I mean. A person goes to the hospital for surgery. They have the surgery and everything goes smoothly, except one minor problem. The doctors take care of the problem quickly. The person's life is never in danger. The problem was a simple problem with a simple solution. The person then goes home from the hospital and people come by for a visit. What does that person tell the visitors? Does that person tell them that everything went fine or does the person point out the negative? Too often, here is what we say, "Oh, it was terrible. Those doctors did not know what they were doing. They almost killed me. I hope no one ever has to go through what I went through. A person would be crazy to even think about having that same kind of surgery." Does that sound familiar? I am afraid so.
Now, unfortunately, we do the same thing about church. Someone asks us how church went and the first words out of our mouth are negative. We grumble. We complain. "The preacher preached too long again." "The Sunday School teacher was boring again." "The service was dull again." Listen to me. If we are not careful, we become so good at complaining that we do not even think about it any longer, it just comes naturally.
For a believer, complaining and grumbling are wrong. Listen. As long as a grumbling, negative, complaining attitude continues, we will never be right with God. As long as we grumble, as long as we are negative, as long as we complain, we cannot be praising at the same time. It just cannot happen. Never!
Beloved, the Christian life is no place for complaining. The Christian life is no place for being negative. The Christian life is no place for anger. Those types of attitudes do not belong in us. The believer's heart must be a place of praise and celebration. Our heart must be a place of joy.
Now, I want to encourage you. If you are celebrating what the Lord has done for you and in you, don't be discouraged by the people who want to stop you. I wish I could tell you tonight that there were no people in the world who are negative or discouraging. Unfortunately, we know that there are. There are Baptist complainers, Assembly complainers, Methodist complainers, Nazarene complainers, Tabernacle complainers, did I leave anyone out? Folks, there are far too many doomsayers, waiting to point out how bad life can be.
I am sorry that there are people like that. It is unfortunate, but we all know that it is true. But, here is what we must do about people like that. What we must learn to do is not let them get the best of us. We must learn to tune them out. We must praise the Lord so much and so loudly that we simply drown out those who are negative.
Now, if you are negative or complaining, I want you to listen to me as well. If you are trying to stop someone from praising the Lord, you are the one who needs to stop! Let them sing. Let them celebrate. Let them rejoice. Why? Because if there is any one in this world who has a right to celebrate and praise and rejoice, it is a Christian. The church must be a jubilant church. The church must not be a funeral church, or a dead church, or a lifeless church. The church of Jesus Christ must be a church that is rejoicing and praising and singing a new song.
What do we have to sing about? Verse 4 tells us, "For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation." If we need a reason to sing, if we need a reason to praise, if we need a reason to celebrate, there it is: God takes pleasure in us! God takes pleasure in you and me. So, when I come to church, I am going to praise Him. I am going to sing. I am going to celebrate. I am going to be jubilant because the Lord loves me and takes pleasure in me. The church must be jubilant.
Now secondly, let's look at verses 6-9. Here we notice the idea of the MILITANT CHURCH. When the church is called to fight, we must fight. That is exactly what the writer of this psalm told the people of Israel. They were not only to sing, they were to stand up for the name of the Lord and do what they knew was right. The writer went so far as saying that if being right meant fighting, then fight.
Now, some people will say that you cannot praise and fight at the same time. They will tell you that you cannot sing praises to God and fight for God at the same time. But the psalmist leads us to believe that we can. The psalmist said that we are to sing while we work. We are to sing while we stand up for our beliefs. We are to sing while we fight against the immorality in the world. How can we do that? The only way it is possible is if we are sure that we are in the center of the Lord's will by fighting or working.
Listen. For too long, the church has been silent. While our world has slowly decayed around us, we have said nothing. It is time for a change. It is time for the church and Christians to speak out. Several years ago, Bobby Bowden, the head coach at Florida State University, was asked why Deion Sanders was such a great player. I love his answer. Deion Sanders said that when he played on defense, his main goal was to get his ball back. Deion said that the ball belonged to him and his team and the other team had no right to it. It was his ball and he was going to do whatever was necessary to get it back.
Folks, this is God's world. Satan has had it for too long. It is time for believers to stand up and to take back what belongs to God. Every day, on TV stations across our state, the lottery or gambling, is hailed as the means of salvation for education. We, as Christians, must speak out against the harmful effect of gambling and the corrupting effect it has upon those who gamble. When abortion becomes commonplace and Americans tolerate 43 million babies being legally murdered, the church must speak out. When drugs and violence are a way of life in Monroe County, the church must speak out. When our own government is more concerned about party affiliation than about the people they serve, it is time for us to speak out.
Think about this for a moment. If we, as children of God, are not going to speak out on the issues of the day, who is going to speak out? If we are not going to do it now, then when? What will it take for the church of Jesus Christ to speak out? Beloved, it is time for us as members of the churches in Excel to stand up, to speak out, and to fight for what we believe in.
The word of God gives us a command to fight. Does that literally mean fight with out fists? Does it mean that we should take up arms as a militia group would do? I don't think that is what the writer was saying. Yes, Israel was to fight and be militant. That was their tool given to them by God. That's what they were directed by God to do.
Now, listen to me. Yes, the church is to be militant. Yes, the church is to fight. But the weapon that the church must use is not a gun or knife. Our weapon, since the time of Jesus has been changed. The weapon of the church must be the mercy and love of Jesus Christ. That is our only weapon. The only true weapon of the militant church is the mercy of God.
At times in the Bible, the word of God is fiery in describing the judgment and the end times and the need for repentance. Folks, hear me and hear me well. The wrath of God is real. No one should downplay that. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. God threatened to destroy Ninevah if the people did not repent. Listen to me. Just as God acted in the Old Testament or New Testament, God can and will act again. God cannot and will not tolerate sin for long. He will not tolerate my sin. He will not tolerate your sin. The Bible makes it clear that God will punish sin. I don't care who's sin it is, He will punish it.
However, the Bible also tells us how we can be victorious. How will the church be victorious? Simple. We will be victorious when we present to a lost world the love and mercy of Calvary. Yes, we must fight. Yes, we must stand up for what we believe. But we must never lose sight of what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus allowed Himself to be nailed to the tree for each one of us. He did not have to do that. He choose to do that. Why? Because of His love for us.
