Awesome!
Ps 111:1-10
1 Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.
5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever-- holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
THE LAST FOUR WORDS OF VERSE 9 form the basis for this message: “…awesome is his name.” The word, “awesome” is used by teens these days to describe something that is breathtaking, moving, spectacular. When I was a teen, the word we used was, “fantastic!” When my boys were teens, they went through a variety of words: “cool!” “far out!” “tough!” “heavy!” “groovey!”
Awesome has hung on for some time now. A Christian songwriter picked up on this and wrote, “Our God Is an Awesome God.”
Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God.
Definition: “that which inspires reverence and wonder; that which evokes an emotion mingled with respect and fear; that which leaves one temporarily speechless.”
WHAT IS IT THAT LEAVES YOU SPEECHLESS?
Something in nature? A sunset? A view of the Grand Canyon? Niagara Falls?
Something in the arts? A painting? A concert? A poem?
Something in sports? A record-setting performance? A no-hitter? Michael Jordan? A bowling score of 300 by a man 88 years old?
WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Anything? I think we are living ina day in which it is becoming increasingly more difficult to impress people. For example, when the first rocket roared into space back in the 60’s, people stood in awe. Now, hardly anyone pays any attention to our space program.
Let me share with you some things that I stand in awe of—some things that move my emotions to the point that they cause me to ACT—that which inspires me to give my best to them.
1. The Lord Jesus Christ
He is awesome in His glory…His honor, His majesty, His holiness. Rev 1:13-18:
13 and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.
14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
He is awesome in His power—Col.1:15-18: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
Moses saw Jesus in the burning bush.
Elijah recognized Him in the still small voice.
Joshua saw Him with a drawn sword
Isaiah saw Him in the Temple.
Peter, James, and John saw Him on the mountain.
Paul saw Him on the road to Damascus.
Jesus is awesome in His love—and showed it best on Calvary.
He is awesome in His ability to transform the human heart. One of Hitler’s bodyguards was a man named Kurt Wagner. He adored Hitler and reverenced him as a god. At the end of the war, with Hitler a suicide in a Berlin bunker, Kurt’s faith was shattered and he planned a suicide. Going for a final cup of coffee, he picked up a discarded Gospel tract and read it—first carelessly and then with interest. As a result of what he read, he sought out a pastor who led him to Christ. Kurt was transformed from a hardened man into a peace-loving man. He became a new creation in Christ.
2. The Holy Spirit is Awesome
In His ability to be everywhere at the same time.
In His power to convict the sinner.
In His ability to cleanse the heart of all sin
In His ability to teach us the ways of Christ and to remind us of these teachings.
In His power to guide and comfort.
Illus.: “A Rabbi’s Conversion”
Rabbi Slostowski, a professor at a seminary in Tel Aviv, hated the Lord Jesus Christ. So great was his resentment that he sharply criticized a young student who was reading a Hebrew New Testament. The young man replied by giving him the copy. That night, the rabbi, alone in his room, stayed up until three in the morning reading about the Nazarene who claimed to be the Messiah. The Holy Spirit guided him ito all truth, and later he confessed, “I have already found more than 200 passages of the New Testament that prove beyond a doubt that Jesus is truly the Messiah.” Oh, the power of the Holy Spirit to bring light where there is only darkness. He is truly awesome.
3. The Bible is truly Awesome
In it’s indestructibility
In it’s unity of purpose
In it’s ability to inspire holy living
In it’s prophetic element
In it’s relevance to every age
Illus.: “How the Word Was Cut Into His Heart”
When the Christians in Lahore, India, wanted to stamp Matthew 11:28 on the back of Gospels they had printed, they found they could not obtain a rubber stamp with which to do it. The only way was to get a clever Moslem to cut the words in rubber for them.
This follower of the false prophet did a good job for the saints. While he was doing his work on the soft rubber, God, by His Spirit was doing a work in his heart—softening it like the rubber. When the missionaries came to pick up the finished stamp, they were astonished to hear the Moslem say, “While I was cutting those words in Rubber, God was cutting them in my heart.” And what are those words? Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
4. The Church is Awesome
In it’s scope
In its; influence on society (salt and light)
In it’s ability to survive all attacks
In it’s bodylife—considering it’s diversity
Illus.: The Eiffel Tower
When it was built for an international exposition in the 19th century, the structure was called monstrous by the citizens of Paris, who demanded it be torn down as soon as the exposition was over. Yet, form the moment it’s architect first conceived it, he took pride in it and loyally defended it from those who wished to destroy it. He knew it was destined for greatness. Today it is one of the architectural wonders of the world and stands as the primary landmark of Paris. The architect, of course, was Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. His famous tower was built in 1889.
In the same way we are struck by Jesus’ loyalty to another structure—the church, His bride, which He entrusted to an unlikely band of disciples, whom He defended, prayed for, and prepared to spread the gospel. To outsiders they (and we) must seem like incapable blunderers. But Jesus, the architect of the church, knows this structure is destined for greatness when He returns. Jesus said, “…I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
5. Our Mission is Awesome
6 billion people on this planet
Opposition is great from Satan and his followers
Gospel is wonderful, life-changing
God’s anointing is on us for the task
William Barclay gives us an excellent insight into the nature of the true church. He writes:
“Suppose a great doctor discovers a cure for cancer. Once that cure is found, it is there. But before it can become available for everyone, it must be taken out to the world. Doctors and surgeons must know about it and be trained to use it. The cure is there, but one person cannot take it out to all the world; a corps of doctors must be the agents whereby it arrives at all the world’s sufferers. That precisely is what the church is to Jesus Christ. It is in Jesus that all people and all nations can be reconciled to God. But before that can happen, they must know about Jesus Christ, and it is the task of the church to bring that about. Christ is the head; the church is the body. The head must have a body through which it can work. The church is quite literally hands to do Christ’s work, feet to run upon His errands, and a voice to speak His words.”
Awesome! That what Jesus is. That’s what the Holy Spirit is. That’s what the Bible is. That’s what the Church is. That’s what our mission is.
Shouldn’t we give our best, our all? Shouldn’t we be done with half-hearted commitment? Shouldn’t we fall on our faces before Him in full surrender? May God help us to do just that.
