Sunday Sermon: Always Bless The Lord, June 14, 2020

Psalm 100:1-6

As we all go through these very tough times together, it is time to give thanks to God, who is looking out for all of us. It is not time to complain. Let us thank the Lord! Hallelujah! We must respond to God’s grace. I feel the pain for those that have lost a loved-one. I lost my mother and my sister recently. That pains me, and I feel the pain of your losses. God has kept us in our lives today, and for that we must be grateful. Let us pray and be grateful.

Let us read from the text.

Ps 100:1-5

1. 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.

The Context Of The Prophecy

1. The target of the prophecy was to all of the land and the inhabitants, particularly to those who have not come to the full knowledge of the Lord.

2. It is an invitation to both the godly and the ungodly to worship God that is yet to be fulfilled in its entirety

3. The text draws a contrast between the godly and the ungodly in public worship

4. The ungodly dwell outside the gates, but are invited to participate

5. The godly dwell in the court and are to worship God with gladness

6. The promise is that God will manifest Himself to anyone who will seek Him

Contrast In Public Worship Between Ungodly And The Godly Worshipers

Public worship in the court is celebrated by believers for their comfort and for the glory of God.

1. The gate and the court of the temple are public sphere, very ceremonial in worship style, where the participants are clothed in priestly garments of thanksgiving, praise, joy, and gladness. The worship is to be fun, entertaining, and upbeat with all manner of musical instrument and dancing. In a wedding ceremony in Cana, Jesus introduced the gospel as the new wine that is sweeter than the old wine

   1. The old wine was the old testament law with sharp edges of convictions and the new wine is the new testament under grace with occasions for joy and gladness that glow in darkness like a city on the hill

   2. The attraction of the new wine – the grace of God, is the special occasion for joy and gladness to motivate participation in the court

   3. The new wine is comforting. It is a new attitude of praise that defies the old you to explain why we should praise God in challenging times

   4. The worship with gladness in the public sphere of our social group, family, friends, and community will attract the participation of peers to the glory of God

   5. This manner of worship, particularly in challenging time becomes the gate through which the ungodly can see the goodness of God

2. Instances that highlight the purposes of a public display of worship, which is for our comfort and for the glorification of God.

   1. Act 16: 25-34 – Paul and Silas praised the Lord publicly in their prison, but the earthquake came for the jailer and other prisoners, who did not know the Lord. The jailer was outside the court and was invited to participate with Paul and Silas in the worship. When his life was spared by the grace of God, he failed on his feet and worshiped the Lord in response to God’s goodness to him. If any of the prisoners had escaped, the jailer would have lost his life, but God spared him

   2. John 12:28-30 states …Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

      1. 29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spoke to him.

      2. 30 Jesus answered and said, this voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

      3. In this instance, the voice came for the people not for Jesus, so that they may believe in God

   3. The godly are arrayed in garments of praise, thanksgiving, and joy to become the gate way for the ungodly invitees to access the court of the Lord and join the worship

3. Like Paul, Silas, and Jesus, we create the atmosphere of true worship in the court

   1. The wickedness of despair, discouragement, anxiety, cannot prosper in the court to suppress true worship of God. Ps 1:5

   2. We celebrate the invitation with thanksgiving and bless His name for the joyful experiences

In contrast, the ungodly worship man-made gods

They offer sacrifices on the altars of drugs, alcohol, fornications, greed, hatred, and such likes. They worship things that are not God. But the godly worship a self-existence, self-sufficient God, who is the sovereign creator of all thing

1. God does not like lame sacrifices, or blind worship; they are distasteful and unpleasing to Him. He desires voluntarily worship without blemish

2. This is the Knowledge that drives the motivation, worship, and devotion of the godly. They come with gladness and praise considering whom they are approaching His court

3. True worship recognizes and responds to the truth that God is the sovereign creator, the source of our life, and strength. As the clay has no power of its own, so God’s purpose governs life outcomes

We are to always bless God as we are driven by the knowledge of His goodness, and we praise Him with gladness for the joyful experiences the knowledge brings to our lives. In so doing, we become a gateway for the ungodly invitees to: (a) enter the gate with thanksgiving as they are attracted to participate in the court. (b) They join in the worship in the court with joy, praise, and gladness to embrace the glory of God. When all the earth comes to this knowledge and participation in worship, then will the prophecy to “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye land“ be fulfilled.