WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.040 The following sermon is made available by Lakeside Bible Church in Cornelius, North Carolina. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:19.160 For more information about our church or to find more recorded sermons, 00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:22.719 please visit us online at lakesidebible.church. 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:25.719 We'd also love to connect with you on social media. 00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:30.679 You can find us by searching Lakeside Bible NC on Facebook and Instagram. 00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:37.879 For specific questions about the Bible or our church, please email us at info at lakesidebible.church. 00:00:38.379 --> 00:00:45.820 As is true with many people, Psalm 100 is actually one of my favorite passages in all of the Bible. 00:00:46.519 --> 00:00:51.399 Now, many scholars group this in with the seven Psalms before it. 00:00:51.399 --> 00:00:58.560 Psalms 93 to 100, we study and understand that kind of have a similar subject. 00:00:58.780 --> 00:01:07.659 And that subject is that the Messiah is the king, this messianic king that will reign and will establish a kingdom. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:13.859 And they view this particular text many times as somewhat of a benediction to this series of Psalms. 00:01:13.939 --> 00:01:17.780 So they're talking about the messianic king in these Psalms leading up to Psalm 100. 00:01:17.780 --> 00:01:22.840 And then they bring that to a close in this one as kind of a benediction like we would have at the end of a service. 00:01:23.219 --> 00:01:29.700 A benediction that would not only bless the reader, but actually instruct the reader as well. 00:01:30.379 --> 00:01:41.939 You know, as we study through the Bible, we often find it a difficult task to discern exactly what the author's intent might be from passage to passage. 00:01:41.939 --> 00:01:47.959 In fact, as we study through the Gospel of Mark, I've said it a million times already in the first six weeks or so. 00:01:48.039 --> 00:01:51.480 We'll say it many more times as we study through the book. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:53.039 What was Mark's purpose? 00:01:53.259 --> 00:01:57.500 It was to proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God. 00:01:57.900 --> 00:02:00.200 And so everything in his book points towards that. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:08.599 Well, it doesn't take us very long to figure out exactly what the author's intent was in Psalm 100 because the title bears it for us. 00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:13.979 It's a psalm of thanksgiving or a psalm for giving thanks. 00:02:14.219 --> 00:02:15.299 That's what it's for. 00:02:16.139 --> 00:02:16.759 It's interesting. 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:21.479 This is the only psalm in the entire Bible that actually has this title. 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:35.259 And it's most likely that it was sung or chanted or utilized in conjunction with the thanksgiving offerings that are recorded for us and instructed in Leviticus chapter 7. 00:02:35.259 --> 00:02:46.699 And I think that this makes this particular psalm fitting for our focus this week as we think about the thanksgiving holiday and what does it actually mean to give thanks? 00:02:46.819 --> 00:02:50.759 And how is it that the Lord wants us to go about doing that? 00:02:50.799 --> 00:02:53.139 Not only this week, but day by day. 00:02:53.139 --> 00:03:05.859 And so I want to even encourage you this week as you go from meal to meal perhaps, if given the opportunity to maybe start your thanksgiving gatherings with a reading of this psalm. 00:03:05.860 --> 00:03:20.320 And allow the word of God not only to inaugurate your thanksgiving gatherings, but to kind of structure them as we reflect on what God actually desires of us and what should our spirit be. 00:03:20.740 --> 00:03:26.480 I have four simple notes, meditations on thanksgiving that come from Psalm 100. 00:03:26.620 --> 00:03:30.720 If you'd like to keep notes, I'll try to make note of what would be helpful to write down. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:33.620 Number one, we see the spirit of our thanksgiving. 00:03:34.139 --> 00:03:36.259 The spirit of our thanksgiving. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:39.020 Look with me again at the first two verses. 00:03:40.039 --> 00:03:43.060 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all the earth. 00:03:43.740 --> 00:03:45.219 Serve the Lord with gladness. 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:48.979 Come before his presence with singing. 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:54.919 Now these first two verses, they're not recording for us in a historical event. 00:03:54.919 --> 00:04:03.399 They are actually picturing for us the future kingdom in which Christ will rule on earth. 00:04:04.039 --> 00:04:09.119 Ever since the very first sin in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:13.139 Since the punishment for sin has come into play. 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:18.579 And God made that great promise that one day the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. 00:04:18.659 --> 00:04:21.639 We see that theme all the way running through the scripture. 00:04:21.639 --> 00:04:28.379 And we see that ultimately being shown in the person of Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:35.879 But all throughout the scripture, we see this promise and this emphasis that there will be coming a kingdom 00:04:35.879 --> 00:04:41.500 in which the Messiah will reign perfectly on earth. 00:04:41.500 --> 00:04:44.199 And we understand that Messiah to be Jesus. 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:50.019 It'll be a perfect time of worship and he will reign as our king. 00:04:50.019 --> 00:04:55.539 And Psalm 100, as we read through it, continually draws on that imagery. 00:04:56.159 --> 00:04:59.799 But that doesn't mean that it was irrelevant to the people in ancient Israel. 00:05:00.019 --> 00:05:03.419 Nor is it irrelevant to us today. 00:05:04.180 --> 00:05:10.680 What's pictured for us in this Psalm is something that we are to actually foreshadow 00:05:10.680 --> 00:05:14.740 in our own personal worship and thanksgiving now. 00:05:14.740 --> 00:05:24.259 In other words, our worship is to be a reflection of what will be taking place in Christ's coming kingdom. 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:29.180 And there's three imperatives in these two verses that the psalmist, whoever wrote it, 00:05:29.400 --> 00:05:32.819 said this is what the spirit of your thanksgiving should be. 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:38.579 Because this is what the spirit of thanksgiving will be in the kingdom of Christ in his future kingdom. 00:05:38.819 --> 00:05:40.280 Let me just give you those three imperatives. 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:43.799 The first one is this, shout, shout. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:45.959 Look again at verse one. 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:51.399 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all the earth. 00:05:52.039 --> 00:05:55.939 Now what's translated here in the King James, if that's what you're using with me this morning, 00:05:56.299 --> 00:06:02.919 what's translated as joyful noise is actually a command to shout or to cry out. 00:06:02.920 --> 00:06:12.939 It refers to a citywide celebration during which a king would be coming up on his coronation 00:06:12.939 --> 00:06:19.060 or be taking a throne or perhaps be entering into the city after a tremendous military victory somewhere. 00:06:19.180 --> 00:06:21.560 And the streets would be lined with people. 00:06:21.780 --> 00:06:26.560 And they would, as in the case of Jesus's entry, they would have their palm branches. 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:32.259 They would lay out their garments on the street and they would shout for the king as he came by 00:06:32.259 --> 00:06:37.040 or as he assumed his place reigning on the throne. 00:06:37.819 --> 00:06:44.620 You can imagine what the psalmist has in mind here as he pictures what this will be like in Christ's coming kingdom. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:49.019 You can imagine the new Jerusalem packed full of people. 00:06:49.180 --> 00:06:55.019 And as Jesus takes his throne in this great shout of celebration, that's what it's referring to here. 00:06:55.019 --> 00:06:59.939 Have you ever been in a situation that had such a celebratory shout? 00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:02.899 I've been in a number of situations like that. 00:07:03.219 --> 00:07:06.339 If you're a sports fan, hopefully you have been. 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:08.699 Hopefully you don't just like Charlotte sports. 00:07:08.759 --> 00:07:10.199 You probably haven't had much of that. 00:07:10.539 --> 00:07:13.899 But if you're a sports fan, maybe you've experienced this. 00:07:14.359 --> 00:07:18.779 A few years ago, as you are well aware of at this point in the life of our church, 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:22.199 I'm a big New York Yankees fan, New York Yankees baseball fan. 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:26.459 And my brother and I have, and Julie has been with me several times as well. 00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:29.899 We've gone to New York to watch the Yankees play several times. 00:07:30.099 --> 00:07:36.899 And a couple of years ago, Jonathan and I, my brother, we were visiting our friend who pastors a church in the Bronx. 00:07:37.699 --> 00:07:41.019 And while we were there, we decided we were gonna go to a Yankees game. 00:07:41.079 --> 00:07:44.719 I don't remember who they were playing, but the reason we wanted to go that particular night 00:07:44.719 --> 00:07:47.159 was because it was Bernie Williams night. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:49.120 Bernie Williams was a Yankee legend. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:53.780 And when I was growing up as a kid, he was still on the team and he was awesome. 00:07:53.899 --> 00:07:56.579 He won world championships with the Yankees and it was fantastic. 00:07:56.899 --> 00:08:03.340 And the papers locally had written that in the ceremony that night before the game, 00:08:03.540 --> 00:08:07.060 honoring Bernie Williams, there were gonna be a number of players that they brought back 00:08:07.060 --> 00:08:08.340 to be a part of that celebration. 00:08:08.540 --> 00:08:09.740 And so we wanted to go. 00:08:09.860 --> 00:08:11.199 It was a sold out night. 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:15.519 We had nosebleed seats in left field as high up as you could possibly be. 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:19.459 We had to pretty much watch everything on the big TV screen because we were so far away, 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:20.979 we couldn't really see what was going on on the field. 00:08:21.819 --> 00:08:26.319 And I remember one by one as they brought Bernie Williams out and they kind of had a seat for him. 00:08:26.359 --> 00:08:31.439 And then one by one, they brought out these Yankee legends that I remember watching as a kid. 00:08:31.599 --> 00:08:33.139 Jorge Posada would come out. 00:08:33.220 --> 00:08:35.559 And then Andy Pettit and Roger Clemens. 00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:38.539 And they brought Joe Torre, the manager, all those years out. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:39.340 And Don Mattingly. 00:08:39.419 --> 00:08:40.439 They brought all these guys out. 00:08:40.500 --> 00:08:41.340 And it was just awesome. 00:08:41.340 --> 00:08:44.720 And probably 20 or so former players they brought out onto the field. 00:08:45.420 --> 00:08:49.440 And the last one that they brought out was my favorite pitcher for the Yankees growing up, 00:08:49.660 --> 00:08:50.519 Mariano Rivera. 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:53.200 He was the legend closer all of those years. 00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:58.379 And they brought him out at the end and just the place went nuts. 00:08:58.560 --> 00:08:59.580 I mean, it was awesome. 00:08:59.660 --> 00:09:00.420 It was exciting. 00:09:00.540 --> 00:09:02.240 It was full of celebration. 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:03.259 Everybody was excited. 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:05.259 Nobody cared about Bernie Williams at that point. 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:07.160 They all cared about Mariano Rivera. 00:09:07.159 --> 00:09:10.919 And, of course, all those people, the papers had said, would be there. 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:15.019 And then just before they carried on through the ceremony, 00:09:15.539 --> 00:09:19.339 they said that there was one more person that they were going to bring out. 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:22.279 And, of course, Ken and Jonathan and I are sitting there. 00:09:22.339 --> 00:09:30.100 We're trying to figure out there's only one person who would elicit a larger reaction than Mariano Rivera. 00:09:30.100 --> 00:09:37.320 And, sure enough, they called Derek Jeter, the legendary captain of the Yankees. 00:09:37.420 --> 00:09:38.639 He had been retired at this point. 00:09:38.860 --> 00:09:42.759 This was his first time back at Yankee Stadium since all of those years that he played, 00:09:43.100 --> 00:09:45.879 20 years probably that he played for the Yankees. 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:47.720 And nobody knew he was going to be there. 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:48.899 That was the thing. 00:09:48.899 --> 00:09:55.179 And when they called Derek Jeter's name, number two, and he comes out of the dugout onto the field, 00:09:55.399 --> 00:10:01.139 I have never been in a place that was so loud as that stadium was in that moment. 00:10:01.299 --> 00:10:03.939 I mean, people were pumped. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:09.199 50,000 people packed into this stadium all at one time on their feet. 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:12.639 Again, nobody cared about Bernie Williams anymore. 00:10:13.019 --> 00:10:15.059 Nobody cared about Mariano Rivera anymore. 00:10:15.059 --> 00:10:19.599 All eyes were on Derek Jeter, and that place was going absolutely insane. 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:21.979 It was exciting, and we were caught up in that excitement. 00:10:22.899 --> 00:10:29.539 Now, imagine with me what this celebration will be like in the coming kingdom of our Lord 00:10:29.539 --> 00:10:39.119 when Jesus takes the throne among his people, and death and sin and sorrow and despair 00:10:39.119 --> 00:10:42.539 has finally been abolished for all of eternity, 00:10:42.539 --> 00:10:46.899 and Jesus comes into the new Jerusalem, and he sits upon his throne, 00:10:47.059 --> 00:10:51.120 and the great shout that we will experience, not by 50,000 people, 00:10:51.299 --> 00:10:55.539 but by millions and millions and millions and millions of people 00:10:55.539 --> 00:11:00.319 that will collectively shout in celebration to the Lord in that moment. 00:11:01.299 --> 00:11:05.019 That's what the psalmist is saying our spirit of thanksgiving should be, 00:11:05.939 --> 00:11:10.719 that in that same spirit, we should give a celebratory shout to the Lord 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:12.800 that when we reflect on his goodness now, 00:11:12.899 --> 00:11:17.660 we are to foreshadow what that celebration will be like in eternity, 00:11:17.660 --> 00:11:23.460 and it ought to be a spirit of joyful thanksgiving and of celebration. 00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:25.060 So we see we're to shout. 00:11:25.160 --> 00:11:27.399 The second imperative here is serve. 00:11:27.860 --> 00:11:28.379 Serve. 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:32.060 Look with me again. 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:33.160 Verse 2. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:36.980 Serve the Lord with gladness. 00:11:36.980 --> 00:11:38.399 That's interesting. 00:11:38.560 --> 00:11:42.440 These imperatives, they not only refer to our spirit of worship, 00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:46.940 but they drive us to spiritual action. 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:52.120 In the first imperative, we're commanded to worship with a shout of joy for our king, 00:11:52.259 --> 00:11:57.659 but in the second imperative, we're instructed to faithfully serve that king. 00:11:57.920 --> 00:11:59.860 And how are we to serve him? 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:02.659 With gladness of heart. 00:12:02.659 --> 00:12:07.559 We're immediately reminded here that the Lord is not our servant. 00:12:08.219 --> 00:12:09.519 We are his. 00:12:10.539 --> 00:12:12.379 We are to serve him with our lives. 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:18.539 And what we will do in his kingdom is serve him with tremendous gladness out of a heart of thanksgiving. 00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:23.679 And again, this is exactly how we are to foreshadow that time now, 00:12:23.899 --> 00:12:29.100 by serving our Lord with gladness of heart and with great thanksgiving. 00:12:29.100 --> 00:12:39.759 The truth is that glad service to the Lord comes naturally and automatically from those who worship him with gratitude of heart. 00:12:40.460 --> 00:12:41.899 And so we see the word to shout. 00:12:42.040 --> 00:12:43.080 We see that we're to serve. 00:12:43.180 --> 00:12:45.940 And then thirdly, we see that we are to sing. 00:12:46.759 --> 00:12:50.600 Come before his presence with singing. 00:12:51.560 --> 00:12:54.220 Come before his presence is an interesting phrase here. 00:12:54.220 --> 00:12:58.840 It literally means to come before his face or to stand before his face. 00:12:59.100 --> 00:13:05.960 It reflects the intimacy of relationship that exists between God and his people. 00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:12.500 And there will come a day in his kingdom when physically we will stand before him face to face. 00:13:12.580 --> 00:13:19.440 But we do so now in a spiritual sense, in our worship, corporately, privately. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:21.000 He meets with us. 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:24.440 The Holy Spirit indwells us. 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:31.480 And the command here is that as we come before his presence, we do so with singing. 00:13:32.520 --> 00:13:34.820 The Bible has a lot to say about our singing. 00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:36.240 I love music. 00:13:36.520 --> 00:13:37.560 Not everybody does. 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:39.860 But the Bible commands us to sing. 00:13:40.740 --> 00:13:45.440 In fact, God's people have always been and always will be a singing people. 00:13:46.260 --> 00:13:46.900 It's important. 00:13:46.899 --> 00:13:52.879 It's important as we come together Sunday by Sunday that we lift our voices in joyful celebration, 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:54.439 singing unto the Lord. 00:13:54.519 --> 00:13:56.860 And while the Bible has a lot to say about that, 00:13:57.379 --> 00:14:02.360 the emphasis of what the psalmist means here is not so much the actual act of singing 00:14:02.360 --> 00:14:06.340 as it is the spirit with which we come before the Lord. 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:08.559 It's with a joyful heart. 00:14:08.659 --> 00:14:13.059 A heart that sings is really what the psalmist is saying. 00:14:13.059 --> 00:14:16.379 What is the true spirit of thanksgiving? 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:20.239 It is to joyfully shout. 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:24.639 It is to serve with gladness. 00:14:24.899 --> 00:14:27.799 And it is to worship him with singing. 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:30.179 So we see the spirit of our thanksgiving in the first two verses. 00:14:30.539 --> 00:14:33.119 Number two, we see the object of our thanksgiving. 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:37.519 The object of our thanksgiving in verse three. 00:14:37.599 --> 00:14:38.239 Look at it with me. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:42.860 Know ye that the Lord, he is God. 00:14:43.659 --> 00:14:47.000 It is he that hath made us and not we ourselves. 00:14:47.700 --> 00:14:52.299 We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. 00:14:53.779 --> 00:14:57.100 Know that the Lord, he is God. 00:14:57.180 --> 00:14:58.759 That's where the psalmist takes us now. 00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:07.000 Now, I've always viewed this verse as a form of motivation for offering thanksgiving to the Lord. 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:11.059 And it certainly gives us reason to do that as it just turns our focus to the Lord. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:16.240 One of the things that struck me in particular this week in studying through this psalm 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:22.500 is the fact that the psalmist isn't actually offering an explanation in verse three, 00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:30.799 nor is he providing for us an instruction or, excuse me, a motivation in verse three. 00:15:31.299 --> 00:15:35.019 What he's actually doing is providing an instruction. 00:15:36.179 --> 00:15:40.899 And he uses this word know right at the beginning of the verse, which is another imperative. 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:42.980 It's an imperative that we are to obey. 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:46.320 Know that the Lord, he is God. 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:55.580 He's not only stating that Yahweh is God, he's actually instructing us to continually bring this truth to mind, 00:15:55.900 --> 00:16:00.680 to continually, purposefully, intentionally bring to the forefront of our minds, 00:16:00.800 --> 00:16:08.320 to the forefront of our hearts, the fact that God is God, that Jehovah, Yahweh is God. 00:16:08.420 --> 00:16:09.800 He is Lord. 00:16:10.340 --> 00:16:11.740 But why would he do this? 00:16:12.560 --> 00:16:14.360 Why is this necessary for him? 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:15.860 Why would we think differently? 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:16.960 Then that. 00:16:18.020 --> 00:16:21.879 David Dixon was a 17th century pastor in Scotland. 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:23.520 And he said this about this verse. 00:16:24.640 --> 00:16:32.540 From the reasons of this exhortation, learn that such is our natural atheism, 00:16:32.780 --> 00:16:40.580 that we have need again and again to be instructed that the Lord is God, 00:16:40.920 --> 00:16:45.660 of whom and through him and for whom are all things. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.060 What does Dixon mean by that? 00:16:50.379 --> 00:16:54.780 He wasn't saying that we all structure with an intellectual atheism. 00:16:54.940 --> 00:16:58.780 He was saying we all battle a practical atheism. 00:16:59.280 --> 00:17:00.440 What does that mean? 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:02.460 Sinful people. 00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:10.759 It's our very nature to be consumed with self and disregard the presence and authority of God in our daily lives. 00:17:10.759 --> 00:17:23.539 We often lack a true spirit of thanksgiving because we haven't stopped to consider day by day what God has done for us to produce such gratitude. 00:17:23.539 --> 00:17:33.440 Intellectually, we may be orthodox in our belief, but practically, we often go about life as if God isn't there at all. 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:47.039 So the psalmist writes and he says in this thanksgiving, shout, sing, serve, but know every day, day by day, bring to mind, remind yourself that there is a God, 00:17:47.180 --> 00:17:53.299 that he does rule the earth, and that you are accountable to him. 00:17:53.299 --> 00:18:00.740 And here he brings in this dynamic and principle of ownership. 00:18:01.879 --> 00:18:05.659 Now, I thought about giving a Lion King illustration here, but I'm gonna skip that for you today. 00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:15.159 When I was a kid, anytime we went somewhere, like on a youth trip or just to a friend's house, whatever it was, 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:17.380 my dad said the same thing every time. 00:18:17.800 --> 00:18:23.560 He said, Jared, remember who you are and remember whose you are. 00:18:24.360 --> 00:18:26.040 Did anybody else's parents say that to them? 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:27.779 Now, here's what dad meant by that. 00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:29.019 Don't embarrass me. 00:18:29.360 --> 00:18:30.140 That's what he meant. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:34.259 Don't do something stupid while you're at wherever you are. 00:18:34.620 --> 00:18:36.160 Remember who you belong to. 00:18:36.460 --> 00:18:38.120 And he didn't mean Christ at that point. 00:18:38.340 --> 00:18:39.080 He meant him. 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:45.119 And then it was often followed up by, don't forget that your heart belongs to Christ, 00:18:45.159 --> 00:18:46.639 but the rest of you belongs to me. 00:18:46.699 --> 00:18:50.099 And that was a subtle threat of what would happen if I did embarrass him. 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:52.799 Remember whose you are. 00:18:53.639 --> 00:18:56.359 There's a sense here in which that's what the psalmist is saying. 00:18:57.559 --> 00:19:04.559 Continually bring to mind that Yahweh is God and remember whose you are. 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:08.039 Remember who you belong to. 00:19:09.639 --> 00:19:11.039 Our kids are learning this. 00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:15.439 This is the first question in the catechism that they learn, right, kids? 00:19:15.919 --> 00:19:17.740 What is our only hope in life and death? 00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:18.259 What is it? 00:19:23.399 --> 00:19:24.119 Great job. 00:19:24.220 --> 00:19:25.279 That we are not our own. 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:27.419 We're not our own. 00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:29.319 Now, let's think about that for a minute, 00:19:29.699 --> 00:19:31.579 if you'll just allow me to sidetrack. 00:19:32.299 --> 00:19:33.599 We are not our own. 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:41.399 That goes against everything that we are told in our culture and society that we're supposed to think and believe. 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:45.160 This is my life. 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:46.860 I'll live it the way I want. 00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:49.380 It's my body. 00:19:49.460 --> 00:19:50.800 I'll do with it what I want. 00:19:51.800 --> 00:19:53.060 We bring it into the church. 00:19:53.259 --> 00:19:54.220 It's my church. 00:19:54.220 --> 00:19:56.980 We'll do things the way I want. 00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:58.160 And so on and so forth. 00:19:58.279 --> 00:20:00.279 Everything about our lives is consumed with self. 00:20:00.339 --> 00:20:01.980 It's all about this belongs to me. 00:20:02.180 --> 00:20:03.259 These are my rights. 00:20:03.360 --> 00:20:04.120 This is what I will do. 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:06.600 But the Bible presents a very different dynamic of life. 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:08.559 It's not that we belong to ourselves. 00:20:08.719 --> 00:20:09.859 We belong to God. 00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:12.419 And that is not only an instruction for us to remember, 00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:14.559 but it is a hope that we carry. 00:20:15.459 --> 00:20:17.319 It's a hope that we carry for eternity. 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:19.480 And here in this verse, 00:20:20.119 --> 00:20:25.619 the psalmist gives us three principles of ownership as we relate to the Lord. 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:27.879 First, he is our creator. 00:20:28.399 --> 00:20:29.500 He's our creator. 00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:37.200 He writes, it is he who has made us, not we ourselves or we are his. 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:39.740 It is he who has made us. 00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:44.420 That's the first thing that should produce thanksgiving in the hearts of men and women. 00:20:44.940 --> 00:20:47.160 The fact that we are his in creation. 00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:53.500 He has given us life, real life on this earth. 00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:59.480 Acknowledging that God as a creator means that there is a great purpose. 00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:00.660 In his creation. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:07.119 And the Bible makes clear that our purpose in creation is to glorify him. 00:21:07.859 --> 00:21:10.960 And that means that we exist to bring him honor. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:12.059 And how do we do that? 00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:17.380 By acknowledging first his immeasurable love for us in creation. 00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:22.420 Think about how David reflected on this in Psalm 8. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.640 He said, when I look at your heavens, the creation, 00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:28.460 when I look at your heavens and the work of your fingers, 00:21:28.460 --> 00:21:31.200 the moon and the stars which you had set in place, 00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:35.100 what is man that you are mindful of him? 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:39.079 And the son of man that you care for him. 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:42.279 Ashlyn and I, Monday night, walked out into our backyard. 00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:45.160 And it was just one of those nights that was really clear. 00:21:45.299 --> 00:21:46.539 There's no clouds in the sky. 00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:50.319 And the stars were just abundantly bright for whatever reason earlier in this week. 00:21:50.460 --> 00:21:52.220 And maybe there's a scientific reason for that. 00:21:52.259 --> 00:21:52.579 I don't know. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:53.500 But it was just really bright. 00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:54.880 And you can see stars everywhere. 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:57.020 And so we turned the lights off in the backyard. 00:21:57.180 --> 00:21:58.560 And Ashlyn and I went and stood in the backyard. 00:21:58.680 --> 00:21:59.980 Harper came along with us, I think. 00:22:00.200 --> 00:22:02.660 And we went to Psalm 8. 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:03.380 And we read that. 00:22:04.700 --> 00:22:08.720 And you think about David, all of those days on the side of the hills as he's watching his sheep. 00:22:08.780 --> 00:22:13.200 All of those nights as he considered the sun and the moon and the stars that God had set in place. 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:16.740 And what that did for him is it said, who am I that you care about me? 00:22:18.140 --> 00:22:20.279 What is man that you are mindful of him? 00:22:20.860 --> 00:22:22.160 What did it produce in his life? 00:22:22.660 --> 00:22:23.039 Thanksgiving. 00:22:23.580 --> 00:22:25.120 And what was that produced by? 00:22:25.400 --> 00:22:29.259 An acknowledgement of God's creation and his care in creation. 00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:30.460 So he's our creator. 00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:32.960 Secondly, he's our redeemer. 00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:34.720 He's our redeemer. 00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:38.519 It is he who has made us, not we ourselves. 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:41.580 We are his people. 00:22:41.579 --> 00:22:44.899 Now this is the primary emphasis of this verse. 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:50.939 We can't understand the principle without acknowledging the doctrine of creation. 00:22:50.939 --> 00:23:01.000 But the real drive of the psalmist here is to proclaim that God has redeemed a particular people for himself. 00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:05.439 What a thanksgiving producing statement that is. 00:23:06.179 --> 00:23:11.240 Not only has he made you, but if you're a believer today, he has set you apart. 00:23:11.240 --> 00:23:15.420 He has made you a part of a chosen people for himself. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:16.819 And what is that to do to us? 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:19.539 It is to produce thanksgiving in our hearts. 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:27.299 Not only has he provided physical life, he's chosen a people for which he gives eternal life. 00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:29.259 And who are those people? 00:23:29.259 --> 00:23:37.920 All who come to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith will receive this eternal, glorious life. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:40.500 We are his people. 00:23:40.900 --> 00:23:51.220 But what makes that truth so incredibly impactful is that it is totally based on the grace of God and his choice. 00:23:51.619 --> 00:23:53.220 We are his people. 00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:55.240 We are his people. 00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:58.599 He has made us his own. 00:24:00.059 --> 00:24:06.359 Andrew Bonner was another 19th century Scottish pastor. 00:24:06.859 --> 00:24:08.259 He said this, 00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:13.059 He made us what we are, a people to himself. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:16.099 It was not we that made ourselves his. 00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:21.839 He made us his people and the flock whom he feeds. 00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:26.659 Peter noted this in his first epistle, 1 Peter chapter 2. 00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:35.740 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, 00:24:36.080 --> 00:24:42.940 that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:46.500 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people. 00:24:46.740 --> 00:24:50.940 Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy, Peter said. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:51.660 What does that mean? 00:24:51.720 --> 00:24:52.920 What is the psalmist getting at? 00:24:52.920 --> 00:24:55.820 Not only are we his in creation, we are his in redemption. 00:24:56.259 --> 00:25:00.120 He has called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light. 00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:02.420 We are his. 00:25:02.740 --> 00:25:04.100 So thank him. 00:25:05.100 --> 00:25:06.320 He has made you his own. 00:25:07.860 --> 00:25:09.920 Thirdly, he's our shepherd. 00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:11.340 He's our shepherd. 00:25:11.339 --> 00:25:18.480 We are the sheep of his pasture, the psalmist says. 00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:21.419 We see this theme all throughout the scriptures. 00:25:22.459 --> 00:25:23.559 What does a shepherd do? 00:25:24.699 --> 00:25:25.619 Shepherd leads. 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:27.839 A shepherd feeds. 00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:30.240 A shepherd protects. 00:25:31.459 --> 00:25:32.679 A shepherd guides. 00:25:33.699 --> 00:25:35.220 A shepherd disciplines. 00:25:36.859 --> 00:25:38.299 A shepherd cares. 00:25:39.399 --> 00:25:40.879 What is this telling us about our Savior? 00:25:41.879 --> 00:25:43.119 He is our great shepherd. 00:25:44.179 --> 00:25:47.299 And again, back to David's writing, Psalm 23. 00:25:48.139 --> 00:25:49.379 The Lord is my shepherd. 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:51.220 I shall not want. 00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:58.000 Mr. Quo, a couple of weeks ago, gave me a picture that he had written in Chinese, Psalm 23 and verse one. 00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:02.459 And as I was using the app on my phone to try to translate it, he wouldn't tell me what it was. 00:26:02.500 --> 00:26:04.099 He made me have to figure it out on my own. 00:26:04.139 --> 00:26:05.039 And I was trying to figure it out. 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:09.000 And it said, Psalm 23, one, the Lord is my shepherd. 00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:13.259 And the way it translated on my app into English was, I lack nothing. 00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:15.460 Oh man, I love that phrase. 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:17.460 I was confused as a kid. 00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:20.440 I would read this and I would say, the Lord is my shepherd. 00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.140 I shall not want. 00:26:21.180 --> 00:26:22.480 And I thought, but I do want him. 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:26.039 I thought it was saying that it was, he didn't want the shepherd, but that's not what he's saying. 00:26:26.180 --> 00:26:27.279 The Lord is my shepherd. 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:29.420 I lack nothing. 00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:30.559 I lack nothing. 00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:32.639 You say, well, my bills aren't getting paid. 00:26:34.639 --> 00:26:41.899 But I got this, I got this irritation that plagues me day in and day out physically or in my health. 00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:43.139 Hey, the Lord is my shepherd. 00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:44.259 I lack nothing. 00:26:44.660 --> 00:26:45.839 What do you mean I lack nothing? 00:26:46.359 --> 00:26:47.079 You are his. 00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:48.339 You are his. 00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:54.480 It doesn't mean that everything in your life is great and grand, but it means that he is in control. 00:26:54.480 --> 00:27:01.500 He is caring for you and even the times that he's taking you through hardship, he is your great shepherd and he is bringing you through that for a purpose. 00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:02.599 So thank him. 00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:02.819 Why? 00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:03.980 Because you belong to him. 00:27:04.380 --> 00:27:07.099 He's the object of our thanksgiving. 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:08.400 Thirdly, we must hurry. 00:27:09.640 --> 00:27:11.200 The practice of our thanksgiving. 00:27:12.059 --> 00:27:13.420 The practice of our thanksgiving. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:15.220 Look with me at verse four. 00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:21.299 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. 00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:23.519 Be thankful to him. 00:27:24.480 --> 00:27:26.279 Bless his name. 00:27:27.360 --> 00:27:32.299 Enter his courts with thanksgiving or his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:39.259 This is the portion of this psalm that actually reflects the authorial intent expressed in the title. 00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:44.000 And he wants this used as a moment of giving thanks. 00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:47.200 And it's not only a command to thank the Lord. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:52.700 It's an invitation to enter into his presence with our worship. 00:27:53.140 --> 00:27:54.160 Did you pick up on that? 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:55.140 It's another imperative. 00:27:55.700 --> 00:27:57.240 Enter his gates. 00:27:58.580 --> 00:28:00.140 Enter his courts. 00:28:00.259 --> 00:28:01.200 It's an invitation. 00:28:01.580 --> 00:28:03.500 A divine invitation. 00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:08.960 Now we think that this was probably used, as I mentioned before, in conjunction with the thanksgiving offerings. 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:15.980 Now I want you to picture yourself as if you are in ancient Israel and you are coming to Jerusalem in order to give such an offering. 00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:18.620 You can only do this from a distance. 00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:22.299 You couldn't actually come into the gates in the court of the Lord. 00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:23.339 It's not what you could do. 00:28:23.339 --> 00:28:29.720 Just the average Israelite, the average Jew, he could get access perhaps to the outer court. 00:28:29.939 --> 00:28:37.779 And once he got access to the outer court, there was the altar that was there, a continual reminder of his need for cleansing and his need for sacrifice and for atonement. 00:28:37.959 --> 00:28:41.279 And that's as far as you could go, unless you were a priest. 00:28:42.279 --> 00:28:44.079 If you're a priest, you could go a little farther. 00:28:44.199 --> 00:28:45.579 You could go into the holy place. 00:28:45.579 --> 00:28:48.480 That is the main structural part of the temple. 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:53.380 And there were things that you could enjoy, things that you could carry out as your duty as a priest in Israel. 00:28:53.500 --> 00:28:56.900 But that's as far as you could go, unless you're a high priest. 00:28:57.620 --> 00:29:04.380 And if you're a high priest, only you could go into the very presence of God and the holy of holies. 00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:06.420 And you could only do it once a year. 00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:11.779 And you had to go through this ritual, vigorous ritual cleansing in that moment. 00:29:13.299 --> 00:29:17.599 That's what these people were doing as they sing this psalm of thanksgiving, as they offer this offering of thanksgiving. 00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:19.879 Now, here's what's so great about me telling you that. 00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:25.859 What Jesus has done for us on the cross did away with all of that. 00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:27.319 All of it. 00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:30.379 We no longer worship him at a distance. 00:29:30.539 --> 00:29:33.579 We literally are invited into his presence. 00:29:33.719 --> 00:29:37.199 In fact, the Bible tells us something physical happened at the death of Christ. 00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:45.079 As soon as he breathed his last breath, it says that the veil in the temple rent, that is the dividing point between the holy of holies and the rest of the temple. 00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:47.939 It tore into, what was that symbolic of? 00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:53.819 It was symbolic of we now have access directly to the Father. 00:29:54.699 --> 00:29:56.639 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving. 00:29:56.859 --> 00:29:58.179 Enter his courts with praise. 00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:03.980 Not because you've done everything that you need to do, but because he has invited you there. 00:30:04.679 --> 00:30:06.039 Enter into his gates. 00:30:06.659 --> 00:30:07.799 Enter into his courts. 00:30:08.779 --> 00:30:12.199 The atonement made by Jesus has changed it all. 00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:18.019 Not only do we have access to the very presence of God, but he invites us into that presence. 00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:23.600 And because of Jesus, there's no more a barrier between God and man. 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:29.679 All who come to Jesus Christ have total access to the throne of heaven. 00:30:30.679 --> 00:30:44.559 Enter his gates is an invitation that acknowledges that God has made it possible through his son to know him and to actually do what this psalm is commanding for us to do. 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:51.799 The story has been told, perhaps you've heard it, of the boy that went to London. 00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:57.539 I was hoping to see Bob here today so I could talk about London and the queen and all that kind of stuff. 00:30:58.440 --> 00:30:59.519 We'll say it was Bob. 00:30:59.599 --> 00:31:00.299 Bob is a boy. 00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:01.599 Went to London. 00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:05.099 And he went out to the gates. 00:31:05.159 --> 00:31:09.039 And the reason he went to the gates of Buckingham Palace is because he wanted to see the king. 00:31:09.139 --> 00:31:14.399 And he expected once he got there to get into the gates in order that he might get to the king. 00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:17.959 But he realized once he got there, that was not an easy task. 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:21.599 There were a series of guards for the boy or for Bob in this case. 00:31:21.659 --> 00:31:22.959 There was a series of guards there. 00:31:24.039 --> 00:31:25.959 And they would not let him pass through. 00:31:25.959 --> 00:31:29.939 They wouldn't open the gates for him to come in in order that he might see the king. 00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:33.279 And their job, after all, is not to let people in. 00:31:33.340 --> 00:31:34.259 It's to keep people out. 00:31:34.360 --> 00:31:35.740 And so that's exactly what they were doing. 00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:37.360 The boy couldn't get in. 00:31:37.380 --> 00:31:39.039 And there was a commotion as he was arguing. 00:31:39.120 --> 00:31:40.299 He wanted to see the king. 00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:45.559 And there was a man passing by that inquired as to what all of the commotion was about. 00:31:45.640 --> 00:31:48.539 And the boy said, I just want to see the king. 00:31:49.299 --> 00:31:52.160 And he said, well, just come with me. 00:31:52.840 --> 00:31:53.940 And he took his hand. 00:31:54.400 --> 00:31:57.700 And to the boy's surprise, the guards stood at attention. 00:31:57.700 --> 00:31:59.880 No one stopped him from entering. 00:32:00.500 --> 00:32:04.980 The man opened the gate, walked into the palace, Buckingham Palace. 00:32:05.360 --> 00:32:07.160 And he had direct access to the king. 00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:14.420 As it turns out, the man who had grabbed his hand that day was the Prince of Wales, the king's own son. 00:32:15.860 --> 00:32:18.980 As long as he was begging at the gate, he couldn't get in. 00:32:19.940 --> 00:32:22.559 The guards could not give him access to the king. 00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:25.440 Only the son could do that. 00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:29.320 God has thrown open the gates of his kingdom. 00:32:30.279 --> 00:32:34.840 But you can only go in if you enter with his son. 00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:39.400 And it's the son that has the authority to grant access. 00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:51.080 And Jesus has promised that all who will go through him alone will dwell in the palace of the king for all of eternity. 00:32:51.079 --> 00:32:57.240 Now, if we enter into these gates with thanksgiving, what is it that we're actually supposed to do once we get there? 00:32:57.759 --> 00:32:58.460 He tells us. 00:32:58.960 --> 00:32:59.500 Give thanks. 00:33:01.019 --> 00:33:03.859 The psalmist says we're to enter with thanksgiving and praise. 00:33:04.599 --> 00:33:06.199 But what does that actually mean? 00:33:07.639 --> 00:33:08.460 What does it mean? 00:33:09.939 --> 00:33:13.960 C.S. Lewis struggled with this in his life, especially early on. 00:33:13.960 --> 00:33:18.600 And he was an atheist for years, and as an adult, he came to know Christ through his friendship with J.R. Tolkien. 00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:20.420 They were writers together. 00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:22.940 And he came to know Christ after the fact. 00:33:23.420 --> 00:33:30.120 And early on in his Christian life, he struggled with this demanding of praise that God continually gives in the scriptures. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:32.759 He was put off by it, actually. 00:33:32.759 --> 00:33:43.579 All he could think about was that annoying person at the party that constantly wanted to show off what was good in their life and constantly wanted the recognition of what was in their life. 00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:48.819 And he had a hard time understanding why would God act in this way? 00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:57.960 And he realized later, as he began to discern more about the character of God in the Christian life, that his perspective of praise was skewed. 00:33:57.960 --> 00:34:03.860 He considered praise and thanksgiving as merely offering a compliment to someone else. 00:34:04.180 --> 00:34:06.460 But he realized that's not actually what praise is. 00:34:06.500 --> 00:34:08.720 It's not just offering up a compliment. 00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:11.220 We all praise every day. 00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:13.900 We praise the things we love the most. 00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:17.340 The things that we enjoy in life are the things we praise. 00:34:18.220 --> 00:34:22.159 The sports fan praises his favorite team that he enjoys. 00:34:23.139 --> 00:34:26.519 The musician praises his favorite band that he enjoys. 00:34:26.519 --> 00:34:30.440 The loving husband praises the wife that he enjoys. 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:36.280 And what C.S. Lewis came to understand, that praise is not a matter of giving a compliment to the Lord. 00:34:36.679 --> 00:34:41.179 Praise is a matter of overflowing joy in the Lord. 00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:46.300 That the more you enjoy him, the more you enjoy fellowship with him, 00:34:46.380 --> 00:34:51.840 the overflowing action of that is thanksgiving and praise. 00:34:51.840 --> 00:35:01.519 The first question in the Westminster Catechism says that man's purpose is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. 00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:18.380 So the invitation in Psalm 100 for us to enter the presence of God is also an invitation for us to enjoy this wonderfully loving and powerful creator to which we belong. 00:35:19.180 --> 00:35:20.400 What then is thanksgiving? 00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:24.059 It's not merely noticing the blessings of life. 00:35:24.280 --> 00:35:28.800 It's the overflow of enjoying a personal relationship with God. 00:35:28.940 --> 00:35:32.340 This is what marks a true believer from an imposter. 00:35:32.340 --> 00:35:38.000 The overflow of joy in Christ. 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:40.720 Not religious formality. 00:35:42.460 --> 00:35:46.280 Not all of the things that we do in order to be good little Christians. 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:53.460 It's the overflow of personally walking with God and enjoying him. 00:35:53.460 --> 00:35:57.280 So we've seen now the spirit of thanksgiving. 00:35:57.639 --> 00:35:59.579 We've seen the object of thanksgiving. 00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:01.579 We've seen the practice of it. 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:06.079 And then finally, we see the reason for thanksgiving in verse five. 00:36:06.679 --> 00:36:07.220 The reason. 00:36:08.400 --> 00:36:09.220 With me. 00:36:09.659 --> 00:36:10.199 Verse five. 00:36:10.340 --> 00:36:11.139 For the Lord is good. 00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:13.840 His mercy is everlasting. 00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:19.000 And his truth endures to all generations. 00:36:19.500 --> 00:36:22.620 The first four verses are full of imperatives. 00:36:22.740 --> 00:36:23.440 They're instructions. 00:36:24.620 --> 00:36:25.000 Shout. 00:36:26.059 --> 00:36:26.740 Serve. 00:36:27.579 --> 00:36:28.260 Sing. 00:36:29.140 --> 00:36:29.860 Know. 00:36:30.780 --> 00:36:31.240 Enter. 00:36:31.720 --> 00:36:32.440 Come. 00:36:33.140 --> 00:36:33.660 Give. 00:36:34.039 --> 00:36:34.420 Bless. 00:36:34.500 --> 00:36:35.240 They're all imperatives. 00:36:35.320 --> 00:36:35.840 They're instructions. 00:36:35.840 --> 00:36:39.980 But when we get to verse number five, we actually find the motivations. 00:36:41.019 --> 00:36:43.200 Why is it that we should care about doing this? 00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:46.920 Three features of God are listed. 00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:50.519 Number one, God's essential goodness. 00:36:51.300 --> 00:36:53.420 God's essential goodness. 00:36:54.140 --> 00:36:54.740 What does it say? 00:36:54.740 --> 00:36:57.940 The Lord is good. 00:36:58.519 --> 00:37:01.360 And indeed, he is good. 00:37:01.360 --> 00:37:05.900 And he has demonstrated that goodness to each one of us. 00:37:07.079 --> 00:37:09.340 That doesn't mean that everything in our life is good. 00:37:10.660 --> 00:37:17.980 That doesn't mean that everything that he orchestrates and allows and even causes in our lives to us seems like a good thing. 00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:21.000 Of course, we understand that. 00:37:21.680 --> 00:37:24.099 He takes us through seasons of hardship intentionally. 00:37:24.640 --> 00:37:26.460 He takes us through seasons of trial. 00:37:26.460 --> 00:37:28.579 He disciplines us. 00:37:28.720 --> 00:37:31.220 And discipline, according to the scripture, is always grievous. 00:37:31.960 --> 00:37:33.099 None of us enjoy that. 00:37:33.880 --> 00:37:38.440 So how can the psalmist so emphatically say that God is good? 00:37:40.420 --> 00:37:45.640 When we talk about the goodness of God, we mean that he is right. 00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.680 He's righteous. 00:37:48.940 --> 00:37:54.660 That everything that he does may not seem good to us, but it is always for our good. 00:37:54.660 --> 00:37:58.340 He is always doing the right thing. 00:37:58.340 --> 00:38:04.220 It's difficult for us to see and acknowledge his goodness when life is hard. 00:38:04.219 --> 00:38:16.619 But when we understand that everything he does and that everything that he takes us through is for our ultimate good, according to his purpose and plan and will, we can learn to be thankful. 00:38:16.619 --> 00:38:20.219 Remember Romans 8, verse 28. 00:38:20.219 --> 00:38:24.939 And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. 00:38:25.679 --> 00:38:33.039 For those who are called according to his purpose. 00:38:33.559 --> 00:38:37.859 That means he has a very specific purpose in your life. 00:38:37.860 --> 00:38:41.059 And every day he is working out that purpose. 00:38:41.780 --> 00:38:46.480 And that purpose is always good, even though that purpose may often be hard. 00:38:47.640 --> 00:38:49.380 Because he's always right. 00:38:49.380 --> 00:38:54.039 Shall not the judge of all the earth do that which is right, Abraham said. 00:38:54.079 --> 00:38:54.640 He's perfect. 00:38:55.260 --> 00:38:58.079 The psalmist said, as for this God, his way is perfect. 00:38:58.400 --> 00:39:01.700 He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. 00:39:01.820 --> 00:39:03.480 He is good. 00:39:04.260 --> 00:39:06.860 Secondly, God's everlasting mercy. 00:39:07.660 --> 00:39:08.820 His everlasting mercy. 00:39:09.380 --> 00:39:10.440 For the Lord is good. 00:39:11.440 --> 00:39:12.720 His mercy is everlasting. 00:39:13.760 --> 00:39:16.200 And what a great consolation this is to the Christian. 00:39:16.199 --> 00:39:21.019 That the mercy that he gives us in salvation is an eternal mercy. 00:39:22.399 --> 00:39:25.460 This should prod our thanksgiving in seasons of hardship. 00:39:26.519 --> 00:39:30.619 Think about Jeremiah as he's writing in Lamentations chapter 3. 00:39:31.539 --> 00:39:32.859 The whole book is a lament. 00:39:33.500 --> 00:39:34.619 Several laments, actually. 00:39:35.339 --> 00:39:40.739 And right in the middle of these laments, this despair, this destruction of God's people. 00:39:41.719 --> 00:39:43.339 Here's what Jeremiah said. 00:39:43.899 --> 00:39:44.799 Lamentations 3. 00:39:46.199 --> 00:39:47.819 This is what I call to mind. 00:39:48.139 --> 00:39:49.739 And therefore, I have hope. 00:39:50.759 --> 00:39:53.019 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. 00:39:54.059 --> 00:39:56.519 His mercies never come to an end. 00:39:57.480 --> 00:39:58.619 They are new every morning. 00:39:59.679 --> 00:40:01.019 Great is your faithfulness. 00:40:01.879 --> 00:40:02.599 The Lord is good. 00:40:03.339 --> 00:40:04.359 His mercy is everlasting. 00:40:04.899 --> 00:40:07.559 Thirdly, God's enduring faithfulness. 00:40:08.379 --> 00:40:10.519 God's enduring faithfulness. 00:40:10.519 --> 00:40:14.480 His truth endures to all generations. 00:40:14.900 --> 00:40:18.880 This is a reference to God's faithfulness through all of history. 00:40:19.440 --> 00:40:22.340 We can thank him because he's never failed us, and he never will. 00:40:23.599 --> 00:40:24.519 Spurgeon said, 00:40:24.519 --> 00:40:28.199 No fickle being is he promising and forgetting. 00:40:28.900 --> 00:40:35.719 He has entered into covenant with his people, and he will never revoke it, nor alter the thing that has gone out of his lips. 00:40:35.719 --> 00:40:42.239 As our fathers found him faithful, so will our sons and their seed forever. 00:40:42.239 --> 00:40:49.579 Is the thought of genuine thanksgiving somewhat of a struggle for you this week? 00:40:49.579 --> 00:40:57.000 Maybe you really are tired of the wishes of happy thanksgiving. 00:40:57.559 --> 00:40:58.860 Maybe you're not very happy. 00:41:00.559 --> 00:41:01.880 It's okay not to be happy. 00:41:04.279 --> 00:41:06.779 Maybe you don't feel like there's much to be thankful for. 00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:12.319 I mean, think about everything we've gone through this year and are still enduring. 00:41:14.019 --> 00:41:14.960 Worldwide pandemic. 00:41:15.679 --> 00:41:16.420 Serious pandemic. 00:41:16.719 --> 00:41:17.940 It's getting worse, it seems like. 00:41:19.579 --> 00:41:21.539 Contentious election. 00:41:22.679 --> 00:41:23.559 Divisive nation. 00:41:25.279 --> 00:41:26.420 Destructive hurricanes. 00:41:27.980 --> 00:41:28.840 Failing economy. 00:41:30.340 --> 00:41:32.519 Faltering educational system for our kids. 00:41:33.219 --> 00:41:33.940 Murder hornets. 00:41:36.440 --> 00:41:37.579 It's been a rough year. 00:41:40.940 --> 00:41:46.380 Perhaps what's helped you throughout this year is maybe family and friends. 00:41:47.059 --> 00:41:47.579 Church family. 00:41:47.579 --> 00:41:56.980 But even as you look ahead at this week, what you anticipated to be, a reunion, a time for rest with family. 00:41:56.980 --> 00:41:58.420 You could kind of block everything else off. 00:41:58.880 --> 00:42:03.480 Perhaps for you, it's actually been frustrated because regulations aren't going to allow you to do it. 00:42:03.480 --> 00:42:07.360 Even our family has that. 00:42:07.360 --> 00:42:10.320 A family that we won't be able to visit now. 00:42:11.880 --> 00:42:13.139 It's been a tough year, hasn't it? 00:42:13.139 --> 00:42:16.279 It's hard to find reasons to be thankful. 00:42:16.440 --> 00:42:17.159 How could we be? 00:42:17.159 --> 00:42:24.559 At the end of the service today for our benediction, we're going to sing a song that was written in 1561. 00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:29.619 It's referred to mostly, the melody at least, as the Old Hundredth. 00:42:29.759 --> 00:42:30.699 You probably know it. 00:42:31.960 --> 00:42:37.000 All people that on earth do dwell is what we often refer it to, or the doxology is a part of it. 00:42:37.000 --> 00:42:41.900 We're going to sing it, but I want you to know a little bit about how it came to be written. 00:42:42.539 --> 00:42:46.860 It was written by a Bible translator from Scotland named William Key. 00:42:47.900 --> 00:42:49.519 He lived in the 1500s. 00:42:49.559 --> 00:42:55.559 He was a close friend of John Knox, who was the founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland. 00:42:55.559 --> 00:43:00.320 He lived during the time of Mary Tudor's reign in England. 00:43:01.239 --> 00:43:02.480 She was a devout Roman Catholic. 00:43:02.619 --> 00:43:05.079 You probably remember her from your history books. 00:43:06.119 --> 00:43:14.019 Protestants came to know her as Bloody Mary because she had such a severe persecution, murdering, burning at the stake, 00:43:14.099 --> 00:43:18.239 so many faithful preachers and theologians and Bible translators. 00:43:18.519 --> 00:43:23.079 So many Christians, Protestant Christians in England during that time had to flee the country. 00:43:23.079 --> 00:43:27.920 William Key, along with many others, made their way to Switzerland. 00:43:29.000 --> 00:43:33.980 And while he was there, running for his life, wondering if he'd ever get to go back home, 00:43:34.559 --> 00:43:39.099 when his friends and his colleagues and his companions are being burned at the stake back in London, 00:43:39.699 --> 00:43:44.019 he writes this psalm based on Psalm 100. 00:43:45.019 --> 00:43:46.119 The first verse reads, 00:43:46.119 --> 00:43:52.940 All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice, 00:43:53.079 --> 00:44:01.099 Him serve with fear, His praise foretell, come ye before Him and rejoice. 00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:04.000 It's amazing. 00:44:05.059 --> 00:44:06.619 How could he write that? 00:44:08.079 --> 00:44:09.119 How could he write that? 00:44:11.079 --> 00:44:12.519 Psalm 100 is the answer. 00:44:13.980 --> 00:44:15.819 Notice the focus of the psalm. 00:44:17.119 --> 00:44:20.940 Nothing here says, give thanks for your circumstance. 00:44:20.940 --> 00:44:27.200 The psalmist continually turns our focus and our eyes to the Lord. 00:44:28.659 --> 00:44:32.079 When our minds and our hearts are consumed with our own circumstance, 00:44:32.360 --> 00:44:34.599 we'll never give true worship and thanksgiving, 00:44:34.780 --> 00:44:37.539 because our circumstance will never be what we want it to be. 00:44:37.740 --> 00:44:40.360 Even when things are good, we just want them to be better. 00:44:41.720 --> 00:44:44.900 And even when it gets better, we just want it to be different. 00:44:44.900 --> 00:44:50.059 If the foundation of your thanksgiving and praise is your circumstance, 00:44:50.180 --> 00:44:51.880 you'll never actually give it, not truly. 00:44:52.660 --> 00:44:55.599 But when our focus is on the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:44:56.039 --> 00:45:00.480 we will sing with hearts of joy in every circumstance, 00:45:00.480 --> 00:45:03.599 because He is true and faithful. 00:45:04.200 --> 00:45:05.000 He is good. 00:45:05.820 --> 00:45:07.119 His mercy is everlasting. 00:45:07.119 --> 00:45:11.619 And His faithfulness endures from generation to generation. 00:45:12.400 --> 00:45:13.920 So the question for us this morning 00:45:13.920 --> 00:45:17.139 is what actually is getting our focus this week? 00:45:18.799 --> 00:45:21.880 Is it only our family and the gatherings that we are thankful for? 00:45:22.079 --> 00:45:22.380 No. 00:45:23.299 --> 00:45:23.519 No. 00:45:24.759 --> 00:45:26.139 We are thankful to the Lord. 00:45:26.420 --> 00:45:26.699 Why? 00:45:27.139 --> 00:45:27.920 For who He is. 00:45:27.920 --> 00:45:31.440 Because He had dealt bountifully with us. 00:45:32.340 --> 00:45:35.780 Even in the midst of the seasons when, like David, we're crying out, 00:45:36.280 --> 00:45:37.019 how long, Lord? 00:45:37.720 --> 00:45:41.280 Thank you for listening to this sermon made available by Lakeside Bible Church. 00:45:41.720 --> 00:45:43.380 Feel free to share it wherever you'd like. 00:45:43.880 --> 00:45:46.619 Please do not charge for it or alter it in any way 00:45:46.619 --> 00:45:49.680 without express written consent from Lakeside Bible Church. 00:45:50.240 --> 00:45:53.360 Don't forget to visit us online at lakesidebible.church 00:45:53.360 --> 00:45:58.000 or find us on Facebook and Instagram by searching for Lakeside Bible NC. 00:45:58.720 --> 00:46:00.720 If you live in the Charlotte or Lake Norman area, 00:46:00.880 --> 00:46:03.099 we'd love for you to attend one of our worship services. 00:46:03.500 --> 00:46:05.500 We meet every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. 00:46:05.680 --> 00:46:06.820 We'd love to meet you.