1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:13,000 The more I studied Psalm 96 for this morning's message, the more I came away with the sense that it is one of the best summaries of the entire collection of the Psalms. 2 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:28,000 What do I mean by that? If you were to sit down and list the greatest themes that run throughout the Psalms, throughout all 150 songs, you might end up listing the three primary themes that come out of Psalm 96. 3 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:34,000 And I'm just going to go ahead and show my hand this morning. These are the three great themes of Psalm 96. 4 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:38,000 Number one, the Lord reigns. That's an amen moment. 5 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:43,000 Number two, his kingdom extends to the very ends of the earth. 6 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:49,000 And number three, he has promised to come to earth to judge and redeem his creation. 7 00:00:49,000 --> 00:01:00,000 And once you recognize the importance of those three great themes, you can't help but see them being woven throughout the entire canon of scripture from Genesis to Revelation. 8 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:09,000 And then if you have ears to hear, if you're really paying attention, you will also recognize a truth that is both mind blowing and life changing. 9 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:14,000 Are you ready? You as a child of God found in Christ, 10 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:22,000 you have a role to play in the King sovereign story of creation and redemption. 11 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:27,000 Every one of you who's found in Christ has a role to play in that epic story. 12 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,000 And it's a story that plays out each and every day here on the earth. 13 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:42,000 The Lord marked you out. He justifies you in his sight. He adopted you as an heir for a global purpose that extends beyond just you. 14 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:50,000 It extends beyond this age that is passing away. He has made you and saved you for something very, very big. 15 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,000 Now, I know it always doesn't feel that way. As you go through the daily grind of life, you don't always recognize that. 16 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:05,000 But that's why we turn to scripture to tell us the truth about God, about ourselves, about our time on earth and about the purposes that God has for us. 17 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:10,000 And trust me, when you look at scripture, it's a big, big story. 18 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:15,000 Now you may think, OK, Jeff, but Christ died for me. My sin is washed away. 19 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,000 I'm saved for all eternity. Isn't that enough? 20 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,000 Haven't I reached the pinnacle of my existence if that's true of me? 21 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:28,000 Well, in a personal sense, yes, that is true because personally there's nothing higher or bigger than that. 22 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:34,000 But now today I have news for you from Psalm 96. There's actually more to it. 23 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,000 It's not just about you or about me. There's more to it. 24 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:46,000 God has not revealed his glory, displayed his marvelous works and sent his son to purchase salvation only for us. 25 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:54,000 He has done these things with a view to every nation in the world, with every people group, every family on the earth. 26 00:02:54,000 --> 00:03:03,000 And so God made you and saved you to worship him and to live for him and then go and proclaim his glory to the very ends of the earth. 27 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:07,000 That's the big story. That's your part in it. 28 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:15,000 J. Campbell White, you may not have heard that name. He was a Presbyterian minister and also a missionary in Calcutta in the early 20th century. 29 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,000 And I found this quote. I think it's beautiful. Here's what he says. 30 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:31,000 Nothing can wholly satisfy the life of Christ within his followers, except the adoption of Christ's purpose toward the world he came to redeem. 31 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:45,000 Fame, pleasure and riches are but husks and ashes in contrast with the boundless and abiding joy of working with God for the fulfillment of his eternal plans. 32 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:54,000 And those who put everything into Christ's undertaking, get out of life its sweetest and most priceless rewards. 33 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,000 Now, listen, there are many things in life that are important. Don't get me wrong. 34 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:06,000 But this one, adopting Christ's purpose towards the world is the largest cause that any of us here today will ever be a part of. 35 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:11,000 Because its impact echoes throughout eternity. 36 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:19,000 How's that for a big setup? Grab your Bibles. We're going to Psalm 96. 37 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:26,000 Got your thinking caps on, as Chris said this morning. Got your thinking caps on this morning because we're going to try to expand your mind. 38 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:36,000 Psalm 96 is obviously a psalm of praise, but it also belongs to a subgenre of Psalms that are called enthronement Psalms. 39 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:46,000 And the reason for that is it declares this essential truth that our God reigns as King over all. Right? Good. 40 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:53,000 Alright, you guys are awake, right? I know the kids are back there, but be awake. They'll keep you awake. 41 00:04:53,000 --> 00:05:00,000 Now, there's a debate about the authorship of this particular psalm, but as you can see there's no superscription at the top, right? 42 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:05,000 So it doesn't clearly tell us who it is, but it's pretty easy to speculate on who wrote this. 43 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:11,000 It's either David or Asaph, two men that we've heard of already in this series. 44 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:20,000 And they are the two obvious candidates because this entire psalm is actually found somewhere else in the Bible. Did you know that? 45 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:26,000 This entire psalm is found in 1 Chronicles chapter 16. 46 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:34,000 Okay? If you know that chapter, and maybe it rings a bell, that is the chapter where it describes David bringing the Ark of the Covenant up into the city of Jerusalem 47 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:39,000 with great fanfare, with music and sacrifices and blessings and all kinds of things. 48 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:48,000 And it says in 1 Chronicles 16, 7, on that day, David decreed that thanks be given to the Lord by Asaph and his relatives. 49 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:59,000 And then it goes on to record a 28 verse song that includes all of Psalm 96 and also portions of Psalm 105 and 106. 50 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:08,000 So even without the superscription, it's safe to say that either David wrote this or he handed that task off to Asaph to write this psalm. 51 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:16,000 And of course, Asaph was the chief musician in his court, so that makes sense. So either way, that's probably the authorship here. 52 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:21,000 Now what we're going to see as we read through this psalm is a growing crescendo of worship. 53 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,000 Chris talked about it this morning with the kids. Worship. 54 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:29,000 First, we're going to see God's people singing his praises in local congregations. 55 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:34,000 Then we're going to see God's people extending that worship and praise all the way to the ends of the earth. 56 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:41,000 And then third, we'll see the gladness of creation at the promise that soon God himself, catch that now, 57 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:48,000 God himself will come to earth to judge righteously. So earlier I showed you this slide, right? 58 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:55,000 The three great themes. What that translates to in alliteration, just to help you, it's much easier, is this. 59 00:06:55,000 --> 00:07:02,000 Three themes that come out of Psalm 96. Worship, witness, and watchfulness. 60 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:08,000 Our worship, our witness, and our watchfulness. And by the way, I don't always use alliteration. 61 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:13,000 You know what drives me really crazy? When preachers try to use alliteration and they force the words in there, 62 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:19,000 they don't really fit, but these really do fit Psalm 96. So easy to remember, right? 63 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:24,000 And these things flow naturally together. Keep them in mind as we read the psalm. And take note, 64 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:29,000 let me just say this. There may not be anything in the psalm where you go, oh, that's completely new. 65 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:35,000 You may say, you know, I've heard all of this before, but what I'm hoping may be new to you, 66 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:42,000 or at least fresh in your mind, is the intensity of God's call upon your life. 67 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:47,000 If it's not new data, let the intensity of it strike your heart. So be prepared to be challenged. 68 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:53,000 Be prepared, maybe even to be slightly rebuked by God's word this morning. Let's read verse one. 69 00:07:53,000 --> 00:08:01,000 Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name. 70 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:06,000 Proclaim good tidings of his salvation from day to day. Tell of his glory among the nations, 71 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:13,000 his wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. 72 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:21,000 He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 73 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:26,000 Splendor and majesty are before him, strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 74 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:32,000 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 75 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:40,000 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of, or the glory due, his name. Bring an offering and come into his courts. 76 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:44,000 Worship the Lord. Now the NAS says worship the Lord in holy attire. 77 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:50,000 A better translation is worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. 78 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:58,000 Tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, the Lord reigns. Indeed the world is firmly established. 79 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:04,000 It will not be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity or with fairness. 80 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:10,000 Verse 11, let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice. Let the seas roar and all it contains. 81 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:16,000 Let the field exult and all that is in it. Then all of the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord. 82 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:21,000 For he is coming. For he is coming to judge the earth. 83 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:26,000 He will judge the world in righteousness and the people in his faithfulness. 84 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:30,000 Alright, as we've been doing each week with the Psalms, we're going to take a look at the structure. 85 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:37,000 Again, I don't expect you to be able to read that, but just look at sort of the big words and the numbers in red there to help you here. 86 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:43,000 It's, the structure of this Psalm is not really easy to recognize at first glance, but if you want to break it down, 87 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:52,000 if you're one of those people who likes to draw lines, you see I've drawn lines, separation lines at the end of verse three, end of verse six, end of verse nine, 88 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:58,000 after verse 10, and then all the way to the bottom. Here's what I want you to see right out of the gate. 89 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:07,000 Notice that verses one through three are addressed to the believer. To believing Israel on that day and to the believers in the church today. 90 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:15,000 This is what you and I are called to do and see that in that section three times in the first two verses, we're commanded to do what? 91 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:22,000 To sing. Sing to the Lord, sing to the Lord, sing to the Lord, right? 92 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:30,000 I mean, the author is not being, not being very subtle, is he? And then you see three verbs that correspond with those three commands to sing. 93 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:38,000 These are three action words, bless, proclaim and tell. There's all kinds of balance in the structure of this Psalm. 94 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:46,000 Three sings, three action words that go with that. So we have bless and proclaim in verse two and we have tell in verse three. 95 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:59,000 So filling that out, it's sing and bless the name of Yahweh, sing and proclaim his salvation, sing and tell of his glory and his marvelous works. 96 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:05,000 So believer, that's your mandate. That's the command you're given here. 97 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:11,000 And it's not just for some people in the church. It's not just for the elders, not just for the missionaries. 98 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:16,000 It's for every believer. This is our mandate, according to Psalm 96. 99 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:22,000 So then coming back to our outline, we look at verses four through nine and you see I've divided it into two sections. 100 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:28,000 But from verses four to nine, the audience then are the peoples and the nations of the world. 101 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:38,000 Verses four through six are the reasons why the world must know the name of Yahweh, why the world must know about his salvation, his glory and his works. 102 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:47,000 You see the word for there twice in verses four through six. So that's a that's a reason word, a transition word that says here's the reason why. 103 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:55,000 And the world must know Yahweh. Why? Number one, because great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and feared, it says. 104 00:11:55,000 --> 00:12:00,000 The world must know the Lord, must praise the Lord and must fear the Lord. 105 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:05,000 Second reason, because all the other so-called gods are just idols. 106 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:11,000 So world, whatever it is you're worshiping out there, just know it's a fake God and you have to turn away from it. 107 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:17,000 And number three, in contrast to the fake gods of this world who have no power, understand this. 108 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:23,000 Yahweh is the one who made all things. Three reasons why the world has to know this. 109 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:31,000 And then in verses seven through nine, you see the Psalmist places a demand upon the people and a demand upon the nations who don't yet know Yahweh. 110 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:40,000 He says a scribe or give that simple word ascribe, give, give to the Lord, he says to unbelievers, give to the Lord. 111 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:45,000 Give him what? Give him the glory. Do his name as creator. 112 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:52,000 Bring an offering that is acceptable in his sight. Worship and tremble before him. 113 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:58,000 That's what the Psalmist has to say to the world. Now we have a part in making sure that message gets out to the world, right? 114 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:04,000 He started with us, but then he turns to the world. Next we see how the Psalmist comes back to believers in verse 10. 115 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,000 This is sometimes known as the second hymn of Psalm 96. 116 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:18,000 Take this message to the ends of the earth. Tell the world that the Lord reigns, that he is king and he is judge over all the nations, all the families and all the people. 117 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:25,000 So that's part of our mandate as well. And then finally, verses 11 to 13, you have this amazing future promise, right? 118 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:35,000 It's a promise that causes all of creation to begin to sing and to rejoice because Yahweh himself will come to earth and make all things right. 119 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:42,000 Finally. So there's our structure. Now we could probably just pray and go home at this point, right? 120 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:51,000 Because we've got the basics for it. But before we finish, I want to flesh out some of these truths. And most importantly, I want to talk about, okay, how do we fit into this? 121 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:59,000 What is our role in this process that's being described by the Psalmist? Well, here's where it starts. Our worship. 122 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:05,000 It starts with our worship. Our worship is the foundation for our mission. 123 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:11,000 I want you to think about this for a second. Put yourself in the sandals of the Psalmist and consider this question. 124 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:23,000 If the main theme of the Psalm that you're writing about is the greatness of God to the ends of the earth, why would you start by commanding local congregations to sing worship and praise? 125 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:27,000 If you've got this giant vision, we've got to get the message all the way to the ends of the earth. 126 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:37,000 Why would you start by by demanding that local believers sing and worship? And the answer is so simple. 127 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:43,000 You and I have no platform to summon the nations of the world to sing if we're not singing. 128 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:52,000 Let me say that again. We have no credible platform to call the nations to worship if we're not worshiping. 129 00:14:52,000 --> 00:15:05,000 Does that make sense? Friends, how can you call your unsaved neighbor, let alone somebody living on the other side of the earth, to rejoice in God and sing his praises if you are not rejoicing in God? 130 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:11,000 And if you are not singing his praises? So the platform has to be built before we take the mission to the ends of the earth. 131 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:22,000 And it starts in local congregations. Now, I realize the analogy I'm about to share is not completely analogous to the church, but I think you'll get the point when I share this. 132 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:29,000 The best salespeople in the world are the ones who absolutely love the product they're selling. 133 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:34,000 You may have met people like this in your life. I know I have. I've met some amazing salespeople. 134 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:39,000 And you can tell right out of the gate, they love the product that they're selling. 135 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:43,000 They're credible because they know it. They're passionate about it. 136 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:50,000 They're convinced that your life isn't full without that product and that you absolutely must have it. 137 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:56,000 And then they go so far as to say, and I personally have the product and use it myself. 138 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,000 That is a salesperson you'll pay attention to. 139 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:06,000 In a similar way, the most effective witness for Christ and the gospel is a true worshiper. 140 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,000 Somebody who is credible in their knowledge of God. 141 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:14,000 Somebody who is personally captivated by God's glory and his gift of salvation. 142 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:19,000 And people can tell. You think you can fool people? 143 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,000 People will see right through you if it's not true of you. 144 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:32,000 So Psalm 96 begins with this instruction for believers to sing in order to recognize that it's our worship that serves as the platform from which we call others to worship. 145 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:39,000 And let's be blunt and honest. If our hearts and our lives don't exude passion and joy and worship, 146 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:44,000 why should lost people pay attention to what we're saying? 147 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,000 Right? 148 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:54,000 So believer, if you want to join God in his mission to the world, start locally. Sing here among this church body and in your daily life. 149 00:16:54,000 --> 00:17:00,000 Three times you're commanded to do this in Psalm 96. This is not optional. You're commanded to do it. 150 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,000 By the way, we saw this last Sunday in Psalm 95 2. Do you remember? 151 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,000 Sing for joy to the Lord, the psalmist said. 152 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:13,000 Shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Make a joyful noise to the Lord. 153 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:17,000 So Psalm 95 and 96 fit together in this idea of worship. 154 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:23,000 And I'll say it again because I said it last week. If you're not singing your heart out when we gather to praise the Lord here, 155 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,000 then it's time for a heart check. 156 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:32,000 It's time for a heart check. If Jesus has become your master, if he's the king of your heart, 157 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:40,000 and if you profess to follow him as a disciple, then why would you hesitate to give him anything but your full throated voice? 158 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:48,000 In loyalty and adoration, in private settings, you should sing to him. 159 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:53,000 On Sundays when you gather with your brothers and sisters, you should sing to him. 160 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:57,000 You should shout joyfully about how he has rescued you, how he has saved you. 161 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,000 Declare his glory to everybody within earshot. 162 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,000 Let everyone around you know of his love and his grace. 163 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:09,000 And that should be a natural outflow of your heart and your life. 164 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:17,000 Listen, incremental spiritual growth and maturity will always lead to growth in your passion for worship. 165 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:25,000 If you're growing in the Lord, in your knowledge of him, it's always going to lead to more passion in your worship. 166 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:31,000 Growing in your knowledge of God and in your knowledge of self is always going to lead to more singing. 167 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:36,000 And if you won't sing, or if you'll only give him a half-hearted mumble here and there, 168 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:44,000 depending on whether you like the song or not, then tell me, what does that say about your spiritual condition? 169 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:49,000 And if your hesitation is, well, okay, Jeff, I'm more about theological truth than I am about singing. 170 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:56,000 Please see here in Psalm 96 that the psalmist isn't asking you to give empty-headed praise to God. 171 00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:04,000 He's not calling you to give unthinking praise to God and just feel he's rooting it in theological truth. 172 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,000 He grounds the command to sing in the greatness of God. 173 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:12,000 And then he gives you a whole list of ways that Yahweh is great. 174 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:18,000 This is not unthinking praise, because I know we in the conservative church, we have this vision in our head of unthinking praise, right? 175 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:24,000 Just emotional praise. That is not what the psalmist is talking about. 176 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:31,000 Look at the list of Yahweh's greatness. Great in salvation, great in his works, great in creation, great in his splendor and majesty, 177 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:38,000 great in strength and beauty, great in his kingship, great in his justice, great in his righteousness, great in his faithfulness. 178 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:44,000 Is that enough reasons to sing? 179 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,000 Verse four says he's greatly to be praised by every created thing. 180 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:52,000 Even the unbeliever is obligated to praise the Lord as creator. 181 00:19:52,000 --> 00:20:01,000 So how much more should we who know God and love God bring him an offering of praise and worship and lift up our voices and our hearts to him? 182 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:08,000 This is not rocket science. It's a natural outflow of the heart of one who is growing in Christ. 183 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:11,000 He hasn't asked too much of us. 184 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:17,000 Think about this. What was required in terms of offerings before God of an Old Testament saint? 185 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:26,000 Do you know how how laborious it was? Burnt offerings and grain offerings and peace offerings and sin offerings and guilt offerings. 186 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:30,000 It was a constant process of bringing offerings before the Lord. 187 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:36,000 But for us, since the time of the cross, all of that is finished. 188 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:41,000 The work of atonement is finished. And now, friends, because of the great love with which God loved us, 189 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:52,000 we need only bring him a sacrifice of praise and a sacrifice of thanksgiving and a sacrifice of a life dedicated to honoring him and building his kingdom. 190 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:57,000 Friends, we have it so good. God hasn't asked too much of us. 191 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:02,000 So sing to him. Sing to him a new song, it says in verse one. What does that mean? 192 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:09,000 Does that mean we can't repeat worship songs? Because we do. 193 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:16,000 What the psalmist is driving at is this. God is always doing new works in the life of his children. 194 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:19,000 So we should have new songs. He's always at work, right? 195 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:26,000 Every day we get sort of a fresh awareness of his presence in our lives in all kinds of ways. 196 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:30,000 Every day we see new ways that he's blessed us. Every day we get a sense. 197 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:35,000 I don't know about you. Every day I get a sense of how much grace he's lavished upon me. 198 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:39,000 So why wouldn't we sing new songs? 199 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:44,000 Here's some advice from Spurgeon, if you don't trust me. 200 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:50,000 He says, keep up the freshness of your praise. Do not drivel down into dull routine. 201 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:57,000 We have new mercies to celebrate. Therefore, we must have new songs. Amen. 202 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:02,000 So back to our three themes. It starts with our worship and then it goes to our witness. 203 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:06,000 The witness is built on healthy worship. 204 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,000 Let's talk about the scope of Psalm 96. 205 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:14,000 Every believer in Christ is called in one way or another, and we'll come back to that, 206 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:19,000 in one way or another to proclaim and spread a passion for God's glory. 207 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:22,000 How far? How far are we supposed to go with this? 208 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:28,000 Oh, just new hall. Just new hall, right? That's enough for me. No. 209 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,000 How many times does it say here? To the ends of the earth, to all the nations, 210 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:36,000 to all the peoples, and even all the families of the earth. 211 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,000 And maybe you hear on that the echo of the promise to Abraham, right? 212 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:44,000 To bless every family of the earth through God's Messiah. 213 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:48,000 It's a big vision. And for the Israelites who are very nationalistic 214 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,000 and very narrow in their thinking, imagine how hard this teaching was for them. 215 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:57,000 Because as they look at this, they go, uh-oh, this includes those dirty Gentiles, 216 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:01,000 those pagan idolatrous Gentiles. But it makes sense. 217 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:05,000 The Lord has a claim on all of creation. So, of course, He has a claim 218 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,000 on every people group and every nation and every person. 219 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,000 And we are His ambassadors. We are His hands and feet. 220 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:16,000 So it's our obligation to do those three things mentioned in verse 2. 221 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:21,000 To bless, proclaim, and tell. To speak of His kingship and His lordship. 222 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,000 To say among the nations, the Lord reigns. 223 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,000 Now, we have to explain what that means, right? We can't just say that 224 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:30,000 and just walk away, okay? Now you know. 225 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:35,000 We've got to be able to explain that. One creator, one king, one savior, 226 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:40,000 one way, one sacrifice for sin. To be able to walk down that road 227 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:45,000 and don't stop there, be bold. Call them to bow their knee to the one true king. 228 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:51,000 Call them to join you in singing praises to the one true God. 229 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:55,000 Call them to join you in singing. And then we have to say to them, 230 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:59,000 if you have an allegiance to another so-called God, you've got to confront them 231 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:05,000 as the psalmist does in verse 5. Say, this thing that you're worshipping is false. 232 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:09,000 It's fake. Turn from it. 233 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:14,000 Now, very few people that you're going to meet today are still, you know, praising Baal. 234 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:18,000 I hear Baal worship is on the decline. Right? 235 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:23,000 But listen, people everywhere around you do worship idols 236 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:28,000 that they think will give them some type of reward in the afterlife. 237 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:33,000 So you've got to confront those things. You've got to be prepared to give an answer. 238 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:36,000 When they say, well, I'm doing this. Don't I get a reward? 239 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:40,000 You have to be able to point to scripture and say, no. 240 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:46,000 People, the perception of their own goodness, they think everyone thinks they're going to heaven 241 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:50,000 because they think that essentially they're good. Got to confront that. 242 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:56,000 They're religious rituals. Well, I do a whole bunch of religious things or my spirituality. 243 00:24:56,000 --> 00:25:02,000 I'm super spiritual or the works that they do to feel virtuous. 244 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:07,000 You know, I go to a homeless shelter once a month and I feed people 245 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:12,000 where they're concerned about the earth and the climate, right? Or activism on behalf of oppressed people. 246 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:17,000 There's all these things that people think will save them on the day of judgment. You've got to let them know. 247 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:24,000 This is part of our mission, that none of that will save you when the Lord returns. 248 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:27,000 Declare the truth about God's one path to salvation. 249 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:33,000 You must lay aside those idols and come trembling before Yahweh and his son, Jesus Christ, 250 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:38,000 who alone offers forgiveness of sin and eternal life. 251 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:45,000 That's the message. Be bold. Guys, time is short. 252 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:51,000 Time is short. There's an urgency to sharing the gospel these days. Be bold. Take a stand. Don't back down. 253 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:56,000 Today is the day of obedience to Christ's mission. Bless, proclaim and tell. 254 00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:00,000 What do we have to lose in this crazy world we live in? 255 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:06,000 It's time for us to steal our spines and start speaking truth into the marketplace of ideas, 256 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:11,000 to stand up and no matter who tries to shout you down or cancel you, say, 257 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:17,000 no, I know the truth and to point people to the one true King. Amen. 258 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:21,000 Now, the practical question is, well, how do we get involved in this mission? It's so big, right? 259 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:26,000 It's almost overwhelming. Like, what do I do? You say, OK, Jeff, I see the first step here. 260 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:31,000 I see that I need to grow in my worship, in my singing, in my praise. I want to increase in that. 261 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:37,000 But how do I take the next step to witness? How do I do this? Well, it starts. 262 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:42,000 It starts with acknowledging your responsibility because some folks don't even want to get to that point. 263 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:49,000 It starts with saying, OK, I get it. I do have a role to play in the gospel getting to the ends of the earth. 264 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:55,000 Somehow I have a role. It starts there. The Lord made you and saved you for something very big. 265 00:26:55,000 --> 00:27:00,000 But now you need to go out and figure out what is my role in God's grand story? 266 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:05,000 What is my role? And when you figure it out or if you just want to test some things, 267 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:11,000 jump in with both feet. Don't hold back and go, I'm not sure this is it. Jump in with both feet. 268 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:16,000 Trust me, there's many ways to be involved in God's global mission. 269 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:20,000 Also know that it's going to look different for every single person in this room. 270 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:24,000 That's the thing. Sometimes we pigeonhole things. We say it's got to be this, this or this. 271 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:28,000 But it's going to look different for all of us, depending on a variety of factors. 272 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:34,000 Our passion, our gifting, our resources, our season of life, right? 273 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:37,000 Biblical wisdom. There's all kinds of factors involved. 274 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:42,000 But if you need help discovering how to get involved and witness to the ends of the earth, 275 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:47,000 all you got to do is ask somebody. Did you know we have an entire impact team here at Oak Hill 276 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:52,000 that lives and breathes this stuff, both local mission and global mission? 277 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:57,000 We have people in this church who often travel abroad, ask questions, 278 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:02,000 say, I want to be obedient to Psalm 96 and they'll help you get involved. 279 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:05,000 And again, let's remember what what J. Campbell White said. 280 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:10,000 Nothing is going to wholly satisfy you except the adoption of Christ's purpose 281 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:14,000 toward the world he came to redeem. And it's a benefit to you. 282 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:22,000 Those who put everything into Christ's undertaking get out of life its sweetest and most priceless rewards. 283 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:28,000 Amen. So we've looked at worship and witness. 284 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,000 Let's get to watchfulness. What is it we're watching for? 285 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:35,000 Well, the psalmist describes it in verses 11 to 13. 286 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:41,000 We are watching for the return of the king. All apologies to the Lord of the Rings. 287 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:48,000 But I just love that title. I'm sorry. We're watching for the return of the king. 288 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:53,000 Now, we're told that right now, Yahweh reigns and he does, even though at present, 289 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,000 God permits the nations to rage against his son. 290 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:59,000 And by the way, we read about that back in Psalm two. Do you remember? 291 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,000 It came with a warning. I'm going to put it on the screen. 292 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,000 Look at Psalm two says, Now, King, show discernment. 293 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:10,000 Take warning judges of the earth. Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. 294 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:15,000 Pay homage to the sun that he not become angry and you perish in the way 295 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:20,000 for his wrath may soon be kindled. 296 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:24,000 The promise we have is that ultimate justice is coming to a world. 297 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,000 It's coming. But we have a hard time with this, right? 298 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:31,000 Because we have this narrow vision and we look around today and what do we see? 299 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:35,000 Nothing but chaos and disorder and injustice. 300 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:38,000 And it's not just out there. We feel it within too, right? 301 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:44,000 As we war against the flesh and we so long for that battle to be over and the victory won. 302 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:49,000 We know that things are not as they should be right now, but yet God reigns. 303 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:54,000 And I think this is why Psalm 96 is book ended with these two amazing thoughts. 304 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,000 Number one, that we should sing a new song. 305 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:04,000 And number two, that the Lord is coming to judge the earth because soon the Almighty is going to do a new thing. 306 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:06,000 He's going to come and judge the entire earth. 307 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,000 And so for all eternity, guess what? 308 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:16,000 We will have a whole new song to sing about his righteousness, his justice and his fairness. 309 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,000 By the way, as an aside, I want you to think about this. 310 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:23,000 Look at verse 13. The Lord is coming to judge the earth. 311 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:30,000 How would an Israelite, an ancient Israelite interpret that? 312 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:39,000 Wait, Yahweh, who is spirit, is going to come to the earth physically and judge the world. 313 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:44,000 How would an ancient monotheistic Israelite have understood that? 314 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,000 It's easy for us, right? 315 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,000 Because we're Trinitarians and we live after the cross. 316 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,000 So we know who's coming to judge, right? 317 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:53,000 It's God the son. We know that. 318 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:57,000 But what about believers back in the year 1000 BC? 319 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:00,000 Well, if they knew their Torah, they would know the answer to this question. 320 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:04,000 All they'd have to do is go back to the book of Genesis as an example. 321 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:12,000 There's many places. Look at Genesis 18 and 19 and see that God had already done something like this on a very limited scale. 322 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:16,000 How many of you guys know the story of God's judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah? 323 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:21,000 The details of it. In Genesis 18, three beings appear to Abraham, right? 324 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:25,000 And they're called, they're described as having the form of men. 325 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:29,000 But one of them is repeatedly called the Lord. 326 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,000 He's called Yahweh. 327 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:34,000 So Yahweh has taken a physical form. 328 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:40,000 And later in chapter 19, we have this remarkable story of how God judges Sodom and Gomorrah. 329 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,000 Have you ever seen this text, Genesis 19, 23? 330 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:50,000 It says, then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah, brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. 331 00:31:50,000 --> 00:32:05,000 Huh? Yahweh on earth in the form of a man called down fire from Yahweh in the heavenly realms. 332 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:14,000 And that story and others like it show us this must have been how an ancient Israelite would have understood the fact that Yahweh was coming to earth. 333 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,000 Because he had done it in the past. 334 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:18,000 Again, this is not hard for us, right? 335 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:26,000 Because we know there's quite a few instances in the Old Testament where God the Son takes on a temporary physical form, a pre-incarnate form, 336 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:30,000 sometimes to judge, other times to protect his people. 337 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:34,000 But let me tell you something, for a non-Trinitarian, this is a really tough passage. 338 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:37,000 It's a really tough verse. 339 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,000 All right, that's your theological aside for the morning. 340 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:41,000 If you have questions about that, come and ask. 341 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,000 But the Lord is coming to judge the earth. 342 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:49,000 That means soon God the Son is going to come a second time, right? 343 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,000 In power and great glory. 344 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:55,000 And it says in that day in verses 11 and 12, the entire creation. 345 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:58,000 Remember, what's what's creation going through right now? 346 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:02,000 Paul says right now creation is groaning under the curse of sin, right? 347 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:10,000 But in that day, creation, all of nature is going to serve as like the coronation party for the coming king. 348 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:14,000 It says that creation will rejoice and roar and exult and sing. 349 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:19,000 Why? Because redemption and restoration is drawing near. 350 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:21,000 What a day that'll be, right? 351 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:23,000 The Son will return and make all things right. 352 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:29,000 There'll be no more abuse of power, no more corruption, no more injustice, no more exploitation. 353 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:31,000 And hear me out on this. 354 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:36,000 When we take the message of the gospel to the world, people need to hear that part of it too. 355 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,000 That God will come and fix things. 356 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,000 Sometimes we leave the eschatological part out. 357 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:44,000 God is going to come and make things all right. 358 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:52,000 Because if there's one thing that all humanity recognizes in every country and every people groups is that life ain't fair. 359 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,000 And everybody's there's oppression and injustice. 360 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,000 It all stinks, does it not? 361 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,000 Everybody recognizes that. 362 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:02,000 So we have this message to share. 363 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,000 Our king is a righteous judge. 364 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:08,000 He will come and make things right. 365 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,000 He will hold all of the wicked people to account. 366 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:15,000 And he will judge and rule, it says in verse 13, in three specific ways. 367 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:19,000 With equity, with righteousness, and with faithfulness. 368 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,000 What does equity mean? 369 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,000 It means that God will be utterly fair in his judgments. 370 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,000 Utterly fair. 371 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:30,000 If people don't receive mercy, they will still get perfect justice. 372 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:32,000 Did you hear that? That's important. 373 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:38,000 If they don't get mercy, they will get perfect justice because God judges fairly. 374 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,000 Secondly, righteousness. 375 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:42,000 Which is, what's the standard for righteousness? 376 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:44,000 God himself. 377 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:46,000 So he doesn't judge on a curve. 378 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,000 The standard is absolute. 379 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:51,000 According to his own righteous nature. 380 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:53,000 That's why none of us can get there on our own. 381 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:56,000 Because the standard is perfection. 382 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:59,000 And then faithfulness, which can also be translated truth. 383 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:03,000 It means that God isn't like our judges today who are just arbitrary. 384 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:05,000 Ah, this is what I think. 385 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:08,000 He judges absolutely truthfully. 386 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:10,000 Because he knows everything. 387 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:13,000 This is good news, isn't it? 388 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:16,000 Well, we've got to be careful when we answer that question. 389 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:21,000 The return of the king is not good news for people who have not paid homage to the son. 390 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:23,000 This is part of the mission that we have as well. 391 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:26,000 This is part of our witness to share this truth. 392 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:31,000 It's not good news for anybody who has not had their debt for sin washed away. 393 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:34,000 For them, God's righteous judgment will be a source of great terror. 394 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:39,000 So as we call the nations and the peoples and the families to worship and to sing to the Lord, 395 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,000 we also have to warn them. 396 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:46,000 The one true king has a one true path through a one true son. 397 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:49,000 And there is no other way. 398 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:51,000 Amen? 399 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:53,000 Okay, so let's wrap up. 400 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:54,000 Let's summarize this. 401 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:58,000 Psalm 96 is not hard to summarize, right? 402 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:00,000 I'm just going to use the same three things we've talked about. 403 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:07,000 If Jesus is our Savior and Lord, first of all, we will be a worshiping people. 404 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:13,000 It will be normal and natural that our voices just break forth in how great our God is. 405 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:20,000 It should be part of your everyday conversations in the home, in the workplace, with our families, with our kids. 406 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:24,000 It should just break forth because it's true in your heart. 407 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:26,000 You're a worshiping person. 408 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:31,000 Our thoughts should be constantly drawn to how great God is, how amazing His grace is. 409 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:35,000 Our hearts should constantly bow in reverence to His holiness. 410 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:40,000 And we should look forward every single Sunday when we have the privilege, 411 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:48,000 and I say privilege, of joining with others who know Jesus to worship and sing His praises. 412 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:52,000 Friends, God has given singing to us as one of the most precious 413 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:58,000 and most powerful expressions of our satisfaction and gladness in Him. 414 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:00,000 It's a gift to you. 415 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:04,000 Singing is a gift, and it's the gladness of singing, God-centered worship, 416 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:08,000 especially in the midst of hardship, in the midst of this fallen world 417 00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:14,000 that makes the gospel shine so brightly and what draws people to the truth of the gospel. 418 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:17,000 They're either going to see that in your life or not. 419 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:21,000 That you're a worshiper in spite of trials, in spite of difficulty, 420 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:23,000 in spite of the fallenness of this world. 421 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:28,000 Worship just flows out of you, and they'll be drawn to that message. 422 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:33,000 Singing should be irresistible to anybody who has tasted the forgiveness of God. 423 00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:37,000 Anybody who has been granted the perfect righteousness of Christ, 424 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:40,000 singing should be absolutely irresistible. 425 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:42,000 That's number one. 426 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:46,000 Second, if we profess to know Christ as Savior and Lord, we'll be a witnessing people. 427 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:49,000 This will flow out of our worshiping hearts. 428 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:53,000 If you're captivated, if you go on a hike and you're captivated by a beautiful sunset 429 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:57,000 or the picture of the valley you're over, what do you do? 430 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:02,000 You snap a picture and you post it, because you want to tell everybody about it. 431 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:04,000 Because, wow, what a moment. 432 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:09,000 Well, if you're captivated by the majesty and splendor of Christ, you'll do the same. 433 00:38:09,000 --> 00:38:12,000 You'll have a passion to tell everybody about it. 434 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:16,000 You'll come out and hear everyday conversations with your neighbors on your block 435 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:18,000 or in the building you live in. 436 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:22,000 When you go into the workplace, you'll talk about the things of God. 437 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:26,000 All the places that you frequent here in Santa Clarita, and yes, 438 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:29,000 in some form or another that you have to figure out, 439 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:33,000 it will extend to the ends of the earth, too. 440 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:37,000 It has to, because it's who you are in Christ. 441 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:41,000 Sing with all your heart to the Lord, and then be a part of summoning others to join you. 442 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:44,000 And you have a great message to share. 443 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:46,000 You have a great message. 444 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:49,000 Yes, it's true there's a polemic aspect to our message. 445 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:51,000 Don't get this wrong. 446 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:54,000 You need to call people to repent. 447 00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:57,000 You need to call them to turn from their false gods. 448 00:38:57,000 --> 00:39:00,000 But you also have this warm-hearted invitation 449 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:05,000 to literally know and abide with the God of the universe. 450 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:10,000 And then to tell people that he's full of goodness and fairness and justice 451 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:14,000 and that the King is going to return someday to make all things right. 452 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:19,000 That is an amazing message that we've been given as ambassadors. 453 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:20,000 Don't miss it. 454 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:24,000 Finally, if we profess to know Christ as Savior and Lord, we'll be a watchful people. 455 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:30,000 Now listen to me now, not a fearful people, not an anxious people, 456 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:37,000 not a people obsessed with the future, but a people who are alert and who are watching. 457 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:41,000 Right? And by the way, excited about his appearing. 458 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:44,000 All those things should be true of us. 459 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:48,000 So it seems fitting to end this morning where we started with our call to worship. 460 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:50,000 Did you hear what Grant read in our call to worship? 461 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:54,000 He read the entire chapter of Isaiah 12. 462 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:58,000 The entire chapter, six verses. 463 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:04,000 But did you hear from the prophet how much it's in line with what the psalmist says in Psalm 96? 464 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,000 Let's just look at it again. There's just a portion of it. 465 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:14,000 Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, 466 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:17,000 proclaim that his name is exalted. 467 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:21,000 Sing praises to the Lord for he has done glorious things. 468 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:24,000 Let this be made known in all the earth. 469 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:26,000 Shout and sing for joy. 470 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:34,000 Oh, inhabitant of Zion for great in your midst is the Holy one of Israel. 471 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:38,000 It's good stuff. Let's bow our heads. 472 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:44,000 Father, we are grateful to be in your presence this morning, to have the privilege of joining as the body of Christ 473 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:47,000 with brothers and sisters, to sing your praises, to be with our families this morning, 474 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:53,000 even as we hear the voices of our children, to praise you for them, to praise you for those little voices, 475 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:57,000 to praise you for the way that you have blessed our body in so many ways. 476 00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:04,000 God, I pray for myself and for my church family today that we'll be challenged 477 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:08,000 and maybe even slightly rebuked by this Psalm, 478 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:12,000 that we would strive, Lord, to please you and honor you and adore you, 479 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:16,000 that we would be a people who worships well, 480 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:20,000 a people who witnesses every time you give us an opportunity, 481 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:25,000 and a people that are watchful. And Lord, if we have fallen short in this, as we all have, 482 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:30,000 we thank you for your grace that covers us, and we pray, God, that you'd strengthen our hands 483 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:36,000 and strengthen our voices to grow in these areas, to honor you more 484 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:40,000 as we seek to know you, as we seek to abide with you. 485 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:44,000 God, help us to do this together as a church family. Continue to bless Oak Hill, 486 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:49,000 bless our families, show us, God, what you have for us. 487 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:53,000 We love you and we praise you, and even now as we sing more songs, God, 488 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:59,000 help us to obey the command that we have in Psalm 96, to sing, sing, sing. 489 00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:27,000 Thank you, Jesus, for today. We pray in your name. Amen.