Worship the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100)

Psalm 100 (NRSV)

1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Revelation 4:1-11 (NRSV)

4 After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! 3 And the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. 4 Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God; 6 and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal.

Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,

“Holy, holy, holy,
the Lord God the Almighty,
who was and is and is to come.”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”

June 11, 2017 Sermon Notes

Two months ago our congregation had a town hall meeting where we discussed music ministry of the church. We shared our fond memories of music in the church, and looked at the musical gifts and talents of our congregation. Not only did we create a list of our favorite songs, we also created a system to better organize the special music that we hear during worship. This conversation is still ongoing, and I look forward to seeing where the Holy Spirit guides us in the years ahead.

The reason that we had this town hall is that music is a powerful thing for human beings. Neurologists tell us that music touches our emotions, and our brains, in ways that no other form of communication can do. This has been true throughout human history. In fact, there is an entire book of the Bible dedicated to music. The Book of Psalms, tehillim in Hebrew, is a collection of the sacred music of the ancient Jewish people. What makes the Psalms special is that these songs represent the prayer life of the people of God

Every human emotion is represented in the Psalms. Rage, joy, fear, confidence, and even revenge all appear in the words of the Psalms. They are a demonstration of the fact that there is nothing we cannot take to God. The truth of the matter is that God has heard it all before. The Psalms provide us the words necessary when we need to remember that we are not alone. Because these words come to us in the form of music their effect is even more meaningful. This is why we are going to spend the next few weeks looking at Psalms.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth

The first Psalm we are going to look at is often used as a call to worship. It serves as an invitation to take a break from the day to day life most of us take for granted. Worship is a way of punctuating our lives. It reminds us that we are not on our own. We are not in charge of the world. God is. Worship forces us to recognize we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

Acknowledging our own limitations need not be a painful thing. Worship is not punishment. It is liberation. It allows to free ourselves of the need to do everything on our own. For a brief while we are able to remember that God is our dwelling place. We get to return to God for nourishment and help. That is what worship is all about.

The psalmist reminds us that this is to be done with joy. Coming before God is an opportunity for gladness. Our songs go up and we experience once more the grace that comes from knowing that all of creation is under the care and provision of God. This is why all the earth is invited to shout for joy. Everything, whether plant, animal, or human being shows the glory of God.

As a side note, this is yet another reason for conservation and stewardship of God’s world. Nature, by its very existence, is engaged in the worship of God.

Know that the Lord is God

Part of coming together in worship is remembering who God is. It also helps us remember who we are. We are the sheep of God’s pasture. This is the imagery that Jesus used when he referred to himself as the Good Shepherd. Christ’s love and forgiveness allows us to remember that we are cared for and loved. The psalmist assures us that this has always been the case. God’s steadfastness endures throughout all generations.

Obviously, this does not mean that there are not tragedies in life. The reality of human brokenness is spoken of clearly throughout the Psalms. However, God’s goodness and faithfulness reminds us that sin, violence, and death do not get the last word. Worship is our opportunity remember that fact, and to encourage each other in our faith.

Part of this encouragement comes through entering God’s courts with thanksgiving. Praise and gratitude is not only the right thing to do, it actually helps rewire our brains. Without thanksgiving and appreciation it is easy to get caught up in a cycle of despair and frustration.

Worship takes us in exactly the opposite direction. Gratitude is an inherent part of worship. Scientists have determined that thanksgiving actually causes us to develop new neural pathways. It changes the way that we look at the world. It helps us to connect with others and makes us more compassionate.

All of this happens in worship. We are called together to lift up our voices in song. We pray to the God who made and give thanks for the grace of Jesus Christ, the good shepherd. By joyfully coming to him in gladness, we join together with all of creation in remembering that the goodness of the Lord extends throughout all generations.