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Psalm 96 Sermon Prep Part 4

Psalm 96 Sermon Prep Part 4

(Continued work on Psalm 96 sermon prep for Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville)

Here’s some questions I asked in looking at Psalm 96.

What do this text say? This is a Psalm that leads us to worship God, tell us others about Him, and wait for Him and his ultimate reign over all Creation. The text is a celebratory song that revels in God’s persons and works and calls us to participate in this reveling by singing and worshipping. There is a natural link in the structure between adoring God and telling others about Him. Within this, there is rationale for why we ought to worship and tell, and this is found in the person and works of God: His Greatness, His God-ness, His unmatched regale and majestic strength and beauty.

What does this text require? It requires me to worship, evangelize, and trust in God.

How does this text fit the context of the Psalms and the OT and the NT and how does it point us to Jesus and the gospel? It is found in the book of Psalms which lead the people of God in prayer and worship, we make this Psalm our prayer to God. It if found in the context of the OT where God saves a people and then uses them to be a blessing to the world (Ex 19:5-6; Is 49:6). It founds in the Bible where we see God act decisively in Jesus who is the perfect worshippers of God, who faithfully speaks God’s Word to those around, who brings judgment by being judged and then promises one day he will come back again!

What does this text teach me about God? It teaches me that He is the LORD, that He saves (2), that He is glorious (3), that He is great (4), that He alone is the true God (5), that His person and character are compellingly and glorious and beautiful and strong and majestic (6), that He is not a God of a people group but a God who desires all the peoples of the world to worship Him (8-10), that He is God over all Creation (11-12a) and he is judge (12b-13), that He acts in history and will one day finally and ultimately come back to bring in justice and peace and righteousness (13b).

How does this text challenge how I live out my faith in Christ today?
It challenges me to worship God and not give my heart to idols, it challenges me to open my mouth in love and talk to others about Christ, it challenges me to wait for God.

Because of Jesus…
I can worship God as my treasure because of Jesus who freed me from my sinful idolatrous ways and opens my eyes to the truth that God is utterly glorious and supremely wonderful.
I can forsake selfishness and fear of man because my Lord Jesus died for my sinful ways and clothes me with his righteousness; he frees me from the fear of man so that I love my neighbor and talk to them about Jesus.
I can wait for God and know that He will make all things right because of the way I see his justice and love at the cross; the cross shows and proves that God is just and kind and will one day make all things right. He is merciful and has not brought in final and complete consummation of justice because He patiently waits and beckons a people in to believe and live for Christ.

By Tom Schmidt

Christian, husband of Rach, Church Planter,musician,

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