Series Big Idea: "Celebrating 31 years of God's Faithfulness"

Sermon Big Idea: "Psalm 100 calls us to worship God joyfully, serve Him gladly, and trust in His care"

Key Scripture (Psalm 100)

(Psalm 100)

Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. 3 Acknowledge that Yahweh is God. He made us, and we are His — His people, the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. 5 For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations.

Today, as we gather to celebrate 31 years of ministry as a church family, I want us to turn our attention to the timeless words of Psalm 100. This Psalm is known as a psalm of thanksgiving and praise and holds rich cultural and historical significance in the Jewish tradition. In ancient Israel, the singing of Psalms was a vital part of worship and community gatherings.

This psalm paints a vivid picture of the people of Israel coming together in joyful celebration, lifting their voices in unison to acknowledge the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord. It is a call to worship that transcends time and culture, resonating with us today as we come together to exalt the name of our God, who has been our Shepherd and Provider throughout the years of our ministry journey. I want to unpack this Psalm with you and discover several ways we can embrace this joyful worship attitude in God's presence.

In the first two verses of Psalm 100, David calls his readers to rejoice in the Lord by shouting for joy and serving Him with gladness. Our worship should be characterized by this same praise and adoration for the God of all creation. Of course, this finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Gospel of Christ, who came to bring us abundant life and freedom from sin. It is through Christ, our Savior, and Redeemer, that we can find true joy and purpose in serving the Lord with all our hearts.

Verse 4 of Psalm 100 exhorts us to enter God's presence with thanksgiving and praise. Gratitude is an essential element of worship, as it reflects our recognition of God's salvation in our lives. When we approach God with a heart of thanksgiving, we acknowledge His goodness and faithfulness, leading us to offer Him sincere praise and adoration. Church, let's continue to cultivate a lifestyle of gratitude and praise, magnifying the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in all circumstances.

Finally, the psalmist reminds us in verse 3, that we are the sheep of God's pasture, under His loving care and protection. Recognizing God as our Shepherd assures us of His continuous provision, guidance, and protection in our lives. Through Christ, we have been adopted into God's family, becoming heirs to His eternal promises of salvation and abundant life. Let's continue to trust in the Good Shepherd and approach His throne with confidence, knowing that our salvation and eternal promises are secured through Christ.

Conclusion

As we celebrate 31 years together as a church family, let’s reflect on how we've expressed our devotion to God throughout our journey. From our highest triumphs to our toughest challenges, God has remained faithful to us, supporting us through it all. As we continue to serve Him with joy, gratitude, and trust in His care, let our joyful expressions of praise grow even stronger. Let's stand faithful, standing united in worship and service to the Lord and each other, eagerly anticipating the blessings and opportunities God has in store for us in the years ahead. With hearts overflowing with thankfulness and admiration, let's raise our voices in joyful celebration of God's faithfulness and grace among us.

Pastor Beaver's thoughts and ideas are inspired by:

Holman Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version Bible

King James Version Bible

Christian Standard Bible

Water, Mark, ed. AMG’s Encyclopedia of Bible Facts. United Kingdom: John Hunt, 2004.

Walvoord, John F., and Roy B. Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

Richards, Lawrence O. The Bible Reader’s Companion. Electronic ed. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1991.

Futato, Mark D., and George M. Schwab. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009.

Blum, Edwin A., and Trevin Wax, eds. CSB Study Bible: Notes. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.

Brown, Francis, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs. Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977.

Phillips, John. Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary. Vol. 1. The John Phillips Commentary Series. Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009.

Barry, John D., Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.

Dockery, David S., ed. Holman Concise Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.

Longman, Tremper, III. How to Read the Psalms. Downers Grove, IL; Nottingham, England: IVP Academic; Inter-Varsity Press, 1988.

Water, Mark. Key Word Commentary: Thoughts on Every Chapter of the Bible. AMG Publishers, 2003.

Life Application Bible Notes. Tyndale, 2007.

MacArthur, John F., Jr. The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006.

Willmington, H. L. The Outline Bible. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999.

Bullock, C. Hassell. Psalms 1–72. Edited by Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Vol. 1. Teach the Text Commentary Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015.

Lawson, Steven. Psalms 1–75. Edited by Max Anders. Vol. 11. Holman Old Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2004.

Waltke, Bruce K., James M. Houston, and Erika Moore. The Psalms as Christian Lament: A Historical Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014.

Witthoff, David, Kristopher A. Lyle, and Matt Nerdahl. Psalms Form and Structure. Edited by Eli Evans. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2014.

Leadership Ministries Worldwide. Psalms: Chapters 1–41. Vol. I. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2013.

Barnes, Albert. Notes on the Old Testament: Psalms. Vol. 1. London: Blackie & Son, 1870–1872.

Wilson, Gerald H. Psalms. Vol. 1. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002.

Longman, Tremper, III. Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by David G. Firth. Vol. 15–16. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014.

Brooks, Keith. Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the Old Testament. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009.

Spurgeon, C. H. The Treasury of David: Psalms 1-26. Vol. 1. London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers, n.d.

Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney. Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary. The Tyndale Reference Library. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.

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