Worship (5.7.1984)

If you put your life into the hands of God, I don't know where it will take you. I don't know what joys, what difficulties await you. But I know one thing certainly.

Satisfaction will be your experience. So there are two great reasons for worshipping God. God's name, God's benefits.

Just look at one further thing before we move on. See how David has to say to his own soul, my soul, don't forget these benefits. It is incredible, isn't it, how quickly we forget.

Remember the children of Israel? They saw the Red Sea parted with their own eyes. They followed with their own eyes the pillar of fire and the cloud. They saw the rocks smitten in the wilderness and water flowing forth.

They saw it all. But Nehemiah tells us, the moment things got rough, they forgot everything. I think we're a bit like that, aren't we? Days of difficulty, days of hardship.

And immediately we seem to forget 5, 10, 15, 20 years of God's faithfulness and goodness. David says, my soul, don't forget the benefits of God. Now let's very quickly look at the second subject.

Here are good reasons for worshipping God. But how do you do it? How do you worship God? If your summer is anything like my first summer and I don't want to depress you, if your summer is anything like my first summer and I don't want to depress you, there will be times when you will need, as David did, to say to your soul, bless the Lord, my soul. How do you go about that? Three things, very quickly.

True worship involves the absolute commitment of all your faculties. See how David says in verse 1, bless the Lord, O my soul, O my inmost being. Praise His Holy Name.

David wanted to put his whole heart, his whole energy into worship. Sometimes when you're in a worship service in a church, you look around the congregation, I know you're not supposed to, but people are looking around the windows and they're not concentrating. You'll notice we don't put any windows in our tents.

But when they sing, they sing half-heartedly. And when someone says Amen, there's a deadly silence. People aren't with the person as he's praying.

That's not how David worshipped. He put his whole being, his whole energy into praising God. That's the first thing.

Now look at the second thing. And that is that particularly David used two things. Number one, he used his mind.

We've already seen him saying to himself, don't forget God's benefits. Secondly, he used his will. Three times in the psalm he has to say to himself, bless the Lord, bless the Lord.

I don't think he felt like worshipping. But he used his will to master his feeling. I'm a bit concerned about how some people go about worship in Britain at the present time.

I was talking to someone recently about worship. And about how this person worshipped. And she said to me, I come to the worship meeting and I sit down.

And then I close my eyes. And I try and blank everything out of my mind. And I wait for the Holy Spirit to come.

And take me away on the wings of worship. Now isn't that lovely? Unfortunately we don't worship like that. I'd be aware of blanking your mind in that way because other things than the Holy Spirit could come and wing you away.

No, no, God has given you a mind to use. He doesn't want you to sit down and blank your mind. He wants you to sit down and think actively about God.

Think actively about his benefits and his goodness. Worship is rational. Worship is specific.

It's not mystical. It's not vague. It's based on historical realities.

Realities about God and about Christ and about God's activities in the world. So true worship involves all our faculties. And particularly it involves the mind and the will.

Now look at the final thing. As David continues to worship God throughout this psalm, he begins to realise how inadequate his praise is. So in verse 20 he begins to call on other people to praise with him.

First of all he calls out to the angels, come and join us in praise. Then he calls on all the heavenly hosts. That probably refers to the planets in the universe.

Then he calls upon God's servants who do his will throughout the world. Finally in verse 22 he calls upon all of God's works, all of creation. And I find this so encouraging as a Christian.

When I worship God I'm joining this tremendous choir of praise. You probably don't suffer in the same way as I do, but I feel my worship is so small, it's so insignificant. And yet I realise I'm just adding my voice to this tremendous chorus.

I like that 22nd verse in particular, where David calls on God's creation to worship. Reminds me of Luke chapter 19. Jesus is entering Jerusalem and his disciples are far too happy.

They're joyfully praising God. Well we don't like that do we? So the Pharisees come along and they say, teacher rebuke your disciples. Religion is serious, it's not to be enjoyed at any price.

This is what Jesus said. I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out in praise. So if we stop praising God this summer there's going to be some dramatic happenings all over France and Belgium and so on.

This is a fantastic thing to appreciate isn't it? As we stop worshipping God tonight and fall asleep, somewhere else in the world that worship is beginning. A great chorus of praise will go on throughout this world and throughout eternity. And the incredible thing is that our God is so great, he's worthy of it all.

Notice the last sentence. David has recognised all of this tremendous chorus of praise. But then he speaks to himself again.

And he says, praise the Lord oh my soul. Yes the angels might be singing. Yes the stones might be crying out.

But your praise, my praise is still important. Without it that great chorus of praise is not complete. The worship of your heart and of your lips is vital.

Every day, whatever the circumstances you are in, God is searching for your worship. I hope this summer you are going to give him a sacrifice of praise. He's worthy because of his name.

He's worthy because of his benefits. And let's not forget those benefits. Let's join with the angels.

And with this great chorus of praise. And add our praise this summer to that song. Let's pray together.

Father we do want to worship you this evening. We worship you because of your holiness. And because of your love.

We think of Calvary's cross and holiness and love meeting together there. We thank you for that marvellous demonstration of your character. We thank you too for your benefits.

Lord even this week you've just been piling your benefits upon us. Our Lord we don't want to forget. Lord deliver us when things get rough from forgetting all of your goodness and mercy.

Help us Lord. Help us to use our mind, to use our wills. To give you the praise and the worship you are worthy to receive.

Oh God may this summer be a summer of worship. And then Lord we know that whatever happens in these countries you will be delighted. Help us we pray in Jesus name.

Amen. Amen. It's been great to be with you this week.

Don't forget to visit the literature table as you make your way back. Don't forget the boxes at the exits as you leave for your badges, money etc.