Why should we read the Psalms?

 

Music enhances worship, and music helps us memorize the eternal truths of God. Psalm 103 teaches us how to praise in all seasons and for all reasons. When it comes to the issue of praise, authentic praise requires our all, not lip service.

 

In this sermon, we explore five reasons why should we praise God:

 	God heals our disease 
 	God forgives our sin 
 	God redeems our lives 
 	God crowns us with love 
 	God satisfies our souls with good. 

 

Takeaway: Above all, we praise God because He is holy! 

 

Psalm 103

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You know that moment in a superhero movie where all of a sudden the hero’s true identity is revealed, usually to a close friend? As an audience member, in that moment it’s like you’re in on the secret.

 

In the Gospel of Luke, we’ve seen Jesus revealing bits and pieces of who He is. Everyone’s asking, “Who is this Jesus?” But today marks a pivotal moment in the story because the hero’s true identity begins to be unveiled.

 

Jesus is with His closest friends and decides to let them in on the secret of His cosmic power. Jesus is lifting the veil, revealing His true identity, and we get to be part of the inner circle.

 

1. The Uncontrollable Storm 

 	Jesus is the Commander of nature
 	At His Word, the wind and waves respond.

 

2. The Unassailable Captive 

 	Jesus is the Commander of the supernatural.
 	Satan and his demons submit to Jesus.

 

3. The Untamable Lord 

 	Jesus is the Commander of all.
 	Jesus is doing the work of God himself.

 

Takeaway: Jesus commands our attention

 

This is more than a mere man, a prophet, or even the Messiah. Jesus is the Commander of all. He’s not safe, but He’s good. He’s the King.

The Commander

It's human nature to not hear as well as we think we do. Even though our ears are open, we’re not very good at listening.

 

In our marriages, parenting, friendships, or with colleagues; If we could just learn to listen well, it would transform our relationships. If that’s true when it comes to our human relationships, just imagine how true it must be when it comes to our relationship with God!

 

In this passage, Jesus is going to teach us how to listen to the Word of God using parables. He’s showing us that the Word of God is like:

 	A Seed in the Soil
 	A Light in the House
 	A Bond in the Family

 

1. A Seed in the Soil

God is the sower, His Word is the seed that brings life, and our hearts are the soil.

Hold fast to the Word.

 

2. A Light in the House

God’s Word is like a lamp that shines upon our lives, exposing everything.

Open up to the Light.

 

3. A Bond in the Family

When we choose to listen to the Word of God, we show ourselves to be children of God and members of His family.

Be part of the Family.

 

Takeaway: Take care then how you hear.

 	God’s Word is like a Seed in the Soil: What kind of soil are you?
 	God’s Word is like a Light in the House: How are you responding to the light?
 	God’s Word is like a Bond in the Family: Whose family do you belong to?

 

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Take Care Then How You Hear

When three people from totally different worlds collide together in one space, you never know what’s going to happen!

 

Well, something like that is happening at the end of Luke 7. A Pharisee, Jesus, and a Sinner all end up at the same dinner. Who knows what’s going to happen? Whatever it is, it’s going to be crazy.

 

Throughout this passage, let's look at each of the main characters in turn...

 	The Sinner
 	The Pharisee
 	The Forgiver

And together we’ll discover The Grace Awakening.

 

 

1.The Sinner 

When Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus over to his home, a sinful woman walked in, fell at Jesus’ feet, and washed them in perfume ointment and her tears.

 

God eagerly welcomes every repentant sinner. No one is beyond the forgiveness of God!

 

 

2. The Pharisee 

For Simon, it was a risk to his religious moralism to invite Jesus over for dinner because of his reputation of eating with sinners and tax collectors.

 

God is never impressed by our religious moralism. There is no one righteous, no not one.

 

 

3. The Forgiver 

The most shocking part of the story is when Jesus forgives the sinful women when they all know only God can forgive sins!

 

God saves sinners by grace through faith in Jesus. Jesus is the only hope for sinners like us.

 

 

Takeaway: We are far more sinful than we ever dared realize, and yet in Christ, we are far more loved than we ever dared hope.

The Grace Awakening

In these early days of His ministry, Jesus has been disclosing more and more of His authority and power. He’s cast out demons, forgiven sins, and most recently he’s raised the dead.

 

Everyone is asking the question: Who is this Jesus?

 

Some consider Him a healer; others think He’s a great prophet. Still, others wonder if He’s the Messiah who would restore the Kingdom and make all things new. And just when it seems like there can be no doubt of who this Jesus is, doubt arises from the most unlikely source, John the Baptist.

 

John the Baptist began to wonder out loud if Jesus really was the Messiah. What gives rise to this doubt is stemming from John the Baptist’s Disappointment with God. John had all these expectations and Jesus wasn’t delivering on them.

 

Disappointment with God is something many of us can relate to. In this passage we find three scenarios in which disappointment with God so often arises.

 	When Hope is Deferred
 	When Prayers go Unanswered
 	When Desires are Frustrated

 

When Hope is Deferred

 	Why doesn’t God fix everything right now?
 	Would you dare to believe I have purpose in this pause?
 	Why God doesn’t just fix everything right now: because He doesn’t want any to perish and He longs for all to reach repentance. 

 

When Prayers go Unanswered

 	Why isn’t God intervening in my situation?
 	Would you dare to trust my goodness in this grief?
 	When God says “no” to His children, He always does so from love. 

 

When Desires are Frustrated
The topic shifts from John’s disappointment with God to the Pharisee’s disappointment with God.

 	Why can’t God just play by our rules?
 	We want a customized God, made in our own image.
 	Would you dare to hold onto My character in this confusion?

 

Takeaway: Would you dare to let God be God?

Disappointment with God

1,991 years ago, a Galilean carpenter turned Rabbi, who’d been crucified and buried for three days, arose and walked out of his tomb alive! In a moment that changed history forever, Jesus revealed His death-defying life for all the world to see!

 

Let’s go back 3 years before that Resurrection morning to the early days of Jesus’ ministry.
Jesus has performed miraculous signs. Everyone marveled at His authority and power; they’d never seen anything like it!

 

And now, Jesus is about to reveal His astonishing authority over death and His power of resurrection life! And for some, this was the day they got their lives back!

 

In this passage we discover Jesus as...

 	The Rescuer
 	The Restorer
 	The Resurrection

 

The Rescuer: 

Jesus banished death to rescue life.

 	He simply speaks and death flees!
 	Jesus is the Word made flesh. His word is life.
 	The Centurion and his servant got their lives back.

 

The Restorer: 

Jesus plundered death to restore life.

 	He reached down into death and reclaimed this young man’s life!
 	This was the day the young man and his mother got their life back!

 

The Resurrection: 

Jesus surrendered to death to resurrect life.

 	Jesus is the eternal life incarnate.
 	When we finally come to the end of ourselves, that’s when Jesus shows up.

 

Takeaway: This could be the day you get your life back!

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