Our Responsibilities in Knowing God
Notes
Transcript
INTRO
Provide a brief overview of Psalms and how to read them.
They capture the range of human experience
2x’s larger than any other book of the Bible
Centers on the worthy worship of God
About ½ generally accepted as written by David, including the 145th
We cannot attribute Psalm 145 to any specific point in David’s life, but seems to be the only one titled as “A Psalm of Praise, of David”.
David here talks about God and to God. Allow that as a framework for understanding our responsibilities in knowing God. When we speak of God or think of who He is, what He was done and has promised to do, He hears us, sees us. He hears and sees us anyway at all times, but when our thoughts and actions are on Him, there He is most concerned with our thoughts and actions.
Did you know we, as believers, as followers of Christ, as children of God, have responsibilities in knowing this God we claim we follow? We are to bless God, to know God, and to praise God. We are to praise Him. We are to know what He is like and speak and think rightly and accurately about who He is. We are to meditate and reflect upon what He has done and has promised to do.
Read Psa. 145
As the child of God matures, we should develop a pattern of consistent reflection on what we know about God, His character, what He has revealed about Himself in creation, from His Word, and what we have seen in our own lives. Such thoughts can only lead us to praise and worship of this awesome God. It is our chief responsibility in knowing God.
We are also to bless God
Psalm 145:1–2 (NASB95)
I will extol You, my God, O King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
[1-2] – Make this personal
How do we bless God?...
Psalm 145:3–5 (NASB95)
Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,
And His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
We praise Him. We consider His greatness. We declare His works from generation to generation.
We meditate…not as the pagan with their empty-headedness, but filling our minds with the things of God. Who He is, etc.
Psalm 145:6–7 (NASB95)
Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.
A word to men…(in the hearing of their wives and/or each other)
My first inclination was to say something like, “Men…and women…” but I thought, no, men should take the lead in speaking of the power of God. They should lead in their homes, in their workplace, among their friends, wherever they find themselves.
This does not excuse women from doing so likewise, but Men, especially, take the lead here. Be an example. Provide an environment to where discussions of God’s awesome works and the memories of His abundant goodness are normal, expected even. Let us shout, joyfully, without embarrassment, without shame, our God is an awesome God!
We are to be a blessing to God. We are also to know God. Not just know things about God, we are to know this God that has created us to be relational creatures among each other, and above all else, have a relationship with Him.
So what is He like…
Psalm 145:8–9 (NASB95)
The Lord is gracious and merciful;
Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.
The Lord is good to all,
And His mercies are over all His works.
Note the prayer [10-13]
Psalm 145:10–13 (NASB95)
All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,
And Your godly ones shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom
And talk of Your power;
To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts
And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
Again, prayer, thankfulness in how He particularly cares for the humble, the fallen. Note how He provides them, satisfies all their needs
Psalm 145:17 (NASB95)
The Lord is righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds.
…
Psalm 145:18–20a (NASB95)
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
The Lord keeps all who love Him…
He is indeed, near to all who call upon Him. He will hear their cry and will save them.
Psalm 145:20b (NASB95)
But all the wicked He will destroy.
Heed the warning. God is just. Sin cannot be merely overlooked, ignored. It required sacrifice, a guiltless, substitution to stand in and become sin. Sin demands death. On a hilltop, God’s perfect Lamb, His Son was given freely to take our place, to become our sin, face God’s wrath and die.
Make no mistake, do not be blinded to the lies of hell that would keep us from humbling ourselves and crying out to God for His salvation. The wicked will be destroyed…eternally conscious of their rejection of God and all that He is.
All of these we have seen of God from Psalm 145: His grace, mercy, lovingkindness, His righteousness, are all demonstrated so beautifully at the Cross.
We have the responsibility to bless God, to Know God, and to praise God.
Psalm 145:21 (NASB95)
My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.
Conclusion
Invitation
Closing Prayer