The Village Church
Wholehearted Praise, pt 2 - Psalm 103:6-14 - 2024/07/07 - 2024/07/14 - Video
(soft music) - Good morning everybody. Welcome to Village Church. I'm so glad to see each of you here today. And welcome. And this is where our mission is to know Jesus, to enjoy Jesus and to glorify Jesus. If it's your first time here, thank you so much for coming. And a special welcome, and we'd like to let you know on the front of our worship guide, there's a QR code you can scan. It will take you to our link tree account. And you can fill out a guest form on there, which will allow us to connect with you. So, also in here, there is a weekly calendar of events and right here on the inside. And then on the back, there are some, we're highlighting some special things that are happening this week. So, I wanna let you know about three things that are coming up this week. It's really exciting week here. On Wednesday, we have youth bowling from one to three p.m. at Stars and Strike. Kate McClure is the one to see about that. If you have any questions, so that is youth, which would be sixth grade to 12th grade at Stars and Strike this Wednesday. And then on Thursday night, we have movie night here at the church. It's, that is for first steps in Village Kids. So, that's nursery kids all the way up to fifth grade. And their families, there's just gonna be a family movie night right here in the sanctuary on Thursday from six to eight. And then the very next thing, if anyone is interested in helping with our children's ministries, youth and village kids, we have a lot of great special things that go on here with our kids. So, we have fun activities like we're having this week, but we also have Sunday morning, SEC classes. And if you would like to participate in those, we have a training coming up. It is required, but it's also just a really great training. It is put on by the National Children's Advocacy Center, which is really just a mile down the road from here. And it is, the training, it'll help us here at church, but it will help in any context where you're working with kids. You're gonna learn some really important things and talk through some really good topics. And that training is gonna be next Sunday right here at 3 p.m. in the afternoon. So, if you have any questions or you want to sign up for that, you can see Mary Limblom or Tiffany Williams. And there's a sign-up sheet in the lobby at the information desk. Also, you can come to me afterwards, if you're not sure who those ladies are, I can help you find them and connect to them. And then our last announcement is the Women's Ministry Summer Socials are happening this summer. And if you would like to host one, we are in need of some hosts. You can sign up online and choose an event in a location and time. And then all of the women of the church will be invited and you can fellowship together. Aliyah in the back is the one you can talk to about that. Or again, come to me and I can help connect you there. So at the Village Church, we believe that giving of tithes and offerings is worship. And you can give in three ways to support our vision. So you can give online through our website, you can mail a check to our address or in the back of the church, there's an offering box. Right there in the back of the sanctuary, you can put your tithes and offerings in there. So thank you so much. And these are our announcements. Now though, let's turn our hearts to worship the Lord together. Our call to worship today is from Revelation 21, three through four. Please stand if you are able. I'll read the leader and you can join in where it says people. Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away. Thank you. Stay standing, please. - I don't know about you, but I need a song this morning to help me remember about the goodness of God, about how good he is, how his mercy endures forever, how people from every nation and tongue gather to worship him. Let's take a deep breath. Let's worship the Lord. Let's enter into his gates with thanksgiving. He is good. No matter what's going on, he is good. And we can trust him and he is in control. Amen, amen, let's sing a song together. (upbeat music) ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ I am good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at all the time ♪ ♪ You are good at all the time ♪ ♪ You are good ♪ ♪ You are good at all the time ♪ - Even today, church, day, day. ♪ You are good ♪ ♪ You are good at all the time ♪ ♪ All the time ♪ ♪ You are good ♪ ♪ You are good at all the time ♪ ♪ All the time ♪ ♪ You are good ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ - Let's sing that again. ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ You are good at your mercy enduring forever ♪ ♪ We worship you ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ We worship you ♪ ♪ We worship you ♪ ♪ We worship you ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ We worship you ♪ ♪ You are ♪ ♪ You are ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ You are ♪ ♪ You are ♪ ♪ You are good ♪ ♪ Yes, yes you are good ♪ We're gonna thank him. It says to enter his courts with praise, and we're going to thank him for who he is and what he has done. (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) One drink into the night, wanting a place to hide is where he's stored. (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) (acoustic guitar music) Yes, he is good. We do thank him. We magnify him. We give him the praise. He is worth all of the glory. He is. And you have the world in your hand, Lord. You have our country in your hand, Lord. You have our family and our lives in your hands, Lord. No matter what we face, politically or physically through surgery or anything else, you are in control. We trust you. We love you. May you be magnified. We love you. You are suddenly articulate. With a thousand tongues to lift one cry. And from north to south and east to west, we'd hear Christ be magnified. And we're the whole earth echoing his aminence. His name would burst from sea and sky. From rivers to the mountain tops, we'd hear Christ be magnified. Oh, Christ be magnified. Let his praise arise. Christ be magnified. And me, oh, Christ be magnified. The altar of my life, Christ be magnified. And me. Every creature finds its immulsibility. Every human heart its native pride. And then, it will remind your never breathe. We'll sing Christ be magnified. Oh, Christ be magnified. Let his praise arise. Christ be magnified. And me, oh, Christ be magnified. From the altar of my life, Christ be magnified. And me. Sing this out, Church. And I'll be born by feelings, I'll hold fast to what is true, that the cross brings transformation. Then I'll be crucified with you. But death is just a doorway into resurrection life. If I join you in your suffering, then I'll join you when you rise. When you be sharing your glory through all the angels and the saints, my heart will still be singing. My son will be the same. Oh, Christ be magnified. Let his praise arise. Christ be magnified. And me. Oh, Christ be magnified. The altar of my life, Christ be magnified. And me. Oh, Christ be magnified. Let his praise arise. Christ be magnified. And me. Oh, Christ be magnified. The altar of my life, Christ be magnified. And me. Oh, Christ be magnified. For the prayer of praise, please. God, we thank you for another day to gather together and worship you. And like Tish said, we thank you that no matter what's happening around us in the world or country or in our souls that we can trust in you and your goodness. We can find rest in you and everything that we might be looking for, both inside us and around us. And so pray that you'll help us to remember that. I pray we'll grieve when it's time to grieve and praise when it's time to praise, and that your name will be honored through our words, interactions. My name is Craig. Amen. Our confession of sin comes from Exodus 32, 33, but the Lord said to Moses, whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. Let's take a couple minutes to silently meditate. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Our assurance of pardon comes from Micah 7 verses 18 through 19. Who is a God like you pardoning an equity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance. He does not retain his anger forever because he delights and steadfast love. And have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. His scripture reading comes from Psalm 103 verses 5 through 19. Who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the Eagles. The Lord's work works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his way to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding and steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west. So far does he remove our transgressions from us as a father shows compassion to his children. So the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame. He remembers that we are done. As for man, his days are like grass. He flourishes like a flower of the field for the wind passes over it and it is gone. And its place knows that no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him and his righteousness to children's children. To those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules over all. This is the word of the Lord. He may be seated. Let us go together in a prayer of supplication asking God to meet us and care for us. Lord, we come before you as we are. Some of us joyful. Some of us content. But Lord, some of us are lonely. Some of us are in pain. Some of us are grieving. We are acutely aware of the world and our own brokenness this morning. Lord, we ask for your miraculous healing for those of us who are sick. We ask for your warm comfort for those of us who are hurting. We ask for your unexplainable provision for those of us who are in need. Only you can truly provide these things. God, we ask for your provision for our street, our city, our nation, our world. Bring peace to your people and help us to be your hands and feet to those around us. God, we ask that you would especially be with us as we walk through this divisive election season of the church and the nation. Give us unity in your name and in your kingdom. Help us to keep the truth that we are all created in your image in the forefront of our minds as we live life together. Lord, we just read that your righteousness and justice, that you work righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed and that your steadfast love is everlasting. We ask that you would speak your righteousness and steadfast love into our hearts and minds this morning and throughout this week. We ask for your hand to guide us in our every footsteps that we would feel you doing that. We ask that you would help us to know that you are always with us as we come and go each day this week. In Christ's name, amen. [Music] God bless you and keep you. Make His face shine upon you. Be gracious to me. Lord, turn His face toward you and give me peace. Sing that again. God bless you and keep you. Make His face shine upon you. Be gracious to me. Lord, turn His face toward you and give me peace. Sing that again. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Lord, bless you and keep you. Make His face shine upon you. Be gracious to you. Lord, turn His face toward you and give me peace. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you for your family and your children and their children and their children. And your family and your children and their children and their children make us favored be upon you and a thousand generations and your family and your children and their children make us presents go before you and behind you. And beside you all around you and within you is with you. ♪ He is with you in the morning, in the evening ♪ ♪ And you're coming and you're going ♪ ♪ And you're waiting and rejoicing ♪ ♪ He is for you, He is for you, He is for you ♪ ♪ He is for you, He is for you, He is for you, yeah ♪ ♪ He is for you, he is for you. ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. ♪ ♪ He is present, go before you, and behind you, ♪ ♪ And beside you, all around you, and within you, ♪ ♪ He is with you, he is with you, and the man who is upon you, ♪ ♪ He is with you, he is with you, and the man who is upon you, ♪ ♪ He is with you, he is with you, and for you, ♪ He is for you, he is for you, he is for you, he is for you, he is for you, he is for you (Music) ♪ Sing a band ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, ♪ Oh, oh yeah ♪ Turn your house and hands out like it's a blessing. ♪ The Lord bless you ♪ ♪ And keep you ♪ ♪ Make your space shine upon you ♪ ♪ Be gracious to you ♪ ♪ The Lord turns ♪ ♪ Faced toward you ♪ ♪ And give you peace ♪ Amen. ♪ ♪ You may be seated. ♪ ♪ Amen. Amen. Can you hear me? Good morning. There's anyone out there who might have not yet met? My name again is Marcus Nobles. I am the campus associate for R U F, which is a campus ministry at Alabama A&M. I'm also the pastoral intern here, and the youth ministry here. And every now and then I have a unique opportunity to stand here in this pulpit and deliver God's words to God's people. It's an opportunity that I don't take lightly, and I really do appreciate every chance that I get to stand here in this place. And again, deliver God's words. So before we dig into our sermon today, just on 103, a wholehearted phrase, part three. Let me give you guys a quick update about what's going on at Alabama A&M for R U F. I do this all the time at all the other churches that I go to. And for some reason, I always forget to tell you guys what's going on on campus. Just start up the street. So this past year, Alabama A&M exploded. We had record number growth. And with that came a wonderful problem for our campus ministry. What do I do with my hands? When there's 2,000 more students on campus than there ever has been ever before. So with that record growth came some interesting challenges. And God has shown up and met them very well. I'm not happy to announce that this upcoming semester, we will have our first intern for R U F at Alabama A&M ever. Her name is Aiden Tupperville. She plans to come in and attend worship here at the village. I'm looking forward for all of you to get to meet her and to know her and to welcome her into our village family. It's going to be a game changer having her on campus. The campus is almost 65% female. So to have a female voice on that campus with me, sharing God's word is going to open up so many doors. And I'm so excited to see that happening. As you all know, my wife and I just welcomed our fourth child, maybe Elias. He's a little over a month old. We had a little bit of a scare right at three weeks. He got common cold virus, which is absolutely normal before eight pound three week old. It can be devastating. So that matriculated into meningitis, which led to a stay in the hospital. But prayerfully, he is back on his feet. He's doing very well. He's there in the back with my wife. For everyone who brought us a meal and prayed for us and helped with the children, we thank you guys so much. It is so wonderful to have a church family that loves and cares for us as well as this one does. That's not an often thing that a lot of people have access to. So church, don't take it for granted. This beautiful little connected family unit that we have here at the village, it really is a blessing from God and God alone. And we appreciate you guys. Thank you so much. So now let's turn to the word. Today we're looking at Psalm 103. It's a Psalm where David says that I will bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Let's read these words. And instead of just reading the chunk that I'm preaching from, I figured I might as well read it all. It's only like four extra verses, right? Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all of your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the Eagles. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all those who are oppressed. He makes known his ways to Moses, his acts, to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He would not always chide nor keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities, whereas high as the heavens are from the earth, so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him. And as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him, for he knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field for the wind passes over it and it's gone, and his place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. On those who fear him and his righteousness to their children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules over all. Amen? Let's pray. Father God, we come to you humbly once more to say thank you for being our God and thanking you as always for choosing us to be your children. Father, help these words of your scripture be written deeply on the tapas of our hearts and help us to go forth from this place forever change, not by ourselves or by this broken fallen world that we are just passing through, but by the love and steadfast kindness that comes from a living, risen Savior. It's this and all things we pray in your Son, Jesus' name, and then. So again, we're digging into this psalm and it's a psalm written by David that so many of the psalms were, and it reflects our feelings and help us give words to deal with those feelings. And I love David, the character of David in the Bible, because he's a shepherd boy that becomes a king, right? He's this musician and a dancer and an artist who is also a soldier and a warrior. And if anyone in here like me struggles with the imposter syndrome, just read David's story and it'll help you out a little bit, right? David had a hard life. He was hated by his family. He was hunted by King Saul. He chased down the lyath. He was attacked by Philistines. The entire time that he was king, there was civil war during his reign and even his own sons rebelled against him. So David is this character that I connect with so much, because he's so relatable. He's been through so much. And he's kind of like us, right? He struggled. David struggled a lot. As you read through David's story, there's a lot happening there. And no matter how much he struggled, he relied on God even more. He depended on God even more. And in this psalm, David gives God a wholehearted praise by remembering who God is, remembering what God does, and remembering why God does it. If you're taking notes, remembering who God is, what God does, and why God does it. So let's start with the beginning. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name." Here, David is commanding his body and everything within him to bless the Lord. There's this imperative command that he makes that suggests to us that this isn't something that he just does by himself automatically, but something that he has to actively work towards, that he has to command his body, his soul, and all that is within him to praise the Lord. And then he says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all of his benefits." Here, David is remembering who God is. So David can give a wholehearted praise and command his body to bless the Lord with all that is within him because he remembers these benefits. Look at what he says here in verse 3. "God who forgives all of your iniquities, who heals all of your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good, so that your youth is renewed like equals." Church, David gives wholehearted praise, not because it's something that just comes naturally to him, but he has to command it and he commands it by remembering who God is. God is the one who forgives. Amen? And church, we only know forgiveness because it's God who first forgave us. God is a healer. Amen? Since the very moment of the fall, since sin's origination into human existence, God has been healing our brokenness. That's who he is. Not just from physical sickness, but from our sinful condition. God is a healer. And not only does he heal, but he redeems. Amen? God is our redeemer. Church, these are just facts that are true. The reason that David can say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me is because God loves us so much that he chose us and bought redemption for us, to adopt us back into his family, to give us a home and a name and a life to redeem us from our sinful nature." That's who God is. And I love this verse here. "He crowns us with love and mercy that never runs out." That word that's used here in this Hebrew poem, "crown," doesn't just mean to bestow upon, the most simple meaning of that word is to surround with. Think about this picture that David is painting here. That God, who forgives you and heals you and redeems you, loves you so much that he literally surrounds you with his love and his mercy and his steadfast kindness that never runs out. What a beautiful picture that David is painting here in this wonderful poem that they used to sing. That God's love and mercy, not only does it never ends, but it surrounds us, his people. And David can command a wholehearted praise from his body because he's remembering who God is, this one who crowns us with steadfast love and mercy, surrounds us with it, and satisfies our souls. Our souls, our body, our mind, only God can truly satisfy. Amen? Why is that so? That's because there's nothing on this earth that isn't made by him. So truly, the only thing that can really satisfy us must also come from the one who made us. Amen? God is the only one who can truly satisfy. So church, when you find yourself in moments of struggle, when you find yourself in hard times, when you find yourself dealing with brokenness and the fallenness of this world that we have been caused to live in, remember these things. Remember who God is, the one who can truly satisfy, the one who heals and redeems and surrounds us with love and mercy. Wholehearted praise flows from a satisfied soul that's surrounded by love and mercy and healed by it. Church, weak and praise wholeheartedly because God has forgiven us and redeemed us and blessed us with this type of love. Amen? So he remembers who God is, and now he remembers what God does. Look at verse 6, the Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses and his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding instead of that love. David can give wholehearted praise because he's remembering what God does. Working righteousness, that's what God does. Working justice, that's what God does. For the oppressed church, that's you, that's what God does. Amen? He's made himself known and he's made his ways known, these ways of mercy and grace that are slow to anger and filled with love. Church, God is at work. Amen? No matter what happens in this life, no matter what this world throws at us, God is constantly at work. He's actively working out his righteousness and justice. And church, if that's not a reason for us to give him wholehearted praise, if that's not a reason enough for us to praise him with every fiber of our being, that I can't think of anything else. Amen? He is slow to anger and abounds, and I just love steadfast love that never runs out, that never changes from the rising of the morning sun until the setting of the same. He stays the same. Amen? We know this because that's what he's always been. All the way back into the Old Testament, all the way back to the days of Moses, his character has not changed. He's still the same God who made himself known to Moses. He's still the same God that showed his ex to the Israelites. It's way back when his steadfast love, church that never runs out thousands of years ago, until right now, and until the world comes to an end, his steadfast love never changes. David can give wholehearted praise because he's not just remembering who God is, but he's remembering what God does, steadfast love. So give verse 9 and 10, he will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. Let me say that part one more time, so you really catch it. He does not deal with us according to our sins. That's an amen statement. He does not deal with us according to our sins. Nor repay us according to our iniquities. Church the world deals with us according to our sin. Church the world repays us by our iniquities. But God, who steadfast love never changes, does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. Grace that doesn't deal with us like we would deal with each other based on our sinfulness and iniquities like the world does, but the Lord is merciful and gracious, slowed anger and abounding in this steadfast love. Let's look at verse 11, 11 to 13, for as high as the heavens are from the earth, so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him. And as far as the east is from the west, so does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. Church what does it mean to fear the Lord? What does it mean to fear the Lord? It means to stand in awe of. It means to have reverence for, to have honor towards. What Keller said it this way, "To fear the Lord is to be overwhelmed with wonder before the greatness of God and of his love." Let me say that one more time, so it really sticks. "To fear the Lord is to be overwhelmed with wonder before the greatness of God and of his love." Fear and love are connected. Fear that we're talking about here are connected hand in hand. When I think about what it means to have reverence and honor for the Lord, I think about how children view their parents, and David does also. Likewise, how we should view our father as someone whom we have close relationship with. One of my favorite chunks of scripture to preach to college students is his first Peter chapter 1 verses 17 and 18. We call on him as father who judges impartially according to each one's deed, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile. This fear that Peter is talking about here means that we know that we have a father that we can call on for help, and because we know who's we are, I'm sure you guys have heard me say that before, right? That we should act like it. And that's what David is talking about here when he says that we should walk in his ways that people, we should be people who know who's we are, and to whom we belong. Church, if you ever run into a R U F A and M student, they will pair it this phrase because I say it all the time. Live your life in such a way that shows not who you are, but who's you are. Amen? That's what it means to have fear of the Lord, is that in the way that you walk, in the way that you talk, in the way that you treat other people, in the way that you speak, it should show not just who you are, but who's you are that you belong to this loving father who steadfast love lasts forever, to this one who redeemed you from the pit of your sinfulness. And you belong to something greater than anything that is here on this earth. And then we should carry ourselves in a way that shows who's we are. That's the fear that we're talking about here, living your life knowing that you have membership in God's family. And that God loves us just like we love our children, right? Every night when I talk to my kids into bed, I look at me in the eyes and I say, "How much does Daddy love you?" And they all look back and say, "This much." It's my favorite thing to do. Every single night when I talk them into bed and I look deep into those big, doughy eyes and bears. And I say, "How much does Daddy love you?" And they instantly respond, "This much." Church, that's how much God loves you. God loves you so much, just like we love our children. God loves you like his child. And every parent in this room knows for a fact that you would do anything for your children. To the ends of the earth is where you would go, for the sake of your children. Church, God loves you even more than that. God loves you so much. God loves you so much that as far as the heavens are above the earth, that's how great his steadfast love is towards you. As far as the east is from the west, that's how much God loves you. If God were to ask you, "How much does Daddy love you?" This much wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface. And then that's how much this God loves you. So look at verse 14, "For he knows our frame and remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like the flower of the field, and the wind passes over it and is gone and it's gone. And its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love, this keeps coming back up, the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. On those who fear him, and his righteousness to their children's children, to those who keep his covenants and remember to do his commandments." Church, here's our hope in hard times. God is still God. Amen? He knows our feebleness, he knows our weakness, and he meets it with his love. Love that lasts from everlasting to everlasting forever. Love that never runs out, his steadfast love, his grace, and his mercy, that goes on for generations to our children and our children's children. Church, what a bold proclamation that David is making here. Amen? Can you see now how a wholehearted praise flows from a mind like this? How a wholehearted praise can flow freely when you think about not only who God is but what God does and why he does it. Why does he do it because he loves us like his children? This is our hope in hard times church that his love never runs out, that his steadfast love and mercy last for generations, for our children's children. So Church, remember to keep his covenants. Remember his commandments. Amen? He is a good father but we must also be good children. You say that one more time because it's in there if you hadn't torn it out. Keep his covenants. Church, keep his covenants. Amen? Church, remember his commandments. He is a good father but we must also be good children. Amen? One of my favorite songs, one of my favorite hymns is saying, I'm reminded of when I look through this song that says there's not a friend like the Lord Jesus. No, not one. None else could heal all our souls diseases. No, not one. Jesus knows all about our struggles and he will guide until the day is done because there's not a friend like the lowly Jesus. No, not one. Church, this is how much God loves you. That he will guide you until the day is done. Our hope and salvation isn't in anything on this world but it's in this lowly Jesus. Last verse, we're almost done. The Lord has established his throne in Athens and his kingdom rules overall. Church, if you can't take rest in anything else, take rest in this. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules over all. Amen? We can give him wholehearted praise not because of the troubles that we face here on this world but because his kingdom is established in heaven. He's not still working it out. He's not still trying to figure out how it's going to come to pass. His kingdom is established in heaven and it rules overall. Church, if you can't think of a better reason to give wholehearted praise than that, I don't know what to tell you. Church is our hope, here church is our reason for wholehearted praise because the Father who loves us, who bought redemption for us, his children, loves us with a steadfast love that lasts forever, with mercy and love and peace and grace that will last forever. And it's not something that we have to wonder or ponder about, it is established in the heavens and it rules overall. And then church, take rest in that church, find peace in that church, give wholehearted praise because of these unequivocal truths that David has so beautifully laid out for us. Amen. How can we give God a wholehearted praise? We can remember who God is, our healer, our redeemer, the only one who can satisfy our souls and we can remember what God does. He works righteousness and justice and does it not with harshness but with love and with mercy and with grace. And we can remember why he does it because he is our father and we are his children, and his compassion for us, his children, last forever. Amen. Father, we come to you humbly once again to say thank you for being our God and is always thanking you for choosing us to be your people. Father, help us to give you wholehearted praise, even if we must command our body and everything that is within us to do so. Remind us, O God, of who you are, our healer, our redeemer, and the one who can truly satisfy our souls. Remind us, O God, of what you do that you work righteousness and justice and you do it with love and mercy and grace. And Father, remind us that you are always at work no matter what happens in this world that God is still God and that God is still good and that he still works justice and righteousness for us, his children. And Father, help us to remember why you do it because you love us like a father loves his children and the compassion that you show to us will never change because we are yours and you are ours. Jesus, this and all things we pray in your son, Jesus name. Amen. Jesus at the center of it all. Jesus at the center of it all. For heading to the end, it will always be, it's always been you, Jesus. Jesus, because nothing else matters, nothing in this world will do. Jesus, you're the center and everything revolves around you. Jesus, you're the center of my life. Jesus at the center of my life. And beginning to the end, it will always be, it's always been you, Jesus. Jesus, nothing else matters, nothing in this world will do. Jesus, you're the center and everything revolves around you. Jesus, you're from my heart to the heavens. Jesus be the center, it's all about you. Yes, it's all about you, from my heart to the heavens. Jesus be the center. It's all about you. Yes, it's all about you, from my heart to the heavens. Jesus be the center, it's all about you. Yes, it's all about you, from my heart to the heavens. Jesus be the center, it's all about you. Yes, it's all about you. Jesus be the center of your church. Jesus be the center of me. We love each other like you do. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess you, Jesus. Jesus, Jesus. Jesus, in my heart, we love my heart to the heavens. Jesus be the center, it's all about you. Yes, it's all about you, from my heart to the heavens. Jesus be the center, it's all about you. Yes, it's all about you. Jesus, at the center of it all. Jesus have the center of it all. Everything more Jesus. Jesus at the center of it all. From beginning to the end, it will always be, it's always been you, Jesus. Jesus. Thank you. All right church, let's stand and take this as our benediction. Go with confidence into the days ahead, trusting in God's unfailing love and faithfulness. God will not abandon you, for you are the work of his hands, his own creation, and his love endures forever. So go enjoy, go in love, and go serve the Lord. Amen. [Music]
Welcome to The Village Church, where broken people come together to embrace and extend Christ's love.