Unreserved Praise: Celebrating God's Greatness in Worship
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the profound significance of praise in our lives, drawing from Psalm 34 and other scriptural references. We began by discussing the concept of a "praise break," a spontaneous outpouring of gratitude and worship, often seen in church settings but also comparable to the exuberant celebrations we witness in sports events. This led us to reflect on the dichotomy between how passionately we praise trivial things like sports and how reserved we can be in our worship of God.
The Hebrew word for praise, "halal," can mean to make a loud boast or even to act foolishly, highlighting that true praise involves an unreserved expression of our love and gratitude to God. We examined the psalmist's four questions about praise: who, where, why, and how. We are called to praise God exclusively, without any rival, as He is a jealous God who deserves our ultimate adoration. This praise should occur both in the sanctuary (church) and in the mighty firmament (heavens), reflecting the continuous worship that happens in heaven.
We also delved into why we should praise God, focusing on His mighty acts and His excellent greatness. Even when we can't see His works clearly due to life's challenges, we can still praise Him for who He is—His omniscience, omnipresence, love, eternality, and immutability. The story of Sam Stewart, a man who praised God even in his weakest moments, served as a powerful illustration of this truth.
Finally, we discussed how to express our praise, using various instruments and even our bodies to dance and make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Music, as Martin Luther noted, has a unique power to calm the soul and elevate our spirits, making it a vital part of our worship. Ultimately, praising God is not just a good practice but a command, an imperative for all who have breath.
### Key Takeaways
1. Praise Reflects Our True Passions: The way we passionately celebrate trivial things like sports should be mirrored in our worship of God. True praise involves an unreserved expression of our love and gratitude to God, making it evident to those around us that we are genuinely passionate about Him. [04:00]
2. Exclusive Praise to God: God is a jealous God who deserves our ultimate adoration without any rival. Our praise should be directed exclusively to Him, reflecting His unique position in our lives. This exclusivity is not just a preference but a command, as seen in the Ten Commandments and throughout scripture. [07:05]
3. Praise in All Places: Praise should occur both in the sanctuary (church) and in the mighty firmament (heavens), reflecting the continuous worship that happens in heaven. This duality emphasizes that our worship is not confined to a specific location but should permeate every aspect of our lives. [12:26]
4. Praise for Who God Is: Even when life's challenges cloud our vision of God's mighty acts, we can still praise Him for His excellent greatness. His attributes—omniscience, omnipresence, love, eternality, and immutability—are constant reasons for our worship, regardless of our circumstances. [17:42]
5. The Power of Music in Praise: Music has a unique power to calm the soul and elevate our spirits, making it a vital part of our worship. Whether through instruments or our voices, music allows us to express our praise in a profound and impactful way, aligning our hearts with God's. [24:44]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:14] - Introduction to Praise Breaks
[02:33] - Sports and Praise Comparison
[04:00] - The Dichotomy of Praise
[05:21] - Who Should We Praise?
[07:05] - Exclusive Praise to God
[08:29] - Evaluating Our Praise
[09:40] - Questions to Assess Praise
[11:11] - Praise Deficiency
[12:26] - Where Should We Praise?
[13:45] - Praise in Heaven and Earth
[14:59] - Why Should We Praise?
[16:20] - Mighty Acts of God
[17:42] - Praising God for Who He Is
[19:08] - Story of Sam Stewart
[21:57] - How to Express Praise
[23:23] - The Role of Music in Praise
[24:44] - The Power of Music
[26:04] - The Command to Praise
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 34:1-3 (ESV): "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!"
2. Exodus 20:5 (ESV): "You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God..."
3. Revelation 5:12-13 (ESV): "saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!' And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!'"
### Observation Questions
1. According to Psalm 34, what are the psalmist's instructions regarding praise? How often should praise be given? ([01:14])
2. What does the Hebrew word "halal" mean, and how does it relate to our expression of praise? ([02:33])
3. In the sermon, what are the four questions the psalmist answers about praise? ([05:21])
4. How does the story of Sam Stewart illustrate the concept of praising God in all circumstances? ([19:08])
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it significant that God describes Himself as a "jealous God" in Exodus 20:5? How does this attribute affect our understanding of exclusive praise? ([07:05])
2. How does the comparison between sports celebrations and church praise challenge our approach to worship? ([04:00])
3. What does it mean to praise God for His "excellent greatness" even when we can't see His mighty acts? ([17:42])
4. How does the use of music and instruments enhance our worship experience according to the sermon? ([24:44])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you passionately praise trivial things more than you praise God? How can you shift your focus to give God the ultimate praise He deserves? ([04:00])
2. How can you incorporate more spontaneous moments of praise into your daily routine, similar to a "praise break"? ([01:14])
3. Think about the places where you worship. How can you ensure that your praise is not confined to the church but extends to all areas of your life? ([12:26])
4. When facing life's challenges, how can you remind yourself to praise God for who He is, even if you can't see His works clearly? ([17:42])
5. Music has a unique power in worship. What are some ways you can use music to enhance your personal and communal worship experiences? ([24:44])
6. Consider the story of Sam Stewart. How can you find strength to praise God even in your weakest moments? ([19:08])
7. How can you make sure that your motives for praising God are pure and not influenced by the desire for personal gain or recognition? ([09:40])
Devotional
Day 1: Passionate Praise Reflects Our True Devotion
Description: The way we passionately celebrate trivial things like sports should be mirrored in our worship of God. True praise involves an unreserved expression of our love and gratitude to God, making it evident to those around us that we are genuinely passionate about Him. This kind of praise is not just an emotional outburst but a reflection of our deepest values and priorities. When we allow ourselves to be fully engaged in worship, we demonstrate to others and to ourselves that God holds the highest place in our lives. [04:00]
Psalm 63:3-4 (ESV): "Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands."
Reflection: Think about the last time you were truly excited about something trivial, like a sports event or a concert. How can you channel that same level of enthusiasm and energy into your worship of God this week?
Day 2: Exclusive Praise to God
Description: God is a jealous God who deserves our ultimate adoration without any rival. Our praise should be directed exclusively to Him, reflecting His unique position in our lives. This exclusivity is not just a preference but a command, as seen in the Ten Commandments and throughout scripture. When we reserve our highest praise for God alone, we acknowledge His sovereignty and our dependence on Him. This kind of exclusive praise helps us to keep our priorities in check and ensures that nothing else takes the place of God in our hearts. [07:05]
Deuteronomy 6:14-15 (ESV): "You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you—for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth."
Reflection: Are there any "rivals" in your life that compete for the praise and adoration that should be directed to God alone? What steps can you take to ensure that your worship remains exclusive to Him?
Day 3: Praise in All Places
Description: Praise should occur both in the sanctuary (church) and in the mighty firmament (heavens), reflecting the continuous worship that happens in heaven. This duality emphasizes that our worship is not confined to a specific location but should permeate every aspect of our lives. Whether we are in a formal worship setting or going about our daily routines, our hearts should be attuned to praising God. This kind of pervasive praise helps us to maintain a constant awareness of God's presence and His work in our lives. [12:26]
Psalm 113:3 (ESV): "From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!"
Reflection: How can you incorporate moments of praise into your daily routine, whether you are at home, at work, or out in nature? What practical steps can you take to make praise a continuous part of your life?
Day 4: Praise for Who God Is
Description: Even when life's challenges cloud our vision of God's mighty acts, we can still praise Him for His excellent greatness. His attributes—omniscience, omnipresence, love, eternality, and immutability—are constant reasons for our worship, regardless of our circumstances. By focusing on who God is rather than just what He does, we anchor our praise in His unchanging nature. This kind of praise helps us to remain steadfast in our faith, even when we face difficulties and uncertainties. [17:42]
Isaiah 40:28 (ESV): "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable."
Reflection: Reflect on one attribute of God that has been particularly meaningful to you in a challenging time. How can you make a habit of praising God for who He is, even when you don't see immediate answers to your prayers?
Day 5: The Power of Music in Praise
Description: Music has a unique power to calm the soul and elevate our spirits, making it a vital part of our worship. Whether through instruments or our voices, music allows us to express our praise in a profound and impactful way, aligning our hearts with God's. The use of music in worship is not just a tradition but a powerful tool that helps us to connect with God on a deeper level. By incorporating music into our praise, we can experience a greater sense of God's presence and His peace in our lives. [24:44]
Colossians 3:16 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
Reflection: What role does music currently play in your personal worship? How can you intentionally use music to enhance your times of praise and draw closer to God this week?
Quotes
1. "Praise is something that should make the people around you realize that you're truly passionate about what you're praising. Now I'm not saying we have to act crazy, but I do, I would say that praise is something that should make everyone around see what we're doing, or hear what we're doing, and realize they are passionate about this thing that they are praising." [04:00] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We praise what we enjoy. We praise food all the time. It's called the Yelp Review. Or a Google Review. We do it all the time. Stuff like that. We praise food that we enjoy. We praise our spouse. We praise our kids when they do things that we enjoy. And we praise God when we enjoy him. If we're truly fellowshipping with God, if we're truly enjoying him, then praise is something that will naturally come about in our lives." [04:00] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We are to praise God and praise him exclusively. We're to praise God without any rival. There shouldn't be any other competition. And who gets the ultimate praise of our life? It's not to say we can't praise other things. We're supposed to honor and praise other people and lift them up. But the ultimate praise of our life should go to the Lord." [05:21] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Very quickly, we can evaluate how much we are praising God in our lives with these three simple questions. I heard a preacher this week give these three questions on how we could evaluate ourselves on how much we praise God in our lives. And the first question is this. What do you think about when all the activity of the day is done and you settle? What do your thoughts settle on in that moment?" [08:29] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "If our thoughts, our motives, and our actions are not directed toward God very often, it might be a good indicator that we're praise deficient, that we have a deficiency in our praise to the Lord with our ultimate praise of our life. If our thoughts are not often on Him, if our actions are not in serving Him, and if our motives are not in glory to Him, it's a good indicator then that we are praise deficient." [11:11] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Praise Him for what He does. Praise Him for His mighty acts. Praise Him for what He does. What kind of mighty acts has God done? I, we talked about this a couple of times throughout the psalms, of in creation, He's done mighty acts. And we look all around us, and we see the glory, and the splendor, and the majesty of our God, in the greatness of our God, just by looking at what He has created in this earth." [14:59] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "So even when we can't see what He's doing, we can still praise Him because of who He is. There's a man, which I've shared this before, I think in a small group at one time, but it just is a powerful moment in my life of seeing someone praise and worship the Lord in their life. And a man, his name was Sam Stewart, when we were living in Moses Lake and we were on staff there at the church, there's a man in the church that he just ended up, just started to slowly die." [17:42] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "We do not praise God for what we can get out of it. We don't praise him for what we can get out of praising him. We praise God because he is worthy of praise. We praise him because he's worth it for what he does and for who he is. And then the Psalm tells us how that praise can be expressed in verse three through six." [20:32] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Praising God is the goal of all creation. In the New Testament, it says this, that at the name of Jesus, every knee would bow and every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That's the goal of all creation, that one day all, all people, all creatures would bow and confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God." [27:20] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "If you're breathing this morning, then you should be praising the Lord. That's what the psalm is telling us, that each and every one of us praise God in His sanctuary, in the heavens, for His mighty acts, for His excellent greatness, who He is with. Any instrument we can get our hands on, with all that is in us, even with our bodies that we would dance, that we would give Him over ourselves in praise, and then if all we have left is that we're still breathing, well then let's at least say, God, it's your breath in my lungs, so I'm going to pour out my praise. I'm going to give it to you because you are worthy of it all." [28:52] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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