1
00:00:04,376 --> 00:00:05,406
Good morning.

2
00:00:10,616 --> 00:00:24,411
We're going to take just a moment, if you've got the bookmark in your Bible with a list of
names on it, we're going to take just a moment of silence and pray for the names that are

3
00:00:24,411 --> 00:00:33,129
on that bookmark, for those that we are trying to reach with the Gospel, and those that we
are trying to reach with the truth.

4
00:01:20,392 --> 00:01:38,657
As you are thinking, one of the things I would ask you to keep in your prayers in the
coming days, if you have not already, are the Christians who are in Iran, who are in the

5
00:01:38,657 --> 00:01:49,290
region all over the Middle East, members of the church striving to do what many of us have
never experienced in our lives.

6
00:01:50,114 --> 00:01:56,859
And that's preach and teach the gospel in a country where you can be killed for teaching
and preaching the gospel.

7
00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,721
And those people exist.

8
00:02:00,882 --> 00:02:06,045
I'm connected with some individuals who know the people in Iran.

9
00:02:06,907 --> 00:02:16,914
And we would love for there to be a day, someday in the future, where they're not under
fear of threat for teaching and preaching the gospel.

10
00:02:17,154 --> 00:02:27,637
But they are, so keep them in your prayers with all of the instability and the things
going on in that region, not just in Iran, but in many of the countries around the region.

11
00:02:27,637 --> 00:02:33,779
And frankly, Christianity is not treated much better in Israel or many of the other places
either.

12
00:02:33,859 --> 00:02:40,661
So keep those individuals in your prayers and the difficulties that they're facing because
of world events.

13
00:02:41,441 --> 00:02:44,362
Take your Bibles, if you will, and open them to Isaiah.

14
00:02:45,410 --> 00:02:49,132
The last uh two Sundays we've been going over the booklets.

15
00:02:49,132 --> 00:02:51,122
We're not going to do that today.

16
00:02:51,122 --> 00:03:00,516
We're going to pick that up uh after I return from the Michigan trip that we're about to
head on and we'll cover Book 2 at that time.

17
00:03:01,337 --> 00:03:13,362
But I wanted to take some time today and I don't know if Jacob stole a look at the sermon
title as he was picking out his songs, but he started with.

18
00:03:13,834 --> 00:03:15,414
Song about praise.

19
00:03:15,975 --> 00:03:18,396
And that's our topic for this morning.

20
00:03:18,997 --> 00:03:23,098
Praise Him for He is worthy.

21
00:03:24,339 --> 00:03:39,106
When you consider Scripture, when you consider what God has to say and what the text of
Scripture has to say about God and about what we are to do in worship,

22
00:03:39,404 --> 00:03:45,347
What not only we do, but all of creation does.

23
00:03:46,748 --> 00:03:50,810
It praises Him, for He is worthy.

24
00:03:51,571 --> 00:03:55,428
Take your Bibles and turn to Isaiah chapter 12.

25
00:03:55,428 --> 00:03:57,379
Put your thumb in that passage.

26
00:03:57,379 --> 00:04:00,105
That's where we're going to spend the majority of our time.

27
00:04:00,105 --> 00:04:06,999
But as you're turning there, I want to read you just a few words from the book of
Revelation.

28
00:04:08,173 --> 00:04:11,635
Revelation chapter 4 we read, oh

29
00:04:11,635 --> 00:04:21,634
After these things I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven and the first voice
which I heard was like a trumpet speaking to me saying come up here and I will show you

30
00:04:21,634 --> 00:04:24,026
things which must take place after this.

31
00:04:24,026 --> 00:04:35,436
Immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne set in heaven and one sat on the
throne and he who sat there was like a jasper and sardius stone in appearance and there

32
00:04:35,436 --> 00:04:39,295
was a rainbow around the throne in an appearance like an emerald."

33
00:04:39,295 --> 00:04:52,318
Around the throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones I saw 24 elders sitting clothed in
white robes, and they had crowns of gold on their heads, and from the throne proceeded

34
00:04:52,318 --> 00:04:54,410
lightnings, thunderings, and voices.

35
00:04:54,410 --> 00:04:59,765
Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.

36
00:04:59,949 --> 00:05:09,507
Before the throne there was a sea of glass like crystal, and in the midst of the throne
and around the throne were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and in back.

37
00:05:09,507 --> 00:05:18,414
The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like a calf, the
third living creature the face of a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying

38
00:05:18,414 --> 00:05:19,294
eagle.

39
00:05:19,795 --> 00:05:29,857
The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within, and
they do not rest day or night, saying, Holy.

40
00:05:29,857 --> 00:05:36,373
Holy, holy Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come.

41
00:05:36,373 --> 00:05:45,761
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the
throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits

42
00:05:45,761 --> 00:05:58,291
on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever and cast their crowns before the
throne saying, are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power.

43
00:05:58,413 --> 00:06:12,615
for you created all things and by your will they exist and were created." The book of
Revelation in this picture, in the vision that John sees there in the midst of heaven, is

44
00:06:12,615 --> 00:06:20,541
a picture of God receiving praise, honor, and glory in heaven.

45
00:06:22,364 --> 00:06:26,747
Yet when you go throughout that book, in the book of Revelation,

46
00:06:27,405 --> 00:06:42,207
You find that in reality God receives praise, honor, and glory and should and is worthy to
receive praise, honor, and glory not just from those who are in heaven, but also from

47
00:06:42,207 --> 00:06:46,571
those who are on the earth, also from all creation.

48
00:06:47,252 --> 00:06:56,179
So in Isaiah chapter 12, Isaiah writes a hymn, a song.

49
00:06:56,621 --> 00:06:57,633
Psalm.

50
00:07:00,215 --> 00:07:20,863
And we read in that passage about the God who is worthy of praise and why God is worthy of
praise and what things God has done that make Him worthy of our praise.

51
00:07:23,001 --> 00:07:35,199
It should go without saying, yet it's worth pointing out, that if we are going to praise
God, we ought to praise Him in accordance with His commandments.

52
00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,262
We ought to praise Him in accordance with His instructions.

53
00:07:39,643 --> 00:07:47,288
If we are to sing praises to God, we ought to follow His commandments when we sing praises
to Him.

54
00:07:48,229 --> 00:07:50,671
It's not very honoring.

55
00:07:51,117 --> 00:07:56,458
to honor someone in a way that pleases you and displeases them.

56
00:07:58,625 --> 00:08:11,102
So it should go without saying if we are going to praise God, we should not do so to our
own personal pleasure, to our own personal preference, but rather to His preference for

57
00:08:11,102 --> 00:08:12,863
honor and praise.

58
00:08:13,904 --> 00:08:27,351
If you look throughout the New Testament, the command of praise, the command and
instruction given is that we are to praise Him with the fruit of our lips.

59
00:08:28,185 --> 00:08:46,150
that we are to sing songs of praise to Him as we've already done this morning, that we are
to do those things with our hearts, that we are to focus on the Word of God as we do so.

60
00:08:47,171 --> 00:08:56,199
But here in Isaiah chapter 12, Isaiah teaches us about the God who is worthy of praise.

61
00:08:57,003 --> 00:09:08,411
In verse 1, we read, And in that day you will say, O Lord, I will praise you, though you
were angry with me.

62
00:09:08,472 --> 00:09:12,815
Your anger is turned away, and you comfort me.

63
00:09:13,687 --> 00:09:26,075
We notice as Isaiah opens, if you're familiar with the context of Isaiah, Isaiah in
chapter 1 is called Israel to come to God to reason with God about their sin, and they've

64
00:09:26,075 --> 00:09:27,255
refused.

65
00:09:28,136 --> 00:09:39,002
Isaiah, through God's prophecy, through Revelation, has declared that Israel is going to
be judged for their sins, for their unwillingness to repent.

66
00:09:39,651 --> 00:09:42,972
but they are going to go through this period of judgment.

67
00:09:42,972 --> 00:09:47,934
And in chapter 12, Isaiah looks beyond that point.

68
00:09:47,934 --> 00:10:03,638
He looks beyond the point of judgment of the nation to a day, he says, where you will say,
where Israel would say, I will praise you though you were angry with me.

69
00:10:04,671 --> 00:10:06,659
The first thing that we learn.

70
00:10:07,257 --> 00:10:16,547
from Isaiah chapter 12 is God is worthy of praise because sin angers him.

71
00:10:19,467 --> 00:10:41,735
when we realize, when we come to appreciate that God's attitude towards sin is that He
will not participate in it, that He will not fellowship in it, that He will have nothing

72
00:10:41,735 --> 00:10:43,375
to do with it.

73
00:10:45,527 --> 00:10:50,726
and that when we insist on living in it.

74
00:10:52,365 --> 00:10:58,684
His anger towards sin brings about judgment on us.

75
00:10:58,684 --> 00:11:01,035
Turn to Isaiah chapter 59.

76
00:11:03,279 --> 00:11:09,579
In Isaiah chapter 59, Isaiah draws out clearly this idea.

77
00:11:09,579 --> 00:11:17,479
We read in 59 and verse 1, Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
nor his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.

78
00:11:17,479 --> 00:11:31,051
But your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden his face
from you, so that he will

79
00:11:31,051 --> 00:11:32,632
Notice the choice there.

80
00:11:32,632 --> 00:11:36,754
He chooses not to hear.

81
00:11:38,095 --> 00:11:54,384
Now in Isaiah chapter 12, Isaiah is writing from a time of repentance in Israel, from a
day in the future where the remnant turns back to God and is recognizing that there was a

82
00:11:54,384 --> 00:12:00,027
time when God was angry with them because they refused to repent.

83
00:12:02,755 --> 00:12:14,803
We need to realize that God is praiseworthy because God does not change based upon our
whims.

84
00:12:15,944 --> 00:12:21,147
God does not change to appease His creation.

85
00:12:22,129 --> 00:12:27,932
Rather, God knows what is best for us.

86
00:12:29,414 --> 00:12:31,695
And sin is not that.

87
00:12:33,987 --> 00:12:49,255
We need to realize that God is worthy of praise because sin angers God with the holiness
and the righteousness and the justice of His nature.

88
00:12:49,916 --> 00:12:55,759
And God will have nothing to do with it, and that is to our benefit.

89
00:12:58,977 --> 00:13:11,695
Imagine, imagine if you were to consider what it would be like to worship a God who had
all the same flaws we do.

90
00:13:13,739 --> 00:13:23,509
Imagine what it would be like to be someone who followed after the Grecian gods or the
Roman gods.

91
00:13:24,972 --> 00:13:27,994
There were just an amplification of men.

92
00:13:29,757 --> 00:13:35,763
All the flaws of humanity seen visible in the doctrines about their gods.

93
00:13:37,495 --> 00:13:39,377
How much hope would that give you?

94
00:13:40,601 --> 00:13:49,154
How much would you be able to look at those gods and say, we'd be so much better if we
just did what they do?

95
00:13:53,315 --> 00:14:00,586
Jehovah, the God who is alive, the God who is really there.

96
00:14:02,552 --> 00:14:03,993
angered by sin.

97
00:14:05,417 --> 00:14:13,111
And when we continue to participate in it, we draw his anger and judgment upon ourselves.

98
00:14:15,181 --> 00:14:19,131
in Revelation chapter 5.

99
00:14:21,255 --> 00:14:38,960
As the vision continues and John sees the picture of Christ, the Lamb who was slain, we
read in Revelation chapter 5 and in verse 9, and they sang a new song saying, You are

100
00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:48,959
worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and have redeemed us
to God by your blood.

101
00:14:49,391 --> 00:15:02,911
out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, have made us kings and priests to our
God, and we shall reign on the earth." God so despises sin.

102
00:15:03,271 --> 00:15:06,891
God so opposes sin.

103
00:15:07,415 --> 00:15:21,895
that He is willing to judge those who were created by His hand if they live in sin, yet He
so loves His creation that He was willing to send Jesus Christ to die so that we are

104
00:15:21,895 --> 00:15:24,147
redeemed from that sin.

105
00:15:26,553 --> 00:15:31,708
Praise God because sin angers Him.

106
00:15:33,270 --> 00:15:35,672
And yet He did not leave us alone.

107
00:15:36,293 --> 00:15:45,543
The second part of verse 1, you read, Your anger is turned away from Me, and you comfort
Me.

108
00:15:47,403 --> 00:15:57,187
Isaiah points out that we should praise God because, number two, He is willing to forgive
and comfort.

109
00:15:58,028 --> 00:16:01,570
It's not just that He is angry with sin.

110
00:16:01,570 --> 00:16:12,375
It's not just that He is angered with those who live in sin, but He is also willing to
forgive and comfort those who will repent of their sin.

111
00:16:14,543 --> 00:16:17,319
If you turn over to Psalm 117.

112
00:16:19,117 --> 00:16:29,693
The psalmist writer writes in Psalm 117 and in verses 1 and 2, praise the Lord, all you
Gentiles.

113
00:16:30,074 --> 00:16:43,201
Loud him, all you peoples, for his merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of
the Lord endures forever.

114
00:16:44,002 --> 00:16:45,343
Praise the Lord.

115
00:16:46,669 --> 00:16:59,727
The psalmist writer points out that God, who knows that we have done wrong, that knows
that we have participated in that which is evil, that knows that we have violated His law,

116
00:16:59,727 --> 00:17:07,711
is willing to redeem us, to forgive us, and to restore us.

117
00:17:08,972 --> 00:17:14,657
In 1 Peter chapter 2 and in verse 9,

118
00:17:14,807 --> 00:17:34,307
Peter writes, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own
special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness

119
00:17:35,509 --> 00:17:37,511
into His marvelous light.

120
00:17:39,181 --> 00:17:50,815
We should praise God not just because He is angered by sin, and as a result condemns it
and judges it and judges us if we continue in it.

121
00:17:52,155 --> 00:18:04,379
But we should praise Him because knowing all of those things, He provided us a way to
leave sin behind that we could never have accomplished on our own.

122
00:18:06,519 --> 00:18:10,320
and he called us out of that darkness into his light.

123
00:18:11,601 --> 00:18:14,081
Number three, verse two.

124
00:18:15,102 --> 00:18:30,707
In Isaiah chapter 12 and in verse two we read, Behold, God is my salvation, and I trust, I
will trust and not be afraid, for Yah, the Lord,

125
00:18:30,779 --> 00:18:36,525
is my strength and song and has become my salvation.

126
00:18:36,867 --> 00:18:46,417
The third reason that Isaiah says we should praise him is because he patiently saves us.

127
00:18:50,191 --> 00:18:52,791
Notice the progression.

128
00:18:53,891 --> 00:18:59,431
He says, He is my strength.

129
00:19:01,249 --> 00:19:07,525
He is the support when we are unable to support ourselves.

130
00:19:08,126 --> 00:19:15,634
In the midst of struggles, in the midst of trials, in the midst of temptation, He remains
with us.

131
00:19:16,896 --> 00:19:19,758
But He doesn't just say that God is our support.

132
00:19:19,959 --> 00:19:23,842
He says He is my strength and my song.

133
00:19:26,197 --> 00:19:29,831
God is the reason for praise.

134
00:19:30,293 --> 00:19:43,379
God is the one who patiently knows that we go through struggles and yet having supported
us through those struggles gives us reason to sing.

135
00:19:46,979 --> 00:19:55,284
The New Testament teaches us that if anyone is sorrowful, let him pray.

136
00:19:56,586 --> 00:20:01,429
If anyone is rejoicing, is happy, let him sing.

137
00:20:02,550 --> 00:20:14,799
God is the one who patiently saves us, gives us strength through the difficulties, and
gives us a reason to sing in happiness.

138
00:20:14,799 --> 00:20:15,719
oh

139
00:20:16,707 --> 00:20:18,768
But notice the progression still.

140
00:20:19,549 --> 00:20:28,055
My strength and my song and has become my salvation.

141
00:20:30,111 --> 00:20:46,495
Isaiah, as he writes this, knows that it is through God's patience and longsuffering and
mercy and kindness and grace that we are saved.

142
00:20:49,397 --> 00:20:57,987
Interestingly, Isaiah here is actually echoing the words of Moses in Exodus chapter 15.

143
00:20:58,630 --> 00:21:16,435
As Israel is coming out of Egypt, as Israel crosses the Red Sea, as Israel has finally
looked back and seen the army of Egypt swallowed up by the Red Sea.

144
00:21:17,983 --> 00:21:21,197
Moses sings a song.

145
00:21:23,553 --> 00:21:25,830
And Moses uses these words.

146
00:21:27,583 --> 00:21:47,283
And Isaiah, centuries down the line in Israel's history, calls Israel back to the
salvation of their nation in its birth, to consider the God who is their strength and

147
00:21:47,283 --> 00:21:50,855
their song and had become their salvation.

148
00:21:52,685 --> 00:21:59,265
God is worthy of praise because He patiently saves us.

149
00:22:00,387 --> 00:22:03,183
In Revelation chapter 19,

150
00:22:10,655 --> 00:22:26,569
As the visions that John sees continue, we read in Revelation 19 and in verse 1, After
these things I heard a loud voice out of a great multitude in heaven saying, Alleluia,

151
00:22:26,870 --> 00:22:36,699
salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God.

152
00:22:37,497 --> 00:22:49,939
for true and righteous are his judgments, because he has judged the great harlot who
corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his

153
00:22:49,939 --> 00:23:02,930
servants shed by her." You go back to chapter 6 and you'll find those Christians crying
out, saying, how long are you going to let us be killed by these persecutors?

154
00:23:03,967 --> 00:23:10,942
Over in chapter 19, they're singing praises in heaven saying, vengeance is done.

155
00:23:15,373 --> 00:23:26,587
God is worthy of praise because sin angers Him and because He is willing to forgive and
comfort and because He patiently saves us.

156
00:23:27,348 --> 00:23:44,195
But if you go back to chapter 12 and verse 3, you read, "'Therefore, with joy you will
draw water from the wells of salvation.'" As Isaiah pictures

157
00:23:44,235 --> 00:23:54,167
his people in need of the water that God supplies.

158
00:23:55,992 --> 00:24:11,707
You remember in Israel's past, back to that time where they came out of Egypt, for a
period of time they were wandering through the wilderness and at one point they cried out

159
00:24:11,707 --> 00:24:16,701
to God, they cried out to Moses because they said, we're going to die of thirst.

160
00:24:17,142 --> 00:24:20,545
You brought us out here into the desert to kill us.

161
00:24:21,389 --> 00:24:30,155
There's no water for us, there's no water for our animals, there's no water for our
families, and we've left Egypt where we had all these blessings and now we're out here in

162
00:24:30,155 --> 00:24:32,728
the middle of nowhere, we're all gonna die.

163
00:24:36,971 --> 00:24:41,712
And God tells Moses to gather the people.

164
00:24:43,545 --> 00:24:49,247
And as the people are gathered together, Moses is instructed to strike the rock.

165
00:24:51,051 --> 00:25:03,506
And the rock that is there and their presence splits in two, and out from it comes the
water that God provided that didn't just provide enough water for a hundred people or a

166
00:25:03,506 --> 00:25:09,429
thousand people, but by all likelihood there was more than a million present.

167
00:25:10,530 --> 00:25:18,693
And there was enough water for all of them and all their flocks and all their herds and
all their families.

168
00:25:20,821 --> 00:25:29,708
and all that they could consume never made a dent in the supply." Notice the words again.

169
00:25:30,449 --> 00:25:38,916
He says, therefore with joy you will draw water from the well of salvation.

170
00:25:40,517 --> 00:25:45,041
Over in John chapter 4, Jesus sits at a well.

171
00:25:47,381 --> 00:25:51,216
and a Samaritan woman comes to draw water from the well.

172
00:25:53,441 --> 00:25:59,400
And while she is there drawing water from the well, Jesus asks of her a drink.

173
00:26:01,387 --> 00:26:09,332
She questions him why he, being a Jew and a man, asked a drink from her, a Samaritan
woman.

174
00:26:10,816 --> 00:26:13,541
And Jesus said, if you knew who I was,

175
00:26:15,447 --> 00:26:28,165
you would have asked to drink from me, and I would have given you of the waters of life,
such that the water that when you drink of it you never thirst again."

176
00:26:30,474 --> 00:26:31,802
Isaiah

177
00:26:33,529 --> 00:26:41,300
800 years before that happens, writes about the waters of salvation.

178
00:26:43,317 --> 00:26:46,618
that they would draw out of them.

179
00:26:48,159 --> 00:26:58,402
And yet you can see in the picture, unlike this material world where you pull something
out and the source is diminished.

180
00:26:59,883 --> 00:27:06,685
Then when it comes to God, when you draw out of the waters of salvation, those waters are
not diminished.

181
00:27:08,771 --> 00:27:13,205
There's no scarcity with the salvation that God provides.

182
00:27:14,607 --> 00:27:17,489
It is not a limited resource.

183
00:27:19,363 --> 00:27:27,388
But rather, we should understand that it is an eternal resource.

184
00:27:29,219 --> 00:27:39,115
So number four, as we read this verse, is that we should praise God because His salvation
is eternal.

185
00:27:40,377 --> 00:27:45,780
Jesus said to the woman, if you drink of the waters that I give you, you'll never thirst
again.

186
00:27:46,661 --> 00:27:56,407
The salvation which God provides is not temporary, it's not momentary, it's not limited,
and it's not scarce.

187
00:27:57,908 --> 00:27:59,179
It is eternal.

188
00:28:00,321 --> 00:28:06,966
And because God's salvation is eternal, He is worthy of praise.

189
00:28:08,367 --> 00:28:10,570
But then you consider number five.

190
00:28:11,431 --> 00:28:19,598
In verses four and five, we find out that God is worthy of praise because there is no one
like Him.

191
00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:27,304
Isaiah writes, and in that day, you will say, now notice, he said,

192
00:28:27,553 --> 00:28:35,578
concerning Israel, God, you were at one time angry with me, but now you've forgiven me and
you've comforted me.

193
00:28:35,859 --> 00:28:45,786
And now he writes concerning Israel, I will trust in you, I will not be afraid, you are my
strength, you are my song, you have become my salvation.

194
00:28:45,786 --> 00:28:56,653
And then he says, as he looks at Israel, says, you will draw water from the well of
salvation, in that day you will say,

195
00:28:57,081 --> 00:28:58,663
Praise the Lord.

196
00:28:58,663 --> 00:29:00,605
Call upon His name.

197
00:29:00,665 --> 00:29:03,228
Declare His deeds among the peoples.

198
00:29:03,228 --> 00:29:06,032
Make mention that His name is exalted.

199
00:29:06,032 --> 00:29:10,316
Sing to the Lord, for He has done excellent things.

200
00:29:11,359 --> 00:29:13,801
This is known in all the earth.

201
00:29:16,031 --> 00:29:20,847
as Isaiah focuses his attention on the nation.

202
00:29:21,990 --> 00:29:29,911
He desires for the nation to praise God because there is no one like God.

203
00:29:31,565 --> 00:29:35,465
What did we read there in Revelation chapter 5?

204
00:29:35,493 --> 00:29:37,838
Revelation chapter 4?

205
00:29:37,838 --> 00:29:43,649
He's worthy of praise, for He created everything.

206
00:29:45,219 --> 00:29:48,915
For by His power it continues to exist.

207
00:29:50,340 --> 00:29:52,263
Of what other can that be said?

208
00:29:52,263 --> 00:29:53,424
There is none.

209
00:29:56,779 --> 00:29:59,769
Psalm 47.

210
00:29:59,878 --> 00:30:01,340
Psalmist writer.

211
00:30:03,221 --> 00:30:06,202
writes there beginning in verse 6 of that psalm.

212
00:30:06,202 --> 00:30:07,025
m

213
00:30:13,015 --> 00:30:19,487
Psalm 47 and in verse 6 we read, sing praises to God.

214
00:30:20,048 --> 00:30:21,508
Sing praises.

215
00:30:21,929 --> 00:30:24,410
Sing praises to our King.

216
00:30:24,410 --> 00:30:25,910
Sing praises.

217
00:30:26,211 --> 00:30:30,032
For God is the King of all the earth.

218
00:30:30,032 --> 00:30:32,613
Sing praises with understanding.

219
00:30:34,969 --> 00:30:41,801
So the psalmist-writer draws our attention to the one who rules everything.

220
00:30:43,345 --> 00:30:48,221
He calls upon us to praise God.

221
00:30:51,129 --> 00:31:11,789
But then in verse 6, as Isaiah closes this hymn, he writes, cry out and shout, O
inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst.

222
00:31:13,169 --> 00:31:20,989
God is worthy of praise, number 6, because He is with.

223
00:31:21,587 --> 00:31:21,910
us.

224
00:31:21,910 --> 00:31:22,801
uh

225
00:31:28,319 --> 00:31:32,544
a God who created everything.

226
00:31:34,731 --> 00:31:45,352
yet has the care and the concern sufficient to care about us?

227
00:31:47,961 --> 00:31:57,637
The psalmist writer would ask the question, what is man that you are mindful of him?

228
00:32:00,055 --> 00:32:17,969
Psalmist writer questioned, God, why are we worth so much to You when we look at ourselves
and consider we're not worth much at all?

229
00:32:21,739 --> 00:32:23,675
in Acts chapter 16.

230
00:32:32,287 --> 00:32:34,181
Acts chapter 16.

231
00:32:37,197 --> 00:32:49,604
Verse 25, we read, at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and
the prisoners were listening to them.

232
00:32:50,164 --> 00:32:59,349
Suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken,
and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.

233
00:33:00,610 --> 00:33:06,015
In the midst of being in prison, in the midst

234
00:33:06,015 --> 00:33:07,906
of being persecuted.

235
00:33:08,046 --> 00:33:17,750
In the midst of being put into chains and bonds at midnight, they weren't awake wondering
what would become of them.

236
00:33:18,970 --> 00:33:25,173
They weren't wondering whether they would have any hope of escaping punishment.

237
00:33:27,051 --> 00:33:33,008
They weren't groveling before the prison guards asking them to be released.

238
00:33:35,147 --> 00:33:39,983
At midnight, they were singing praises to God.

239
00:33:41,366 --> 00:33:42,347
Why?

240
00:33:43,650 --> 00:33:46,133
Because they knew He was with them.

241
00:33:48,449 --> 00:33:55,484
They knew they didn't serve a God who was far off and uninterested.

242
00:33:58,839 --> 00:34:03,091
They rather serve to God who was right there.

243
00:34:04,875 --> 00:34:18,290
And you read in the text, as the chains were loosed and the doors were opened, the keeper
of the prison, awakening from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing that the

244
00:34:18,290 --> 00:34:21,941
prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.

245
00:34:21,941 --> 00:34:27,633
But Paul called with a loud voice saying, do yourself no harm, for we are all here.

246
00:34:28,385 --> 00:34:32,935
Then he called for a light and ran in and fell down, trembling before Paul and Silas.

247
00:34:32,935 --> 00:34:39,648
And he brought them out and said, "'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'

248
00:34:43,671 --> 00:34:45,111
this jailer.

249
00:34:47,430 --> 00:34:55,308
observed their actions, observed the God they served.

250
00:34:57,781 --> 00:35:03,769
and knew that that was the God he needed to serve.

251
00:35:07,381 --> 00:35:12,445
So they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved in your household.

252
00:35:12,806 --> 00:35:16,789
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in the house.

253
00:35:17,291 --> 00:35:24,457
And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and immediately he
and all his family were baptized.

254
00:35:26,145 --> 00:35:37,265
Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them, and he rejoiced
having believed in God with all his household."

255
00:35:39,821 --> 00:35:49,585
He is my strength and has become my song and my salvation.

256
00:35:50,626 --> 00:36:01,430
For the Philippian jailer on that night, he could say concerning God, he has become my
salvation.

257
00:36:02,571 --> 00:36:04,771
But what did the Philippian jailer do?

258
00:36:05,312 --> 00:36:08,493
He heard, he believed.

259
00:36:09,111 --> 00:36:10,561
He was baptized.

260
00:36:11,242 --> 00:36:20,185
Having been baptized, he could rejoice in and praise God.

261
00:36:21,001 --> 00:36:32,791
If you have need of the ability to praise God for he is worthy of praise, you will not
praise him by continuing in sin.

262
00:36:33,731 --> 00:36:37,955
You will not get anything from God but judgment.

263
00:36:37,955 --> 00:36:39,845
for continuing in sin.

264
00:36:40,926 --> 00:36:44,707
You will not praise Him by serving yourself.

265
00:36:45,906 --> 00:36:50,268
You will not praise Him by honoring yourself.

266
00:36:51,229 --> 00:36:54,869
If you're going to praise God, you're going to have to do it His way.

267
00:36:55,990 --> 00:37:00,371
But if you're willing to praise Him, He's worthy of it.

268
00:37:01,151 --> 00:37:03,032
And He's willing to forgive.

269
00:37:03,472 --> 00:37:05,192
And He's willing to save.

270
00:37:05,612 --> 00:37:08,113
If you have need of the invitation this morning,

271
00:37:08,345 --> 00:37:19,955
to put Christ on in baptism, to become a part of the family of God, the assembly of people
who praise God in accordance with His commandments, the Church of the Living God.

272
00:37:19,955 --> 00:37:21,595
You can do that this morning.

273
00:37:22,397 --> 00:37:37,509
If you've departed from Him, if you've started serving yourself instead of Him and you
need to repent, then come back to Him because...

274
00:37:37,707 --> 00:37:41,601
Right now, He's angry with you.

275
00:37:42,983 --> 00:37:45,765
But He'd much rather comfort you and forgive.

276
00:37:46,867 --> 00:37:51,040
If you have needed the invitation, why not come forward now as we stand and as we sing.