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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!

DECLARE HIS GLORY

INTRODUCTION

Without a doubt, Psalm 96 is one of the most beautiful Psalms in the Bible.

After reading and meditating upon this passage, it just makes you want to say, “Wow, what a Saviour!”

This Psalm states our purpose as Christians in verse 3.

Look with me in this Psalm as we learn some ways to “Declare His Glory.”

I.         WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PRAISING. (Vs. 1-2, 4)

            Psalm 22:23–“Ye that fear the LORD, praise him;. . .”

            Do you fear God tonight? Then you should praise Him!

            In fact, we were chosen in Christ Jesus to show forth the praises of God in our life!

1 Peter 2:9–“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

First Chronicles 16 tells us of an occasion that turned into one of the most festive days in Israel’s history. For a long period of time the people of God did not have the ark of God in their midst. Even when they did get it back it wasn’t in its proper place in Jerusalem.

David brought the ark of God and put it in a tent that he had pitched for that purpose.

            He then offered up many burnt sacrifices and peace offerings to God.

            Then he got some people to stand in front of the ark and thank and praise the Lord God.

Others were continually playing on their harps and cymbals, and it says in verse 6 that a couple of the priests played their “trumpets continually.”

They were praising God because they had the ark of God back. The ark of God was the very presence of God in their midst! Having the ark of God back where it was supposed to be caused a praise revival among God’s people! The Glory of God was back!

When the Glory of God is back where it should be in our life we will be full of praise!

When God’s glory is shining in our lives, we live to praise Him and we find there is no way that we could praise Him enough!

Our Saviour and King is worthy of all honor, and glory, and power, and praise and we should give it to Him! Charles Wesley wrote in a hymn of his,

                        O for a thousand tongues to sing, My great Redeemer’s praise,

                        The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace. . .

                        Glory to God and praise and love, Be ever, ever given

                        By saints below and saints above, The Church on earth and heaven.

            Psalm 50:23–“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me:”

            WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PRAISING.

II.       WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PROCLAIMING. (Vs. 3)

            Spurgeon called this chapter the “Great Missionary Hymn.” We can certainly see why.

            But what really is this “glory” we are supposed to declare?

Perhaps it is the Glory of His Incarnation, or the Glory of His Salvation, or the Glory of His Resurrection, or the Glory of His Word, or the Glory of His Person, or all of these!

Notice the breadth of the declaration: it says “Declare His glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.”

As best I can tell, there are some 227 countries in this world, and the world population is between 6 and 7 billion.

The world contains 24,000 people groups, many with their own language, culture, and customs. Only 2,000 of the more than 6,500 spoken languages have the entire Bible.

            By religion, 9% are Jews or others, 12% are Buddhist, 12% are Hindu, 15% are Atheist,

            20% are Muslim, and the remaining 31% claim to be “Christian.”

“All people,” by the way, does not start with the people oversees, but with your next-door neighbor, your co-worker, your family and loved ones.

Jesus said to His disciples in John 4:35, “Look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”

Upon another occasion, He also made this statement found in Matthew 9:37, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.”

            WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PRAISING.

            WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PROCLAIMING.

III.      WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PARTICIPATING. (Vs 7-8)

            A.        Give Him “glory and strength.”

This is not us actually giving Him anything per se, because the word “give” is the same word for “ascribe.”

The idea is for us to recognize His great glory and strength and then to show forth in our lives our dependence on Him so that others can see God working in our lives.

When people look at our lives, do they see that we are leaning on the glory and strength of the LORD? Or are we leaning on some other source?

                        Who do we ascribe glory and strength to?

            B.        Give Him “Offerings” (vs 8)

The truth of the matter is that bringing offerings to God is a way of Declaring His Glory!

Just as the Old Testament priests and people would bring tribute offerings into the temple courts, so we are to bring our offerings to God to help with world evangelism.

It is not a matter of convenience or ease, rather, it should cost us something– maybe we delay some financial project of our own so that God’s purposes can be met first!

After all, we are dealing with souls that will spend their eternity in a Christless hell without our help.

            C.        Give Him Ourselves.

I am reminded of the Churches of Macedonia when Paul said in 2 Corinthians 8:5, that they “first gave their own selves to the Lord.”

Every one of us must ask ourselves if God is calling us to go to a mission field other than the one where we are.

Remember, when God puts that overwhelming burden on our hearts, we must respond and go.

            WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PRAISING.

            WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PROCLAIMING.

WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PARTICIPATING.

IV.      WE DECLARE GOD’S GLORY BY PREPARING. (Vs. 11-13)

            Verse 13 says, “For He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth.”

Notice that the coming of God to judge is here a cause and reason for joy!

            All of nature is called upon to celebrate His coming!

Conclusion

The essential thing for all of us is to do what verse 3 says, “Declare His Glory.”

This is done in praising Him, in proclaiming His Glory to Others, in participating by giving and going, and by preparing for His coming.

The worst thing we could do is to try to take away the glory that belongs to Him.

1 Corinthians 1:30-31–“30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (Also 2 Corinthians 10:17)

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!