THE REDEEMED ARE NOT SILENT!
Psalm 96:1-3
Oh sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
The psalmist is clearly reminding us that our salvation is to
be joyfully announced! And not only that, for it should become a daily proclamation
about the Lord’s glory.
We remind ourselves often that we should live to the glory
of God, and that we should do all things to His glory. But what does that look
like? What does it mean?
1 Corinthians 10:31
So, whether you eat or
drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
In the context, Paul was reminding the believers that even
what they ate demonstrated who they were glorifying.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24
“All things are
lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all
things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
Just because something is not “wrong” does not mean that it
will bring glory to God, though.
1 Corinthians 10:31-33
So, whether you eat or
drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews
or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in
everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may
be saved.
Everything we do
should be done in light of bringing others to Christ. The home we live in, the
car we drive, the way we dress, the things we participate in - all have an
impact on people. Our motivation cannot, should not, be ourselves!
These are certainly not new concepts for us.
Colossians 3:16-17
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. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Our life is to be lived with Christ in the center, and that
is displayed when we choose to put
others before ourselves.
Glorifying God is not something private between us and God;
it is a whole life lived in light of who God is.
Psalm 96:4-6
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
So many times, the fear of man drives our lack of open
praise and worship. Why would we live in quiet fear of the reactions of people who
worship worthless idols? We know the God of the universe, Who has transformed
our lives!
We live in a world where mortal, sinful men are worshiped
and proclaimed by their fans wearing jerseys advertising their names. Many
people proclaim allegiance to college and professional teams of every sport and
game. There is no shame for them to scream cheers at a game on TV, when the
unhearing athletes are miles away, but we sheepishly become quiet, when an
enthusiastic proclamation of our faith could bear wonderful eternal
consequences in the lives of men! And our LORD always hears our praise!
Paul had no doubt about what his duty was.
Romans 1:14-15
I am under obligation
both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am
eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome
Paul had a sense of urgency, a sense of responsibility that too
many of us have lost!
We must also remember that as we ascribe glory to God in the
midst of people, we are also proclaiming coming judgment to the nations.
Psalm 96:10-13
Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.
The coming judgment of God will be final; it will come with
no escape. We know that every person will be held accountable before God.
So the question we need to ask ourselves is whether or not
we have done our part in proclaiming the righteousness and faithfulness of God
to lost people. Our voices need to heard, and our lives need to match the words
we say.
Knowing that God is righteous and faithful in His judgment
gives us much peace, because He will also be faithful to the promises of His
grace and forgiveness toward those who repent and turn to Him in faith.
As we go out today, let’s ask God to help us in proclaiming about
Him to those around us!
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