Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Statement Of Faith

God The Father Part 2

Intro: Last week we  looked at the alleged paradox that God is both transcendent and immanent. That He is both so far above and beyond us that it is impossible to comprehend Him while still being below and among with His people so that an intimate relationship with Him may be had through faith in Jesus Christ.

 I said that a paradox is difficult to understand because while it affirms truth it appears to be a contradiction.

 I began, by using Ps. 104:1-23 to show that this alleged paradox only appears to be a contradiction. Because when we look closer at Scripture through the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds we find the additional information we need to see the truth. For we see in Ps. 104  that God is...Both Transcendent and Immanent, both Above and below. And that the two traits are in perfect harmony with each other and are a testimony to Him being God. We were able, with one voice to affirm,

Trans: Turn to Ps. 104:24. Last week we saw in  vs 1-9 that God is transcendent, that He is above His creation and in vs. 10-23 we saw that God is immanent, He is below in an intimate relationship with His creation.
 In verses 24-26 the Psalmist returns to the transcendent nature of God. Follow along with me.

Ps. 104:24-26  'God is above'
 The Psalmist returns to worshipping God. This happens when we recognize and accept His absolute wisdom in creation. Listen to this Godward praise...

 God has not just done a few things well, He has done all things well. The Psalmist attributes to God all creation in it's entirety. And in his description we see the wisdom of God displayed in His great diversity within creation. Vs 25-26 give us a glimpse of the diversity in God's creative wisdom. The Psalmist is saying 'God, there is nothing that I can see that You are not creator of and master over. Even that which I can't see, You are responsible for and are to be praised.'

 The Psalmist also reminds us that because God is the wise Creator of all things, all things belong to Him. He affirms the sovereignty of God in that all creation is His possession. Folks, we own nothing. We may be stewards, we may manage what he have, but God, by virtue of being creator, owns all things.

Trans: In vs. 27-30 the Psalmist returns to the immanence of God.

Ps. 104: 27-30  'God is below'
 God, being wise in the creation of all things is also by nature, loving in the way He cares for that which He has created.

 When I reflected on this my mind went to a documentary I once saw on birds. I remember the camera in the nest, high in the tree and in the nest were 5-6 newly hatched baby birds...all huddled together, all chirping  and all with their mouths open anxiously awaiting the return of their mother, who is noticeably absent from the nest.  You've see the picture. Then the mother bird returns to the nest and takes the food she has gathered and places some if it deep within the mouths of these baby birds.

 Or how about the picture of the farmers back door with all the chickens crowding around, waiting for the door to open and the feed to be thrown on the ground for them to eagerly consume.

 This is the picture the Psalmist wants us to see. We all, the earth, the birds, alligators, bears, groundhogs, sharks, horses and even man eagerly await provision from the Lord. You see, God is the very source of the material well being of His creation. He just didn't create it and then leave it to fend for itself.  All creation is dependent on it's creator for His regular and perfect provision.

 Acts 17:25,28  'He Himself gives to all, life and breath and all things...for in Him we live and move and exist'

 All would cease to exist if God ceased to provide.God's hand reaches through all  time and space to provide for all His creation. Listen to how the Psalmist points to God and His work below and among His creation. The emphasis is on a God who acts.

 The Psalmist says that God acts and we are the beneficiaries of His grace. We get what we need and our needs are satisfied and all He gives us is good. Everyone, Believer and unbeliever alike, all receive their needs by the common hand of our gracious God.

 God's immanent hand reaches out to take life and to give it.  He takes away our spirit/breath and we die just as He breaths into us and gives us life. There is then no such thing as accidental death, or he/she went before their time. God is sovereign over our very breathing. And since we know He created all things in divine wisdom, we can be assured that He is just as wise in His providential control over the length of our lives.

Trans: The Psalmist, having proclaimed both the transcendence and the immanence of God in this Psalm is now drawn back to where He began'

Ps. 104:31-35  'God is praised'

 The Lord God, who is described in all His regal splendor and who reveals Himself to His creation has bestowed His glory on His creation. Though the revelation of His transcendent nature and His immanent works, God has placed His 'heaviness' upon His creation.

 The 'glory' of God is revealed in the OT in the word kabod meaning 'heaviness' or 'weight'. The glory of an individual was the weight in gold or precious metals and jewels he possessed. So the glory of God is seen in relation to what He owns.

 And we have already read in vs. 24 that the whole earth is His possession. Therefore, God's weight is awesome, comparable to no one. And worthy above all else to receive our praise and worship.

 The Psalmist praises God by saying may all creation, for all time know the heaviness or glory of God. Even though mans glory fades, the glory of God will stand for all eternity.

 Don't you wish this could be said of you? That you could be glad or pleased with all your works..with everything you do?

 On the golf course there are mulligans. In the movies there are retakes. Word processors have editing capabilities. Presidential elections have recounts and recounts and further recounts and children have 'do overs'.

 WHY? Because we are rarely happy with the results of our works. We could have done it better, faster, more accurately, with more enthusiasm, less money or better results. But God is perfect in His works. Though many and various in nature all God's works are done with the greatest exactness. There is not the least flaw or defect in any of His works.

 All God's works are done in accordance with His wisdom and He is perfect in wisdom. Nothing can be more right, more accurate and more perfect for creation than the works of God.

 I will sing to the Lord for as long as I live..or more literally I will sing to the Lord in my lives.  The Psalmist, along with all those who have been truly touched by the personal hand of our transcendent God, will now in this life and for all eternity in the next life, sing praise to God. As long as I have a breath to breath, I will sing praises to my God.

 Folks, don't get caught up or embarrassed by social pressure to remain silent about God when in public. Talk to Him, sing to the Lord while in line at the supermarket, while driving your car, while walking your dog. And especially while here in worship.
Sing out, as John Calvin once said 'sing lustily unto the Lord'. Sing with a full heart of praise. Don't sing with muffled breath or halfheartedly because you don't sing well or because you don't like the song. After all, it really isn't about you, it is about God.....SING to the Lord as long as you live!

 I have seen many of you do just that as you worship our awesome God here in this place. To the rest, let me encourage you to release your praise to the Lord in song. He will be pleased.

 Meditation talks of the times we are in prayer, reading Scripture or hearing it preached or taught. What do we think about? The glory of God's Word and our response to it or the Scripture readers hair cut and the teacher/preachers bad illustrations? Where is your focus...on the message or the messenger?

 O that our meditations may be on the Word of God alone and on the One who gave it to us. Then our meditations will be pleasing to God.

 Herein lies the choice. Will you allow the circumstances of life, the situation you are in, control your ability to be glad in the Lord? NO! Instead place your trust and be glad in the one who controls your circumstances, good or bad. The One who allows them to come and desires to walk in them with you, hand and hand.

 Are you glad in the Lord this morning?

 Are you happy that God has chosen you from the foundation of the world to be His child, saved from the penalty of sin and death and made alive for all eternity through Christ Jesus His Son?

 Are you glad that God is in control, no matter what the situation?

 Are you happy that God is present here and now?

 Are you glad in your heart that God is by nature perfect in all things and yet still accessible, still personal?

 However, does it break your heart that there are those, many, most even who do not know God in this way?

 The reality is that God is also good in His wrath. And as vs 32 tells us we ought to tremble at the wrath of God.. Not those who fear God and are His children, but

 Those who have suppressed the truth of God in their hearts by their life of sin.

 Those who do not recognize that the Lord is the source of their material benefits.

 Those who do not give glory or recognize the worthiness of God.

 Those who are not concerned with praising Him in song or pleasing Him in their life.

 God is perfect in all things, especially His holiness and Justice. Therefore sin must be dealt with for it can not be found in the presence of God.  So all those who reject God and a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, will be cast forever away from His presence.

 So that the Psalmist will never be one of those people...he again reminds himself.. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!

We would do well to follow the Psalmists example.