A sermon idea based on Psalm 146.
Psalm 146:1-10 NRSV
[1] Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! [2] I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
[3] Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. [4] When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.
[5] Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God, [6] who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; [7] who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;
[8] the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. [9] The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
[10] The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD!
Angle
The relevant topic I would be addressing, based on this text…
So many stories in scripture are about how God acted on behalf of people whose cries had risen up to him. This is a part of God’s good nature that deserves our honor and praise.
Anchor
Information about the text that matters to the message…
There are two details of this text that stand out in terms of reasons why we should align our hearts with God in worship.
1. The people that move God’s heart.
- the oppressed
- the hungry
- prisoners
- the blind
- the bowed down
- the righteous
- the strangers
- the orphan
- the widow
2. The way God acts on behalf of these people.
- he executes justice
- he gives food
- he sets prisoners free
- he opens blind eyes
- he lifts up
- he loves
- he watches over
And God is also moved to action against the wicked, which has less to do with personal sin and more to do with those willing to victimize the vulnerable.
Worship should do more than make us feel good. Worship should bring our hearts into alignment with the heart of God, the evidence of which will be our action on behalf of the people for whom God’s heart is deeply moved.
Application
The big call-to-action in the message…
Worship with an openness to see what God sees in the world around you and a heart ready for action on behalf of others.
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About the Cover Art: Photo by Rainier Ridao on Unsplash.
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