When God is Big... is a sermon series examining what happens when you have a bigger vision of who God is. When God is Big...Identity is a Gift — Who are you? Who or what defines you? What does it mean to be true to yourself? These are questions of identity. When God is small, you are responsible for creating and maintaining your own identity. This is stressful and exhausting. But when God is big, identity is received as a gift of grace in Christ. This brings security and peace, no matter what happens in life. Recorded on Oct 17, 2021, on Ephesians 1:3-10, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript All year, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And today, we’re continuing a sermon series called When God is Big… In this series, we’re considering how a bigger view of God changes everything, including how we live out our values and deal with our struggles. Last week, we looked at how a bigger view of God helps us deal with our struggle with fear. If you missed any of the messages from this series, you can always go back and watch on YouTube or listen to the audio podcast if you’d like. Well, today, we get to address one of the main issues that people in our culture struggle with today, which is understanding/establishing your identity. Now, I am a Christian, husband, father, pastor, friend. I’m a Packer fan, I’m an extrovert, I’m an ENTJ, I have 1.25 dogs. But who am I? What among these details defines me? How do I know if I’m being authentic to my true self? These are questions of identity. And these are huge questions because they tap into how we see/define/present ourselves in this world. Who are you? What is at the core of who you are? Well, if you have a Bible/app, please open to Eph 1, starting with v.3. This morning, we get to look at a very famous passage, which every Christian needs to understand, because it reveals so much about our true identity, our authentic self, who we truly are, in Christ. Let’s start with v. 3. Ephesians 1:3–10 (NIV), “3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship  through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” Now, Ephesians was a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Christians in and around the city of Ephesus in modern Turkey. Now, Ephesians was written broadly, meaning, it was meant to be shared with other churches in other communities. So it’s a great letter to study if you’re coming into Christianity. However, the passage we just read is dense and somewhat difficult to follow. In fact, it’s one long sentence in Greek. I think the reason that Paul did this was once he started describing who we are “in Christ” (as he says), he can’t help but add one detail after another, brick by brick, until he has built up a towering description of what God has accomplished for us through the person and work of Jesus. Let’s work through this once again starting with v. 3. Ephesians 1:3, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” So we start with a blessing or a call to praise God. Praise be, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because he has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in ...

Appleton Gospel Church

When God is Big…Identity is a Gift

When God is Big... is a sermon series examining what happens when you have a bigger vision of who God is. Fears are Quieted — What do we do when we are afraid? When God is small, when we lose sight of him or are distracted from him, fear is only natural but can be overwhelming. But when God is big, when we focus on Jesus and learn to walk by faith and not sight, then our fears are quieted. And we find a life of courage is possible. Recorded on Oct 10, 2021, on Matthew 14:22-33, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript All year, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And today, we’re continuing a sermon series called When God is Big… In this series, we’re considering how a bigger view of God changes everything, including how we live out our values and deal with our struggles. If you missed any of the messages on our values from the last 4 weeks, you can go back and watch those on YouTube or listen to our audio podcast. But today, we get to start working on how a bigger view of God can impact/transform our struggles as well, including struggles with fear, identity, and addiction. So today, we get to address the ever-present issue of fear. Fear is powerful and fear is everywhere. Whether your struggle is more of generalized anxiety or a specific situation that you’re worried about or you’re in a full-blown fight-or-flight mode type of fear, fear is something that every single one of us will face in life. So what do we do when our fears become big? Is the voice of fear loud in your inner world today? I know it can seem like our fears are screaming at us at times. Well, my goal today is that you would see that when God is big, when you walk by faith and not sight…our fears are quieted. In Christ, a life of courage is possible. Is this something you’d like to learn? Then, please open your Bible/app to Mt 14, starting with v.22. Matthew 14:22-33, “22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” So Matthew was also known as Levi. And Matthew was a tax collector before he started following Jesus. Eventually, he was commissioned by Jesus to be one of the twelve Apostles. The book of Matthew is the longest account of the life/ministry of Jesus in the NT. Let’s jump back into our text for today. Look back at v.22. Matthew 14:22-23a, “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.” Let’s pause here. So Matthew records that immediately after the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side. The other side of what? The other side of the Sea of Galilee. This northern region of Galilee is where Jesus grew up and where he spent most of his time early on in his ministry.

When God is Big…Fears are Quieted

When God is Big... is a sermon series examining what happens when you have a bigger vision of who God is. Mission is the greatest joy — When God is small, sharing your faith with others can seem scary or risky. But when you understand who Jesus is, and you know that your name is written in heaven, then talking about him is the most fulfilling purpose we could possibly enjoy. Recorded on Oct 3, 2021, on Luke 10:1-20, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript All year, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And today, we’re continuing a sermon series called When God is Big… Way too many Christians have way too small a view of who God is. And when God is small, not in reality but in our minds/imagination, even though we might believe in God, other things can become big that shouldn’t be so big. Your circumstances, emotions, and failures can not only become big, they can become all-consuming. Well, in this series, we’ve been considering how a bigger view of God changes our values of worship, community, ministry, and mission. Next week, we’ll start working on how a big view of God can change our struggles as well, including struggles with fear, identity, and addiction. But today, we’re finishing out our values by considering how a bigger view of God changes our mission in life. Did you know that God has a mission? Did you know that God has called you to join this mission? Well, my goal today is that you would see that when God is big…joining the mission of God is the greatest joy. Please open your Bible/app to Luke 10, starting with v. 1. Luke 10:1-3, “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” Ok, let’s pause here. So Luke was a doctor who became a Christian through the ministry of the Apostle Paul. And Luke did a careful investigation into the life and ministry of Jesus by interviewing eyewitnesses and then writing down what he discovered. And here, Luke records a time when Jesus sends out 72 of his disciples with a particular mission/purpose. Now, this wasn’t the first time Jesus did this. In the previous chapter, Luke records when Jesus sent out the twelve, who would later become his apostles. But here, Jesus widens the scope of those being sent, to include the seventy-two. As he sends them, two by two, he tells them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” Jesus is talking about the harvest of salvation, the God-given fruit of the work of the gospel. But there’s a problem. There’s more work to be done than there are workers to get it done. What do we do? Jesus says, “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” The word ask is more often translated in the Bible as to pray or even to beg. There’s a desperate quality to this prayer. “God, we need more people to work in this field! Please send more workers!” So the mission of God begins with prayer. But also, Jesus is emphatic in his sending. In v. 3 he says, “Go!” Go now. Go without delay. This wasn’t just a nice option for some of the followers of Jesus, but only if they weren’t busy. This was an authoritative commission. You will go. But how will they go? Jesus says, “I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” Being a lamb among wolves means to remain innocent, pure, and hopeful, even among the painful brokenness/darkness of this world — not becoming cynical and not using the ways of power or coercion which are the ways of the world, but as little lambs. You see, to Jesus, how his disciples were to fulfill their mission/purpose was as important to him as what they accomplished. So the mission of God must be done God’s way, using kingdom values. Godly ends never justify ungodly means.

When God is Big…Mission is the Greatest Joy

When God is Big… is a sermon series examining what happens when you have a bigger vision of who God is. Ministry is Natural — When God is small, other people seem to exist for our benefit. Serving or ministering to others is totally optional. But when God is big, church leaders are to equip every Christian to do the work of ministry — every member is a minister — and the goal of ministry is maturity in Christ as the church is built up in love. Recorded on Sep 26, 2021, on Ephesians 4:11-16, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript All year, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And today, we’re continuing a sermon series called When God is Big… Way too many Christians have way too small a view of who God is. But when God is small, not necessarily in reality but in your mind/imagination, even though you might believe in God, other things become big that shouldn’t be so big. Your circumstances, emotions, and failures can not only become big, they can become all-consuming. Well, in this series, we’ve been considering how a big view of God changes our values. And at this church, our values are worship, community, ministry, and mission. In a few weeks, we’ll consider how a big view of God can change our struggles as well, including fear, personal identity, and addiction. When God is big, it changes how we live out our values and how we deal with our struggles. So today, we’re considering how a bigger view of God impacts and transforms our understanding of and our obligation for ministry. And my goal today is that you would see that when God is big…ministry is natural. It’s not just the work of the pastors/professionals. But ministry is the normal work of every single follower of Jesus. Please open your Bible/app to Eph 4, starting with v. 11. Let’s read through this first and then we’ll go back and unpack it together. v. 11. Ephesians 4:11-16, “11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” So the book of Ephesians in the Bible is an epistle/letter from the Apostle Paul to the Christians in and around the city of Ephesus in the modern country of Turkey. And like many of his letters, Paul initially emphasizes what the gospel is (chapters 1-2) before moving on to what the gospel does (chapters 3-6). So here in chapter 4, we’re in the middle of what the gospel, and more specifically Christ himself, does to build up Christians in faith/knowledge as well as their love for one another. Let’s look back at v. 11. Ephesians 4:11-12, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…” Let’s pause here. As I said, at this point in the letter, we already understand the good news of who God is, what he has accomplished in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and that Jesus has ascended back into heaven and is reigning and ruling today as the Lord of all creation. So from his throne on high, we find that Jesus hasn’t forgotten/abandoned us. But he continues to provide for us. Here, Paul says that Christ himself has given us these four different offices of ministry. (Now, there is some disagreement as to whether pastors a...

When God is Big…Ministry is Natural

When God is Big... is a sermon series examining what happens when you have a bigger vision of who God is. Community is Unbreakable — When God is small, our emotions and desires become very great. Shared preferences become almost a prerequisite for relationships. However, the Bible defines love as self-sacrificing action for the benefit of another. Love is rooted in who God is and should be the defining mark of the Christian community. Recorded on Sep 19, 2021, on 1 John 4:7-21, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript All year, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And today, we’re continuing a sermon series we started last week, called When God is Big… Way too many Christians have way too small a view of who God is. But when God is small, not necessarily in reality but in your mind/imagination, that has a direct impact on your life. Even though you might believe in God, when God is small, other things become big. Your circumstances, emotions, and failures can not only become big, they can become all-consuming. But what happens when God is big? What happens when you have a better/truer/bigger vision of who God is? Well, in this series, we’ve started with our four core values of worship, community, ministry, and mission. Our values change with a bigger vision of God. Then, after that, we’ll consider three issues that people in/outside the church struggle with today including fear, personal identity, and addiction. When God is big, it changes how we live out our values and how we deal with our issues. So today, we’ll move from worship last week to community this week. What should our relationships be like in the church? What defines them? Well, my goal for today is that you would see that when God is big…community is unbreakable because it is marked by the very love of God. Please open your Bible/app to 1Jn 4, starting with v. 7. 1 John 4:7–12, “7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” Let’s pause here. So the Apostle John is sometimes known as the Apostle of love. Does anyone have any idea how he could’ve picked up that nickname? Love is a central theme of John’s gospel and his epistles/letters, such as this. I like to point out the fact that John didn’t start out as overly loving. He was a young man when Jesus called him and his brother, James, to follow him. They were initially known as the sons of thunder and at one point asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven on a town that had rejected Jesus. Not the most likely candidate to be known as the apostle of love later in life. But that’s the impact that Jesus has on people — he changes us. But here, we have a very famous passage where John says that God isn’t just loving in his character. But rather, he says that God is love. Look again at v.8 “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” And modern people love that idea, that God is love. However, C.S. Lewis pointed out that most modern people (of course, he pointed this out in the 1940s and ’ ’50s) believe in something more like love is God, not God is love. In Mere Christianity, Lewis writes, “They [modern people] really mean that our feelings are love, however and wherever they arise, and whatever results they produce, are to be treated with great respect. Perhaps they are: but that is something quite different from what Christians mean by the statement ‘God is love’.” (p. 174-175) Now,

When God is Big…Community is Unbreakable

When God is Big... is a sermon series examining what happens when you have a bigger vision of who God is. Worship is Obvious — If God has created us, then he deserves our lives. But if God has saved us, then he deserves our love. When you see and celebrate God as Creator and Savior, worship goes from optional to obvious. Recorded on Sep 12, 2021, on Revelation 4-5, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript All year, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And today we get to start a brand new sermon series called When God is Big… And the big idea of this sermon series is this: Way too many Christians have way too small a view of who God is. And when God is small, not necessarily in reality but in your mind, imagination, and heart, that has a direct impact on your life. Even though you might believe in God, when God is small, other things become big. Your circumstances, emotions, and failures can not only become big, they can become all-consuming. But what happens when God is big? What happens when you have a better/truer/bigger vision of who God is? Well, it changes everything. So in this series, we’re going to start by considering what changes in life through the lens of our four core values of worship, community, ministry, and mission. These things change with a bigger vision of God. Then, after that, we’ll consider what changes in your life in a few of the main issues that many people in/outside the church struggle with today including fear, personal identity, and addiction. When God is big, it has a huge impact on how we live out our values and how we deal with our issues. But today, we’ll start with how the greatness of God changes our experience of and priority for worship. My goal today is that you would see that when God is big…worship is obvious. Please open your Bible/app to Rev 4, starting with v. 1. Now, this is a longer passage, so we’ll unpack this as we go. v.1. Revelation 4:1-6, “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” So Revelation is fascinating. Some Christians obsess over it. Others avoid it. Now, one of the reasons it’s hard for us to understand is that it’s an ancient work, similar to other works of Jewish apocalyptic literature. It’s full of otherworldly images, beasts, and symbols. It’s difficult to know if it's meant to be taken literally, figuratively, or a combination of both. So my goal today is to be clear on the parts that are clear and tread carefully when the path isn’t as clear. So with that, let’s consider the text we just read. First, can you imagine if you found a door that was open, and on the other side was heaven? Not the heaven of TV and movies. But the actual heaven? God’s space. A spiritual realm outside of space-time. What do you think you’d see? John says the first thing he noticed was the voice of Jesus. The first voice he had heard, the voice like a trumpet, was Jesus Christ. John says that he was “in the Spirit.” What does that mean? Well, every Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit, but he isn’t saying he became a Christian here. He’s describing a spiritual vision or being caught up in the Spirit, similar visions that several OT prophets had such ...

When God is Big…Worship is Obvious

Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. Hallelujah! — Everyone everywhere is called to join the choir of creation in praise of God. Worship is offering everything you have, as a living sacrifice, in response to the glory of God. Recorded on Sep 5, 2021, on Psalm 150, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript All year, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And today we’re going to finish a sermon series from the Psalms in the Bible called, Songs of Greatness. And we’ve said that the psalms cover the whole range of human emotion/experience. Whatever you’re going through, the Psalms can be helpful for you. But a number of the psalms are all about the greatness of God, which is why we included this series with our annual theme. This series started back in July with Psalms 1-2 and today, we’re finishing our series with Psalm 150, which is the end of the book of Psalms, so we’ve covered a range of Scripture and themes over the last few months. We’ve seen that God is great. That God is glorious and eternal and almighty and wholly independent, he does not need anything from us. But at the same time, he inexplicably cares for us and is steadfast in his love and faithfulness to us and uses his greatness not to oppress us or to work against us, but to reach down and lift up the poor and those who are in need. He comes down to lift us up. God is great and God is good. So here, in Ps 150, we have a fitting end, focused on worship. This psalm begins and ends with a hallelujah or the phrase, “Praise the Lord,” and is really a call for every person, in fact, every living thing, to add their voice in a song of praise to God. And this is what life is all about. Please open your Bible/app to Psalm 150, starting with v. 1. We’re going to read all the way through this psalm, and then we’ll work through this in three parts, and actually, we’re going to take them in reverse order: 1. The Call to Sing 2. The  Way We Sing 3. The Reason We Sing. Psalm 150 (NIV), “Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, 5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” 1. The Call to Sing: As promised, we’re going to unpack this psalm in reverse order. So once again, v. 6, and let’s read this together, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” Let everything that has breath, that is let every living thing. Let every fish in the sea (small and great), let every bird in the sky, let every one of the livestock and all the wild animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground. And let every human being, every man, woman, and child. Let every nation, tribe, people, and language. Let every one in every time and place. Let everything that has breath…do what? Praise. Praise who? Praise God! Oh, but not just any god. Not the god in your mind or imagination. Not a god of our own creation. But Yahweh God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of history, the God of the Bible. Remember when Lord is in all caps in the Bible, it doesn’t translate a generic title of Lord from the original Hebrew language, but rather the personal name of the God. Yahweh God. This God. We are to praise this God. Praise him! Hallelujah! This is the call to sing. Use your breath. Use your life. Join the chorus and sing! And we’ve seen this call/invitation to worship/praise before in our series. But the call to sing crescendos as we get closer to the end of the book of Psalms. The last five psalms in the book all begin and end with this phrase, “hallelujah,” or, “Praise the Lord.

Hallelujah!

Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. Our God is in Heaven — Idols are created things people worship or serve in the place of their Creator God. Even today, idols are everywhere. But in the end, only the power of God is able to give us what we long for in Christ. Recorded on Aug 29, 2021, on Psalm 115, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript All year, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And this summer, we’ve been working through a sermon series from the Psalms in the Bible called Songs of Greatness. And we’ve said that the psalms cover the whole range of human emotion/experience, but a number of the psalms are all about the greatness of God, which is why we included this with our annual theme. Today, as we approach the end of our series, we’re considering Psalm 115, which is a psalm that calls us to trust in the one true and living God, the God of history and the God of the Bible. To turn from idols or the created things that we tend to put in the place of God or substitute for God. And turn back to a God who created us, a God who is alive and actually has the power to bless us, to help us, and ultimately, to save us. Please open your Bible/app to Psalm 115, starting with v. 1. We’re going to read all the way through this psalm, and then we’ll work through this in three parts: 1. The Prevalence of Idols 2. The Promise of Idols 3. The Power of God. Psalm 115, “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. All you Israelites, trust in the Lord— he is their help and shield. House of Aaron, trust in the Lord— he is their help and shield. You who fear him, trust in the Lord— he is their help and shield. The Lord remembers us and will bless us: He will bless his people Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, he will bless those who fear the Lord— small and great alike. May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to mankind. It is not the dead who praise the Lord, those who go down to the place of silence; it is we who extol the Lord, both now and forevermore. Praise the Lord.” Ps 115 is one of the Hallel Psalms which I talked a lot about last week. If you missed that message, you can always go back and watch it on youtube or listen to the audio podcast online. Now, we aren’t given the context of the psalm directly, but given the theme of idolatry, it could pretty much apply to any time during the history of Israel. So let’s start back at v. 1 and work through this text. First, we’ll consider the prevalence of idols. v. 1. The Prevalence of Idols: Psalm 115: 1-8, “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” Let’s pause here. After an opening statement directing our worship to God, “to your name be the glory,” the psalmist asks the question in v. 2, “Why do the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’” So first,

Our God is in Heaven

Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. Who is Like the Lord our God? — If God is so great, what difference does that make for us? What God does with his greatness, specifically in his heart for the poor and the most vulnerable among us, should not only change how we live our lives but should also lead us to ask, “Who is like the Lord our God?” Recorded on Aug 22, 2021, on Psalm 113, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript For the next year, in our preaching ministry, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And this summer, we’ve been working through a sermon series from the Psalms in the Bible called Songs of Greatness. And we’ve said that the Psalms are a collection of songs/poems that the people of God have used in the worship of God for 1000’s of years. They cover the whole range of human emotion/experience, but a number of the psalms are all about the greatness of God. Today, we’ll consider Psalm 113, which is a psalm that asks, what does God do with all his greatness? If God is so great, if God is exalted, if God is supremely glorious, what difference does that make for us? Why should we care? Well, it turns out that what God does with his greatness, specifically in his heart for the poor and those who are the most vulnerable among us, not only should change how we live our lives but should also serve to only increase his glory to us and lead us to ask, “Who is like the Lord our God?” Please open your Bible/app to Psalm 113, starting with v. 1. Psalm 113:1-9, “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. 2 Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. 3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. 4 The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, 6 who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? 7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; 8 he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people. 9 He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord.” So Psalm 113, like so many other psalms, is a call to worship, it’s an invitation to praise the Lord. And if we read too quickly through it, we will miss what it says, its unique offering to us after all these years. The psalms, like any other great piece of music/art, need time to work their way from our senses down into our hearts as we meditate on who God is and what he has done. So let’s start back at v. 1 and work through this in three parts: 1. The Invitation 2. The Exaltation 3. The Humiliation. First, the invitation. v. 1. Psalm 113:1-3, “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. 2 Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. 3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Let’s pause here. Ok! The invitation: So v. 1 of Psalm 113, in the original Hebrew language, is where we get the word/phrase/exclamation ‘hallelujah!’ If you’ve ever said, “Hallelujah!” did you realize it was a Greek transliteration, imported into the English language from an ancient Hebrew song lyric? Probably not. Anyway, in ancient Hebrew language/culture, a Hallel was a hymn of praise. And Psalms 113-118 are known as the Hallel Psalms. These particular psalms were very important in the Jewish faith before and during the time of Jesus, because they were used during the central Jewish festival that commemorated God’s saving grace in the exodus, which was the festival of the Passover. After the last supper, Matthew and Mark report that Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn. And this hymn was most likely from the Hallel Psalms. Psalm 113 and 114 were traditionally sung before the Passover meal. And Psalms 115-118 were sung after.

Who is Like the Lord our God?

Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. From Everlasting to Everlasting — There are two painful truths of life in this world: Life is short, and life can be incredibly hard. How do we respond to the brevity and difficulty of life without falling into hopelessness or despair? We can trust in God who is both eternal and gracious. Recorded on Aug 15, 2021, on Psalm 90, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript For the next year, in our preaching ministry, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. After all the turmoil of 2020, it was obvious to me that way too many Christians have way too small of a view of who God is. So we started this annual theme with a sermon series from the Psalms in the Bible called, Songs of Greatness. And the Psalms are a collection of songs/poems that the people of God have used in the worship of God for 1000’s of years. They cover the whole range of human experience, but a number of the psalms are all about the greatness of God. Today, we’ll consider Psalm 90, which, out of 150 psalms, is the only psalm written by Moses, the great leader of the people of God during the time of the exodus from Egypt. And Psalm 90 touches on some deep themes that many people spend much of their lives (frankly) avoiding: the brevity/shortness of life, and the pain/difficulty of life. Life is short, and life can be incredibly hard. And for some of us who are younger, but for all of us who have lived a little longer in life, we know this to be true. But what do we do with this information? How do we respond to the reality that life is short and life can be incredibly hard? Well, over the millennia, human beings have found several ways to deal with this truth — but many of these philosophies or coping mechanisms are ultimately unhelpful/unhealthy. What are we to do? I believe Psalm 90 offers us a fascinating case study for dealing with the brevity and the difficulty of life in this broken world without falling into hopelessness or despair or delusion. Please open your Bible/app to Psalm 90. Now, because this is a longer psalm, we’re going to unpack it in three parts, 1. we’ll consider the brevity of life, 2. the difficulty of life, and finally, 3. the response, how we might live in light of this reality. So first, the brevity of life: Psalm 90:1-6, “1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” 4 A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. 5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death — they are like the new grass of the morning: 6 In the morning it springs up new, but by evening it is dry and withered.” Let’s pause here. So first, we’re considering the brevity or the shortness of life. Time is such a weird thing. Our perception of time shifts and changes, doesn’t it? Sometimes time seems to move very slowly, when we’re watching the clock, when we’re waiting for something to happen, and especially when we’re young. Minutes can seem like days, days can seem like a lifetime. But then, when you look back over time, years can seem like they came and went very quickly, in the blink of an eye. Decades are filled with memories and experiences, but even decades seem to shorten as we age. According to the Bible, as creatures of this world, we are bound within time. But our experience of time is one of the ways we are fundamentally different than God, our Creator. You see, time is part of God’s creation, therefore, he is not bound by it or surprised by it. God’s perception of time is different than ours. He is standing on the riverbank while we are in the stream. He is the Lord over it while we have no say in the matter. In v. 2, Moses writes, “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world,

From Everlasting to Everlasting

Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. Be Exalted O God (Singing in the Dark) — How are we supposed to worship God when things aren’t going well for us? When we’re in the midst of trouble, difficulty, hardship, or pain? The greatness of God is such a comfort when we're in the dark. God was faithful then, will he not be faithful now? Recorded on Aug 8, 2021, on Psalm 57, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript For the next year, in our preaching ministry, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. After all the turmoil of the last year and a half, it was obvious to me that way too many Christians have way too small of a view of who God is. So we started this annual theme with a sermon series from the Psalms in the Bible called, Songs of Greatness. And the Psalms are a collection of songs/poems that the people of God have used in the worship of God for 1000’s of years. They cover the whole range of human experience, but a number of the psalms are all about the greatness of God. Today, we’ll consider Psalm 57 and I’d like to start by presenting a problem that every one of us will face at some point in our lives: How are we supposed to worship God when things aren’t going well for us — when we’re in the midst of trouble/difficulty/hardship/pain?? How do we sing songs of praise before we see the victory? Before we see the fruit of God’s goodness? Before our problems have been solved or our mess has been cleaned up? Psalm 57 shows us what to do. And I hope this will be helpful for you, but especially if you feel like this is where you’re at today. Please open your Bible/app to Psalm 57 starting with v. 1. We’re going to read through this first, and then we’ll unpack it together. Psalm 57:1-11, “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. 2 I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me. 3 He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me—[c] God sends forth his love and his faithfulness. 4 I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. 6 They spread a net for my feet—I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path—but they have fallen into it themselves. 7 My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. 8 Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” So the sub-heading of this Psalm says, “For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” I really wish we knew what that tune was. Of course, it wouldn’t be anything like the music we listen to today, but that’s ok! It says this psalm is “Of David. A miktam.” Now that’s King David who lived about 3,000 years ago — the most powerful and influential king of ancient Israel. And, we think a miktam is a musical term but we aren’t really sure. There are five different psalms with this term and all five seem to be crying out to the Lord during a time of danger or battle. Finally, the sub-heading gives us an occasion for when this psalm was composed, or perhaps what David was thinking about if he wrote this song later. It says, “When he had fled from Saul into the cave.” Let's come back to that as we work through the text. So back to v. 1. Psalm 57:1, “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” Ok, let’s pause here. Who is David singing to here? To God! He’s crying out to God. Have mercy!

Be Exalted O God (Singing in the Dark)

Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. The Earth is Full of His Unfailing Love — Why should we worship the Lord? Why should we go through all the work of getting ready, gathering together, and singing songs of praise? Because God is good! And when we needed salvation, the earth was full of his unfailing love. Recorded on Aug 1, 2021, on Psalm 33, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript For the next year, in our preaching ministry, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And I’ve said, after all the turmoil of the last year and a half, it was obvious to me that way too many Christians have way too small of a view of who God is. So we’ve started this annual theme with a sermon series from the Psalms in the Bible called, Songs of Greatness. Now, the Psalms are a collection of songs/poems that the people of God have used in the worship of God for 1000’s of years. And the psalms cover the whole range of human experience, but some of the psalms are all about the greatness of God. Today, we’ll consider Psalm 33, which is a massive call to worship. And why should we worship the Lord? Because when we needed salvation, the earth was full of his unfailing love. I love the message of this psalm. If you have a Bible/app, please open it to Ps 33. Because it’s a little longer, we’re going to unpack this psalm in three parts: 1. The Call to Worship, 2. The Reasons for Worship, 3. The Life of Worship. So first, The Call to Worship. v. 1. Psalm 33:1-3, “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” This is the call to worship. I envision a leader calling out to the people of God, gathered to worship the Lord, who is calling them, “Sing joyfully, call loudly, rejoice, shout for joy!!” This is a call to stand up and make some noise to the Lord. This isn’t some sleepy call to contemplative prayer alone where no one can see you. This isn’t a time to be bashful about what to do with your hands or to worry about what others might think of you. This is a call to make a joy-infused, sweat-producing ruckus. And it’s not just a good thing or an optional thing. The psalmist says it’s the right thing to do. It is fitting for the upright to praise him like this. Like how? v. 2. says with instruments. With your voice and with any instrument at your disposal. In their day it was with the harp and the ten-stringed lyre, which was a little like a guitar. Other psalms refer to drums and cymbals and flutes. Today we would say with guitars and keys and drums and bass. Sing to him, what? a new song. Traditions are powerful. Traditions can be a really good thing, provided they reinforce and pass down from one generation to the next, things/ideas which are good/right/true. But having traditions for the sake of being traditional is not at all a Biblical idea. Sing to the Lord a new song. A new song requires a break with tradition. A new song requires hard work from both a songwriter/composer to creatively compose a new song, and work from the musicians/congregation to learn to play/sing a new song. You can’t be on autopilot and sing a new song. But in this call to worship, this call to sing a new song, we are called to play skillfully AND shout for joy, and I love this. Good worship will include both the handwork and dedication, the hundreds of hours of practice required, to hone the skills of playing and singing. But also good/Biblical worship will connect to the heart in an emotional expression, a shout for joy. Worship is not just a professional performance, but it’s also not only an emotional experience. Now, some churches emphasize skill more than emotion. All the people up front are professionals and there’s no room for imperfection. Other churches emphasize emotion over skill.

The Earth is Full of His Unfailing Love

Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. Ascribe to the Lord — There are many things in this world that are big and scary, things that are threatening and out of our control. But God is far bigger and more powerful than any threat we could imagine. This is the root of all strength and peace. Recorded on July 25, 2021, on Psalm 29, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript For the next year, in our preaching ministry, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. And I’ve said, after all the turmoil of the last year+, it was obvious to me that way too many Christians have way too small of a view of who God is. So we’ve started this annual theme with a sermon series from the Psalms in the Bible called, Songs of Greatness. The Psalms are a collection of songs/poems that the people of God have used in the worship of God for 1000’s of years. And the psalms cover the whole range of human experience, but some of the psalms are all about the greatness of God. Today, we’ll consider Psalm 29, which speaks very directly to this situation of ours today. This need to gain/recover a better theology, a better/truer understanding of who God is. Why? Because of the storm, because of the times of turmoil/chaos/destruction. Because of the times that bring widespread anger/anxiety, stress/depression. We lived through a mighty storm this past year or so. But storms aren’t new, nothing is new under the sun. Can the greatness of God help us in the midst of the story?? If you have a Bible/app, please open it to Ps 29. We’re going to unpack this psalm in three parts: 1. The Glory, 2. The Voice, 3. The King. But first, let’s read through this together. Psalm 29, “Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his[a] holiness. 3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. 5  The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion[b] like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks[c] and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” 10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. 11 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”  Psalm 29, traditionally, is one of the psalms of David, that is King David, the most powerful/influential king of the ancient people of Israel. David lived about 3,000 years ago or about 1,000 years before the time of Jesus. And David was a mighty warrior and a prolific poet, having written about half of the psalms in the Bible. Psalm 29 is divided/ordered in a particular way, did you notice? Psalm 29 has three main sections marked by repetition. The first section (vv. 1-2) has the phrase “ascribe to the Lord” over and over. And then, the second section (vv. 3-9) has the phrase “The voice of the Lord.” Finally, the third section/stanza (vv. 10-11) simply has “The Lord, the Lord, the Lord” over and over. So with that, let’s jump back to v. 1. Psalm 29:1-2, “Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” So first, The Glory: David starts with this call, really it’s an invitation to worship: to ascribe to the Lord, the glory due his name. What does that mean? Does that mean that God is really insecure and needs our words of affirmation? Does that mean that God is waiting around for us to worship him, in order to get glory? No! God is not lacking in glory. God is supremely glorious!

Ascribe to the Lord

Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. The Heavens Declare the Glory of God — How do we know what God is like? God's glory is revealed by what he has done, from creation to new creation. Recorded on July 18, 2021, on Psalm 19, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript For the next year, we’re focusing on The Greatness of God. After all the turmoil of the last year, it’s my conviction that many of the problems we face in the world and in the evangelical church today would be solved if we had a far bigger view of God. Way too many Christians have way too small of a vision of who God is. And for the rest of the summer, we’re in a sermon series from the Psalms in the Bible called Songs of Greatness. The Psalms are a collection of songs/poems that the people of God have used in the worship of God for 1000’s of years. And through this series, I hope to help you have a bigger, truer perspective, and a more compelling vision of God. Today, we’ll consider how the works of God declare/proclaim the glory of God. In other words, what God does clearly reveals his greatness. If you have a Bible/app, please open it to Ps 19. We’re going to unpack this psalm in three parts: 1. Creation, 2. The Bible, 3. The Gospel. So first, creation… Psalm 19:1-6, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.”  Creation Declares the Glory of God. The psalmist, that is, King David, starts this first section of his song focusing on what? The works of God in creation, nature, in the physical world around us. And he says the heavens/skies declare/proclaim what? the glory of God. And what is the glory of God? The glory of God is the sum total of all the characteristics of God, what you get if you added up all of his love, justice, holiness, power, wisdom, and so on. It’s everything about who God is. The glory of God is beautiful to his people but is terrible to his enemies. David observes, as surely as we observe anytime we stop and really meditate on the created world around us, that even though the planets and stars have no voice, their message goes out into all the earth. In vv. 4-6, David poetically uses the sun as a case study: the sun is consistent, helpful, and life-giving. David imagines it enjoys the strength/task that God has given it. Many ancient peoples worshiped the sun. Ancient Israelites appreciated the sun, as we ought to today, but they were never to worship it. The sun was just one aspect of God’s creation. There was only one God, the maker of the heavens and the earth, including the sun in all of its glory/power. And King David is right. When I consider the big things that God has made, the planets and the stars, the vastness of space in our galaxy, much less in the whole visible universe, I’m blown away. As I said last week, we are so very tiny in the scope of all of that. But I’m also blown away when I consider the small things that God has made, the atoms and particles and quarks of the quantum world. And this is one of the reasons that Christians should love science and scientific discoveries. They give us countless observations and insights into the glory of God in creation. Let me give you one example from a book called The Body, by Bill Bryson. Writing on the amazing qualities of the human brain, Bill quotes neuroscientist, David Eagleman writing, “Each neuron [in the brain] connects with thousands of other neurons giving trillions and trillions of co...

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. How Majestic is Your Name — God's work in creation and salvation shows an incomprehensible level of care for human beings. Why does God care so much about us? In the scope of the whole universe, we are tiny. But because of God's great love, we are infinitely valuable. Recorded on July 11, 2021, on Psalm 8, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript So last week, we started a new annual theme for our preaching ministry over the next year focused on The Greatness of God. It’s my conviction that many of the problems we face in the evangelical church today would be solved if we had a far bigger view of God. Way too many Christians have way too small of a vision of who God is in their day-to-day lives. And to kick off this annual theme, we started a new sermon series last week from the Psalms called, Songs of Greatness. The Psalms are a collection of songs/poems that the people of God have used to worship God for 1000’s of years. Throughout this series, I hope to help you have a bigger, truer perspective, and a more compelling vision of who God is. The Lord has done great things, and he is worthy of our praise. Today, we’re considering Psalm 8 and we’re confronted by a question of the psalmist. And this is a question that, I think, any thinking person would ask after considering the basic claims of the Christian faith. And here’s the question: Why does God care so much about us? Why does God, the maker of the whole universe, care, why is he so involved in the lives of human beings? Maybe you are new to the Christian faith and you’re just checking things out today. Maybe you don’t know that God cares, or maybe you’ve always assumed that God doesn’t care about you. But the great message of the gospel is that God cares about human beings, God is working to save human beings because God wants a personal relationship with human beings. But again, why does God care so much about us? And this is a very important question because it reveals to us an indication of who we are, our identity/value, but it also reveals the majesty of God, as well. If you have a Bible/app, please open it to Ps 8. Psalm 8, “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. 2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?[c] 5 You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e] and crowned them[f] with glory and honor. 6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their[g] feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, 8 the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”  Now, this Psalm is said to be a Psalm of David, that is, King David who lived about 3,000 years ago. David was the most powerful/influential king of the ancient people of Israel. But David was also a prolific songwriter, having written almost half the Psalms in the bible. Let’s back up to v. 1. and work through this text together. Psalm 8:1-2, “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Now, right away, you might’ve noticed that this psalm begins and ends with the same line, “Lord (that is, Yahweh), our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Last week I said that there’s a literary device used in the Bible called an inclusio. And an inclusio is typically a repeated phrase that puts brackets around a section of Scripture that...

hubhopper

Appleton Gospel Church

hubhopper