February 5/6, 2012 sermon on Psalm 103 by Pastor Paul G. Eckert

February 5/6, 2012, Pentecost 5
Sermon on Psalm 103:1-22 by Pastor Paul G. Eckert
The entire text is in the body of the sermon
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We can speak of three special days this month: Ground Hog Day, last Thursday, February 2; Super Bowl Day, this Sunday, February 5; and then Leap Day, February 29. Two of those happen every year, and one comes every fourth year except for certain years.
But instead of talking about some things that happen only once a year at the most, let’s learn from Psalm 103 that there is something you and I as Christians should want to do every day of every year.
PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL
I BY NOT FORGETTING ALL HIS BENEFITS (1-7)
1-7 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:
1. This is a call to worship God. (1-2)
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits
a) The first word - Praise - could well be translated: worship.
b) Yes, we are to praise and worship God for all of His benefits,
all of the good things He gives us and does for us in our lives.
2. But can there be neglect instead of worship? (2b-5)
all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
a) How easy it is for us to take blessings for granted, or to credit
ourselves for them and take God out of the picture.
b) And how easy it is to put God into the picture when there are
difficulties, to blame God instead of trusting a promise He has
made to all of His people that He will make all things, also
difficulties, serve for the eternal good of those who love Him.
3. Here we should learn from history. (6-7)
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of
Israel:
a) Moses’ life was loaded with difficulties: from Egypt, through
the wilderness wandering, and up to the promised land. King
David too in the promised land of Israel had a life that was
loaded with difficulties and sin - he was far from a perfect man.
b) Yet for Moses and David, who were true and penitent
believers, God kept His promise to use also difficulties and to
turn them into benefits. And how richly God did that with the
nation of Israel. Though loaded with sinners and difficulties,
yet through them God gave the greatest benefit of all, the
Savior who is the glory of Israel and the world’s Redeemer.
4. We need this reminder. (1-2)
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits
a) St. Jacobi Congregation, are we taking God’s many blessings
to us for granted? St. Jacobi Congregation, do we show that
by not showing up regularly in church to worship Him, by not
serving Him as well as we should with our time and offerings?
b) Each of us, is God a part of our daily lives? Do we daily pray
to Him, seek His guidance from His Word, trust Him?
c) Let us acknowledge that we too, like Moses and David and
other people, are sinners and need God’s reminder that He
wants our worship and praise for who He is, for what He
has done. And let’s not forget to thank Him that in His grace
He does forgive us who often do forget all His benefits.
II BY REMEMBERING THAT HE UNDERSTANDS (8-18)
8-18 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the
LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children - with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
1. Thank God that He does not forget us. (8-10)
a) Yes, God is rightfully angry at sin and fully aware of what we
deserve for even one sin.
b) But look at what kind of a God we have, a God who does not
deal with us as could be expected, but a God who loves people,
people who by ourselves are so undeserving of love.
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
2. Listen again to what this means. (11-12)
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
a) You have repented. But do your sins keep coming back to
haunt you, to make you wonder if God has really forgiven you?
b) Then look at the examples God gives about space and
distance. Because of Jesus your sins have been blasted into
space, zoomed into the horizon. They are forgiven, gone! A
similar reference in Ephesians 3 says, "--- grasp how wide and
long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Yes, so far,
out of His sight, has God removed our transgressions from us.
If the "worst sinner" present stood up here now, penitent, I
can say to him that his sins are forgiven, gone; go in peace, as
Jesus will tell us exactly that also in His Lord’s Supper today.
3. Recognize that God understands us. (13-16)
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
a) God knows what weak sinners we all are. But as good parents
have compassion on their sinful children, so God understands
and has compassion on us, undeserving sinners that we are.
b) It is exactly because of this that Jesus came into this world, as
the letter to the Hebrews says, "For this reason [Jesus] had to be made like His brothers in every way, in order that He might
become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and
that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted." Yes, Jesus does understand us.
4. What a contrast to us human beings! (17-18)
But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children - with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
a) We are temporal and sinners, but God is eternal and holy.
b) He fully understands us; He can and does empathize with us.
c) And His eternal love continues with all who fear Him.
III BY ACKNOWLEDGING WHAT IS DUE TO HIM (19-22)
19-22 The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
1. Recognize and acknowledge His sovereignty over all. (19)
The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
a) With what is all happening in the world it at times may well
seem that nothing is in charge, including God.
b) But whether it is turmoil or weather conditions, God is as
much in control now as He was when He showed Himself in
control from the Garden of Eden, through history, and to a
birth in Bethlehem to carry out His saving plans and purposes.
2. His angels recognize His sovereignty. (20)
Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
a) Evil angels, evil people do not acknowledge God’s authority,
but instead spew out evil, immorality, corruption.
b) But God’s good angels acknowledge it and serve God with powerful deeds to protect us and to carry out God’s will.
3. His creation recognizes His sovereignty. (21-22a)
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do
his will. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
a) God - not evolution or man’s thinking - created the world, the
sun and moon and stars, the farthest away heavenly bodies.
b) They still follow God’s orders, including sometimes using
weather conditions to show that God and not man is in control.
4. Let each and every one of us recognize His sovereignty. (22b)
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
a) Let’s not give our Creator and Savior God neglect or taking
for granted, or feel that He does not understand and love us.
b) May we instead gather faithfully in church to hear His Word
and receive His Supper, to give Him the worship and praise
that is due Him.
c) And may we do that in our daily lives, as families, at home, at
work, or anyplace, joyfully serving Him who served us.
Ground Hog Day, Super Bowl Day, Leap Day are not every day. But may God help all of us not to forget His benefits any day, and to make every day a PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL Day.
　
>>> Sing Psalm 103, CW p. 105 (in place of creed)