Perfecting Saints -

TO THE CHIEF MUSICIAN
The Worship Ministry Of John I Chronicles 16:8,25-36

I Chronicles 16:8 - Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people.
1. 'Give thanks unto the Lord,'
  1. John has a ministry of thanksgiving - his worship must reflect thanksgiving.
  2. Man must give thanks - John must teach man to give thanks to the Lord Jesus.
2. 'Call upon His name,'
  1. Depend on who God is - God is faithful.
  2. Call on God's faithfulness.
  3. His name illustrates who God is - John tells about the names of God - showing God's character.
  4. God's children have His name - as children have their parent's surname.
  5. Christians 'own' His name - part of the family.
3. 'Make known His deeds among the people.'
  1. Testify of His goodness, faithfulness, provision.
  2. Tell of His care of His people.
  3. God cares for His people - John tells of His nurture.
  4. God is the shepherd - His people His sheep.
I Chronicles 16:25 - For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods.
1. 'For great is the Lord,'
  1. The Lord is a great Lord - John needs to magnify His greatness.
  2. It is the Lord Jesus that John must show people.
2. 'And greatly to be praised:'
  1. John praises the Lord for His greatness, goodness, nurture, care.
  2. John needs to be grateful and praise greatly.
3. 'He also is to be feared above all gods.'
  1. John shows the fear of the Lord.
  2. The Lord is to be feared - He has all judgment in His hands.
  3. John teaches about idolatry - God is God, there is none other.
  4. Fear God and nothing, no one, else.
I Chronicles 16:26 - For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.
1. 'For all the gods of the people are idols,'
  1. All the 'gods' - people make gods of things, people, and themselves.
  2. John addresses the people not the corporate country.
  3. John is to declare what idolatry is.
  4. Worship of anything other than the Lord is idolatry.
2. 'But the Lord made the heavens.'
  1. The Lord is creator.
  2. The Lord created the heavens and earth and all in them.
  3. Without the Lord nothing was made that is made.
I Chronicles 16:27 - Glory and honor are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place.
1. 'Glory and honor are in His presence;'
  1. Glory - grace, esteem, love.
  2. Honor - hope, trust, fear (awe).
  3. Respect - faith, reverence, acceptance.
  4. In His presence is fulness of joy.
  5. John shows the family of God that they are accepted by God - loved - the apple of His eye.
2. 'Strength and gladness are in His place.'
  1. The joy of the Lord is our strength.
  2. Gladness is in His house.
  3. Health and happiness come from the Lord.
  4. John illustrates the comfort zone is in the presence of the Lord - under the shadow of His wings.
I Chronicles 16:28 - Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
1. 'Give unto the Lord,'
  1. The emphasis is on give - the Lord is the possessor.
  2. Give unto the Lord - everything you are, own, want - be thankful that He owns you.
  3. John illustrates God's ownership.
2. 'Ye kindreds of the people,'
  1. John addresses family.
  2. John addresses people groups.
3. 'Give unto the Lord glory and strength.'
  1. Give to the Lord your love and your body.
  2. Give Him all that you were, are, and hope to be - your everything.
I Chronicles 16:29 - Give unto the Lord the glory due His name: bring an offering, and come before Him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
1. 'Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name:'
  1. The Lord deserves man's love - He is worthy of it.
  2. John teaches us to love the name of the Lord.
  3. His name stands for His character.
  4. Glory in the Lord's ownership - He gives us His name.
2. 'Bring an offering, and come before Him:'
  1. Don't come empty handed.
  2. Come to the Lord with a gift - yourself is the best gift.
  3. Come to Him - John teaches coming.
3. 'Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.'
  1. Worship is really love.
  2. Love the Lord.
  3. And do it in the beauty of Himself - show how beautiful Jesus is.
  4. Holiness - clean from sin - John shows man the repentant sinner - God loves us 'just as we are.'
I Chronicles 16:30 - Fear before Him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.
1. 'Fear before Him, all the earth:'
  1. John is suppose to evoke fear of the Lord's vengeance - respect for what He can do.
  2. Tell the whole earth to respect Him.
  3. John addresses the creation, nature.
2. 'The world also shall be stable,'
  1. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom - the world is established on Him.
  2. The world will only know stability in knowing the Lord.
3. 'That it be not moved.'
  1. Moving away from the Lord brings chaos not stability.
  2. John shows man how to pray for stability - move mountains - to give the Lordship of the earth back to the Lord Jesus.
I Chronicles 16:31 - Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, 'The Lord reigneth.'
1. 'Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice:'
  1. Let all creation honor the creator.
  2. As Jesus said, the rocks themselves will cry out His praise.
  3. All of creation groans for the day when it can rejoice.
2. 'And let men say among the nations, 'The Lord reigneth.'
  1. Let men proclaim everywhere.
  2. The Lord is Lord, there is none other.
  3. John tells of the Lord's lordship.
I Chronicles 16:32,33 - Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord, because He cometh to judge the earth.
1. Let all creation rejoice.
2. Let it rejoice at His presence.
3. The Lord is coming - rejoice.
4. Coming to judge the earth.
5. John teaches the Lord is returning - rejoice.
I Chronicles 16:34 - O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever.
1. His mercy to us endures forever.
2. He is good and good to man.
3. Be thankful to the Lord.
4. Give Him thanksgiving.
I Chronicles 16:35 - And say ye, 'Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.'
1. 'And say ye, 'Save us, O God of our salvation,'
  1. Talk to God, entreat Him.
  2. Ask for Him to save man.
  3. God is the author of salvation.
  4. John shows God's salvation and what it really means.
2. 'And gather us together,'
  1. Unite us in family, Lord.
  2. Gather the family together.
  3. John teaches unity of family.
3. 'And deliver us from the heathen,'
  1. God is the deliver.
  2. Deliver from heathen influence.
  3. Deliver from idolatry.
4. 'That we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.'
  1. To produce gratefulness - need to see His salvation.
  2. God loves man and manifests His love to man then man responds with love back - God is the initiator, man the respondent.
I Chronicles 16:36 - Blessed be the Lord God of Israel forever and ever: And all the people said, Amen,' and praised the Lord.
1. Bless God forever - love Him forever.
2. The people responded - yes - and praised God.
John's worship:
1. Shows nurture, care of God.
2. Blesses the Creator.
3. Praises the Lord Jesus, focuses on Jesus.
4. Calls the creation to rejoice and bless God.
5. Speaks of His salvation.
6. Calls for unity of family.
7. Calls for the Lord's return.

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For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Ephesians 4:12