Point of Grace Online Worship 8.16.20

Sermon Notes - “Psalms – Ancient Prayers for Unprecedented Times! - Psalm 95”

Psalm 95

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

The Psalmist is both instructing and exhorting. (vs. 1-7)

- We can come with exuberance; “sing for joy” “shout aloud” “with thanksgiving” “extol Him with music and song”

Why? He is the great creator!

- We come with reverence; “bow down in worship” “kneel before the Lord” Why? He is the “ours” and we are “His”

The Psalmist is also “warning”! vs. 8-1

Today, if only you would hear his voice, 8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. 10 For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”

The Warning - “Do Not Harden Your Hearts”!

- The Backstory - (Meribah and Massah) Exodus 17:1-7 “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and our livestock die of thirst.” “Is the Lord among us or not?” Numbers 20:1-13 “3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! 4 Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

- God’s Goal is for His people to have “Rest” - Jesus centered “peace” Matthew 11 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

- Hardening my heart to God prevents me from entering His Rest – Today and for Eternity

- Turning to Jesus in rhythms of praise,

- Helps hard hearts to soften and

- Prevents soft hearts from hardening and

- Invites us into “REST”.

Homework: Read and pray Psalm 95 every day this week! (Hint: Follow the reading schedule in the notes below.)

Join in on “After Thoughts” Thursday at 7 pm – Join in through Facebook Live or go to www.pog.church/live to view.

Afterthoughts is a live interactive internet conversation about the topic of this week’s sermon. We would love for you to join in to make your contribution to the conversation, share your thoughts and ask your question.

Resources for this Week

These resources which will help you “Pray Psalm 95” this week.

The Scripture Reading schedule for this week is somewhat unique. Our goal is to meditate on Psalm 95 all week. I encourage you to read the entire Psalm every day and then take some additional focus time on just a few verses some days and some supplemental passages other days. Repetition is your friend. Remember you are not necessarily looking for new information from the Psalm once you understand it. Repeatedly returning to the Psalm each day allows the Holy Spirit to use the Psalm to minister to you, to speak to you, to reveal you to you, and God to you. This is a great Psalm to begin journaling if you do not. Making written note of what God brings to your mind is a great way to begin journaling. I don’t do it every day but it is always a blessing when I do. If the schedule below is helpful, great, use it. If not, then work through the Psalm at your own pace.

Mon – Psalm 95… with a special emphasis on vs. 1-7 Tue – Psalm 95 … with a special emphasis on vs. 8-11 Wed – Psalm 95 … In addition read Hebrews 3:7-19 Thu – Psalm 95 … in addition look at Hebrews 4:1-11 Fri – Psalm 95 … in addition look at Matthew 11:25-30 Sat - Psalm 95 … in addition look at Psalm 100

Meditation Hints:

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone. Take some deep breaths… Just be… “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word! I rest in You!”

Scripture – Read the scripture slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there! Reflect on what you are noticing and where He is leading your thoughts.

Prayer – Have a conversation with God, “What are You saying to me, God?” Talk about what you notice is on your heart. Begin to own the “word of God” being revealed to you.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God, resting and listening and being loved.

Recommended Titles and Resources

Songs of Jesus by Timothy Keller excellent daily devotional based on the Psalms

“Soul-keeping: Caring for the most important part of you.” – John Ortberg

“Get Your Life Back” by John Eldredge

Restoration Year by John Eldredge – A 365 Day Devotional - These daily devotions are excellent encouragement to live by the Spirit each day.

Check out bibleproject.com. Look for their videos on the Psalms.

The “One Minute Pause” App by Ransomed Heart (use is multiple times every day)

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (Devotional Book)