Out of this World

Sunday concluded this year's VBS Galactic Blast. We truly had a blast this year! I want to thank all of the volunteers that make it such a success. The focus was on praising God for his actions on our behalf. The sermon reflects the theme of the week, Praising God!

http://www.mediafire.com/file/l3r7tpbc6pjpnhf/Out of this World.mp3

“Out of this World” / July 25, 2010 / Luke 18:35-43

INTRO

The story read moments ago was the story the children heard told to them on Thursday this week. In many ways, it is a simple, almost common story about the ministry of Jesus. Of all of the miracle stories of Jesus, there is nothing remarkable about this account. Jesus is traveling into the city of Jericho with a crowd following him. The rumble of the crowd is heard by a blind man begging by the side of the road. When he finds out that Jesus is passing by, he cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
As he creates a scene, people try to quite him to no avail. The man is blind and knows Jesus can give him sight. Finally, Jesus calls the man over, inquires of his needs, and restores his sight. Jesus seemingly casually continues on his journey to Jericho. The blind man can now see and there is nothing casual about him. He follows Jesus and praises God along the way. The crowd around Jesus breaks out into praise as well in response to the miracle they have just witnessed.

PRAISE
If you were reading this story, it ends in verse 43 with, “Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.” It is fairly easy to read of this sentence and move to the next section without much consideration. It seems anticlimactic. And yet, the act of praise that both the blind man and the crowd engage in is anything but anticlimactic. It erupts spontaneously. It is passionate and heartfelt. It expresses gratitude in the midst of a life-changing and life-defining moment. It beacons us to pause and look closer at it.
The act of praise is a theme that pops up frequently in the Scriptures. The Hebrew word for praise is Halal. I love the way it is defined: an outburst of noise. Praise is characterized by a spontaneous outburst in response to God’s actions on our behalf. The typical expression of praise is thought of as a shout or loud exclamation, but there are a number of ways in which we can offer our praise to God’s work in our lives. Other words associated with praise are thanks, bless, magnify, glorify and sing. There are numerous ways that we give our praise to God. The kids did it through loud (and I do mean) loud shout of praise phrases.
Each night we had a different phrase which you heard during their presentation: wonderful, incredible, amazing, magnificent, and awesome. In response they would yell, praise God! It was powerful to hear their shouts of praise. The act of praise is one of the key markers of God’s people. When we give praise to God, it encourages others to praise God as well. Praise is contagious. Praise changes the atmosphere. Praise transforms lives. Because of this, I want to touch on five reasons we give praise to God. Each reason was the theme of the day’s mission.

PRAISE GOD

#1. We praise God for Creation.
In Genesis we are taught that God created the heavens and the earth. He created the plants and the animals. And he made human beings created in his image. As we gaze into expanses of space, we see beauty, wonder and mystery. Psalm 24 proclaims this, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it.”
I was at a conference that addressed the convergence of faith and science a few months ago. As I learned about the origins and evolution of the universe I was filled with awe and reverence for all that God has done in this universe that we call home. The truth of creation truly testifies to the handiwork of God. When was the last time you watched a sunset or sunrise and give thanks to God for the beauty of his creation. Nature is one of the best places to communion with God. To do so, prompts us to give him praise and to be transformed.

#2. We praise God for His Presence.
As we study creation, we do not encounter a Creator God like the watch maker who simply creates the Earth and removes himself. Instead, God is still active in the world. I’m sure you noticed the questionable weather this week. We had rain throughout the week which was a concern for us because the games and snacks were outside. Each night we prayed that the rains would hold off until 8:00 pm when the kids were finished outside and were back in the sanctuary. Each night when activities began the skies were dry. And Tuesday and Wednesday night at almost 8:00 pm exactly, when everyone was in for the night, the skies opened up and rained. Each night it only rained a few minutes. Just long enough as if to indicate that God had heard our prayers. This kind of action, while it may seem trivial or superstition to some, but it is my belief that it speaks of God’s active presence in the world.
The Scriptures are full of stories that confirm this type of action in the world and on behalf of God’s people. When we witness and interact with the Spirit of God in the world, it should cause our hearts to rejoice and to praise God. I know each night as I walked home I smiled and said thank you because I knew God’s Presence had been at work. It also causes me to praise God because God’s Presence is continually available to us through to person of Jesus Christ. This brings us to the third reason we praise God.

#3. We praise God for His Son.
God came to earth in the form of a man and lived among us in person of Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God comes to know us personally and to be known personally. That relationship began before we were even aware of it. In Psalm 139 the psalmist writes, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me… For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” The Scriptures teach us God knows the names of all of the stars and he knows each of our names. While it can be hard to accept, the reality is that God knows us and wants us to know him.
Not only does God know us, God wants us to know him. The four Gospels in the New Testament are the stories of Jesus, God in the flesh. Often we think of God as a distance enigma but in reality he is much more personal. As we read those accounts of Jesus, we get a vivid and powerful image of who God is. John 3:16-17 explain Jesus’ role on the earth: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” As we open our lives to a personal relationship with Christ, everything changes. It was over 10 years ago, that I opened up my life to Jesus. As an 17 year old teenager, I looked up into the night skies and told God I wanted to know him more. The initial decision didn’t change that much, but it set me on a journey with God. Each day since then, I have come to know God better. It isn’t always easy but it has changed everything and it causes me to praise him.

#4. We praise God for His Healing.
We can praise God in a relationship with him because we don’t have to be perfect when we come to him. We can come with all of my garbage, all of our wounds, all of our brokenness. Instead of judging us, God’s desire is to make us heal us and to makes us whole. As we are healed, we have more reasons to praise God. In Isaiah 57:18-19, we understand the connection between healing and praise. “I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, 19 creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
Over the last several months we have seen God pour out his healing power. We have witnessed pregnancy complications heals, illnesses cured, and prayers answered. As we have seen God heal, we have been renewed, filled with faith, and prompted to praise God. We praise God for his healing because it is truly Good News. Through healing, we tangibly know that God cares for us personally and wants a deep relationship with us.

#5. We praise God for His Resurrection.
God’s actions on our behalf don’t stop at his healing though. The final and main reason we praise God is for His Resurrection. Jesus came not only that we might know God and be made whole, but that we might experience the gift of eternal life. God’s desire is for us to spend eternity with him and to love him forever. On the last day, the kids learned about the Easter story: the story of Jesus being crucified and being raised from the dead three days later. In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are given victory over sin and death. Jesus puts it in his own words in John 11:25-26: “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”
When we praise God for the resurrection, we experience the same resurrection. Through it we are called children of God and promised a seat in heaven with God for eternity. It is this final action of God that will give us reason to praise God forever and ever.

CONCLUSION
There are many other reasons that we praise God. In short, any action that God takes on your behalf is worthy of praise. As you praise God for his actions, blessings, and love, you are drawn closer to him. It is the with-God life that will ultimately give you reason to praise God forever. Praising God prevents you from naval gazing and reminds you that God is the source of every good thing and all blessings. Praising God gives you a clean heart and a renewed spirit. Praising God fills you will the joy of the Lord.
This morning, I praise God because of the renewing work he is doing in this church and in the community. God’s Spirit is actively renewing and redeeming people’s lives in this place. I praise God for the workers that gave of their time and energies this week. I praise God for the children that enthusiastically participated this week. I praise God for my family. I praise God for the parents who brought their children this week. I praise God for a congregation that values the children of this community. I praise God for keeping us dry this week. I praise God for allowing us to know and worship him for eternity.

And now I ask you, what do you praise God for?