A.     The Proclamation (vs 1; Psalm 32.11; 47.11; Rom 1.21-22; John 3.19-21; 2 Tim 3.13) [- Make a joyful noise unto the lord, all ye lands.] 

1.      [Eager Enthusiasm (Psalm 32.11; 47.11) - To make a Joyful Noise is to shout or proclaim with enthusiasm.] 

a.       [Illustration – Methodist Pastor at his sons little league game.  As his son came to the plate with his bat his father stood behind the fence and was saying, “Okay son, you can do it.  Just see the ball hit the bat with your batters eye.  Keep your eye on that ball and hit it, just like at home!”  The ball was pitched, the son swung the bat and the sound of wood cracking leather was heard.  Suddenly the ball was flying high toward right center field, the boy was running, and the Methodist preacher was climbing the fence while shouting, “Run son, Run!!”  And oh, what joy and praise was in that preachers voice.] 

b.      [Eager Enthusiasm is contagious and activating.  Perhaps America is addicted sports because there is an enthusiasm and activation that accompanies unified rejoicing.  The question is, Where is our joyful noise unto the lord?] 

c.       [Why make a joyful noise?] 

(1)   [A father enthusiastically cheers for his son when his son has accomplished an important task or skill, like hitting a baseball at a ball game.  At moments like those there is a reason to rejoice.] 

(2)   [A community enthusiastically cheers for their team when their team has planned, practiced, and vanquished their opponents.  There is a sense of unity and victory that permeates the whole community.  At moments like these there is a reason to rejoice.] 

(3)   [A Church ought to enthusiastically rejoice because of the victory and security that has been won by our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross.  When the Lord Jesus Christ came into your life He thoroughly washed away all of your sin and brought you into the supernatural family of Almighty God.  Is there are reason to rejoice in this place today!?  WE have come together this first day of the week, rather than the last day of the week (which is the Sabbath), because this is the day when our Lord Jesus Christ physically rose from the grave and we come here to remember and celebrate His glorious resurrection.  Is there a reason to rejoice in this place today!?  When our Lord walked out of that grave His purpose was to pour new and vibrant life into you and this He does through the Holy Spirit that He has sent to fill you and guide you.  You have God living within you!  Is there a reason to rejoice today!?  Now, I know someone may be here today who has just lost a precious loved one or who is going through some struggle or trial, but if your loved one was born again then they are more alive than they have ever been before and you will get to see them again one day, and in that eternal meeting you will never be parted from them again! Is there a reason to rejoice today!? We oughta be climbing the fences in this church today!  Will you make a joyful noise unto the Lord!]  

[Psalms 32:11 ¹¹ Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. ]

[Psalms 47:1 ¹ O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.]

2.      [Encompassing Enjoyment (Rom 1.21-22; John 3.19-21; 2 Tim 3.13) [- Make a joyful noise unto the lord, all ye lands – An eager enthusiasm is contagious.  When God’s people shout for joy and rejoice the world will take note of their worship and enthusiasm and they will come to rejoice in our God as we do.  But the joy and enthusiasm is missing in our Churches today and therefore the joy is missing in our communities as well.] 

[The joyful noise is missing in our world today.  Why won't the world rejoice in God's reality?] 

a.       [They are confused (Rom 1.21-22) - Vain imagination.] 

[Romans 1:21-22 ²¹ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, . . . ]

b.      [They are conformed (Rom 1.21, John 3.19-21) - Darkened hearts, Shrouded in darkness, they won't come out into the light.] 

[Romans 1:21 ²¹ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ]

[John 3:19-21 ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. ²¹ But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. ]

c.       [They are confounded (Rom 1.22; 2 Tim 3.13) - Foolish knowledge, seduced, deceived.]

[Romans 1:22 ²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ]

[2 Timothy 3:13 ¹³ But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. ]

[Many Christian’s act surprised by the evil and sinfulness that is appearing in our communities.  But why would we be surprised when sin filled people live sinful lives.  What ought to surprise us is the apparent ineffectiveness of our churches to do anything about the sinfulness in our culture.] 

[Why is the Church so ineffective in our culture?  Because the Church of our day has not answers.  The Church of our day is just as helpless and hopeless as our godless universities and our godless government.  If the Church of our Lord really had a victory to proclaim, if the Church of our Lord really had a transformation to present, if the Church of our day really had a cause to rejoice, then our culture might have a reason to join us in making a joyful noise unto our God.] 

[Encompassing Enjoyment flows out of the people of God who really rejoice in their Lord.  The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ has a reason to rejoice!] 

B.     The Submission (vs 2; Col 3.16-17) [- Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing – Is it a good thing to know the will of God and to live in the way of God?  We, God’s people, would say, “Yes it is!”  But our lives declare a very different truth.  Notice what the psalmist wrote.] 

1.      [Yielding with Heralding - Serve the Lord with gladness: . . . - Yield to the truth and serve Him with gladness.  To serve the Lord means to work of the Lord, and work means labor.  Labor means weariness and tiredness.  In the face of tiring labor gladness can be found, but it can only be found when the labor is replete with meaning and purpose.  Of all the work you can do in your life, there is no work with the kind of enduring value that God’s kingdom work offers.  Whatever you do for our Lord has eternal value.  Hence, there ought to be a rich gladness that accompanies serving our Lord.] 

2.      [Surrendering with Singing (Col 3.16-17) - . . . come before his presence with singing – Come before His presence with a ringing cry or shout.  Come in triumph. It might seem like an occasion of sorrow to surrender to Almighty God, but in reality to come into the presence of a holy God is a matter of the greatest kind of Joy.  Christian’s have the pleasure of direct access to a holy God.  Through the finished work of Calvary’s Cross we come freely into His presence and our Heavenly Father welcomes us into His court.] 

[Colossians 3:16-17 ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷ And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.]

C.     The Confession (vs 3; Luke 15.4-7; Matt 6.33) [- Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture] 

["It is questionable whether a man can know himself until he knows his God."]
[C.H. Spurgeon] 

1.      [Know your God - Know ye that the Lord he is God: . . . -God's desire is that you know Him and His Greatness.  Our God is truly awesome.  He is transcendent, above all and over all.  He is the one and only God.] 

2.      [Know your Maker - Know ye that . . . : it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, . . . - While almighty God is so incredibly great, He is also so incredibly personal and personable.  He reached down from the heights of heaven and form Adam out of the dust of the ground and breathed life into him (Adam).  He reached down for His glorious and lofty throne and form you in the womb for His purposes and glory.] 

a.       [He is your creator you are not His creator.] 

b.      [He made you just as you are - He is the potter.] 

c.       [He created you to know Him.] 

3.      [Know your Shepherd (Luke 15.4-7; Matt 6.33) -Know ye that . . .  we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture - He draws you to be near Him.  The fact that Almighty God, the creator of all things is our Shepherd expresses how much God care about you and for you.  As your Shepherd,] 

a.       [He cares for you (Luke 15.4-7) - He will leave the ninety and nine to come after you.] 

[Luke 15:4-7 ⁴ What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? ⁵ And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. ⁷ I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. ]

b.      [He provides for you (Matt 6.33)] 

[Matthew 6:33 ³³ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.]

[When you admit and summit to God

He will present Himself to you.] 

D.    The Reception (vs 4) [- Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.]  

1.      [The Entrance (vs 4) - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, . . . - You Enter His house or family.  You receive Him and enter into His gates with thanksgiving.] 

2.      [The Enthronement (vs 4) - . . . and into his courts with praise: . . . - He Adopts you as His own. He receives you into His courts with praise.] 

[By the mercies of God the inner most court is now open.] 

E.     The Revelation (vs 5; Rom 8.28; James 1.16-18; Lam 3.22; Rom 3.4)  [- For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.] 

1.      [Eternal Goodness (Rom 8.28; James 1.16-18).] 

[Romans 8:28 ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.]

[James 1:16-18 ¹⁶ Do not err, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ¹⁸ Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.]

2.      [Everlasting Mercy (Lam 3.22)] 

[Lamentations 3:22 ²² It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. ]

3.      [Enduring Truth (Rom 3.4)] 

[Romans 3:4 ⁴ God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.]

CrossRoads Baptist, Nov 23, 2008