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February 28, 2010

The worthiness of God of our thanks
Psalm 136

Scripture reading: Deuteronomy 32, Romans 5:1-11

In 1636 German Pastor Martin Rinkart wrote the hymn "Now thank we all
our God".

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, Who
wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices; Who from our
mothers' arms has blessed us on our way With countless gifts of love, and
still is ours today.

Pastor Rinkart served in the walled town of Eilenburg during the horrors of
the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648. Eilenburg became an overcrowded
refuge for the surrounding area. Because of overcrowding and all that
goes with that, the fugitives suffered from epidemic and famine. At the
beginning of 1637, the year of the Great Pestilence, there were four
ministers in Eilenburg. But one abandoned his post for healthier areas and
could not be persuaded to return. Pastor Rinkhart officiated at the funerals
of the other two. The only pastor left, he often conducted services for as
many as 40 to 50 persons a day-some 4,480 in all. In May of that year,
his own wife died. Yet living in a world dominated by death, Pastor
Rinkart wrote the following prayer as a blessing for his children to use at
meals: Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices; Who
wondrous things hath done, In whom this world rejoices. Who, from our
mother's arms, Hath led us on our way, With countless gifts of love, And
still is ours today.

We have a lot to thank God for. The Bible calls us to worship and
thank God regardless of the circumstances. As our little history lesson
reminds us, thanksgiving has nothing to do with the outward
circumstances of life. Thanksgiving has to do with God and who He is and
what He has done for us in Christ.

Today we are going to look at Psalm 136. Psalm 136 is a Psalm of
thanks and praise that was used in corporate worship in the
Temple.
It is thought that it was a staple song of the Temple singers.

At it's core, Psalm 136 is a Psalm that of thanksgiving; and yet
it's more for over and over again it makes the point that all of the
good things that we have from God prove His love us
-- a love that
many deny. The point of God loving us with an enduring love is made 26
times.

READ TEXT --invite congregation to respond with "His love endures
forever" (see slide)

POINTS OF THE TEXT

I. God alone is worthy of praise and thanks v.1-4

Who should we thank for all that we have? Verses 1-4 answers the
question. The Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth is the one whom we
should praise.

We live in a world that proclaims that their are many gods and many ways
to get to Heaven. The Bible refutes this time and time again-- proclaiming
that their is one true God and one way to Heaven (through faith in Jesus
Christ alone). See John 14:6, Acts 4:12, I Samuel 2:2, 2 Samuel 7:22,
Deuteronomy 4:35;39, I Kings 8:60, Isaiah 44:8; 45:6, 18, 22 Mark
12:32, Joel 2:27, Isaiah 46:9

The point of the text: There is one true God- the Maker of Heaven and
Earth, the one who alone does great wonders. Worship Him.

II. We have much to thank God for

As it says in James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change
like shifting shadows"

1. Thank God for the amazing world He has made v.5-9

Psalm 19:1-4 says; "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies
proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their
words to the ends of the world.

2. Thank God for his redeeming work v. 10-15

In view in v.10-15 is God redeeming Israel from her bondage in Egypt.

What we have in view as Christians is God's redeeming us from our sin
and death and Hell-- accomplished on the cross by Christ, his death and
His resurrection. Romans 5:8 says; "But God demonstrates his own love
for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

None of us deserve to be forgiven of our sins. We all deserve to go to Hell
for our 1000's of acts of rebellion against God. Yet, as the ultimate
demonstration of God's love for a rebellious race, we have been given the
opportunity to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

3. Thank God His leading, help, protection, and provision v.16-20

Yesterday there was a massive earthquake in Chile. One person who lived
on the 19th floor of an apartment building spoke of an elevator car that
plunged from the 6th floor into the basement. This person said "Thank
goodness no one was in the car". Thank goodness? How about thank God!

In view in v.16-20 is God's leading of the Israelites through the
wilderness (providing food for them, giving them victory over enemies
who were more powerful than them)

4. Thank God for His faithfulness to His promises v.21-22

God keeps His promises. God's perfect track record, as recorded in the
Scriptures is what encourages us to keep on going as Christians.

In Genesis 12 God promised Abraham land, seed, and blessing. The land
in mind is part of the land the Israelites occupy. God kept His promises in
settling the Israelites in the Promised Land.

In 2 Corinthians 1:20 it says; "For no matter how many promises God has
made, they are "Yes" in Christ."

5. Thank God for his ongoing grace that sees us restored after falling into
sin v.23-24

It's an incredible thing to be restored after having sinned. God does it all
the time. Note the story of Peter who denied Christ 3 times.

In view is the time that the Israelites spent in captivity (because of her
persistent sin and rebellion)--- and yet God kept His word and brought
them home

Note:

When we fall into sin we are to confess it, seek God's forgiveness, make
amends, and thank God that we who are Christians have one who speaks
in our defense when we do sin. As I John 2:1 says; "My dear children, I
write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have
one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous
One."

6. Thank God for your daily bread v.25

To God we are to pray for our daily bread (Matthew 6:11)


WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE THANK GOD FOR?


III. All of the things that we are to thank God for are proof of His
love, mercy, favour, and grace

The repeated refrain of Psalm 136 speaks to this.

People like to debate if God is loving, merciful, kind, or gracious; and yet,
all that we have, including the last breath that we took, proves it.

Some thoughts on God's favour, grace, mercy, lovingkindness (which is
the meaning of "hesed")

God's grace and mercy, which we are to celebrate, is undeserved, it is
unmerited, we have no claim upon it. We deserve judgment and yet the
Bible tells us that God is rich in mercy and grace, takes no pleasure in the
death of the wicked and is pleased when people humble themselves,
confess their sins and put their faith in Christ as Savior and Lord.

The enduring love/favour/grace of God is incredibly encouraging

-it is a comfort to us as we grow old, knowing that God will not abandon
us. Isaiah 46:4 says; "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am
he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will
sustain you and I will rescue you."
-it is a comfort to us when we sin (for he does not cast His children aside.
We are kept by His love and the work of Christ)
-it is a comfort to those who come to God for forgiveness -for his
enduring lovingkindness means that the offer of salvation and forgiveness
is for today- regardless of how old one may be or what they have done


CONCLUSION

The ultimate expression of God's love and mercy is Christ-- who
while we were yet sinners, died for us. Romans 5:8

Another verse that makes the point

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son
into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we
loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice
for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

Application

In you are not a follower of Christ, turn to Jesus for the
forgiveness of your sins and reconciliation with God while you
can
. Do not spurn his love or mercy any longer. To do so is folly and will
respond in your judged eternally. Rather, as we are told in Acts 16:31,
which speaks of the jailor calling out to Peter and Paul "Sirs, what must I
do to be saved? To which they replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you
will be saved."