LAST SUNDAY'S SERMON NOTES
Read Peter's preaching notes....
“Listen for the New Song”
Psalm 101
11/26/23
Sermon about T’giving may seem like coming a bit late
usually begin Advent Sun after T’giving: because of calendar, next week
Ps 100 classic T’giving ps: today, snippets from psalms that surround it
Ps 95-101 each call to sing, rejoice, shout for gladness: ie give thanks
Ps 96 & 98 begin: “Sing to the Lord a new song:” find in other psalms as well
why sing new songs to God? why aren’t our old familiar songs good enough?
Ps 96 explains why [96:1-2]
learn from Lam 3 that God’s compassions are new every morning (summer sermon)
his salvation comes to us new & in new ways each day
something to celebrate & sing about
because receive new salvation each day, need new song each day to sing about
each day is a new song from God: listen closely enough, can hear it
unfortunately, our hearts often miss it: too distracted by the stuff of life
challenge for us: to listen for the new song that comes each morning
what prevents you from hearing song of compassion & salvation? […]
regrets of yesterday, demands of today, worries about tomorrow
Skip to 96:11-12: even the sea, the fields, the very trees know the song
13: all of creation sings its praise to God
beautiful image of this in Rev 4-5: John’s vision of heaven
throne of God surrounded by 4 fantastic creatures, 24 elders (patriarchs & apostles)
never-ending chorus of praise for God’s holiness
worthy of glory, honor, power
but song extends beyond heaven’s throne-room: thousands, 10,000’s of angels
worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength
doesn’t stop there: John heard song coming from all creation:
“every creature in heaven & on earth & under earth & on sea, & all that is in them”
singing of God’s praise, honor, glory, power
that is the song that reverberates all around us: song we are invited to be part of
song is there, if only we would listen: are blessed on occasions when we do
Ps 97 describes normal way of being
recognize God’s majesty, power, holiness: respond by rejoicing in him & all he does
1: “Let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.”
6: “The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.”
8: “Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad”
ends w/ 12: “Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.”
Ps 98 picks up once again on what Ps 96 told us [7-8]
even inanimate objects – ocean, rivers, mountains – sing for joy to Lord
we may sometimes notice in beautiful sunset or stunning landscape
but song is everywhere, from simplest rock to depths of space
but we don’t hear it when we allow all of our junk to get in the way
even when song seems to disappear, merely changing to new song
Ps 99 and 100 provide even more reasons for why Lord deserves all this praise
Ps 101 provides some practical ways that we can expr our praise to God
begins by saying will sing praise to God, but nothing musical about what comes next
lesson on how metaphorically to sing of his love & justice
not only w/ music, but w/ our lives
describes how way conduct selves can be part of song that surrounds throne of God
1. Conduct myself w/ a blameless heart
live life in way that honors God: kind of life w/ no regrets
do your best to do you best
2. Not looking on anything vile: ie bad, wicked, nasty, filthy
one example: porn: 12% of all websites, 69% men 40% women view each year
just one example of what is vile: graphic violence, abuse, bigotry
3. Not taking part in what faithless people do
if have no faith, no trust in God, live life certain way
most of us live as “functional atheists:” say believe, but live as though no God
4. Silencing the slanderer & not tolerating the proud
one example: racist or sexist jokes: easier to be quiet than speak up
sing praise to God when call someone out on it
5. Looking to the faithful, being ministered to by the blameless
living as part of faith community, church
bapt promise: set an example of new life in X // seek to encourage/build up
let church family be there for you
6. Not associating w/ the deceitful
we’ve become good at what Becky & I call “lawyer lies”
technically true, but very misleading: poison to song of praise to God
7. Silencing the wicked
reason why those who tear others down & stir up trouble succeed because let them
when hear it, see it, walk away, turn it off
these are ways that we sing praise to God: no melody, no music
but way to add our honor to God for salvation & compassion receive every day
Move on to just one more psalm: 102: not a psalm of praise: in fact, seems like opposite
prayer of someone crying out to God in anguish & distress
so troubled by life, feels as though bones on fire, forget to eat, can’t sleep
this is someone for whom the junk/concerns/problems of life get in way of the song
can’t find it in them to lift up praise to God because soul is so troubled
prayer of heartache & sorrow, but not prayer of despair & surrender to the darkness
even in such times, when there is no music in our hearts, know God is there
v 13: trusts that God will act: will arise & have compassion
17: will respond to prayer of destitute
such times, when can’t even imagine what song may sound like, most important of all
trust that song is still there, even when can’t hear, certainly can’t join in
challenge in such times, when junk of life seems so heavy, to know song is still there
God still acts to save: salvation stills comes day after day, compassion does not fail
Psalm 101
11/26/23
Sermon about T’giving may seem like coming a bit late
usually begin Advent Sun after T’giving: because of calendar, next week
Ps 100 classic T’giving ps: today, snippets from psalms that surround it
Ps 95-101 each call to sing, rejoice, shout for gladness: ie give thanks
Ps 96 & 98 begin: “Sing to the Lord a new song:” find in other psalms as well
why sing new songs to God? why aren’t our old familiar songs good enough?
Ps 96 explains why [96:1-2]
learn from Lam 3 that God’s compassions are new every morning (summer sermon)
his salvation comes to us new & in new ways each day
something to celebrate & sing about
because receive new salvation each day, need new song each day to sing about
each day is a new song from God: listen closely enough, can hear it
unfortunately, our hearts often miss it: too distracted by the stuff of life
challenge for us: to listen for the new song that comes each morning
what prevents you from hearing song of compassion & salvation? […]
regrets of yesterday, demands of today, worries about tomorrow
Skip to 96:11-12: even the sea, the fields, the very trees know the song
13: all of creation sings its praise to God
beautiful image of this in Rev 4-5: John’s vision of heaven
throne of God surrounded by 4 fantastic creatures, 24 elders (patriarchs & apostles)
never-ending chorus of praise for God’s holiness
worthy of glory, honor, power
but song extends beyond heaven’s throne-room: thousands, 10,000’s of angels
worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength
doesn’t stop there: John heard song coming from all creation:
“every creature in heaven & on earth & under earth & on sea, & all that is in them”
singing of God’s praise, honor, glory, power
that is the song that reverberates all around us: song we are invited to be part of
song is there, if only we would listen: are blessed on occasions when we do
Ps 97 describes normal way of being
recognize God’s majesty, power, holiness: respond by rejoicing in him & all he does
1: “Let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.”
6: “The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.”
8: “Zion hears and rejoices and the villages of Judah are glad”
ends w/ 12: “Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.”
Ps 98 picks up once again on what Ps 96 told us [7-8]
even inanimate objects – ocean, rivers, mountains – sing for joy to Lord
we may sometimes notice in beautiful sunset or stunning landscape
but song is everywhere, from simplest rock to depths of space
but we don’t hear it when we allow all of our junk to get in the way
even when song seems to disappear, merely changing to new song
Ps 99 and 100 provide even more reasons for why Lord deserves all this praise
Ps 101 provides some practical ways that we can expr our praise to God
begins by saying will sing praise to God, but nothing musical about what comes next
lesson on how metaphorically to sing of his love & justice
not only w/ music, but w/ our lives
describes how way conduct selves can be part of song that surrounds throne of God
1. Conduct myself w/ a blameless heart
live life in way that honors God: kind of life w/ no regrets
do your best to do you best
2. Not looking on anything vile: ie bad, wicked, nasty, filthy
one example: porn: 12% of all websites, 69% men 40% women view each year
just one example of what is vile: graphic violence, abuse, bigotry
3. Not taking part in what faithless people do
if have no faith, no trust in God, live life certain way
most of us live as “functional atheists:” say believe, but live as though no God
4. Silencing the slanderer & not tolerating the proud
one example: racist or sexist jokes: easier to be quiet than speak up
sing praise to God when call someone out on it
5. Looking to the faithful, being ministered to by the blameless
living as part of faith community, church
bapt promise: set an example of new life in X // seek to encourage/build up
let church family be there for you
6. Not associating w/ the deceitful
we’ve become good at what Becky & I call “lawyer lies”
technically true, but very misleading: poison to song of praise to God
7. Silencing the wicked
reason why those who tear others down & stir up trouble succeed because let them
when hear it, see it, walk away, turn it off
these are ways that we sing praise to God: no melody, no music
but way to add our honor to God for salvation & compassion receive every day
Move on to just one more psalm: 102: not a psalm of praise: in fact, seems like opposite
prayer of someone crying out to God in anguish & distress
so troubled by life, feels as though bones on fire, forget to eat, can’t sleep
this is someone for whom the junk/concerns/problems of life get in way of the song
can’t find it in them to lift up praise to God because soul is so troubled
prayer of heartache & sorrow, but not prayer of despair & surrender to the darkness
even in such times, when there is no music in our hearts, know God is there
v 13: trusts that God will act: will arise & have compassion
17: will respond to prayer of destitute
such times, when can’t even imagine what song may sound like, most important of all
trust that song is still there, even when can’t hear, certainly can’t join in
challenge in such times, when junk of life seems so heavy, to know song is still there
God still acts to save: salvation stills comes day after day, compassion does not fail
Old Union Presbyterian Church | 200 Union Church Road, Mars, PA 16046
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com
724-538-8672 | OldUnionChurch@gmail.com