Why Don’t We Have a Choir?

In the days before COVID I would often say to the congregation, “Why don’t we have a choir?“

And to my good pleasure they would cry out in unison “Because WE are the choir!” It is a joy to pastor a church that loves to sing the praises of the Lord.

Psalm 113 lays it out for us so well: “Praise the Lord... Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever more! From the rising of the sun to the setting of the same, the name of the Lord is to be praised!”

Why? The Psalmist continues: “The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?“

Do you get the picture? He is glorious and extends his rule over the nations. He is glorious and he extends his rule over the heavens. In fact, He has to stoop, and bend, and look way down just to see the galaxies of the universe he created.

Impressive. Worthy of praise.

But then what? What comes next thrills the souls of his people.

“He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes... He gives the barren woman a home. Praise the Lord!”

Not only do we praise him for his glory and superior excellence. But also for his grace. What kind of glorious king comes to the stinking junkyard?

You know Who this is. Jesus, God the son, left glory in heaven and came into the misery of this world. If you read the Gospels, to whom does he go? To the leper. To the widow. To the confused. To the blind. To the poor. To the sinner. He goes to the ash heap where broken people are and he ministers to them powerfully in love.

And then he goes to the most notorious ash heap of all time - to Golgotha - the trash heap outside of Jerusalem to die on the cross. He came to make atonement for the sins of his people that they might be presented clean and pure in the presence of the glorious God who is over the nations and over the Heavens.

Are you willing and eager to celebrate his glory? Are you willing and eager to celebrate his grace? Maybe you might sing a song of praise today!

Musings from Pastor John, July 12 , Click to Email Pastor John

Pastor John’s Sermon from Psalm 113 is below.