Offer to God

Reading: Psalm 146

Connecting Question

How has someone praised you?

When does praise feel good and when does praise feel bad?

Prayer for Illumination

Living God, help us to hear your holy Word that we may truly understand;
that, understanding, we may believe and believing,
we may follow in all faithfulness and obedience,
seeking your honor and glory in all that we do;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Context

This sermon series, we will reflect on Psalm 50:14, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High”. For 4 weeks, one verse will celebrate and focus on what each of us might ‘Offer to God’. We are called to live and serve sacrificially. Through it all, God’s love is sure and steady no matter what. The whole psalm reminds the people that not only does God delight in our celebrations, but they’re necessary to connect us to our joy in God. We recognize that our offerings, our returning to God what God first gave, also does God’s work in the world. Join us on this journey of faith.

From Dr Fred Gaiser at EntertheBible.org:

The book of Psalms contains the prayers, hymns, and meditations of Israel, 150 of them now gathered in a collection that includes joyful songs of praise and thanksgiving as well as sad songs of lamentation and distress. The prayers and songs are addressed to God, usually either pleading for help or bearing witness to God’s gracious acts on behalf of God’s people, which is an important function of Israel’s praise. Because of the scope of human emotion and divine activity in the psalms, believers in every generation have found them applicable to their own life and worship.

The book of Psalms is the hymnbook or prayer book of the Bible, containing 150 poems, addressed to God and varying widely in content and tone; included are cries of lament, shouts of praise, and other liturgies and meditations on Israel’s life before God.

Look at the Book

What is the first word of the psalm? What does it mean?
What does it mean to “praise the Lord?”
There are two main types of psalms: praise and lament. What does it mean to “lament?”
What situations would we as a church use a praise psalm?
What situations would we as a church use a lament psalm?
Verse three is powerful! What is the wisdom of the psalmist? Listen to how Pastor Megan unpacks this in the podcast.
When was a time that someone let you down? Discuss a time you were “trusting in princes.”
Look at verse 5. God is named in relationships to Jacob. What do we know about him?
Verse six begins describing God’s good work on behalf of creation. Circle all the verbs or actions that God does for us. Which one stands out to you?
Verse 9 identifies three distinct groups of people. Who are they? Why do you think God calls them out for special care?
This Sunday, we celebrate our commitments to the ongoing work of Jesus at Easter. We bring intentional financial plans. What are areas of your life that are easy to be intentional about? What areas are difficult to be intentional about?
Serving others, sharing the gospel, ensuring a place for faith to grow for generations – our giving to the Most High does this. Where have you seen this good work happen at Easter?
How do the “saints” who have gone before us inspire your commitment?
What about “commitment” do you wish younger generations might learn and adopt into their own journey of faith?
How is verse 10 good news? How do we share “praising” God with all generations? Why should we?
What would you like to talk about that we have not yet?

Taking it Home

Who is one person or people group that needs more care and support as this psalm calls us to do? Why?

God of the promise, you call your people together into your one mission in Christ’s name. Make us brave, grant us peace, challenge our expectations, and empower us to truly follow your Spirit’s lead. You are our one God who calls us together as one people, and we thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Grow Guide | Nov 10, 2024