Congregational Praise

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Bethany was blessed to have a large and lively congregation on Easter Sunday of 2016 to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every day and every Sunday is a day to celebrate this event because without it there would be no reason to assemble together to praise the Lord. It would all be in vain but the Lord has provided an avenue to give praise and adoration to Him who lived, suffered, died, and rose for the salvation of His beloved bride.

The Psalms in particular convey the message of continual praise to the Lord and that men would praise Him for His wonderful works toward the children of men. The Palmist declares, “ Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. ” (Psalm 149:1). Where is this praise to be? It is in the congregation of saints. A congregation is an assembly, but anyone can assemble together and it not be for the right thing. A mob can assemble and proceed to riot and disrupt the peace of the public. However, the Psalmist says that this praise is in an assembly of “saints.” Those sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Christ Jesus, and called. Who else can praise the Lord but those who have been made saints by the grace of God.

In the New Testament assembly of saints, there is a new song because Jesus has ushered in a new way of worship unlike that of the Old Testament. We offer not the bodies of dead animals as sacrifice but offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord as a reasonable service. We do  not have a priest to plead our case to the Lord as an intermediary; we are our own priests to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Paul says there has been a change of the priesthood and the law. “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” (Heb. 7:12). He has made us kings and priests unto God. We are under the new covenant and consequently under a “new” way” to assemble and praise the Lord.

The first song ever sung in the Bible was a song of deliverance as the children of Israel were delivered from Egyptian bondage and safely across the Red Sea. The Israelites could look back and see their enemy dead on the seashore and sing the song of Moses which was a song of triumph in Exodus chapter 15. This deliverance pointed to the deliverance of the saints that would ultimately be accomplished by Jesus Christ at Calvary. Now that the reality has been accomplished, we can sing a new song of triumph and victory over the enemy of sin and death in the congregation of saints and declare His name among all that have assembled. Everything is new with the death of Christ. We are told that we are not to put new wine into old bottles else the bottles burst and the contents lost. We put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved. Law and grace do not mix.

The prophet Joel tells us about a congregation “sanctified” and set apart for the worship of the Lord and where the trumpet is to be blown. “Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.” (Joel 2:16). Young and old, rich and poor gather together to hear the declaration of the name of the Lord and what He has done, is doing, and will do for His people. “I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.” (Psalm 35:18). While it is true that we can praise the Lord in private worship, but not like in the assembly of saints as the Bible declares it is “among the people”. It is there we pay our vows unto the Lord and render praise to the God of mercy and grace.

The Psalmist asks a question concerning praise; he then answers that question and then gives the place where praise is rendered. “ What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.” (Psalm 116:12-14).

Finally, there is the great congregation of saints that will be gathered in heaven and immortal glory which consists of all the redeemed family of God out of every, nation, kindred, tongue and people. They know this and sing that new song: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” (Rev. 5:9). This is the assembly of the first born and is far superior in number than any congregation of worship here on earth. Many are absence from the congregation on Sundays due to various reasons and excuses but not so in the great congregation of the saints. All will be accounted for and none Christ loved and died for will be absent. “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” (Heb. 12:22-23).

“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! ” (Psalm 107:15).–March 31, 2016–Elder Larry Wise

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About wisepb

Pastor: Bethany Primitive Baptist Church
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