Tell Us His Name

A. Talk about some things that motivate you to be greater Christians and grow closer to God. One of those is “praising God.” Some Christians don’t know how to praise God. But, praising God is not limited to congregational worship services on Sunday. We need to be praising and honoring God
in our homes with our families and in our place of work, in our leisure time. Bubby Marshall and I use
to sing praise to God when we were Bass fishing. We sang praises driving to the lake in the early
morning darkness; while we fished and then all the way home at night.
1. When we talk about praise we’re not talking about Pentecostal’s who shout, clap, jump up and down, scream and holler with their eyes rolled back in their heads. I praise God every morning, before the sun tops the horizon. I sit in the swing in our enclosed patio garden with a cup of coffee. As the waterfall fountain trickles down and the moon slowly moves across the sky. I quietly praise God and pray fervently for His strength and guidance. Without praise to God it’s difficult to rise above the discouraging tasks of life that beset you each day. If you don’t know how to praise God you truly have a problem.
a. Do you know what the word Praise Means?” It means "highly acclaim, adore, commend, give
credit." I heard a story that illustrates what praise is all about. A medical missionary, who was an
Opthamoligist, went to a remote island in Indonesia. Blindness was a common problem. He
discovered the problem was environmental and he found a treatment that halted the process.
People came by the hundreds and would leave with hope, joy and gratitude. They had no
phrase in their dialect that would simply say, “Thank You.” Just look at the doctor and say, “I will
tell you name!” That’s the best definition you’ll ever find for “praise.”
(A) Ps. 148, Tells Who is to Praise God. Did you ever wonder who sings God’s praise? Ps. 148: 1-8, Who tells the name of God? "The heavens, praise Him in the height praise? Who is it that tells the name of God? Vs.1-8. On a clear Sunday night as we drive back to
Lubbock, Bess and I always notice the moon and stars and at least once during the drive
one of us will comment out loud, “Look at God’s beautiful moon and stars.” And sometimes, we’ll just sing praises to God as we make our way through the darkness. Do
you know what we’re doing? We’re “telling His name.” But, we’re not the only ones who
are doing that. Billions of stars are proclaiming His name to all who see them. Every
day from dawn to dusk the sun praises God, it “tells His name.” Every mountain, hill,
rock, river, lake and mesquit tree is a testimony to God's presence. God put them here
and took the time to named them one by one and each and every one of them “Tells the
name of God” more eloquently than you or I can in human words.
(B) Vs.10, talks about, "...the wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds." Every critter on earth “tells His name” and is aware of God. I’ve come to love and appreciate a little Chinese Pug because by being what she is and doing what she was created to do, she beings praise and glory to God. All of God’s creation, praises Him, all of God’s creation “tells His name.”
b. But that's not all. People are to “tell the name of God.” Vs. 11-14. Every one from the least to the greatest are to “Tell His name. Do you remember Christ's triumphful entry into Jerusalem in Lk. 19:35-39? Do you remember what the Pharisees said in Vs.39-40? Guess what? God’s name is going to be praised whether we do it or not. God has declared and made it so. All creation will “tell His name.”
(A) Of all God's creation who would be the one to naturally “tell His name?” Who would be the most Logical one to “tell His name?” Wouldn't it be the one who is the most intelligent? The most Important? The highest in order of creation? The one who is created in God's own image? Isn't it logical that man would be the one most inclined to praise God and “tell His name?”

(B) God created the world and saved the best for last. He created us in His image and likeness after having created the world for us. Given us a unique relationship of personal fellowship. Given to no other part of creation. I love you the most and you are the only one created in My image. Of all creation you are the only one who is eternal. We are the only ones who have the ability to communicate with Him personally. Isn’t it natural, logical that we be the ones to “tell His name?”
(1) Ps.139:7. "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
No matter where you are God is always there with you in Lubbock, Dickens, Spur,
Girard , at home or at work, God is always there. Never a time when God is not with
you and we need to praise God for that. Ps. 139:1-2, "...you have searched me and
you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from
afar." God knows the word that comes from your tongue before it is spoken. He
knows your thoughts before you ever think them.
(2) Jer. 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Matt. 6:8, "...your Father knows what you need before you ask him." God knows the end of a thing before its beginning. We need to tell His name to all the world because of His power. His power provides our every need, Phip. 4:19, "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." He will do it now just as He did in times of Old. Acts 5, Peter is cast into prison and an angel loosed his chains and opened the doors. They responded by openly rejoicing and telling the name of god.
c. We read the Gospel story about God’s love that sent His Son to die for our sins. We should be moved to tell all the world the name of our wonderful God. We should also tell the name of God for what He is doing now. He answers our prayers, gives us comfort, peace, joy in Jesus. He gives strength to face all that Satan hurls at us. The list is limitless.
(A) God is doing great things NOW and the Bible says, “Tell His name.” Great churches have great assemblies. But, greatness is not measured by numbers. Great assemblies are where people come together regardless of their numbers. And they come together to “tell the name of God.” Lift up their voices in songs of praise and tell about God the
Father, Jesus, the Holy spirit and the great deeds they have done.
(B) Great assemblies are where men lead prayers that reflect holiness, commitment of lives and families in appreciation for all God has done for them. Great assemblies are where brothers and sisters in Christ gather around the Lord’s Table to remember God’s sacrifice of love for us and praise Him for that. Great assemblies are where God’s Word is proclaimed in it’s fullness so God is glorified. That’s what we’re about. We are in the praise business. We live lives that reflect the love of God and in doing so we live lives that “tell His name.”
(C) It is to praise His name that I leave you with the words of the apostle Paul in Acts 20:32.

Spur - 07/27/03 am