Today’s passage: Psalm 98
Helpful thoughts:
- We sing and we shout triumphantly because the Lord has won the victory!
- Because our faith rests in the Lord’s victory, the church can/should be a place of joy and eager expectation.
- “Where the benefits received are infinite, the praises cannot be extravagant.” – W.S. Plumer
- The whole earth is welcomed to join the victory celebration.
- Christ’s coming and the pursuit of holiness and righteous judgment will result in everlasting joy.
Questions to consider:
- In this world, should we ever feel like the Gospel is let-down or a sad reality? What is the difference between giving a reason for the hope in us (Apologetics, 1 Peter 3:15) and being apologetic (“Sorry”) about what we believe? What can our posture be toward the world and one another in the church?
- If holiness brings a state of joy, then who is missing out on all the “fun?” Are Christians missing out on all the joy the world is having or is it the other way around? If we aren’t experiencing any joy in Christ, what may be true of the gravitational pull of our hearts and desires?
- How does the reality of the grace we received in salvation through Christ make this celebration all the sweeter? If we had simply achieved a “good-enough” status, what would be the nature of our celebration? What all do we have to celebrate in truth? (John 5:24, Revelation 21:1-5)