Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! (A sermon based on Psalm 150)

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
A sermon based on Psalm 150
Sunday, June 7, 2009 - Trinity Sunday B

        A visitor once walked into a Lutheran church and took a seat. As the service progressed, she really got into it. She clapped her hands and swayed during the singing of the hymns. And during the sermon, it seemed as if she couldn't control herself. She shouted out, "Amen" a number of times. Finally, when she shouted, "Praise the Lord!" at the top of her lungs, an usher took action, went up to her and said, "Ma'am, please. We don't do that here."
        Now some might argue that we Lutherans don't praise the Lord very well. We've been accused of being dull, boring, stuffy. We've even been called "The Frozen Chosen." And some have even used Psalm 150 to point out what a poor job we do. After all, when was the last time you heard cymbals used in worship at Gethsemane?
        But I would argue that we Lutherans praise God in a way far greater than some, I'll even say most, other denominations. I say that because I believe our worship is focused not so much on what we prefer or what we think will attract the most visitors. Our praise is not based so much on how we feel or an attempt to stir emotions by music or forms alone. I believe our worship isn't focused on us at all, but on God--on who he is and on what he's done. And so there's no more fitting a Sunday to look at Psalm 150 than today--Trinity Sunday --where we remember who our God is and what he's done for us.
        And when we consider all that our God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, has done for us, we can't help praise him! This morning as we celebrate Trinity Sunday and see who God is and what he's done, we can't help but praise him in his sanctuary, praise him for his surpassing greatness, and praise him with all our hearts. The Psalmist put it this way in Psalm 150...

 ¹ Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. ² Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. ³ Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, ⁴ praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, ⁵ praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. ⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

I. Praise the Father in His Santuary

        Yesterday, the my family and I went for a walk around Lake Lynn, and enjoyed the beauty of creation. We went on a Vision Walk to help support the search for cures for sight-related illnesses. It made me ponder again the wonder of the human eye that turns light waves bouncing off everything around us into images that our minds can process and not only make sense of, but derive beauty from. With the beauty of creation that surrounded us with the amazing ability to see it all, it made me wonder again how any could believe this all happened by chance, that there is no God.
        King David put it this way, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech;night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard." (Psalm 19:1-3) And again, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body." (Psalm 139:14-16)
        Look around and see the mighty heavens, see the sanctuary that he's made for us. Literally, a sanctuary is a place set apart. An animal sanctuary, for example, is a place that creates a perfect habitat for an animal where it can live safely away from the threat of any predators. Search the universe and you will find no planet fit as a better habitat for us. One created by God with the finest details set just right to sustain our lives and fill them with beauty and joy. Like a loving parent prepping the nursery for the newborn, God has made it all for us! That's reason to, "Praise the LORD. Praise [the Father] in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens."
        And we find even more reason when we look at the sanctuary we're in--his church, set apart for us to hear of his grace and love in providing for all of our needs...
        I know I don't need to tell you that times are tough. And in this economy some people wonder if God still provides for his people. But earlier this spring there was a poll done that shows how people's thoughts are shifting. The survey aimed at determining how people viewed what they needed versus what they wanted. Do you need a car?  Do you need a microwave?  Do you need a TV?  Or a clothes dryer or a dishwasher?  In the last three far fewer people said that they needed any of these things. More have come to the concluseion that we don't appreciate our blessings until we don't have them anymore.
        And even if all our material blessings were gone, God the Father has blessed all of us richly. He's provided for our spiritual needs and promised to take us to the sanctuary of his mighty heaven. That's plenty reason to "Praise the LORD!"

II. Praise the Son for His Surpassing Greatness

        We have every reason to praise God every moment of every day, for the blessings he gives us, for the life he sustains for us, for what he's done for us! But let's face it. We don't always "Praise the LORD," do we? In fact, it's sometimes true that "We don't do that here."  When given the exciting opportunity to worship with fellow believers, do you always take advantage of it as often as you could? When faced with a challenge do you "Praise the LORD"? Or do you sometimes grumble and complain? When faced with a choice to praise the LORD by your actions or praise yourself instead, you don't always pick the former, do you?
        Image you gave someone $1,000 and they said, "Gee. Thanks. Is that all?" Wouldn't you want a little more from them? Wouldn't you maybe even regret giving them such a gift? Think of what God has given us and how we've responded. When he says, "I've created the world in all its splendor for you," we say, "Gee. Thanks. Now how about creating a better economy?" When he says, "I've sustained your life and blessed you tremendously," we say, "Gee. Thanks. Now how about sustaining my standard of living?" When he says, "I've given you salvation and eternal security," we say, "Gee. Thanks. Now save my job and give me financial security!"
        What ingrates we are! How deserving of hell! But that's why we can be so thankful for the work of the Son and praise Jesus for his acts of power and his surpassing greatness... for us.
        What's the most spectacular display of power that you have ever seen? Was it was a bolt of lightning that struck so close you could feel the hair stand up on your arms? Or maybe it was the grand finale at a fireworks display that was so loud and bright that it seemed to shake the very earth beneath your feet. Or maybe you saw some video footage of an atomic bomb. But all of those pail in comparison to the surpassing greatness of the power of the cross.
        Jesus is not like the mythical Zeus, using his power for his glory, to shock and awe. No. Jesus used his power selflessly, for us, to conquer sin. By enduring hell on the cross in our place, he paid for every time we've failed to live a life of praise to God! And by his perfect praise of the Father 24-7 we are perfect in God's sight! What greatness that robbed satan, death and hell of their hold on us! What power! And what reason we have to, "Praise [the Son] for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness."

III. Praise the Spirit with All Your Heart

        Okay, so we've seen reason to praise the Father in his sanctuary and the Son for his surpassing greatness, but how does the Holy Spirit fit into all of this? Well, to be honest, you would be unable to praise the Father or the Son at all if it weren't for the work of the Holy Spirit through the Word and Sacraments. He is the one who created your understanding, your faith, and trust in what the other two persons of the trinity have done for you.
        So why don't we talk about the Holy Spirit in our church more? Aren't we robbing him of the praise that's his due? Well, first, we try talk about the persons of the trinity in the same amount the Bible does. But mostly, we don't mention the Holy Spirit as much because that's the way he wants it. His work is very important, to be sure, but he doesn't want center stage.
        Someone once said the Holy Spirit is like the camera man at a hockey game. If he weren't there doing his job you could watch none of that game on TV. And yet, even though he's there, you don't often see him because his job is not to focus on himself, but on the game. Likewise, the Spirit delights when we keep our focus on Christ. That's his job. And he does it so well! By the waters of Baptism and by the powerful Word he's brought us to faith. By the Body and Blood with the bread and the wine and by that same poweful Word he keeps us growing in our faith. And so, who the Spirit is and what he does moves us to praise him with all our hearts.
        You know I don't think the Psalmist chose the eight instruments named in this Psalm because these are the only sanctioned instruments of worship. If that were the case we'd being doing it all wrong every time we used the organ, the piano, or the guitar. I think his point was that we use all instruments available to us to praise the Lord. And you may be surprised to hear that I think the greatest instrument that can be used to praise our God is not the organ, nor the piano, nor the computer. I think the greatest instrument that can be used to the praise the Lord is revealed in the last verse of this glorious finale to the book of Psalms: "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD."
        I think that you who have breath are the very best instrument for praising the Lord! As the Holy Spirit continues to keep your eyes fixed on the cross and Jesus' surpassing greatness, fixed in the mighty heavens that God has prepared for you, and fixed on who the Triune God is and what he has done and continues to do for you, you will continually praise the Lord with all that's in you. Praise him, with all of your gifts. Praise him with all of your talent. Praise him with all of your time for what he's done for you.
        
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye Heavenly Host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.