Sermon Central
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Majesty And Mercy
Contributed by Larry La Douceur on Jul 19, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: I noticed the authors used some great words from the Bible on a more frequent basis then we do today. And I started to wonder, why aren’t those words used as often today as they were in past generations? Have they lost their meaning for this generation an
M & M’s (Majesty & Mercy)
Introduction
For those of you that looked in the bulletin, you might be wondering what kind of a Sermon is titled an M & M’s Sermon. Actually it is a Sermon that started to develop some months ago when I revisited some of the older books in my library. I noticed the authors used some great words from the Bible on a more frequent basis then we do today. And I started to wonder, why aren’t those words used as often today as they were in past generations? Have they lost their meaning for this generation and time period? Words like Master, Meditate, Majesty and Mercy, kept popping off the pages and into my mind. Therefore it seemed appropriate to introduce several of the abovementioned words to a new generation and reintroduce them to the rest who are listening to this sermon today.
The Sermon will focus on several strategically significant words that begin with the letter “M”.
Because of time restraints I will need to limit our focus to just two words that begin with the letter M.
First we will revisit the word, “Majesty”
We sing songs – Majesty
How Majestic is Your Name
We sing of the Majesty of God, but what does it mean? How is it used in the Bible?
Did you know in the English Standard Version of the Bible the word majestic is used 13 times?
Examples –
Exodus 15:11 "Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?
Psalms 8:9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
2nd Peter 1:17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,"
Majesty is used 44 times in the English Standard Version;
1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.
Psalms 145:5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
Jude 1:24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Sometimes the word “majesty” is used when we speak of a person, for example, her “Majesty” the Queen.
Our English word Majesty comes from Latin and it means greatness. When we use the word we do so acknowledging the greatness of the person or of God. When we see the word expressing the greatness of God in the Bible it sounds like this,
Psalms 93:1 [ The LORD Reigns ] The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
Psalms 145:5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
I would like to share with you a quote from a book called Knowing God; it was written by J.I. Packer and published in 1973.
“The Christian’s instincts of trust and worship are stimulated very powerfully by knowledge of the greatness of God.”
“But this is knowledge which Christians today largely lack: and that is one reason why our faith is so feeble and our worship so flabby. We are modern men, and modern men, though they cherish great thoughts of man, have as a rule small thoughts of God. When the man in the Church, let alone the man in the street uses the word ‘God’, the thought in his mind is rarely of divine majesty.”
Please remember these words were written in 1973 or earlier and do you believe we (the next generation of modern thinking people) have gained ground or lost ground in the area of divine majesty the past 35 years. Do we meditate on the glorious splendor of His divine majesty (Psalms 145:5)?
The Bible from start to finish impresses on the reader two twin truths, God is both personal and majestic. The Pendulum of certain Biblical truths swings both ways, today the emphasis appears to showcase the personal side of God. When one Biblical truth is given prominence, it is usually to the detriment of the other.
Phillip I believe gave us a great example of how it’s possible even as an Apostle not focus on the dual truths of God. Do you remember his focus on the personal relationship side of Jesus in John Chapter 14?
