Friday, January 27, 2017

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday January 29, 2017

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ALL CREATION PRAISES GOD
(GOD created all things to praise HIM)
(Psalm 146)

   Here begins what is known to serious bible studiers as “the Hallelujah Psalms” of Scripture (Psalms 146-150). That is because all of these final five psalms begin and end with the phrase “Praise the LORD!”, or in the Hebrew, “Hallelujah!”. In the opening lines here in psalm 146, the psalmist vows to “praise the LORD” all the days of his life, and in fact, to the very moment of his final, dying breathe (Vs.1-2).
    In verse 3, he exhorts the people of the congregation to put all of their trust in GOD, WHO has sovereign power over all things, living and inanimate, rather than to place their trust and fear in even the strongest men they know. He goes on to explain in verse 4 that when the strongest of men stop breathing, they return to the dust of the earth just like any other human being on this earth.
    In verse 5 the psalmist blesses those who place their faith in GOD the CREATOR as their only help and hope. Everything we now see was spoken into existence by a GOD we cannot physically see, but WHOSE presence is manifested through remarkable deeds that allow us to understand HIS character. Through HIS deeds, HE shows us that HE keeps every promise that is written about and spoken in HIS Word. HE protects us, provides for us, and plans for us.
    GOD also brings justice to the oppressed, food to the orphans and widows, and HE enables the strong and virile to see to it that HIS agenda is forever promoted in a seemingly hopeless world. HE quite literally frees us from the dominion of sin that once bound us in chains, as HE opens the eyes of those who earnestly seek after HIM. HE then lifts their burdens, while, at one and the same time, HE frustrates the plans of the wicked who oppose HIM (Vs.6-8).
    This psalm reminds us that we need to praise GOD (Vs.1-2), trust GOD (Vs.3-6), love GOD (Vs.7-9), and in the end we can reign with GOD (v.10). This psalmist clearly understands that GOD is not just a part of life, but rather, GOD is the center of life. GOD provides us with life, and it is only fitting that we use our lives to honor GOD, and to worship and praise HIM in the way we live.
    To receive the gifts of GOD, and then ignore HIM, goes to heart of idolatry and selfishness. We must recognize WHO the GIVER is, and not instead, let those gifts become the focal point of our worship and attention. The things given are temporal, but the PROVIDER of those things, GOD, is eternal.
    It is easy to put our trust in people, who we can see, however, it is another thing entirely to put our faith in an abstract, invisible, spiritual GOD, WHOM we can’t see physically, but must accept on faith. However, we would all be hard-pressed to find a person whom we have known for a good length of time, who has never let us down in life. GOD, on the other hand, is a eternally faithful GOD WHO will never let us down, when we rely on HIM, and claim HIM as our help, and, our source of strength.
    To love GOD is to share a love that will always be returned, and will always be available to us. HE loves the Church, as well as the lost. HE loves HIS chosen nation of Israel, as well as those who inhabit other parts of the world at large. We can’t beat HIM giving, we can’t top HIS faithfulness, and we can’t out love HIM. We can only use HIS glorious standards to inspire us to become better to others, and live better lives for ourselves.
    Because of the life examples of JESUS, GOD’s only begotten SON, WHO is also “Monogenes Theos” (“the only begotten GOD” – John 1:18), we are able to see exactly what GOD is like. JESUS, while living on earth as a 100% human being, exuded exactly, the character and personality of HIS FATHER GOD.
    Every human being who is born into this world also shares GOD’s nature in that respect, and we can all follow the wonderful examples of CHRIST, just as HE follows the wonderful examples of the CREATOR, our FATHER in Heaven. We can begin to praise and worship HIM with our whole heart, all the remaining days of our lives, as long as we focus on the ways of CHRIST, and not give our attention so much, to the ways of this world that we live in.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
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