Shout for Joy, O Righteous Ones! He is Risen! :: Psalm 33:1, 18-20 (5b, 6a)

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Shout for joy, O Righteous Ones in YHWH (v 1).

He is risen! (He is risen, indeed! Hallelujah!)

Grace to you and peace are yours in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

5.

It doesn’t matter which service we use in our service book to recognize this truth. Every part of the historic and new liturgies in Lutheran Service Book are drawn directly from the Sacred Scriptures. ... Like the earth, our liturgies are full of חֶסֶד ... that is, the steadfast and covenantal love and faithfulness of YHWH (v 5b). That’s one way to describe חֶסֶד ... the steadfast and covenantal love and faithfulness of YHWH. God has given us these formulas of worship to sing back to him. That’s the reason God gave us these. These are NOT something of our making. Instead, they are something God does in us, through us, with us, and for us. 

As our Introit again reminds us ... By the Word of Yahweh, the heavens were made, and by the breath of their mouth, all the host (v 6a). 

Even though we are the ones who speak and sing these words of God, he uses this so that we will be the recipients of His Divine Service. In His Divine Liturgy, God serves us. In his worship ... (the word worship literally means to render service) ... he renders service to us). 

I am stressing this today, because it’s really easy to forget this truth of the Divine Service ... of what the Divine Service actually is, and why we are here. Since every part of the liturgy can be traced easily to Scripture, we can go so far as to say that the liturgy we employ is the Word of God in action. Therefore, it is right to call it the living Word of God ... and it gives us reason to shout for joy, O You Righteous Ones in YHWH ... He is risen! 

4.

Have you ever thought about why our Divine Service is set up the way it is? 

There is a natural flow in the Divine Service. It always begins with an invitation to enter into God’s presence and to shout for joy, O You Righteous Ones. To shout for joy at the Feast. We can use Matins or Prayer and Preaching. We can use Vespers or Evening Prayer. No matter. His call to enter goes forth to everyone ... young and old alike. He comes to us. He calls us. Not the other way around. His call to worship is God’s invitation to have communion with him ... fellowship, if you will. As Luther teaches us, I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ or come to him, but the Holy Spirit calls me by Gospel. ... He calls you. The Greek word we translate as church is ἐκκλησία. ... It literally means the Called Out Ones. You have been called out of the world to receive the forgiveness of sins. You have been called into the church ... by the Good Shepherd ... into righteousness. Here, we learn ... Jesus says in our Gospel reading ... to listen to [his] voice (Jn 10:16). He delivers the forgiveness of sins.

We often ignore the voice of our Shepherd King. Too often, for one reason or another, we ignore his call to come into communion with him. Why do we do this?

Well, like Israel ... by nature ... we’re a rebellious house. We are prone, like sheep, like Israel, to wander ... with our heads down ... searching ... for greener grass ... better traditions, better ways to worship. We think we can find something special by ourselves. Yet the farther we wander ... the quieter ... the Gospel becomes. 

Ezekiel grew up during a time like ours. He grew up during a time of religious reformation. But the kingdom of Judah never fully embraced that reformation. Instead, they continued following the voices they wanted to listen to. They continued hanging onto the traditions they loved. Subsequently, God sent them into exile to bring them into repentance.

The holy God of Israel will not tolerate sin ... most notably idolatry ... which most often manifests in the love of me, and my way ... the love of myself and the highway. We would rather worship ourselves thinking we are good to go.

But the Holy God demands that we listen to HIM, and HIM alone, and follow his way ... his way alone. My sheep will hear my voice, Jesus says. 

3.

Please now turn to page 321 in you [Lutheran Service Book] and join me in reminding yourself of our faithful doctrine on this matter.

What is the First Commandment? ... What does this mean?

2.

How do we do that? Let’s start by listening to God’s call to enter.

The first part of the Divine Service is called the Introit, which comes from the Latin introitus, meaning “entrance.” The confession and absolution which precede the Introit are not, strictly speaking, part of the Divine Service ... They are preparatory. We use a corporate confession and absolution, because too often we feel uncomfortable seeking it individually. 

Thus, the first thing we do in the Divine Service is enter. Through his resurrection from the dead, Christ has already declared absolution to us, giving us peace ... enabling us to ... draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful (Hb 10:22-23). We can therefore enter into the presence of the True God, the Living God, the one who is Risen, confidently. 

For thus says the Lord YHWH ... in Ezekiel 34 ... Behold, me! I will seek my flock with care. ... I will consider them. ... I will seek out my sheep ... I will rescue them. ... I will cause them to go forth. ...  I will gather them. ... I will cause them to enter their own land. ... I will shepherd them. ... I will give them reason to stretch out. ... I will secure those perishing. .. I will bring back those being outcast. ... I will bind up. ... I will strengthen. ... I will feed them in justice (Ez 34:11-16). Thanks be to God ... He does all this and so much more here. 

1.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this was our prayer and acknowledgement as we entered the Lord’s Divine Service today. Now we can … 

SHOUT FOR JOY, O RIGHTEOUS ONES IN YHWH. ... HE IS RISEN!

For [all of you] the upright, praise is beautiful (v. 1)!

And to be sure, you won’t have to wait long to hear it, and give it, and share it. Our Good Shepherd is leading us to the good pastures of his Word and Sacraments. He has already put our sin to death on his cross, and given us the hope of the resurrection. As Peter told us, By his wounds, you have been healed (1 Pt 2:24). Jesus is now leading us to his means of grace, which feed and nourish us ... which protect and save us ... which bring us together ... uniting us in the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins will NEVER divide us. 

Now hear again the ending of our Introit from Psalm 33. You will understand what God is doing ... Behold, the eye of YHWH is toward those fearing him; toward those waiting in hope for his covenantal love, that he may RESCUE their very being from death, [that he may] SUSTAIN their life amid famine. 

Our soul waits for YHWH, our helper and our shield. Because in Him, our heart is rejoices. Because in His Holy Name, we have confidence. Let your steadfast and covenantal love and faithfulness be on us, O YHWH, even as we wait eagerly in you (Ps 33:18-22). ... in Jesus’ name.

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