Verse for the week:  

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Psalm 100:1-2

1. What are some Christmas traditions you have adopted that help you and your family get ready for Christmas?
2. It was said on Sunday that there are many different types of psalms. Name three and give examples from the book of Psalms.
3. What type of psalm is Psalm 96? What is the structure of this type of psalm? 

For Kids: It was said on Sunday that there are many different types of psalms. Name one type of psalm from the book of Psalms. What type of psalm is Psalm 96? How can you tell? See answers 2 and 3.

Prayer: Father you have created us in your image to glorify you. Give us the grace we need to live lives in worship of you. May we, like the psalmist, summon others to praise you in a manner worthy of you.   

Answers: 2) There are wisdom psalms (Psalm 1), praise psalms (Psalm 8, 100), psalms of lament (Psalm 42, 130), thanksgiving psalms (Psalm 30), psalms of remembrance (Psalm 136), kingship psalms (Psalm 93), and psalms of confidence (Psalm 121). 3) Psalm 96 is a praise Psalm. Praise Psalms begin with a call to praise, then a reason for praise, and then a further call to praise. 

Verse for the week:  

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 

Psalm 100:1-2

1. Read Psalm 96. It was said on Sunday that worshipping the Lord is not something that is suggested in scripture but is commanded. Where do we see that in this psalm?
2. Where in Scripture do we learn that it is God’s desire to be known and worshipped where he is not known and worshipped by all peoples? Give some biblical examples of this.
3. While God created us in his image to glorify him, we are by nature children of wrath. We are worshippers of self. Explain how God provided a way for helpless and hopeless sinners to become worshippers of him. 
4. How does one become a worshipper of the one, true, and living God?

For Kids: Read Psalm 96. Where in this psalm do we see that worship is a command? How does someone become a true worshipper of the one, true and living God? See answers 1, 3, and 4. 

Prayer: Father we praise you for providing for us what you require of us in Jesus. Lord Jesus, we thank you for emptying yourself by becoming one of us, living the perfect life for us, and laying down your life as our substitute and perfect sacrifice so that we might be forgiven and restored to a right relationship with God by trusting in you alone for salvation. 

Answers: 1) We see it in the first verse of Psalm 96. There are six commands given, in the call to praise, in this psalm. Three times we are told to “Sing to the Lord” and then we are told, “Bless his name” … “Tell of his salvation” … “Declare his glory.” 3) God sent his Son to become one of us—to live the perfect life for us and lay his life down as our substitute and perfect sacrifice so that we, through him, could be forgiven of sin and restored to a right relationship with the living God. 4) By being forgiven of sin and restored to God through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Verse for the week:    

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Psalm 100:1-2

1. Read Psalm 96:1-2 and look at point one on the outline. What is the application for you, from this passage, this Christmas?
2. Read Psalm 96:2-3, 10. According to this psalm, what is the mission of every Christian? What does this look like at Christmas?
3. Read Psalm 96:4-6. Give reasons why God is supreme from this psalm and other passages of scripture.

For Kids: Read Psalm 96:2-3, 10. According to this psalm, what is the mission of every Christian? What does this look like at Christmas? Read Psalm 96:4-6. Give reasons why God is supreme from this psalm and other passages of scripture.

Prayer: Father you are worthy of all our praise and much more. You are truly great and greatly to be praised. Give us opportunities this Christmas to share and show your gospel in word and deed.

Answers: 1) Because God sent his Son to save you so that you could be made right with him in order to worship him, you should be obedient to him and spend your days in worship of him. While people spend the majority of this season worshipping self and the world, as believers we should spend it in worship of the one true and living God who sent his Son to save that we could worship him. 2)  Worldwide witness is the proper mission of the Christian. Christmas is an opportune time to tell of God’s salvation. Boldly and unapologetically share how sin is the black backdrop of the Christmas story and about how Christ came because we are sinners set against God. Tell of how he came to provide a way for enemies of God to become children of God through faith alone in his person and work alone.

Verse for the week:  

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Psalm 100:1-2

1. Read Psalm 84 and 96:6. Give reasons why a day in the courts of our God is better than a thousand elsewhere. Spend time in worship of God this week for the fact that we are promised eternity in his presence with his people through Christ. 
2. Read Psalm 96:7-9. What is worship? How do we grow in our knowledge of God’s person and work? How are we to respond to his person and work.
3. Read Psalm 96:8. Can we give God the glory that is due to him this side of glory? How do we obey this command?

For Kids: Read Psalm 96:7-9. What is worship? How do we grow in our knowledge of God’s person and work? How are we to respond to his person and work. Can we give God the glory that is due to his name on this side of glory? If not, how do we obey this command?

Prayer: Father you are worthy of all our worship and so much more. While we can never give you the glory that is due to you this side of glory, give us the grace we need to continue to faithfully praise you and serve you all our days. Grow us in our knowledge of you in your world and through the study of your Word and use us to move others to praise you for who you are and what you have done. 

Answers: 2) Worship is focusing on and responding to God. We focus on God as we observe his creation. We grow in our knowledge of his person and work through the study of his Word. We are then called to respond to him by bringing glory to his name in both word and deed.

Verse for the week:  

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 

Psalm 100:1-2

1. Read Psalm 96:10-13. Explain why is it difficult at times to believe “The Lord Reigns!”
2. We are called in this psalm to join with creation and live out the reality that the Lord rules and reigns. What are some practical ways we can do that?
3. Just like true worshippers are called to give God his due, God will eventually give his enemies their due. What are believers to be doing now in view of God’s coming judgment? What should nonbelievers do now considering God’s coming judgment?
4. What does the future reign of Christ have to do with Christmas?  

For Kids: Read Psalm 96:10-13. Explain why is it difficult at times to believe “The Lord Reigns!” We are called in this psalm to join with creation and live out the reality that the Lord rules and reigns. What are some practical ways we can do that? Christmas should remind us that Christ is returning someday soon to finish out the work he started over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. He is returning to complete the work he accomplished at Calvary and we must be ready. Are you ready for his return? If not, would you turn from your sin and trust in Christ for your salvation today? 

Prayer: Father we praise you for providing us with what you require of us. We lift up the hearers of this message and ask that you save them by your grace today. 

Answers: 4) The work Christ accomplished during his first coming makes what he is going to do next possible. Christ came the first time to save so that we can be rescued from judgment and restored to God.