Psalms 22:26 They shall praise the Lord that seek Him

Not: If you praise, you shall seek.

But:

There is praise to God in seeking the Lord (even if you "feel" you are not getting through).

The seekers are the only ones who will praise God.

Introduction:

1. Christ made effective the desires of all seekers. Christ makes praise possible.

a. Verse 19 – "Be not thou far from me, O Lord; O my strength, haste thee to help me."

b. Verse 24,25 – "For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. 25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him."

c. Verse 1 – "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?"

2. The major object of all is the glory of God.

a. This is why Jesus died on the cross. Jesus sought the salvation of sinners for the glory of God, not just for their not going to hell. They shall praise the Lord that seek him.

b. How shall praise in heaven be accomplished? They shall praise the Lord that seek him.

i. There are many empty seats there now, but they are being filled one by one.

ii. God is calling ungodly people from among ungodly people to redeem them for all eternity so they can give proper glory and honor to God Almighty.

c. What about the elect? They shall praise the Lord that seek him.

i. As heaven fills up with the people of God, more people are born on this earth, grow up and become convinced of their utter sinfulness before God, and call out to him for everlasting salvation.

ii. There are young children seeking, young boys, and young women, men, and women, and even the elderly.

iii. They shall not always be sad and brokenhearted, but shall find relief in the arms of Jesus.

d. We have assurance. They shall praise the Lord that seek him.

i. II Tim. 2:25,26 – "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."

ii. Jonah 3:9 – "Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?"

iii. The fact that Jesus died on the cross gives us assurance that the seeker shall be a finder.

iv. Unbelieving men may mock and scorn, but the true seeker knows where he can fly to in order to receive help.

I. Who is it that seeks?

A. The description of the seekers is unrestricted.

1. All can seek the Lord.

2. Whosoever will may come.

3. None are excluded from this category of persons.

4. All races, all economic classes, the vilest sinner, the "best" sinner.

5. In glory, there will be people from every nations, every tribe, and every language, and every dialect.

B. What is meant by seeking the Lord?

1. Those who really desire (completely, totally earnest) to commune with God.

a. Not those who casually desire an easy life, or who are satisfied with church attendance, or easily said prayers.

b. Truly seeking the Lord is to desire to know Him personally, and to have Him know you personally.

c. It makes no difference who you are, or where you come from, or what you have done or not done. True seekers will find God.

C. True seekers soon discover they are a long way from God. (Total depravity – through and through a total, complete sinner, with no merit at all before an Almighty, powerful, omnipotent God.)

1. He realizes he has gone a long way from God.

2. What a man has he doesn’t seek after, and what is close at hand is not an object of his search. He will seek after that which he does not have.

3. He will pray that God will make him close, that God will fill up the dividing valleys.

D. True seekers are anxious to take away everything that separates him from God.

1. If it is unpardoned sin.

2. If it is the power of sin, or of a particular sin.

3. Do you desire the presence of God to be fulfilled in you, like you desire to be rid of some dread or fear?

E. True seekers desire to be a true friend of God.

1. Not like Judas Iscariot whom Jesus called "friend" at the time of deception.

2. There is a desire to lie in the very bosom of Jesus and find comfort, knowing He has all comfort.

F. True seekers want to find Jesus now!

1. They don’t want to put it off an instant.

2. A truly hungry man doesn’t want to put off eating.

3. The person that is very sick, honestly and fervently desires healing.

II. What is the promise to the seekers?

A. The promise is unconsciously fulfilled while the person is yet seeking.

1. Confession of sin is part of giving praise and honor to God.

a. Joshua 7:19 – Joshua told Achan, "And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me."

b. Achan had to pay the physical consequences of sin, but he did confess his faults before Almighty God. Didn’t this cause God to forgive him, and grant him eternal salvation?

2. The seeker partly delights in the mercy of God toward him, knowing God will hear him, although he is a sinner.

a. God is very tender toward the sinner who comes confessing his sinfulness.

b. Matthew 9:20 – The woman who had the issue of blood 12 years, came just as she was, confessing her vile condition, touched the hem of the garment of Jesus and was healed. Jesus was glad, not sorry.

c. Mark 1:40,41 – Jesus told the leper when he came with his leprosy, "And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean." It word "came" means little to us, but the leper came. The command for the leper was to go. He was to cover himself, and shout "unclean, unclean" everywhere he went. But this leper disobeyed the command and came to Jesus.

B. There is abundant praise when sins are forgiven.

1. Matthew 9:20 – When Jesus told the woman healed of the issue of blood "Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole." She found comfort, not torment.

2. Mark 1:40,41 – Jesus healed the man with leprosy.

3. John 8:3,4 - The woman taken in adultery was forgiven and went her way worshipping and serving God.

4. Acts 3:8 – The impotent man leaped, and praised God.

5. So the lost person will praise God when he is saved.

C. There is never a thought that the seeker will not find God.

1. The prodigal son never doubted he would find his father when he returned home. He didn’t have to search through the house, but the father saw him afar off and ran to him. So it will be with you.

2. God may try you and let you wait a while so you will fully realize that unbelief you have, and which unbelief will keep you from true service and fellowship with God.

3. We forgive our children when they ask.

a. You may make them wait a while for forgiveness so they will understand the greatness of their offense.

b. You will always forgive them, and not leave them in despair any longer than is necessary for them to fully realize the greatness of their offense.

D. There is no end of praise when sins are forgiven.

1. "They shall praise the Lord that seek him."

2. He shall praise for his salvation, for assurance of salvation, for service, and for all eternity.

E. Every soul that has sought God on earth shall see him and delight in him in heaven.

1. We might see a little bit of our sinful nature while we are here on this earth, but when we get to heaven we shall much more clearly, thus we will be able to praise that much more.

III. What is the praise of the seeker? What shall we praise about? "They shall praise the Lord that seek him."

A. We will praise Him because we found Him as we did.

1. Some were saved when they heard one sermon.

2. Some were saved after they heard many sermons, and after much struggling. Even after Satan had told them there was no more hope for them.

B. We will praise him because we have found such a saviour.

C. We will praise Him because of the security we have in Him.

D. We will praise Him in the very fact that we ever sought Him at all.