God Does Great Things For Us
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, November 2, 2025.
Sermon text: Psalm 126
“Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”
–William Carey
The Lord has done great things for us
Let’s pray and trust Him to do great things again
“To join in this song is to sign up to an emotional mindset in which the thing that give us the deepest joy in the world is the restoration of Zion. The psalm depicts a world in which people care more for Zion than for their individual or personal prosperity.
So in new-covenant terms, the psalm is the expression of a heart that cares more deeply and passionately about the cause of Christ and the church of Christ than it does for its own success, comfort, good name or health.” —Christopher Ash, Psalms For You
Lets sow and serve together as we pray and trust God
—we sow together
—we sow in obedience
“The assurance of God’s blessing is also an encouragement to be responsible. The people were not to sit idly by, waiting for God to come through. They had to go out and sow, praying that the Lord would be faithful.” —VanGemeren, Longman, and Garland, Psalms
—we sow in tears at times
—we sow despite our uncertainty
“The Lord will turn the “tears” into “songs of joy.” Though work may be laborious and the results uncertain, the Lord will be with his people in their various endeavors so as to bless them.” —VanGemeren, Longman, and Garland, Psalms
—we will reap and rejoice together
“There will be a harvest. Never doubt that. This is a psalm to sing when we are discouraged in the work of the gospel—when the ground seems dry, the response negligible, the cost just too great, the tears too many. Our weeping is a necessary precursor to harvest joy.”—Christopher Ash, Psalms For You
Discipleship Questions:
Sermon text: Psalm 126
“Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”
–William Carey
The Lord has done great things for us
Let’s pray and trust Him to do great things again
“To join in this song is to sign up to an emotional mindset in which the thing that give us the deepest joy in the world is the restoration of Zion. The psalm depicts a world in which people care more for Zion than for their individual or personal prosperity.
So in new-covenant terms, the psalm is the expression of a heart that cares more deeply and passionately about the cause of Christ and the church of Christ than it does for its own success, comfort, good name or health.” —Christopher Ash, Psalms For You
Lets sow and serve together as we pray and trust God
—we sow together
—we sow in obedience
“The assurance of God’s blessing is also an encouragement to be responsible. The people were not to sit idly by, waiting for God to come through. They had to go out and sow, praying that the Lord would be faithful.” —VanGemeren, Longman, and Garland, Psalms
—we sow in tears at times
—we sow despite our uncertainty
“The Lord will turn the “tears” into “songs of joy.” Though work may be laborious and the results uncertain, the Lord will be with his people in their various endeavors so as to bless them.” —VanGemeren, Longman, and Garland, Psalms
—we will reap and rejoice together
“There will be a harvest. Never doubt that. This is a psalm to sing when we are discouraged in the work of the gospel—when the ground seems dry, the response negligible, the cost just too great, the tears too many. Our weeping is a necessary precursor to harvest joy.”—Christopher Ash, Psalms For You
Discipleship Questions:
- Spend some time talking about great things God has done for CCC and for you personally.
- What does it look like to pray and trust God to do great things while we are serving and sowing?
- What are ways we can be actively sowing and serving in this season at CCC?
- What do you think the reaping and rejoicing will look like in this season as a church?
- How can we make sure people around us don’t miss the opportunities to experience great things?
- How can praying, sowing, and serving together bring us closer to each other as well?
- Spend some time praying together through the Advance prayer guide, Keep praying this week.
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