Sunday, April 19, 2026

Scriptures: Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19, Acts 2:14, 36-41

Sermon title: Acknowledge God’s goodness

1. A God listens to our cries

Our scripture opens with a powerful declaration: “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” In the first part of this verse, the Psalmist says, “I love the Lord,” which is a powerful and central theme in the Psalms, rooted in the psalmist’s experience of God’s mercy and care. This love is expressed through praise, worship, and a personal relationship with God as the source of strength and deliverance. It also shows a commitment to obey God’s Word, finding joy in His law and delight in His presence. Ultimately, the psalmist’s love is not abstract; it grows out of a real experience of God’s faithfulness.

In the second part of the verse, the psalmist explains his love for the Lord: God “heard” his voice, not just by listening, but by responding with compassion. In Scripture, God’s hearing means He is ready to act on behalf of His people. This understanding can be supported by Psalm 34:15, which says, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.” It reminds us that even when we feel unheard, God is always attentive, inviting us to trust in His constant care and readiness to respond. When we speak of God listening, we think of the power of prayer. Prayer is how we connect with God, sharing our joys, struggles, and gratitude. God is always ready to hear us, nothing is too big or too small, and He listens even to the whispers of our hearts, guiding us with love.

2. The suffering of the Psalmist

The psalmist describes the depth of his crisis, saying he was surrounded by danger and overwhelmed by fear. He felt trapped by death, pressed by suffering, and filled with distress and anxiety. He was in a situation of intense anguish and near despair.

The psalmist uses strong language, “death” and “the anguish of the grave”, to show how deep and overwhelming his suffering is. He feels trapped, helpless, and unable to escape on his own, describing a true life-and-death struggle. This reflects our own experience as well; we also face moments that feel overwhelming, even if not physically life-threatening. Social challenges such as poverty, climate change, depression, stress, and healthcare struggles can weigh heavily on us. Yet even in these realities, we are not powerless; we are called to respond and take meaningful action. And what does the psalmist do?

The psalmist responds to his crisis by calling on the Lord, saying, “Lord, save me!” In his distress, he turns to God, showing the power of prayer and our complete dependence on God for rescue. Salvation is not achieved by human effort but by God’s grace and intervention, as affirmed in Romans 10:13.

The message is clear and practical: God is present in both our joy and our suffering. When life feels overwhelming, we are invited to bring our fears, struggles, and pain to Him, trusting that He hears us, understands us, and is ready to help.

3. How to respond to God’s goodness.

After experiencing God’s deliverance, the psalmist reflects on how to respond to God’s goodness. He asks a heartfelt question: “What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?” In other words, he is considering how to respond appropriately to all that God has already done.

The Christian life is not about repaying God, since we can never do that. Instead, Scripture teaches that our response to God’s blessings is gratitude. This gratitude is more than politeness; it is a deep spiritual awareness of God’s ongoing grace and provision in our lives, expressed in many ways. In Psalm 100:4, Deuteronomy 8:17-18, and 2 Corinthians 9:11, teach us to respond to God’s blessings with thanksgiving, praise, humility, and generosity.

We begin with thanksgiving, entering God’s presence with gratitude, as everything we have comes from Him. We also respond with praise, worshiping God for His goodness and shifting our focus from the gift to the Giver. Alongside this, we are called to humility, remembering that every good gift comes from God and not from our own strength, which guards us against pride. Finally, we are encouraged to share our blessings with others, using what we have to serve, encourage, forgive, and give, so that God’s love is made visible through our lives.

5. Conclusion

The scripture reminds us, “because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.” Just as children call on their parents in times of need, we can call on God, knowing that He hears and responds to us. However, we often take many things for granted, both what we have prayed for and what God provides without our asking. This invites us to pause and reflect on the many ways God has been present and faithful in our lives. The psalmist recognizes that he belongs to God, has been set free, and now offers his life back to God in thanksgiving, especially within the community. This raises an important question for us: are we aware of God’s goodness and faithfulness, or are we focused only on our difficulties?

Often, we overlook God’s many blessings and focus on what feels missing, sometimes even questioning His love. Yet God has done more for us than we can fully understand. The real problem is not God’s absence but our inability or blindness to recognize His presence and work in our lives. God does not want us to live focused only on our struggles. Even in difficult times, we are reminded that He has already done great things in our lives. When we choose to focus on His goodness and give thanks, we find renewed strength and grace to face challenges. The story of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19 illustrates this well: only one returned to thank Jesus after being healed. Gratitude makes a difference; it deepens our connection with God and opens our hearts to His sustaining grace in every situation. May God help us to acknowledge his goodness in our lives. Amen.