A Certain Sound

Pastor Hilton opens with Psalm 89:15, 'Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound,' asserting that God loves sound and noise. He illustrates this with the angelic host at Christ's birth (Luke 2), the triumphal entry where Jesus said even stones would cry out (Luke 19), and the Pentecostal outpouring in Acts 2. However, he emphasizes that God does not want merely any noise; He wants 'a certain sound'—an authentic, genuine worship arising from the believer's own heart and free will, unlike angels who obey by design. He warns against empty clamor, citing Jesus rebuking the paid mourners at Jairus's daughter's house (Mark 5:39) as 'much ado.' Using 1 Corinthians 14:7-8, he notes that a trumpet must give a distinct sound or no one prepares for battle; similarly, the believer's praise must be certain and sincere, not just performative noise. He contrasts the beaver's futile dam against a mighty river (illustrating the unstoppable flow of the Holy Spirit from within, John 7:38) with the need to yield to God's Spirit. The pastor urges the congregation to press beyond doubt and concern for others' opinions, drawing from personal testimony—the night someone received the Holy Ghost—as evidence of God's faithfulness. He calls for a joyful noise (Psalm 98:4), grounded in remembrance of God's goodness, mercy, and the certain judgment to come, concluding that God deserves this authentic, distinct sound from His people.