PRAYING FOR EACH OTHER

Philippians 1:1-11

Whether or not we pray says something about our confidence in God. More telling, however, is what we pray for when we pray. As we look at Paul’s prayer for the Philippians, there are two questions I would like for us to ask ourselves. Our answers to these two questions will reveal much about us.

QUESTION # 1:

Are we thankful for each other (verses 3-8)?

Our thankfulness is based on our knowledge of each other (verse 3). Now the word here is “remembrance” but Paul is not saying, “As I run through my prayer list and I look at your name, I am thankful for you. The basis of his thanksgiving is much deeper than that. He knows where God brought them from. He remembers the young maiden, who was demon possessed and God miraculously cast the demon out of her. He remembers Lydia and her faithfulness to worship God and how that she and other devout women embraced Christ as he preached to them by the riverside. He remembers the Philippian jailor jumping into his cell and asking, “What must I do to be saved?” Over the years he has kept up with these people. He has seen them grow in grace. He has labored together with many of them. He knows what obstacles they have overcome and what victories Christ has won through them. That is the basis of His thanksgiving.

Our thankfulness is based on our partnership in the gospel (verse 4-7).

Their partnership included financial giving.

Their partnership went beyond financial giving. In Philippians 2:25 we find that they sent one of their own, Epaphroditus, to aid Paul in his missionary work.

In 1:29-30 we find that their partnership in the gospel of Christ had even resulted in persecution.

Our thankfulness for each other corresponds to the deep love Christ has for us (verse 8).

Their partnership went beyond the task of reaching the world with the gospel, although that was an integral part of their task.

It even went beyond the natural love that was felt between Paul and the Philippian believers.

Paul’s thankfulness was rooted in the love of Christ. He was obedient to Jesus commandment recorded in John 13:34-35, “…love one another; as I have loved you…” Now Paul was convinced that there was no higher calling than to boast in Jesus Christ. Look at Philippians 1:20. That word “magnify” means to make someone or something large, to build up so that everyone will recognize and respect. There are a lot of ways to magnify Jesus Christ but there is no greater way than to reflect His love toward us to our partners in Christ and to a lost world that is greatly in need of the gospel.

QUESTION # 2:

What is the goal of our requests for each other (verses 9-11)?

“Often we simply don’t know what to say when we pray. I’m thinking especially of those moments when we begin to pray for others beyond our most intimate circle. What do you do when faced with a prayer list of friends, loved ones, neighbors, co-workers, missionaries, and others whom you hardly know at all? Our usual response is to pray like this: “Lord, uh … uh … uh … bless Sally.” Then we go to the next name: “Lord, uh … uh … uh … please bless Bill.” Then we go to the next name: “Lord, uh … uh … uh … I ask you to really bless our missionaries in Ghana.” And on it goes. As one man remarked, if you took the word “bless” out of our prayer vocabularies, most of us would never pray again.” From Ray Pritchard.

An abounding love that is governed by discernment (verses 9-10a). Many of Paul’s prayers include a request for love in the lives of the believers for whom He is praying.

1 Thessalonians 3:12, “And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,” (See also Ephesians 3:17-19).

Love, however, without discernment “…is blind..” Love without discernment will not look beneath the surface and see the danger that is lurking there. Love without discernment will not see that are some good things that I may love that should be sacrificed for the sake of better things. This passage, however, points out specifically that we need to recognize and discern the best things in life. We as believers in Christ love many of the things that are better but do we recognize and love what is best for us. That brings us to Paul’s second request. What are the best things in life?

A discerning life that is filled with the best things (verses 10b-11).

The best things in life are sincere, that is, pure. Those things that when they are brought out into the sunlight look just as clean and pure as they do in a dimly lit room. In those days, when potter wanted to show that his wares were without cracks, he would hold them up in the sunlight to show the perfection of his pottery. That is the life that we need to be praying for in each other. Another word for this is blamelessness. Purity and blamelessness are not a goal for heaven but for this life.

Paul admits in chapter 3 that he himself had not fully attained all the best things in life but it is imperative that we strive now for those best things. If we do not, then the next description of the best things in life will not be true of our lives. The best things in life do not cause others to stumble. The best things in life are profitable to others and remain profitable to others until Christ comes. There are some who start well but then they choose the good and the better things over the best things and prove to be a hindrance to others. That is what Paul is referring to when he says that all things are lawful but not all things are helpful. Paul’s life was governed by the recognition that he was a conduit of the gospel and that the best way to get the gospel to the world was to get rid of even the good things and the better things that might keep him from accomplishing the best things in his life.

The best things in life are abundantly fruitful. Now all believers in Christ bear fruit. In God’s kingdom there is no such thing as a tree not bearing fruit. Evil trees bear bad fruit and good tree bear good fruit. There is no mixing of the two from God’s perspective. However, not every good tree bears fruit abundantly. It is disappointing to have an apple tree with four or five apples. What we want from an apple tree is an abundance of good fruit. Now those four or five apples may be fine apples but the purpose of an apple tree is an abundance of apples, an abundance of fruit. Now there are many types of spiritual fruit, fruits of righteousness and Paul does not bother to tell us what they are but it is clear in the context that He is talking about our character in Christ.

The best things in life enhance God’s reputation in the world.

Next Week: Philippians 1:12-30 Cats Have Nine Lives; Christians Only Two

TEACHING THE AWESOMENESS OF GOD

Psalm 66

We teach the awesomeness of God when we praise our God (verses 1-4, 8).

Praise is described (66:1).

Praise is described as a joyful shout (65:13 and 66:1a). This is the same type of noise that Israel was commanded to shout when they marched on the seventh day around Jericho.

Praise is described as a group activity (66:1b, see also verse 8). There are no solo parts in eternity. All praise and all prayer and all glory and all honor to God will be a group activity.

Praise is defined (66:2-4).

Praise is the glory of God (66:2). It may be in a musical form (verses 2 & 4) or it may be in the form of a prayer (verse 3) but whatever form the praise of God takes, it is the purpose for which we exist and when we do not praise the LORD, we have missed our true calling in this life.

Praise is submission to the awesomeness of God (verse 3). God is like a volcano that as the same time inspires awe when we see its power and causes fear when we realize that we are in the path of its force. When we praise God, we call attention to what He has done and what He can do and what He is now doing and what He will do. When we praise God, we are willingly submitting ourselves to Him.

We teach the awesomeness of God when we show (“Come and see!”, verse 5) His dealings with men (verses 5-12). One of the main differences between the awesome power of a volcano and the awesome power of God is that God consciously deals with humankind. The power of a volcano is unthinking, governed by the laws of nature, without intention, without any purpose that comes from the volcano itself. The power of God, however, is intentional. There is purpose behind His power.

His purposes include deliverance of His people from danger (verse 6, referring primarily to the parting of the Red Sea; and verse 9). Now it is wonderful that we see the awesomeness of God in creation but according to Romans 1 that is just enough knowledge to condemn us but not enough to save us.

“The earthquakes in New England occasioned a kind of religious panic. A writer, who was then one of the ministers of Boston, informs us, that immediately after the great earthquake, as it was called, a great number of his flock came and expressed a wish to unite themselves with the church. But, on conversing with them, he could find no evidence of improvement in their religious views or feelings, no convictions of their own sinfulness; nothing, in short, but a kind of superstitious fear, occasioned by a belief that the end of the world was at hand. All their replies proved that they had not found God, though they had seen the greatness of his power in the earthquake.” Edward Payson, D.D.

You see, although we can see God in creation, if we do not see God in the awesomeness of His dealings with men, we cannot understand His purposes. God chose an group of Jewish slaves and delivered them from Pharaoh for the purpose of displaying His power to save those on whom He shows His favor. The reason we tell during VBS the stories of God’s awesome power in creation and in the Old Testament narratives and in the works of Christ and even in the church in the New Testament is not because they are age appropriate but because they are the way that God has chosen to reveal Himself and if our children are ever going to learn the awesomeness and the majesty and the glory of God, they are going to learn it from the stories of God’s work that we tell them and from the praise that those stories evoke from our hearts.

His purposes include the revelation of His greatness in comparison with the rulers of this world (compare verse 7 with Revelation 1).

His purposes include the refining of His people to the point of abundance (verses 10-12; see also 23:5, “my cup runneth over”).

We teach the awesomeness of God when we turn to God in our troubles (verses 9-20). At the end of this psalm, we see that God’s deliverance is not only corporate (verses 8-12) but also individual (verses 13-20, especially verse 16, “Come and hear!”).

Just as we teach together through our praise of God, we teach individually through our thanksgiving to God (66:13-15). We give to Him of whatever it may be that we have in thanksgiving for how He has delivered us from our troubles in answer to our prayers.

Before thanksgiving comes dedication of our hearts and lives to God (verses 13,15). In the burnt offerings, we see his approach to the altar with the common and general sacrifice. Again, therefore, he says at the altar: I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings (#Ps 66:15). This is the general offering, brought from the best of his flock and herd. This is an offering of dedication, of submission to God.

Next, in his paying vows, we see he has brought his peace offerings with him. Then follow the peace offerings: “With the incense (fuming smoke) of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats.” The peace offering is a costly public confession of thanksgiving.

Rev. Daniel Baker’s Addresses to Young Men is quoted by Spurgeon as saying, “It is a bad fireplace where all the heat goes up the chimney: true religion spreads joy over all around. Yet the fire warms first the chimney in which it burns, and grace comforts the heart in which it dwells. Nobody will be warmed by a cold hearth.”

We teach what it means to have a relationship with God (66:16-20).

This passage implies what had to proceed both the burnt offering and the peace offering, that is, the sin offering. Of course, the sin offering is what we most often think about as Christians when we think of a blood sacrifice and it is the primary picture that we have of the sacrifice that Christ paid for us on the cross. He died as the sacrifice for my sin. That is what we will celebrate next week during the Lord’s Table. Christ paying the penalty for my sin. This is beautifully expressed in two songs that are in our hymnbook.

“He Lifted Me” (verse 1)

“In lovingkindness, Jesus came. My soul in mercy to reclaim; And from the depths of sin and shame, Through grace He lifted me!”

Love Lifted Me (verse 1)

“I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained with sin, sinking to rise no more. But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me, now safe am I.”

How did He lift me from sin? By dying for my sin that I might have salvation. In the same way, God will not accept your dedication until your sin problem is taken care of, there is not true thanksgiving if you are not holy before God both in relationship and in life.

Confess yourself a sinner before God.

Submit yourself to His will.

Thank Him and praise Him before all.

In doing these things you and I can teach to others the awesomeness of God.

DAD, IS YOUR GOD AWESOME?

Nehemiah 4:7-15

Today, I am talking to dads. It is Father’s Day and it is appropriate to speak to dads. The lessons of this sermon are appropriate for all of us, so I trust that you who are not dads will listen carefully also.

I.                    We see from the story of Nehemiah that we should expect opposition to God’s purposes in our lives from all directions (4:1-6:14). This is not surprising. Paul, at the end of his life, wrote, “All who would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. It is interesting to note, however that the greatest opposition came when the work was half done (4:6). They had started well but the real question was whether they would finish well.

Dads, there will be opposition to you leading your family into spiritual maturity. There is not important work done without opposition. Let me read a few excerpts from an email of a missionary couple in Slovakia whom we know, Don and LeAnne Waite.

“In one of our last updates we told you about the VBS we held in Rakusy on Monday, May 26th.  You know there was a large crowd of people that came and that things went well until the last minutes of the afternoon.  You know that the back window of the van was shattered as we tried to leave the village…  

            …On Friday afternoon Don, Michael and Justin decided to visit Marian and Maria.  They were not in church last week - very unusual for them.  This is the couple that has been such a help in recent weeks - the same couple who has faced persecution in their home.  When they visited Marian wasn’t home and they spoke with Maria.  Maria was visibly shaking.  She told Michael they couldn’t come on Sunday.  She said she didn’t feel well.  Michael said, “Maria, it is Friday.  How can you know if you will feel well on Sunday?  What is really the matter?”  She then broke down and said their family has been pressuring them not to come to the services.  Pray for that family.  We feel so bad for them.  It is so typical of the way the Catholic church operates to put pressure on the family in this way.  They are withholding baptism from Ivan, the oldest son’s child because Marian and Maria are attending services here.  Most of us have never faced this kind of persecution.  Pray for Marian and Maria.  They are so new to the Christian life and they have grown so much in the past few months.  Our hearts ache for them…”

            The next day the following email was written. “Greetings.  We are once again coming to you asking you to pray for Marian and Maria.  I mentioned in our update yesterday that they were facing pressure from family and the Catholic church in the village where they live.  They haven’t been in church for the past two weeks because of this; but they have stopped by each week and have called after the Gypsy service to ask how things went. 

They stopped by the house this morning to talk to us.  Don was out when they arrived and I called Stevens to come over.  Don returned part way through our visit.  We aren’t sure exactly what the situation is since their Slovak is hard to understand; but it seems that after Don, Michael and Justin visited on Friday there were some problems.  Marian was at work when the men were there and when he got home he found their son arguing with Maria.  The end of it was that they slept outdoors in a park somewhere Friday night and then went to the town that Maria’s mother lives in on Saturday.  We think they slept somewhere in a park again last night.  If our understanding is correct their son, who owns the house where they all live, has given them until Friday to find a place to live.  Don is gone to take them back to the house now.  We aren’t sure if the situation is really as serious as it sounds as the Gypsies are often very emotional.  They are looking for somewhere to live here in Kezmarok and have asked us to help them find a place.   They can’t afford much in rent so finding something will be a challenge.  Pray with us that this situation will be resolved.  They have promised to come to us or Stevens before they spend another night sleeping outdoors. 

            Marian plans to go with the men on visitation Wednesday.  They plan to be here for their discipleship time of Friday and have said they are coming to church on Sunday.  Pray that God will protect them and give them peace, wisdom and strength to stand in the midst of the persecution they are facing.  Pray that God gives us wisdom in how we can help.”

Why is it possible to do in the face of such opposition, what is right? Because these men know and recognize that God is great and awesome and encourage and strengthen their heart with that truth.

II.                 What kind of encouragement does Nehemiah provide for the fathers?

1.      Nehemiah prays with his people (verse 9).

2.      Nehemiah commands them to take responsibility for their family (verse 13).

3.      Nehemiah reminds that God is great and awesome. Although Nehemiah did take proper actions, he left the outcome in God’s hands.

III.               Nehemiah did not build the wall. The Jews did not build the wall. Their great and awesome God built the wall (Compare 4:1-3, 15 with 6:15-16).

IV.              In what ways was Nehemiah an example to the workers?

a.             Compare 1:5 with 4:14! He could with confidence proclaim God’s greatness and awesomeness, because he had expressed it privately outside of the limelight. This prayer was the beginning of four months of constant and consistent prayer for the building of the wall in Jerusalem. The central motivation for this prayer was the greatness and the awesomeness of God. In fact all of the motivations to which Nehemiah appealed in accomplishing the work in Jerusalem, including the family relationship, are submitted to the character of their God.

b.            4:18, 23 – He was at his place in God’s work.

c.             He prayed (4:4-5).

The question remains, why does God allow opposition to His work (9:29-32)?

29    And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, ‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear. 30  Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31  Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful. 32  “Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. 33  However You are just in all that has befallen us; For You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly.

Sometimes God allows opposition, so that we might understand His greatness and awesomeness in His dealings.

INVITATION FROM SPURGEON BASED ON THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE:  But I have not been speaking to all who are here. Some of you do not pray, some of you cannot set a watch. The message for you is, “Ye must be born again.” You cannot attempt Christian duties till first you have the Christian life; and the only way to get the Christian life is to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Come to the fountain which he has filled with his precious blood; wash there, and be clean; and then, quickened by his Spirit, set a watch. I am looking to see some people brought to Christ at this service, for although I have been preaching to God’s people, if they will watch for you, and pray for you, there will come a blessing to you through their watching and praying. The Lord grant that it may come to many of you! “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him when he is near.” May many seek and find the Lord to-night; and may many call upon him in truth! “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.” God grant that it may be so to everybody here, for Jesus’ sake! Amen.

PRACTICAL PRAISE

Psalm 150:1-6

Thirteen times the word “praise” is used in this chapter. The focus of this chapter, though, is not praise nor is it worship but rather the one whom we are to praise. Our LORD God Almighty, our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

A. We are invited to come to God and praise Him (verse 1).

§ The sanctuary is not strictly a building but rather the place of God’s holiness.

§ God’s holiness is not limited but is a great as His creation (compare with Psalm 102:19).

B. We are reminded of why we should come to God and praise Him. The LORD is worthy of praise - He is the Almighty One (verse 2).

“…the goal of gathering as God’s people is not to feel something but to see and remember something. That “something” is the Word, works, and worthiness of God, especially as He has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1).

http://www.worshipmatters.com/2005/11/worship-service-idolatry-on-sunday-mornings/

§ See Judges 5:31a for a description of what is meant by “mighty acts”, “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength <01369>.”

§ His excellent greatness means that His greatness is abundant. He never wears out although His is always operating at full strength.

C. We are to use everything and everyone to praise the LORD (verses 3-6).

§ There is no instrument that should be left out.

As St. Augustine says here, “No kind of faculty is here omitted. All are enlisted in praising God.” The breath is employed in blowing the trumpet; the fingers are used in striking the strings of the psaltery and the harp; the whole hand is exerted in beating the timbrel; the feet move in the dance; there are stringed instruments (literally strings); there is the organ (the ugab, syrinx) composed of many pipes, imposing combination, and the cymbals clang upon one another. —C. Wordsworth quoted in the “Treasury of David”.

Now this brings us to an interesting question. I say interesting because it is constantly coming up. People want to know, what style of music should we use to praise the LORD? Should we stick to hymns? Should go to a more contemporary style of music? Is rap or a heavy metal style appropriate for praising the LORD? Certainly this psalm was not written to address this issue but the indication is that everything else being equal, there is no musical style that cannot be used to praise the LORD. Now I understand that everything is not equal. The issue is complicated by the fact that our main concern is usually not praising the LORD but getting to use the style that we like and prefer. How this issue shows the ungodliness of our hearts. We believe rumors and lies and are ready to pass along the least bit of gossip based on the attitude that our style of music is the best.

Now I would prefer to sidestep this issue but since this issue is constantly a hot topic, I want to take just a few moments to give you some principles whereby you can govern your attitude toward music.

1. Allowing the style of music to dominate your thinking, schedule, time, or desires reveals the presence of idolatry (1 Corinthians 6:12-13a; 10:23-11:1).

“What is our greatest hindrance in worshipping God? We could come up with a number of potential answers.

“Our worship leader isn’t very experienced.”
“The services are too planned/spontaneous.”
“The songs are too complex/simple.”
“The band/orchestra/organist/guitarist sounds bad.”
“There are too many new/old songs.”
“Our church is too big/small.”

Ignoring for a moment that all these statements refer to a meeting context, they reveal a profound misconception about the hindrances to true worship. Contrary to what we might think, our greatest problem doesn’t lie outside us, but within our own hearts. It’s the problem of idolatry…

Exodus 20 that he will not tolerate any competition for the allegiance and affections of our hearts. “You shall have no other gods before me.” That succinctly describes idolatry…

pretending to take a shower. (For some reason, most ten-year-olds find taking showers as appealing as scratching a chalk board for ten minutes.) After working through a tearful confession with my wife, and learning of her discipline (no playing with friends for three days), we talked about her heart. I explained to her that not taking a shower was an idol for her. She thought that remaining dirty would bring her happiness. Instead it led to deceiving those she loves the most and dishonoring the God Who created her for His glory. And it definitely didn’t deliver on the happiness promise. Ultimately, idols never do.”

“Whenever I think I can’t worship God unless “X” is present, I’m making a profound statement. If “X” is anything other than Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, I’ve moved into idolatrous territory. Idolatry is always evil, but the idols we pursue aren’t necessarily evil things. They are evil for us because we value them over God…

http://www.worshipmatters.com/2005/11/worship-service-idolatry-on-sunday-mornings/)

2. I have no rights when it comes to music (1 Corinthians 8:9-13; Romans 14:14-15:3).

§ There is no person that should be left out when it comes to praising the Lord (Revelation 19).

Next week: Nehemiah 4:7-15 - Dad, Is Your God Awesome?

CAPTIVE!

Psalm 126:1-6

At the close of the Civil War, both the Army of the Potomac under General Meade and the Army of the Tennessee under General Sherman were to march in parade in Washington before the review of Lincoln and a host of dignitaries and common people. “…midtown Washington…had never been so crowded as it was on [the Tuesday and Wednesday that the two armies respectively marched]… All the national flags were at full staff for the first time since [the assassination of President Lincoln nearly six weeks before].

On May 23rd the Army of the Potomac marched. They were impressive. The cavalry alone formed seven unbroken miles…steel-shod hoofs clopping for a solid hour past any given point.” Sherman worried about his boys. They were by all accounts good soldiers but a motley crew. Sherman’s hope was that his veterans would not be sneered and laughed at by the crowds.

The next day as he led his six corps, from Capitol Hill to the White House, “he lacked the nerve to glance rearward…” until the parade route turned sharply toward the White House. He need not have worried. “They march like the lords of the world!“ spectators exclaimed. What set them apart from the Army of the Potomac, however, were the reminders of their battles and marches during the past year. “Some were grim…Hushes came…when ambulances rolled past in the wake of each division, blood-stained stretchers strapped to their sides.” Other reminders evoked laughter, “…however: not the kind Sherman had feared - each corps was followed by a contingent of camp followers, Negro men and women and children riding or leading mules alongside wagon filled with tents and kettles, live turkeys and smoked hams. Pet pigs trotted on leashes and gamecocks crowed from the breeches of cannon, responding to cheers. ‘the acclamation given Sherman was without precedent…The whole assemblage raised and waved and shouted as if he had been the personal friend of each and every one of them.’” Why? The captivity of war was over.

This is how this psalm opens, with a recounting of the parade march of the captives who had been set free. However, we find that the memory of what God has done for us becomes the basis for our life here in a troubled world.

The LORD (Jehovah) has done great things for us in the past (verses 1-2). There is nothing in this psalm by which we can decide its date, further than this, — that it is a song written during a captivity looking back at a time of captivity. The history of Israel is a history of deliverance from captivity. The nation that was birthed through captivity and deliverance in Egypt has suffered captivity multiple times. In fact, a major component of God’s covenant with Israel is captivity. If you disobey me, I will send you into captivity but I promise, “I will deliver you.” This tells us a couple of important facts. During the time of this captivity, Israel was suffering as a direct result of their disobedience but God by allowing them to suffer in captivity was keeping His part of the covenant. Secondly, this psalm is the result of an attitude of faith. The writer of this psalm knew that they deserved what they were getting but were confident that God would not leave them there.

The LORD’s great acts restored those in captivity to a joyful circumstance (verse 1). Now we are not under the covenant that God made with the Jews but certainly we can learn from their situation. God wants us to rejoice in what He has done for us. Joy in the LORD is produced by a recognition of what God has done for us. I came across in Spurgeon’s “Treasury of David”, a recipe for holy laughter.

Recipe for holy laughter

. —

1. Lie in prison a few weeks.

2. Hear the Lord turning the key.

3. Follow him into the high road.

4. Your sky will burst with sunshine, and your heart with song and laughter.

5. If this recipe is thought too expensive, try keeping in the high road.

—W. B. H.

The question is this, “How do you stay in the high road? How do you retain the joy of the LORD in your heart?” By remembering what He has done for you. Again, this brings us back to why we are memorizing Scripture. We memorize and we meditate on God’s Word so that the Holy Spirit can produce the fruit of joy in our lives through the remembrance of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ.

The LORD’S great acts were obvious to those who saw them (verse 2). One of the most neglected truths of both Old and New Testament is the fact that God’s working in the lives of His people is noticed by the heathen. We see this in Jericho where they shut the gates of the city because of fear of the God of Israel. We see this in the New Testament where Paul gives testimony in place after place how that the Holy Spirit took their lives and what God had done in their lives and made it a testimony to the transforming power of the resurrected Christ. People need to see in our lives the transformation that Jesus Christ has performed in our lives.

We are glad and confident during our present troubles because of the great things the LORD (Jehovah) has done for us (verses 2-4).

Gladness based on the LORD’s great acts is sustainable (verses 2-4a). Gladness is not just a positive feeling about something. It is the heart attitude that produces the singing and laughter of verse 2 and the joy and rejoicing of verses 5 and 6. Those words describe the outward act based on gladness but gladness is the attitude of the heart that is produced when we realize what God has done for us. Like I mentioned earlier, we normally use the term joy. What I want you to notice is that joy and gladness are sustainable during times of trouble. The writer of this psalm is in captivity himself. The troubles that surround Him are great. His people are oppressed, perhaps even enslaved. Yet He has gladness, not because circumstances are good but because his God is both good and great.

Confidence based on the LORD’s great acts reveals itself in our prayers (verse 4). Verse 4 is the prayer around which this psalm is centered. “Do it again, LORD! Do it again, LORD!” How? As the streams in the south.

The South Country of Judah was a dry area but there were certain times of year when the rains would come and the wadis would be filled with water. The psalmist is saying, “I know we are in trouble, we are in a barren place, it looks like God has deserted us. LORD, will you not revive us again? Will you not send the rains and the snow that brings life into this desert land?” How could he be so bold in his prayer? Because he knew the covenant of God, he knew what God had done in the past, and he knew that God would keep His promise.

Even in our present trouble we can look forward to the LORD (Jehovah) again doing great things for us (verses 5-6).

Our troubles produce genuine sorrow (verse 5a). Now I want you to notice that tears are not what is sown. This psalm is not teaching that if you cry enough, God will answer your prayers. What this psalm teaches is the reality of tears in the life of one who is trusting God. In this case, the sorrow is a result of the sin of the nation. The psalmist is expressing faith that God will deliver them even from their desperate situation. What is being sown here is the prayer for God’s deliverance. The harvest is the deliverance of God and that harvest produces joy.

God’s answers produce singing (verses 5b-6). The word for “joy” and “rejoicing” are the exact same word that we find in verse two translated “singing.” The concept here is a ringing cry. When I was living in the college dorm, someone decided that they would allow the boys to serenade the girls’ dorms at Christmas time. This supposed to happen from about 10:30 to 11 in the evening. I got off work about 10:15 and as I arrived on campus about 10:30 I could hear a noise that the like I had never heard before. It is around fifteen hundred girls crying out at the top of their lungs. I know it was the girls because you could hear the high pitch of their voices. There was over a city block between our dorm parking lot and the nearest of the three girls’ dorms. The sound of was a ringing cry. That is what we are talking about in these verses. The expression of joy is not a quiet confidence of the heart but a boisterous rousing cry of joy that can be heard all over the countryside. There is a place certainly for quiet confidence, for inner joy but when God does a mighty work in our lives, especially in response to great sorrow of heart, there will be no reason to cover our joy. We will be glad to shout or sing loud with joy in our worship of Him.

What is the basis of your prayers? Are they based on God’s past deeds? Are you confident because of what Christ did on the cross that your prayers will be answered? The reason we sometimes pray without believing is because we do not remember what God has done for us in the past. That is why we get disappointed when God does not answer the way we expect or the way that we hope. We have forgotten the ways of God.

When, however, you remember what God has done in the past in His Word, through Christ, and in your life and in mine, you will not lose your confidence. You will be able to sustain your joy. Not because you are a strong Christian but because He is a strong God.

If you are an unbeliever, you are a captive. This psalm is not talking about your captivity but according to the Word of God you are captive to sin. Paul describes this captivity in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

That is a terrible picture but there is hope. In another place, Colossians 1:13-14, Paul speaking of Christ writes, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

How then do we release ourselves from the blindness of Satan? Paul continues in that same chapter in verses 21-23a, “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight–– if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard…”

THE FOLD AND THE FEAST

Psalm 23:1-6

There is no psalm better known or more beloved than this one. It is one of the four psalms that I have presented to you for memorization during the summer months. Let us look at it today and understand how that this psalm might be helpful for us if we learn what it has to say to us.

The LORD (Jehovah) cares for us like a shepherd (verses 1-4).

His care is shown through His provision for us (verses 1-2). West of Nashville, there was an Methodist preacher named George Rye. He was pastoring a non-denominational church near Dickson, Tennessee. One day, he was driving us to a barbeque restaurant out in the middle of nowhere. As we were driving, he pointed to a group of cows, laying under a huge shade tree, chewing their cud. Preacher Rye said, “Robert, I want you to look at that. Those are contented cows. They don’t have a care in the world.” That is the picture of these first two verses. Contented in the shepherd’s care. As Paul said in Philippians 4, David could also say, “I have learned through thick and thin, that no matter what situation God allows me to be in, I have learned to be content in my shepherd. I shall not want.”

His care is shown through the hope that He gives to His sheep (verse 3-4). Hope recognizes that life has difficulties and dangers, that there are times even of despair and desperation.

It is not always easy to feel this hope within ourselves. “Some pious souls are troubled because they cannot at all times, or often, use, in its joyous import, the language of this Psalm. Such should remember that David, though he lived long, never wrote but one twenty-third Psalm. Some of his odes do indeed express as lively a faith as this, and faith can walk in darkness. But where else do we find a whole Psalm expressive of personal confidence, joy, and triumph, from beginning to end? God’s people have their seasons of darkness and their times of rejoicing.” William S. Plumer.

However, our shepherd “restores our soul.” This phrase is used to describe “resurrection” both literally and figuratively. When Elijah stretched himself over the dead son of the widow of Zarephath, he prayed exactly these words, “Lord, restore his soul” and it says that the LORD heard his prayer and restored the boy’s soul and he revived, he came back to life. In Lamentations is speaks of those who starved to death while looking for a little food to restore their soul. We our not talking about encouragement for someone who is having a bad day. This psalm is talking about someone who is in desperate straits; someone who seems to have no escape, no way out; someone for whom there is no hope but the shepherd restores their soul.

Now how does our shepherd do this? There are a number of ways but there is one way plainly spelled out in Scripture. In Psalm 19:7 we find this phrase used spiritually, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting (restoring) the soul.” The answer to your desperate situation is found in God’s Word. Wise counsel can help. Medicines can help. Support groups can help. There are many ways in which one can be helped but it is the Word of God that has the answer to you desperate situation and the better you understand that, the more confidence and contentment in Christ you can have.

The LORD (Jehovah) protects those who are His (verses 1, 4-6). This is an important point. The protection is extended only to His sheep, “The LORD is MY shepherd.” He owns me. This ownership though is not the same as ownership of a toaster which once it has outlived its usefulness is thrown away and replaced. The last phrase of this psalm describes for us this ownership. This ownership is based on a family relationship, “I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

“Where’s your home, David? Is it this palace here?”

“Oh, no. I live with God. His home is my home. Where He is, I belong.”

“What do you mean, David?”

David’s answer might sound like Psalm 27:1-6 (especially verses 4-5, “One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock”).

From the danger of the unknown (verse 4). I should mention that when I say “the danger of the unknown” I mean dangers that are unknown to us, dangers that are unexpected by us. Our Lord knows the dangers. He knows where the robbers lie in wait and where the wolves are hidden. In that sense, there is no real danger. We cannot be touched because our shepherd guides us.

“I want to talk to you about heaven,” said a dying parent [Rev. Hugh Stowell, Rector of Ballaugh, Isle of Man) to a member of his family. “We may not be spared to each other long. May we meet around the throne of glory, one family in heaven!” Overpowered at the thought, his beloved daughter exclaimed, “Surely you do not think there is any danger?” Calmly and beautifully he replied, “Danger, my darling! Oh, do not use that word! There can be no danger to the Christian, whatever may happen! All is right! All is well! God is love! All is well! Everlastingly well! Everlastingly well!” John Stevenson.

John 10 describes the valley of the shadow of death, the evils that we need not fear with two pictures. In verses 12-13 there is the danger of the wolf. What the wolf does is he comes in and catches one sheep and in so doing he scatters and terrorizes the others. There is for us though no danger from the wolf. “Catch” in verse 12 and “snatch” in verses 28 & 29 are the same words. If one of us could be snatched from Christ’s hand and from God’s hand, the rest of us could be scattered but neither is possible.

There is secondly for the sheep the danger of the thief (John 10:8-10). There is only one shepherd and that is Jesus Christ. All others are thieves and robbers who have only one reason for their existence, to steal and to kill and to destroy. Jesus, however, is come to give life and that more abundantly. We are not only safe under his protection but we also are enjoying abundance. All that is made possible because He is with us. He is our protection. One look at His rod and His staff and I am comforted. I need not fear. I need not worry.

There dangers of deceptive thieves are very real. Some of them are religious teaching things that rob our confidence in Christ and the salvation which He has provided, some are secular bringing doubt on the reality of truth and righteousness (relativism, for example). Some are intellectual dogmas like evolution which in the end result teaches us that we are lucky accidents with an unlucky future. Others are centered around the pleasures of this world which whether socially acceptable or unacceptable will eventually no longer please us. The dangers are there and sometimes we cannot see them but He always sees them and He always is ready to protect us from them.

Philip Keller in the classic, “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” tells about photographing elephants in Kenya accompanied by a young Masai herder who carried a rod in his hands. “We came to the crest of a hill from which we could see a herd of elephants in the thick bush below us. To drive them out into the open we decided to dislodge a boulder and roll it down the slope. As we heaved and pushed against the great rock, a cobra, coiled beneath it, suddenly came into view ready to strike. In a split second the alert shepherd boy lashed out with his club, killing the snake on the spot. The weapon had never left his hand even while we worked on the rock…In that instand I saw the meaning of this phrase in a new light. It was the rod ever ready in the shepherd‘s hand that had saved the day for us.”

From the danger of the known (verse 5). Verse 5 changes from the pictures of the flock to that of a feast. Notice where this feast takes place, “In the presence of mine enemies.” Psalm 31:19-20 explains for us more clearly what this means, “Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues.” Even when it seems the world is against us, God takes care of us abundantly. He arranges the feast on the table. He brings us the sweet smelling oil to put on our head as a sign of hospitality. He just keeps bringing us more and more and more to drink. Yes, we know that there are dangers around us. There are some that we are unaware but there are as many or more of which we are fully aware but we need not worry. He has the table set. He is attending to our every need. Dusty feet? He will wash them. Refreshment? Let me fill you glass. Tired and worry and sweaty? Let me anoint you with the wonderful perfumed oil that I have at your disposal. I may not know what dangers you face but when danger comes and looks you in the eye you can say with confidence that your need is being taken care of by the LORD, Jehovah.

The LORD (Jehovah) gives us confidence that we can depend on Him (verse 6a). We have already noticed that His presence, His ownership of us, His invitation to us into His family, into His household gives us confidence and freedom from fear. Let’s not, however, forget how this is made possible. By His goodness and mercy. As I was looking at this verse, I began to think of Regina’s two dogs, “Goodness” and “Mercy”. I then I looked at the word “follow.” It is a hunter’s word. It means “to hunt, to hound, to pursue with the aim of catching or securing something.” Oh how wonderful the goodness and mercy of God is. Not only will it never leave me but I can never leave it. That is the picture of this verse.

Believer, Trust your Shepherd.

Get close to the shepherd - Go to him in prayer, bring your request to him. Let him “hold his staff against your side so that you stay in touch with him” (adapted from Philip Keller).

Realize that you can trust this shepherd - It is the reality that the Good Shepherd will protect me because He cares for me that gives me confidence in Him.

Learn Confidence from God’s Word - Let God’s Word restore your soul. During this summer we are going to learn several psalms. If you do not know this one by heart, learn it and repeat it to yourself every morning as you get up and every evening as you lie down. Learn these psalms, think on them, challenge your heart and pray to God about these verses. Study them and watch God bring situations into your life where you will learn to show confidence in His protecting care. These situations are coming anyway. Why not prepare yourself for them in a way that honors and glorifies God.

How do you become one of Christ’s sheep? Psalm 23 does not tell us but Jesus tells us in John 10:9, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

Realize that you are a sinner who deserves hell.

Realize that Jesus came, died for your sin and rose again to protect you from the eternal penalty that you deserve. John 10:11-12, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

Trust Jesus Christ alone for salvation from sin. John 10:24-28, “Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

There are thieves and robbers out there. Some of them are religious, some are not. Some reject Jesus completely. Others say, trust Jesus and your church or trust Jesus and your baptism or trust Jesus and the ten commandments or trust Jesus and that your good works will outweigh your bad works. Jesus said in John 10:1, “No, I am the good shepherd. I am the door. There is no other way.”

If you trust Christ and Him alone for salvation, you will have life and that more abundantly.

THE WOMEN OF PENTECOST

Acts 1:12-15; 2:14-18

There has been a lot of talk about how early Easter was this year and how that none of us will probably see Easter come again as early in the year as it has this year. Because of the quirks of the calendar, this year Mother’s Day lands on the same day as Pentecost Sunday, which means that mothers have to share their holiday this year with the Holy Spirit. The last time this happened was 1951. The next time this happens will be in 2035. I will probably preach this same sermon on that day, so you can go ahead and make plans to be elsewhere.

Mother’s Day became an official national holiday in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a decree that the second Sunday of May be a day “for a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” This year, the fiftieth day after the Resurrection and the second Sunday in May are on the same day — May 11, 2008. Now usually, we do not think of mothers, or of women in general as being important at the first Pentecost but the Scriptures indicate that they were important.

We know that at least one mother, Mary the mother of Jesus, was present in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost and as we will see later, possibly several. Certainly, there were a number of women present on the day of Pentecost and they were not there simply as window dressing. They had an integral and important part on that day which we will look at today.

These women were from the very beginning recognized as an integral part of the body of Christ (Acts 1:14).

They were devoted disciples. They continued to follow Christ after He ascended to heaven. Luke’s tells how that a group of women from Galilee accompanied Christ on His last trip to Jerusalem (Luke 8:1-3; 23:49; 23:55-24:10). Some of these women like Mary Magdalene were notable for the miracles Christ had performed in their lives in either casting demons out of them or in healing them of some infirmity. Others of these women were known because of their husband or because of their sons. They had ministered to Jesus and to the disciples during this last trip. They had heard many of the great teachings that we find in the book of Luke regarding following Christ. They had been there as He was crucified. They had watched as He was laid in the tomb. They were the first ones to see the resurrected Christ. It is no wonder that they were also there, as devoted disciples.

They were waiting with the apostles for the promise of the Spirit (Acts 1:4-8). They were not there ignorant of Christ’s purposes. They were waiting for the promise of the Spirit. John the Baptist had proclaimed that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself had promised that baptism. This promise had not been fulfilled but Jesus had assured them that it was coming.

“…the Spirit on the day of Pentecost came to these people in answer to the prayer of Jesus, not in answer to their praying…but entirely and absolutely in answer to the request…of Christ Himself (G. Campbell Morgan)” (John 14:16). This waiting was evidence of their faith and trust in the promise of the Father and the prayer of Christ. Probably there is nothing that shows more evidence of trust than patience especially when you are out of the limelight.

One night, a group of ladies were having dinner celebrating the return of a friend form a fabulous trip. One of the ladies was a mother who felt sorry for herself when she compared her life mired in Little League car trips and peanut butter with that of her traveling friend. As she was feeling sorry for herself, her friend turned to her with a package and said, “I brought you this.” It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. Later she read the inscription: “To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.” It does not matter whether you are a mother or whether God has you in some other position that is overlooked and ignored. God sees and it is the patience you have when no one is looking that indicates the depth of your trust in God.

These women were waiting for the promise of the Spirit. They did not know what would come of this promise or how it would work exactly in their lives but they knew that it was necessary for them to wait with the apostles and the other men for that promise. They knew that it was meant for them also.

They were involved in worship with the apostles (Acts 1:14). It is interesting to see what they were doing as they waited. They were praying continually. One of the most common words for worship in the New Testament is connected to continual prayer. It is service to God. When we despise prayer, whether as individuals or as a group, we are despising the service and worship of our Savior.

This prayer meeting strengthened those who were sad and sorrowing because Christ had gone away. Remember, many if not all of these women had spent many days with Christ, serving Him and listening to Him teach. Their lives had been radically transformed by Christ. Their hearts had a huge void that was aching with longing for their Lord but He was gone. I’m sure they were praying for wisdom and strength and praising God for His greatness and mercy but no doubt they were also pouring out their heart in longing for Christ.

The successful prayer meeting is the place where God’s will and the carrying out of God’s will intersected one another. Perhaps I should mention what I mean when I say that the prayer meeting was successful. If they had not prayed in this manner, it is still possible they would have received the Spirit of God. The reason we can consider this prayer meeting successful is the fact that God’s will and man’s will melded together in that upper room. The prayer meeting in a sense is the evidence of this melding and welding together of God’s will. Successful prayer is not my changing God’s mind and will but rather the evidence that God is changing my mind and my will.

The prayer meeting was possible and successful because they were of one accord. This is obviously unnatural. In those days women were not considered significant. There was no Mother’s Day in the Roman Empire. The Pharisees used to thank God that they were not a woman but Jesus had made a change in the lives of these people. The apostles had the positions of authority and the women were at the bottom of the religious and social ladder but they were all in one accord praying. It is likely that some of the apostles’ mothers were there. We know that at least two of them had traveled with Jesus. The mother of James and John had tried to politic for her sons in the kingdom of heaven. There is no hint of such a thing now. Even Mary, the mother of Jesus, is there but notice she is mentioned as an equal with the others in her involvement in prayer and waiting for the Spirit as a follower of Christ. Oh, that we had such a unity in worship. How pleasing that would be to our Lord and Savior.

These women received the same Holy Spirit as the apostles even though their responsibility was not the same (2:14-18). Now before we see the implications of this for women, we need to understand what Peter is trying to tell his listeners.

He is making clear that equality in the Spirit was prophesied (2:14-1 and that it was to a certain extent being fulfilled before there eyes. Obviously, not everything that Joel predicted was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. That fulfillment is still to come when Jesus returns to set up His kingdom. What was fulfilled though was the indwelling of all God’s people with the Spirit of God, young and old, free and slave, man and woman and that the purpose of this fulfillment was to call people to turn to Christ as the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

What Moses wished for (Numbers 11),

What Joel predicted (Joel 2:28-29),

What Peter explained (Acts 2:16-20),

Is now available to every believer (Acts 2:21).

And will be completed when Christ comes to set up His kingdom on this earth.

Now in this case, the ability to prophesy or to speak in tongues was the immediate method God used to testify of the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:11). God has not always used these methods and in fact, I believe, does not use these methods anymore. The significance is not in the method God chooses to use nor in the persons He chooses to use but the Holy Spirit which empowers those persons and methods enabling the gospel of Christ to be revealed through our witness and testimony. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that takes away any excuse not to be bold in our testimony for Christ (Acts 1:8).

Ladies, you need the power of the Holy Spirit just as much as I do. People often pray that I would be filled with the Spirit and I need to be. I need the power of the Spirit to preach, to pray, to work, to minister. The mother, however, who is trying to teach her children the ways of God needs the filling of the Holy Spirit also to empower her, otherwise her efforts will be powerless. She will not be able to pass on to her children the witness of Christ. The ladies who teach our preschoolers need this power. Our teenage girls need this power. Our teenage boys and retired men need this power. We all need this power, otherwise, we will fail in our witness for Christ.

There is more to this though that is implied but not directly taught in this chapter. Equality in the body of Christ was accomplished on that day (I Corinthians 12:12-14). On the day of Pentecost, the believers were empowered and they were indwelt by the Holy Spirit but they were also baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ. When does this baptism take place? Galatians 3:26-27 answers the question clearly: “You are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ.” The order here is crucial. First there is faith which makes you a son of God, then you are baptized into Christ with the result that you are “clothed with” Christ. All of this happens at the moment of conversion. (Parts of this paragraph with thanks to Ray Pritchard). Let’s go on to verses 28-29, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” There may be a difference in gifts or position but every person, no matter there status is equal in the body of Christ because they were all put there the same way. They put their faith in Christ and the Spirit baptizes them into the body of Christ. Now just in case you still doubt that the Spirit makes us equal in Christ, look in the next chapter of Galatians (4:6), “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’”

This Baptism by the Holy Spirit into the Body of Christ is important because it takes away any excuse we have not to work together, love each other, or forgive each other (Galatians 5:13-16 and 5:22-26). It allows us to walk in the Spirit and not according to the ways of the flesh.

This unity with each other in Christ is the basis of the effectiveness of our service to God (I Corinthians 12-14 and Ephesians 4:7-12).

This unity with each other in Christ is the basis for the way we treat each other as believers (I Corinthians 13; Ephesians 4:1-6).

Ladies, I trust you see the importance you have in God’s family. People, tend to evaluate themselves by what they have and why they do not have. Some women see themselves as lacking because God has not blessed them with children. That pain is real. Those who are mothers often see their weaknesses or compare themselves with career women and feel inferior. Please, let me remind you that your importance as a lady, as a mother, as a person is not based on your outward circumstance but is established in Christ. If you have trusted Him, you are a part of His body by a special working of the Holy Spirit by indwelling you and empowering you and baptizing you into the body of Christ. Walk in that Spirit. Witness in that power. Live with confidence that you are significant to God and to His people as a member of Christ and His body.

Next Week: The Fold and the Feast - Psalm 23:1-6

OUR THOUGHTS GUIDED BY GOD’S WORD

Psalm 1:1-6

The psalms were and are used in a variety of ways. As they were collected, this psalm was put at the beginning to set the stage for the other psalms. Some psalms are filled with joy. Others end in despair. They are as varied as the human condition itself. This psalm, however, has great importance because it sets the stage for the reality of life on which all the other psalms must play.

There are only two possible guides in this life (verses 1-2).

The guide of the wicked is man’s ways (verse 1). The way of the scientist who depends on facts and the way of the mystic who depends on feelings and impressions are one and the same, apart from the Word of God they are the ways of sinful men. The ability of the statesman to lead or of the teacher to guide apart from the Word of God, leads to the same path, ungodliness. The wisdom of the religious leader and the worldly wisdom of the businessman are to be found on the same throne when separated from the truth of the Word of God. That throne is scorn for God and for His Word. Sometimes it is open and blatant. At other times it is subtle and even appears moral but if a man is not guided by God’s Word, he is guided by his own ways and those ways are in rebellion against God.

The guide of the righteous is God’s Word (verse 2).

This verse along with verse 3 echoes the direct command of God to Joshua, 8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). You see there is no initial salvation, there is no continuing salvation, and there is no completed salvation apart from the law of God and the truth of God. For that reason, if we are to live the way of blessedness, we must saturate ourselves with the Word of God by meditating on it constantly and delighting in it.

That is the reason why every year, I encourage you to participate with me in the church-wide Awana memory program. The verses that we learn are verses that will build you up in your Christian life. I preach from those verses so that you may see you value. In that way, I am spoon feeding you truth. When you memorize those verses yourself and meditate on them, it is then and only then that you get the full strength that you should receive from them.

I know that there are many reasons given not to memorize the Scriptures. Memorization is not easy for some. Others have trouble finding time to memorize. I suspect, however, that we have plenty of time to memorize the nourishment of God’s Word and then meditate on it if we practiced proper stewardship of our time. We do not lack time for God’s Word. We lack purpose. We lack determination. We lack a good method. We lack motivation. We lack conviction. We lack passion. We lack so many things but we do not lack time for God’s Word. Alexander Whyte said it this way, “We shroud our indolence under the pretext of difficulty. The truth is, it is lack of real love for our work.” Let us be honest with ourselves.

The Lord has used Scripture memory and the meditation of Scripture to stabilize my life. It is a tool useful for assurance. It is a tool useful in prayer. It is a tool useful to stabilize you spiritually. It is a tool and while not everyone is equally skilled at Scripture memory, everyone should use it. When I was a kid working on my uncle’s hog farm, we use to go mend fences about every two weeks. Hogs and Alabama weather can be pretty hard on rough lumber fences. One day my uncle was holding a board while I was nailing it in place. Suddenly, he started laughing and poking fun at me because of my lack of skill with the hammer. He said I had a washerwoman swing. I am not exactly sure what that meant but I knew it was not a compliment. But he never took the hammer away. A hammer is a useful tool whether you are skilled with it or not and it just makes since to use it when you have to boards that you need nailed to each other. In the same way, if you want to meditate on the Scriptures day and night, it just makes since to put it some place where you can keep handy, in your mind.

Now the purpose of memorization, of Bible study, of Bible reading, of sermons are all the same. Meditation, the application of God’s Word to the heart. All of these things without proper meditation and applications will result in spiritual rickets. A big head with no strength in the body to perform any act. That is why we must do it day and night.

“It is a command of God to pray without ceasing, 1 Thess. 5:17. The meaning is—not that we should be always praying—but that we should every day set some time apart for prayer. We read in the Old law it was called the continual sacrifice, Numb. 28:24, not that the people of Israel did nothing else but sacrifice—but because they had their stated hours, every morning and evening they offered, therefore it was called the continual sacrifice. Thus the godly man is said to meditate day and night, that is, he is often at this work, he is no stranger to meditation.” Thomas Watson

Now I have already spoken to the importance of meditation and one method, memorization, which allows us to effectively meditate on God’s Word. Let me give you some other ways to more effectively meditate on God’s Word.

Focus on one smaller section of God’s Word or God’s truth. We have offered you four different psalms to memorize and focus on during the summer months. Pick one or two and focus on them until they become strength to your bones.

Examine yourself. Ask yourself, is this the way I am or not? Is this truth shown in my life or not? If you know the answer and you need to make changes, then do so. If you are not sure then you need to meditate more on that truth and on that Scripture and do so until you understand whether your life corresponds to that Scripture.

Pray for insight and guidance and strength.

Although the road is varied, there are only two destinations (verses 3-6). Whether or not you delight to meditate in God’s Word, that is, to apply God’s Word to your heart, is the ultimate evidence that shows on which road you are traveling.

The righteous will prosper (verse 3c). It is important to understand what is meant by the prosperity of the righteous. Our ideas of prosperity tend to the earthly, the financial. Fortunately, this psalm defines for us in verses 4-6 what the prosperity of the righteous is.

The prosperity of the righteous is defined by its opposite, the damnation of the wicked (4-6). In the New Testament, the term eternal life is often used to describe spiritual prosperity. Now it is not that God cannot and does not prosper those who serve Him with earthly blessings. He sometimes does but that is not the promise that is given here. Even in the Old Testament, we find that the prosperity promised to Israel was primarily spiritual and only incidentally earthly. Remember the verse in Joshua 1:8 that we read that promised prosperity to Israel if they would meditate on and keep the law. Certainly, the context of Joshua reveals to us that the promised land was an important part of that prosperity but the book of Hebrews reminds us that even the conquest of the promised land was only incidental to the great spiritual prosperity that God had promised to Israel (Hebrews 4:6-10) otherwise that prosperity would have been completed under Joshua and there would have been no need for Jesus Christ, the covenant would have been fulfilled and accomplished.

The prosperity of the righteous accomplishes its intended purpose (verse 3). The righteous are compared to a tree planted by the rivers of water. It was purposely put in the place where it could grow. When God saves you, makes you righteous, you are put in a place of eternal nourishment and though it may be winter all around you, your lead will not wither, your faith will not fail.

The prosperity of the righteous is perpetual (verse 3). Although our leaf will never wither, that does not mean we have reached our full potential. There is, however, a season that we can look forward to and be assured that we will produce the fruit of righteousness. Now there are a lot of different types of fruit mentioned in the Bible. There is the fruit of the Spirit. There is the fruit of souls won to Christ. There is the fruit that is produced by true faith. The focus here, however, is fruit that will stand at the judgment.

The wicked will be judged (verses 4-6). Some of the early translations in other languages translate verse 4 like this, “not so the ungodly, not so.” What a contrast between the righteous and the wicked.

The prosperity of the wicked is temporary (verse 4).

Why do we as believers sometimes feel like chaff? Why do we feel driven by the wind? Why do we not feel strong and stable like a tree planted by the rivers of waters. The answer, of course, is to be found in verse 2. Our delight is not in the law of the LORD. We do not meditate day and night in God’s Word. Ps 111:2 says, “The works of the LORD are great, Studied by all who have pleasure in them.”

Sometimes I desire spiritual growth in my life but am not willing to turn to the source that supplies growth. I find pleasure in the blessings of God but not the Word in God. How can I? This is no doubt the weakness of my life and of many of you as well. We desire not daily meditation on the LORD in our lives, but rather just His blessing. Lord, help us to see ourselves as we really are. Help us to be trees, rooted and grounded in your word.

The judgment of the wicked is complete (verse 5).

There are two pictures in this verse. The first is that when the wicked stand before the God in the judgment, they will not stand, that is, they will not endure before the judgment of God. They will not be able to justify themselves or give an excuse. They will not be able to push through a not guilty verdict but will proclaimed for the universe, guilty and condemned.

The second picture fills out the first. The ungodly will be cut off from the congregation of the righteous. We speak often of eternal punishment being separation from God but it is also separation from God’s people. From the very thing that is most precious and holy to God, the sinner will be cut off. During the time of Moses, there were certain offenses where is one was found to be guilty, the punishment was termed cut off from the congregation, that is, the people of Israel. This is the picture we have here. The wicked are found guilty before God and the punishment is being put out of the one body that is important to God, His people. Both New Testament and Old Testament make it clear that salvation is more than just individual, it is corporate. Punishment, however, is lonely and suffered alone. Salvation is a team sport. You join the team as an individual but from then on you are from God’s perspective integrated into Christ’s body, the congregation of the righteous. Damnation, on the other hand, is totally individual.

The destruction of the wicked is total (verse 6). This is more fully explained in Psalm 37:18-24, “The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the LORD, Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.”

The Lord knows the way of the righteous but one cannot become righteous without knowing the truth and that is the reason why we need the Word of God. It is only in knowing and believing and obeying His Word that we can become righteous, that we can enter into the congregation of the righteous. His Word teaches that Jesus Christ is God, that He came into the world as a man for the purpose of dying for our sin that we might through faith in Him alone can have salvation. Every other way will perish. Every will faith will end in destruction. We can be like a tree or like chaff. It depends on whether you follow God’s way or man’s way. If you delight to meditate on God’s Word you will follow God’s way and you will be blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.

THE PRIDE OF HAMAN

Esther 6:1-14

The main message of the book of Esther is how that God’s providence works in the world. There is, however, a secondary example of pride in the person of Haman that we want to look at today. We want to see the characteristics of his pride and then understand how that we might protect ourselves against the sin of pride.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HAMAN’S PRIDE

Haman’s pride was ruthless (compare verse 4 with 3:5-6). We read about Haman and look down are noses at him but he was born just as innocent as you and I. What happened? Haman became successful. We do not know the exact manner in which he rose to power but it is obvious that he came to the place of great success. With great success came pride and this pride made him ruthless. No price was to high to exact to protect his position, his power, his prestige, his sources of pride. Long before Haman was destroyed outwardly, he had rotted on the inside. His very manner of walking must have said, “Look at me! Honor me!” When Mordecai refused to bow before Haman, he recognized in Mordecai a threat. It was not enough though to destroy Mordecai. He chose to conspire to destroy a whole nation in order to save his dignity and his pride (3:7-15).

Haman seems a bit paranoid, does he not? He had nothing to fear from Mordecai. Certainly, he had nothing to fear from the Jewish people. Still his proud anger was such that he felt that nothing short of complete annihilation would satisfy the wrong that Mordecai had committed.

We need to learn a lesson from Haman. Pride leads us down the road that causes us to use people and then discard them when we do not need them anymore. James 4:1-10 is a clear picture of how this looks in the church. It is our pride that causes us to fuss and fight. It is pride that covets what others have. I deserve that. I am just as good and hard working as they are. Why cannot I have what my heart desires. It is pride that pollutes our prayer life and cuts us off from the grace of God.

It causes us to refuse to forgive those who have hurt us. It causes us to gossip behind folk’s back, degrading them with the swords of our tongues. Pride does not care who gets hurt as long as pride is honored. Pride chooses sides and focuses on human leaders and movements and not on God.

James tells us how to deal with pride. Submit ourselves to God. Understand your relationship to the greatness and grace of God. Humble yourself.

PRIDE IS DELUSIONAL!

Haman’s pride was presumptuous (verses 6-7). While Haman’s pride was ruthless because of his paranoia to protect himself from all danger, his pride was also presumptuous because it had deluded him to the reality of his place in the kingdom. He had overrated his own importance.

He presumed that he was the one to be honored (verse 6). Can you imagine Haman as he enters into the throne room and hears the request of the king, “No one can stop me now. The king has singled me out for special honor. As soon as I get through telling the king how to honor me, I am going to hang Mordecai high so that all can see that no one, I mean, no one can touch me.” But like the old cowboy once said, “There ain’t no horse that cain’t be rode, and there ain’t no cowboy that cain’t be throwed.”

His presumption caused him to answer foolishly (verse 7). Arrogance makes men think they are invincible. The past governor of New York, Elliot Spitzer, is only one of a number of most recent examples of men of power who thought they were invincible. He termed himself a “steam roller,” threatening all who might stand against him but one he was exposed for who he was, the mighty governor became the laughingstock of the world.

We need in this modern age to understand that we are susceptible to the same pride to which Haman fell. We live in a world that encourages us to think we can do it all that there are no limits on human potential. Ray Pritchard once said it this way, “The next time you feel the need to brag about what you’ve done, pay attention to that faint cracking sound. It’s the thin ice beneath your feet that is about to give way.”

There was a church recorded in the Bible that had this problem. Turn to Revelation 3:14-20. The church of Laodocia proclaimed, “We are rich and have need of nothing,” but they did not realize that they were spiritually bankrupt and blind and were disgusting to God. They were self-satisfied like lukewarm water. We need according to this passage to learn to see ourselves as God sees us and then turn to him to fill our lack, otherwise, we will remain spiritually delusional in our pride.

THE ANTONYM OF PRIDE:  SOBRIETY (THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF REALISTICALLY)

Romans 12:3-5 explains the attitude that we as believers need to have to combat pride. To be sober-minded, that is, not prideful, involves two things. First, to understand that Christ is my head, the authority over me, without Christ I am worthless. Secondly, I as a believer am a member of my fellow believers in Christ, without them I have no function in Christ’s kingdom.

This sober-minded attitude is rare but occasionally we see it in others.

“On his way to a reception held in his honor, Ulysses S. Grant got caught in a shower and offered to share his umbrella with a stranger walking in the same direction. The man said he was going to Grant’s reception out of curiosity; he had never seen the general. ‘I have always thought that Grant was a much overrated man,’ he said. ‘That’s my view also,’ Grant replied.”

Quoted in The Little Brown Book of Anecdotes, Reader’s Digest, October, 1994, p. 142

Haman’s pride was insatiable (verses 7-9).

Haman was already the second most powerful man in Shushan under the king himself (3:1-2).

The king had already commanded that everyone pay homage to Haman (3:2-3).

Haman thirsted for more. He had a compulsive drive for power and prestige.

“Pop” psychology tells us this stems from our fear of dependence on someone else. I do not doubt that there is some element of truth to that statement. We want to be the most powerful, the most popular because we only then we can be safe and significant in this world. Is it possible that the pride that drives you and me is the thirst to be safe, the thirst to become someone who needs no one, not even God?

“Human pride is a tricky thing. Ambition is not wrong, competition is not wrong, winning is not wrong, celebrating your victories is not wrong, being the best is not wrong but it is never entirely innocent either. Sin always lurks in the neighborhood somewhere. And usually not too far away. [Why? Because] when you have gotten money or power or prestige or fame or friends in high places, you think you do not need God.” (Ray Pritchard in The Tower That Fell).

PRIDE’S FALL RESULTS IN EITHER HUMILITY OR HUMILIATION.

Haman’s pride led to humiliation and eventually destruction (verses 10-14). Sometimes when God humiliates us, it is for our good. An excellent example is Nebuchadnezzar who thought that he had achieved the pinnacle of earthly power through his own might and wisdom. God, however, revealed to him that for seven years, he would be humiliated. He would driven into the fields to eat grass with the cattle because he would not know who he was. After those seven years God allowed him to come to his senses and we find him honoring and glorifying God as the Almighty One whose power extends even to the throne rooms of the world. Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation led to a realization of who God is. Haman was not so fortunate.

The Bible makes it clear that pride goes before destruction. History gives us plenty of examples of this also. The scandals we read and see and hear of constantly reveal this to us and yet we find ourselves falling into that same trap as Christians over and over again. We have been looking in our 1 Corinthians in the adult Sunday School classes at how that pride was affecting the church there. Not only were they fighting and fussing with each other but they were ignoring serious sin in the church because they were puffed up with pride. It was affecting every aspect of their lives. Their worship was tainted by pride. In fact, Paul said that some were sick and some were dead because God refused to ignore their prideful behavior.

Pride shows itself in so many ways. It shows itself in the shame and depression I feel when a decision I make reveals my weakness. It shows itself when I push to have things my way at all costs. It shows when I refuse to listen to the other side of the argument. It shows when I do not attempt something for fear that I will fall short. It shows when my love of possessions, prestige, popularity, security, significance are greater than my love of Christ. And yet I cannot help it. The pride of life is just as much a part of my natural being as the lust of my flesh. The pride of life is just as much a part of my worldly nature and the lust of my eyes.

THE CURE

Harry Ironside tells how as a young man he desired to beat down the pride that naturally lived within him. A friend of him suggested that he put on a sandwich board with Bible verses written on it and go down the streets quoting the Bible verses at the top of his lungs. Ironside did this and when he got back, he took the sandwich board off and thought, “Ironside, only you could do such a thing as this.” Ironside learned that the secret to defeating pride is not self-humiliation or self-deprecation.

How then do we win over our pride? The answer is two fold. Know yourself and know Christ. This sermon has primarily dealt with knowing yourself. We all have a lot more of Haman in us than we would like to admit. We must recognize who we really are, sinners. Someone asked me a question about repentance yesterday. In a sense, this is the beginning of repentance, seeing myself as a sinner. If I stop there though, there is no hope for me. I must turn to Christ, the one who deserves my praise, my honor, my glory.

In a real sense the method of dealing with pride is the same as the method of salvation and forgiveness. First, I must recognize who I really am. I am a sinner. Then, if I am to be anything or to become anything of eternal significance, it will be in Jesus Christ alone. Folks, if you do not accept Christ as Savior it will be for one of two reasons. Either you do not recognize who you truly are as a sinner or you do not recognize that only in Christ is eternal life. Only in Christ can you become a child of God.

Next Week: Our Thoughts Guided by God’s Word - Psalm 1.

CHARACTERS IN ESTHER

MORDECAI’S CONFIDENCE IN GOD

Esther 4:13-14

As we look at the various characters of this book, we are looking at the one character who seems to openly express faith in God. As you know, God is not named as a participant in the book of Esther but the verses that we are looking at today make it clear that Mordecai had a faith in God that is consistent with what is taught elsewhere in the Old Testament. Esther, his cousin, who he has raised is now the queen. After she became queen, Mordecai was instrumental in uncovering a plot against King Ahaseurus. Everything seems to be going well but trouble by the name of Haman comes on the scene. Today we want to see how that this man had confidence and faith in God.

MORDECAI’S CONFIDENCE WAS NOT BASED ON AN UNUSUALLY RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER.

He had chosen not to return to Jerusalem as other Jews had. Now we do not want to read more into this than the Bible tells us but let us think about this for a moment. Around 50,000 Jews returned to Jerusalem and the surrounding area under Persian rule. There were many, however who for some reason or another chose not to go back to the land of their fathers. They had permission to go home but many did not, among them Mordecai and Esther. Mordecai may have held a minor office in the government, which would explain why he sat in the king’s gate  and would perhaps explain why he did not return to Jerusalem. The trip back to Jerusalem was dangerous and once there, he would have had no guarantee of a living. Whatever the reason, Mordecai chose not to go back to his homeland.

Remember, Mordecai had advised Esther not to be open and honest about her ethnic identity (2:10). Certainly, it might be understandable for Mordecai to not take up his roots and move to a country which, though it was his homeland, he was unfamiliar with. It seems though that Mordecai not only was unwilling to go home with the other Jews but also that he preferred to play down his Jewish heritage. Now it should be noted that he did not keep it a complete secret (Esther 3:1-4). It is ironic that the very thing he told Esther not to do, in order to protect her, he himself did. In fact, it was Mordecai’s admission that he was Jewish that ultimately brought the whole nation into jeopardy. 

MORDECAI’S REFUSAL TO BOW DOWN

Although clearly loyal to the king (Esther 2:21-23), Mordecai chose not to show respect to command of the king in honoring Haman (3:1-6). Now the command of the king was not likely a command to worship Haman. If anything the king would have reserved that privilege for himself. Haman had been lifted to an authoritative position and the king had commanded that Haman be respected. One might imagine that Haman himself had requested this honor to be shown him. Mordecai would not have been breaking any laws by bowing down to Haman. In fact, according to the commandment of Jeremiah, in Jeremiah 29:3-7 to honor Haman would have been obedience to the LORD’s command. Mordecai was obviously loyal to the king, otherwise he would not have rescued his life by betraying the conspiracy against Ahasuerus’ life. Apparently, Mordecai just did not like something about Haman. Mordecai never reveals why he reacted this way to Haman. Mordecai appears to be foolhardy. Although on the surface, Mordecai would not be candidate number one for “Most Righteous Jew of the Year;” he was according Esther 4:13-14 confident that God would protect His people.

BIBLICAL CONFIDENCE

Mordecai’s confidence was based on a knowledge of God’s promises (Compare Esther 4:14 with Jeremiah 30). He did not presume to say that he knew how God would deliver the Jews but he was confident that God would.

These promises had been clearly made (Jeremiah 30). Of course, these promises were first made to Abraham (Genesis 12), Isaac, and Jacob. God had confirmed them when he gave the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20) and again before Moses died in the book of Deuteronomy. I would like for us to look, though, at Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning God’s promise of protection to His people.

First, he promises to return His people to the promised land (Jeremiah 30:2-3). We will look at this promise a bit closer later on.

Secondly, God promises that no matter how bad things may get, He will save His people (Jeremiah 30:4-11). The description here is of extreme sorrow and pain. Unlike the previous promise, this event, the time of Jacob’s trouble has not yet occurred. This time of Jacob’s trouble is described for us several places in the Bible, most notably in the book of Revelation but it is also described by Joel, Daniel, Isaiah, and many other of the writing prophets, which doubtless Mordecai would have been familiar with and have known that God would never allow His people ultimately to be destroyed.

Because the first set of promises had been clearly kept, Mordecai had every expectation that God would keep the other promises (6:12-13). From his viewpoint, it appeared that the time of Jacob’s trouble had come. From his viewpoint, it was time for the Messiah to deliver his people. Because of this knowledge, he had confidence that if his cousin, who he had raised, deserted him and her people, God would deliver his people.

Notice, Mordecai did not say, I know God will deliver me. He did not know that. God had not made that promise to him individually but God had made that promise to His people and Mordecai believed that promise. He had seen what God had been able to do to move Cyrus to permit the Jews to return to Jerusalem. He knew that God through Isaiah had predicted that a man named Cyrus would do this. He knew that Jeremiah had predicted that it would happen seventy years after the captivity began. He had every reason in the world to believe that God somewhere would use someone from somewhere to somehow deliver His people.

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM MORDECAI…

The story of Mordecai suggests that the purpose of faith in God is more than simply winning God’s favor but rather to give us insight into what God is doing, so that we might act accordingly.

Let me