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Praying For Revival
Psalms 80
August 16, 2020

Tonight we come to the 80th Psalm.
It is yet again a Psalm of Asaph,
And one where the main thrust of the Psalm is easily spotted before us.

We see the same phrase repeated 3 times, and really even a fourth.

(3) “O God, restore us And cause Your face to shine on us, and we will be saved.”

(7) “O God of hosts, restore us And cause Your face to shine on us, and we will be saved.”

(19) “O LORD God of hosts, restore us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.”

It is literally spelled out in triplicate for us.
Asaph wants reconciliation with God and the salvation that it brings.

The only difference in any of those statements is that each time Asaph mentions them, he adds another reality about God.

• In verse 3 it is just “O God” – which is of course enough, as Asaph even appeals to His authority, glory, and power.

• In verse 7 however it is “O God of hosts” – which brings into play God as the commander of the armies of heaven.

• In verse 19 it is “O LORD God of hosts” – which of course adds the covenantal name of God referring not just to God, but to “our God”.

But he makes essentially the same request at the end of each stanza.

He even makes the same request a FOURTH TIME
In a little different, yet more descriptive way.
(14) “O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine.”

It is basically the same request, though the different way of asking it gives us some added insight into exactly what Asaph wants.

1) “O God, restore us”

“restore us” is SHUWB (shoove) in the Hebrew.
It literally means “turn back”

• It can be used negatively as in one who commits apostasy and turns back from following the Lord.

• Or it can be used positively as in one who repents and turns back to the Lord.

Asaph actually uses the SAME WORD IN REFERENCE TO GOD
In verse 14 where he asks God to “turn again now” toward Israel.

This word is really the thrust of the Psalm.
• He is asking for two estranged parties to be reconciled.
• He wants each to turn back to the other.

It is noteworthy however that the One who is called upon
To produce the restoration is not the people here, but God.

• Asaph isn’t preaching to the people telling them to “turn back” to God.
• Asaph is praying to God asking Him to turn the people back to Him and for
Himself to turn back to the people.

If we were Arminian this would seem bizarre since they put all the emphasis on man, but since we aren’t, this makes perfect sense to us.

• A leopard can’t change its spots.
• If repentance is going to occur it is because God must grant it.
• If reconciliation is going to happen, God must initiate it.

• Sinners don’t seek for God.
• Sinners don’t look for God.
• Sinners don’t wake up in the morning and desire God.
God has to instigate that.

Even those who are redeemed but backslidden (as would be the case in this Psalm) often do not instigate revival.

You can likely testify even in your own life of times when you were backslidden and GOD BROUGHT YOU TO REPENTANCE and you realize that it likely didn’t start with you but with God first grabbing you to turn you back to Him.

This is what makes prayer so essential regarding revival.
If God and sinners are estranged,
Who do you think is more likely to make the first move?

You get the idea.
Asaph is praying to God asking Him to reconcile and “restore”
Wayward Israel back to Himself.

2) “And cause Your face to shine upon us”

You likely pick up on that phrase as that priestly blessing.
Numbers 6:25-26 “The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’”

This is the other side of the coin.
Asaph not only wants estranged man to return to God,
But he is also asking offended God to return to man.

For man to return repentance is required.
For God to return mercy is required.
And that is certainly what Asaph prays for throughout this Psalm.

3) “and we will be saved.”

The end objective is also clear.
Asaph wants the people of Israel to be “saved”

Very rarely does the word “saved” in the Old Testament
Mean the same thing as we commonly see it in the New Testament.

Rather when Asaph prays for salvation
He is asking for deliverance from their enemies.

The idea is that
• Israel has turned away from God.
• God has in response given Israel over to their enemies.
• Asaph is praying for reconciliation and the deliverance that accompanies it.

This is really the thrust of the Psalm.
He wants revival that results in deliverance.

Verses 14-16 seem to give great CLARIFICATION to this.
(14-16) “O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine, Even the shoot which Your right hand has planted, And on the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.”

Asaph wants God to turn back to Israel.
• He wants God to again care for this vine, because this vine has been “burned with fire”, “cut down”, and it is perishing.

And that gives us some insight into the CONTEXT of this Psalm.
THE EXACT SETTING IS DIFFICULT.

• Some set it during the period of Isaiah as the northern kingdom was being attacked by the Assyrians and the southern kingdom was being threatened with the same.
• The Septuagint actually labels it “Concerning The Assyrian”

• They do this because you see a clear reference to the tribes of “Ephraim…and Manasseh” which were destroyed in the Assyrian invasion.

So the setting of the Psalm must be before that.

• “Benjamin” is also mentioned with them which must link the trial to more than just the northern kingdom since “Benjamin” was part of the southern kingdom along with Judah.

Another option is that these 3 tribes are mentioned to sort of
Seek to MOVE GOD TO QUICKER and greater compassion.

• Often times when Israel is referred to it is referred to as “Jacob”.
• When just the northern kingdom is in view the prophets prefer “Ephraim”
• When just the southern kingdom is in view the prophets prefer “Judah”

But this Psalm addresses them a little differently.
• Jacob isn’t mentioned, rather it is Joseph, who of course was the favorite son
of Jacob since he was the son of Rachel.
• And the tribes that are mentioned are the 3 tribes that are mentioned are the 3
tribes which came from Rachel; Ephraim and Manasseh being Joseph’s sons and Benjamin being his younger brother through Rachel.

Perhaps there is a special play going on here
Where Asaph seeks to sort of appeal to the “heart strings” of God
In an effort to move God to compassion.

This isn’t Simeon or Reuben or wicked Judah we’re talking about here.
It’s Rachel’s boys that are suffering.

Perhaps mercy is the goal.

BUT EITHER WAY IT MAKES THE EXACT SETTING DIFFICULT.

What is clear is that all Israel is under some kind of siege.

This Psalm contains sort of A BRIDGE.
(8-13) “You removed a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground before it, And it took deep root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shadow, And the cedars of God with its boughs. It was sending out its branches to the sea And its shoots to the River. Why have You broken down its hedges, So that all who pass that way pick its fruit? A boar from the forest eats it away And whatever moves in the field feeds on it.”

Asaph reminds God that He started something with Israel that He has yet to finish.
• He made the decision to rescue them from Egypt…
• He made the decision to clear Canaan of the pagan people…
• He made the decision to plant Israel there…
• He even allowed Israel to be established, to grow, and to spread…

But now they are afflicted and Asaph seems PERPLEXED.
“Why have You broken down its hedges, so that all who pass that way pick its fruit?”

• Even in verse 4 he asked “How long will you be angry with the prayer of Your people?”

There is now a discord.
There is now a separation.
Israel has strayed, God is angry, and Israel is suffering.

There are TWO PASSAGES IN ISAIAH that speak so similar to this issue
That it helps us understand to an even greater extent
What was going on behind this Psalm.

TURN TO: ISAIAH 5:1-7
• We’ve looked at this many times.
• The youth just looked at it Wednesday night.

But it is almost the exact same thing that Asaph is saying here.
We have a vineyard owner who went to great lengths
To establish his vineyard, but he ends up laying it waste.

Asaph asked why, but Isaiah told us.
(2b) “then He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only worthless ones.”

Because the vineyard failed to produce fruit
The vineyard owner made a decision
To do exactly what Asaph just witnessed.

(5-6) “So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground. “I will lay it waste; It will not be pruned or hoed, But briars and thorns will come up. I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it.”

If the vineyard won’t produce fruit
Then I’m not going to keep working it, defending it, or watering it.

The parable finally gives us insight at the end.
(7) “For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel And the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.”

This would be the exact answer to Asaph’s question
As to why God had broken down the hedges of His vineyard.

Israel had rebelled against God
And failed to give Him the righteousness and justice He required.
THAT IS CLEAR.

But there is even more here than just simple cause and effect.
GOD IS NOT JUST DISTANT, HE IS ANGRY.

Asaph referenced that is (4b) “angry with the prayer of [His] people”.

ISAIAH ALSO EXPLAINS THAT.

TURN TO: ISAIAH 1:1-17

Isaiah 1 begins with the lament of God because
His sons no longer honor Him as a son should honor their father.

(READ 1-3)
• You will notice that Asaph will refer to Israel as the (15) “the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself”
• And as (17) “the man of Your right hand”
• And as (17) “the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself”

Asaph saw them as a rejected son.
Isaiah 1 reveals that the rejection did not start with God, but with Israel.
The refused to honor God as He deserved.

Not only that, but as a corporate people they turned away from God.
(READ 4)

And the result of their apostasy was that God severely punished them.
(READ 5-9)

• From the top of their head to the sole of their feet God had stricken Israel and still they had not repented.
• It had gotten so bad that the only reason they weren’t completely destroyed like Sodom was because of the covenantal promise of God to leave some as survivors.

It pictures the defection and the punishment that Asaph is talking about.

But it also explains the anger of God.
(READ 10-15)

Do you see it?
• God is angry; He doesn’t even want to hear their prayers.
• They are so far removed from what He wants them to be that He is actually hiding His eyes from Israel and covering His ears from their prayers.

Now, I give you all of that just so you will understand
The situation behind this Psalm.

Asaph is writing Psalms 80 as a prayer to God
In hopes that these two sides can be reconciled to one another.

It is a prayer for revival and it is a needed one.
• That is why 3 times Asaph asks God to intervene and turn Israel back.
• That is why 3 times Asaph asks God to be merciful and turn again to Israel.
• That is why 3 times Asaph asks for revival so that deliverance might occur.

And just that setting gives us hope that no situation is too drastic
That we cannot pray for the revival of God’s people.
Asaph is praying for revival and it is sorely needed.

Now in that, let’s look at his 3 requests to God.
(We learn about praying for revival)

#1 YOUR PREFERENCE IS NEEDED
Psalms 80:1-3

When we speak of preference we are talking about
That sovereign bias that God demonstrated toward Israel.

It is what Calvinists refer to as “Unconditional Election”.
Namely that God sovereignly chose to set His preference and love
On a people who did not deserve it.

It is peculiar and marvelous, but real none the less.
• We saw God sovereignly electing Abram out of Ur of the Chaldeans.
• We saw God pass that election on to Isaac and Jacob.

Through Moses God even spelled it out.
Deuteronomy 7:6-8 “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the LORD brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

There was no reason why God should have
Chosen Abram or his descendants, but He did.

We are familiar with that tremendous analogy in Ezekiel 16 where Israel is likened to a newborn baby thrown out into the field to die.
• It was unwanted
• It was unimportant
• It was helpless

But God chose to give life to it and set His love upon it.

Asaph is referring to that kind of preference here.
For whatever reason, God has chosen these people,
And Asaph is calling upon that sovereign election here.

Notice how he APPROACHES God.
(1) “Oh, give hear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock;”

• It brings imagery to our minds of David’s tremendous 23rd Psalm, and the blessing of being one of God’s sheep.
• God leads them and cares for them and provides for them and protects them.
• And ultimately God leads His sheep safely home.

You know the Psalm.

And Asaph brings that reality up here.
• God, You are our Shepherd.
• You are our only Shepherd.

He’s not arguing that they have been good sheep,
Only that they are His sheep.

And you understand the point here.
Just because a shepherd has wayward sheep doesn’t make him any less committed to the care of those sheep.
• They may be rebellious…
• They may be dumb…
• They may be prone to wander…
• But if they are your sheep, you care for them.

Asaph brings that to God.
You are our Shepherd.

But it’s not just OBLIGATION, it’s also about AUTHORITY.
“You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!”

He is no ordinary shepherd.
• He is also the sovereign and holy God of the universe
• Who sits upon the throne higher even than the angels.

He is not only obligated to save the sheep, He has the authority to do it.
• He has the authority to rebuke any wolf.
• He has the authority to turn away any lion.

And beyond that, He has the POWER to handle them as well.
(2) “Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power And come to save us!”

You are strong enough to deliver!

IT IS JUST A SIMPLE PICTURE OF
• Sheep who have wandered off and have found themselves in danger.
• And though they earlier were escaping their shepherd, they are now in great need of him.
• And the only hope and sole desire of the sheep is to see their strong and glorious shepherd come over the hill top to save them.

We used to have a Basset Hound named “Daisy”.
• She was a typical basset in the sense that she was “prone to wander”
• They’ll put their nose down and not know where they are when they get done.
• Several times Daisy escaped from our yard, followed her nose and got lost.
• So I would go looking for her.
• Every time I would find her (sometimes no more than a block away) she would
light up and come running to me whimpering like I was the greatest hero she had ever seen.
• When she got in danger she needed her owner to find her.

These sheep are in that situation.
Asaph is calling for God to once again demonstrate
His sovereign preference of them, and go find them once again.

God, rise up in Your glory, stand up in Your power,
And come get Your sheep.

And then the first of 3.
“O God, restore us And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.”

That is how you pray for revival.
• Certainly when we preach for revival we call for repentance,
• But when we pray for revival we appeal to the sovereign grace of God who chose us when we were sinful, and who must restore us again when we are wayward.

Asaph cries out that God’s preference for them is needed.

#2 YOUR PUNISHMENT IS SUFFICIENT
Psalms 80:4-7

There is really NO REQUEST made in this section.
It is just a question.

(4) “O LORD God of hosts, How long will You be angry with the prayer of Your people?”

We read Isaiah 1 and we know why God is angry with the prayer of His people.
Isaiah 1:10-15 “Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah. “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. “When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies — I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.”

God was angry at their prayer because it was superficial.
• They only prayed to keep God off their back while they continued in the sin they loved.
• It was hypocrisy and God hated it.

Asaph doesn’t question God’s right to be angry,
He only asks “How long will You be angry..?”

The punishment was certainly justified.
The punishment was certainly just.

But now Asaph appeals to the mercy of God
That perhaps His anger might now subside.

And to do that, Asaph LAYS OUT FOR GOD the plight of the people.
(5-6) “You have fed them with the bread of tears, And You have made them to drink tears in large measure. You make us an object of contention to our neighbors, And our enemies laugh among themselves.”

• Again, as we said last week, it’s not that God isn’t aware of their suffering.
• Asaph is not enlightening God here.

Rather, Asaph is merely restating their suffering once again to God
That he might move God to compassion and mercy.

It’s his way of saying,
“You have punished them severely, please now relent.”

He wants God to be moved with mercy.

This is also a fitting prayer for revival.
• Not only do we remind God of His sovereign grace to choose us,
• But we also appeal to God’s great mercy and compassion to forgive us, and deliver us from our self-inflicted wounds.

Asaph simply hopes that God will look upon
The punishment He has inflicted and say it is enough.

Your Preference Is Needed; Your Punishment Is Sufficient
#3 YOUR PLAN IS UNFINISHED
Psalms 80:8-19

We already looked at verses 8-13 and remembered how Israel was the beneficiary of God’s sovereign election.
• We remember the miracle of the Exodus.
• We remember the miracle of the Conquest.
• We remember the miracle of the David Kingdom and how Israel grew.

But at the present it all looks for not.
(13) “A boar from the forest eats it away And whatever moves in the field feeds on it.”

• Specifically Assyria was making their way through the Northern Kingdom and laying it waste.
• They were even threatening the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

It is what sparked the request of Asaph.
(14-16) “O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine, Even the shoot which Your right hand has planted, And on the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.”

Very simply Asaph just wants God to intervene and stop the onslaught.
• See what is happening…
• This is Your vine!
• They are attacking it!

• Everything that You purposed for this vine is being ruined.
• Everything that You promised for this vine is being undone.
• What You started has not been completed.

And yet another request.
(17-18) “Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself. Then we shall not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.”

The son here is Israel.
And he is a son who was once strengthened by God but is now in peril.

THINK OF THE PRODIGAL HERE IF YOU WILL.

And the request is that God, by His sovereign power, and great mercy would “Let [His] hand be upon the man of [His] right hand, upon the son of man whom [He] made strong for [Himself].”

He is asking God to mercifully receive His wayward son back to Himself and once again restore Him and finish what He started.

(18) “Then we shall not turn back from You; Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.”

He simply says that
If God will come get them, forgive them, and restore them,
Then they will stay true to God forever.

And again that common prayer.
(19) “O LORD God of hosts, restore us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.”

It is very simply Asaph’s prayer for revival.
• That God would remember His preference of Israel.
• That God would be merciful to their punishment.
• That God would restore them as His son and finish what He started.

It is certainly a model prayer for revival.
We would certainly be inclined to pray this way even today for the church.

BUT LET ME GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THE PROBLEM.

TURN TO: 2 KINGS 17:6-23

Even though Asaph pleaded with God to come save, forgive, and restore Ephraim and Manasseh, HE DID NOT.

At least not in the way Asaph surely hoped.

But here is where we must turn again to the gospel.

Asaph prayed that God would be Israel’s shepherd and come save the sheep.

He did.
John 10:11-15 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. “He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. “He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

• Jesus was exactly the shepherd that Asaph prayed for.
• He came in authority and power to save.
• Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Asaph also wondered if the punishment of God on Israel had not been sufficient?

The answer is that it had not.
• God continued with the annihilation of the Northern Kingdom.

The reality is that temporal suffering will never satisfy the debt of our sin.
• The Bible has been emphatic that the wages of sin is death, not suffering.
• The wages of sin is death not just eating the bread of tears.
• The wages of sin is death not just drinking tears in large measure.
• The wages of sin is death not just being an object of contention to your neighbor.
• The wages of sin is death not just being a laughingstock.

And for this we see Christ again as the suffering servant
Who came and bore God’s wrath to finally satisfy His fury.

1 Peter 2:24-25 “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”

Asaph also lamented this chosen vine that was now destroyed.
It was destroyed because it failed to produce fruit.

But Jesus said:
John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

God didn’t simply overlook the fruitlessness of this wayward vine,
He sent Jesus to be the true vine
That they could tap into for their fruit of righteousness.

And Asaph prayed that God would restore His son Israel to His right hand.

Instead God sent His Son,
Who would be exalted back to His right hand
That He might restore the wayward sons back to God.

John 1:11-13 “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

The simple gospel point is that Asaph longed for revival,
And God did send it when He sent Christ.

He sent Christ to be what they were not.

They were wayward sheep deserving of death
• Christ was the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for them.

They were a fruitless vineyard deserving of destruction
• Christ was the True Vine who provided them with the fruit of righteousness they did not have.

They were the prodigal son under judgment
• Christ came in humanity as the true Son of Man that He might fulfill their righteous obligation and reconcile them to the Father as children of God.

Everything Asaph prayed for was ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
AND THUS HE REMAINS THE ONLY HOPE FOR REVIVAL.

So now, when we pray for revival,
• We don’t pray that God would simply overlook our sin,
• But rather we run to Christ because in Him we have forgiveness and fruit and
reconciliation.

And we pray for men to run to Christ that they might have the same.

Revival occurs when Christ is exalted
Because it only occurs through Him.

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Gospel Commitment Is Essential
1 Corinthians 9:19-27
August 16, 2020

This morning we come once again to a service
That I have come to view as vitally important to our growth as a body.

It is a service we set aside to remind our students and teachers, And really all of us, of the central calling that we all have
As ambassadors for Christ.

We often quote that verse I love in 2 Corinthians 5:21.
2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

We love that verse because so clearly expresses us to the gospel message
Of Christ’s perfection which is imputed to us
And Christ’s atonement which was accomplished for us.

We should also then be familiar with the context of that verse.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

This reality that through Christ we have been reconciled to God
Is a message that has been entrusted to the church.

• God is saving men.
• God is reconciling men.
• And God has “committed to us the word of reconciliation”.
• We are “ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal
through us”

If the church doesn’t share the gospel the world never hears it.
There is no way that the church should be confused
As to her purpose here on earth.

WE ARE HERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL.

While at our recent youth camp we studied 6 essentials.
• Salvation is Essential
• The Deity of Jesus is Essential
• The Humanity of Jesus is Essential
• Personal Holiness is Essential
• Church Involvement Is Essential
• Gospel Focus Is Essential

I would remind the youth, and introduce the rest of you to the point of that last essential.

Romans 1:14-17 “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

The point was simple;
• We are under obligation for the purpose of the gospel.
• Because only the gospel leads men to salvation.

We pointed that out to the youth in light of
THE CURRENT DISTRACTIONS that are occurring in our world.

The church gets easily distracted from her primary function.

Some have bought into the POLITICAL NARRATIVE
They think the church’s duty is to bring about political and moral change.
• Politics and boycotts and voting and things of that nature become the main
focus.

The problem of course is that even if we win that battle and completely turn the world to the right men are still separated from God and will die in hell.
• They may enter hell more moral
• They may enter hell more conservative
• They may enter hell more descent but they still enter hell

Jesus never dealt with the political climate of His day.
• When asked about yielding to Caesar Jesus told us to “render to Caesar that
which is Ceasar’s”
• He never once attacked the Roman political structure as if to turn their pagan
culture through political means.

Many Christians are distracted thinking that the redemption of the world will come through political reform and it will not.

Others in our day have bought the SOCIAL NARRATIVE
They think the church’s duty is social justice.
• Many of the “cutting edge” and “relevant” churches have totally bought the social justice and “Black Lives Matter” movement.
• Pastors, even the Southern Baptist Convention and its leaders are spending a great deal of time apologizing for past injustices and seeking to maintain social credibility in our world.

But yet again this is not the church’s main fight. Certainly we oppose unjust oppression in every form, but our mission on this earth is not to rid the world of injustice.
• A man may be freed from his injustice and still go to hell.

In Jesus Day
• 1 out of 5 men in the Roman empire in Jesus’ day was a slave (1 out of 3 in the city of Rome) and Jesus never touched it.
• Jewish Law permitted slavery even among fellow Jews and Jesus never addressed it.
• In fact Jesus’ own followers began to refer to themselves as DOULOS
• While Jesus healed many, there are plenty of times recorded where Jesus left even though crowds of sick wanted Him to stay and work miracles, but He left to preach the gospel.

Many Christians are distracted thinking that the goal of the church is social reform and to make this world a better place to live,
But this world is a sinking ship,
We’re looking for a new heavens and a new earth where justice dwells.

And that is really what we focused on
For the 6th and final segment of youth camp with our kids.

To remind them that the primary function of the church is to preach the gospel to sinners. Only the gospel leads men to reconciliation with God.
GOSPEL FOCUS IS ESSENTIAL

This morning I’m adding a 7th to that list.
It’s sort of a continuation of youth camp.

This morning I would add:
GOSPEL COMMITMENT IS ESSENTIAL

What’s the difference between gospel focus and gospel commitment?
• Gospel focus emphasizes our primary target and objective.
• Gospel commitment emphasizes the cost of fulfilling that objective.

And for that we look this morning to the book of 1 Corinthians.

We don’t have time for a complete history of the Corinthian church.
It will have to suffice this morning just to say that
THEY HAD MORE PROBLEMS THAN ONE CAN IMAGINE.
• Division over who followed which preacher
• Sexual immorality in the form of incest
• Lawsuits among brethren
• The visiting of prostitutes
• Divorce
• Drunkenness during the Lord’s Supper
• Denial of the resurrection
• Just to name a few…

The end result was that their collective sin
And distraction with worldly pursuits
Was making them ineffective
In their primary mission of preaching the gospel.

Consider Paul’s criticism of their lawsuits.
1 Corinthians 6:5-6 “I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?”

• Your selfish greed might be causing you to win a lawsuit and obtain your financial justice, but in doing so you are destroying your gospel witness.
• So you’re trading your mission for money.

Much of this book is Paul straightening out the focus of the Corinthians
So that they might embrace their role as a church
Which is to be a light in darkness.

• That they might throw off their hindrances and distractions…
• That they might sharpen their focus…
• That they might get busy about the purpose for why they are here…

It’s an extremely important study for the church even today.

We pick up in chapter 9 verse 19.

If you’ll notice in the passage we read to begin the sermon
Paul is comparing mission work to an ATHLETIC COMPETITION.

• In fact, 6 times Paul uses the word “win”.
• He is talking about winning a competition.

• He also makes sure that the Corinthians focus in on “the prize” for winning.
• He calls it “an imperishable” wreath.

Now, Paul makes this analogy,
NOT because we are in competition with one another
Regarding who can win the most lost souls or something like that.

That is NOT a competition, Paul already made it clear.
1 Corinthians 3:5-7 “What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”

Paul is not suggesting that we are in some sort of numbers competition
With one another or with the church down the street.

Rather, Paul is making the comparison of
The personal cost required to compete.

Paul looks at an ATHLETE TRAINING for his race
And sees a definite analogy for the church to understand and embrace.

The analogy is this:
SELF-SACRIFICE IS REQUIRED TO SUCCEED IN MISSION.

Success in our mission will require personal sacrifice.
And you see that reality all throughout this text as well.
• (19) “I have made myself a slave”
• (20) “I became as a Jew”
• (21) “I became as…those without law”
• (22) “I became…weak”
• (23) “I do all things…”
• (27) “I discipline my body and make it my slave…”

All of those statements scream of personal sacrifice
For the purpose of a higher goal.

We see that in athletes.
Athletes will make time sacrifices, pain sacrifices, monetary sacrifices, dietary sacrifices, even social sacrifices in order to obtain the prize of athletic success.

And Paul says that if an athlete will do that for a perishable wreath
Then certainly the church should do that for the sake of the gospel

HE IS CALLING FOR COMMITMENT TO THE GOSPEL.

He is calling for us to pay the “death to self” cost of
Putting aside your own personal rights and freedoms for a higher cause.

In short, will you sacrifice your rights for the sake of the gospel?

That is the question,
• And I don’t mind telling you that this passage has convicted me as hard as it
may convict anyone
• Because I am a red-blooded American who loves democracy and hates it
when other people try to make me do what I don’t want to do.
• This text has forced me to evaluate my priorities, I hope it does you as well.

We’re going to break the text down into 3 points and follow Paul’s athletic analogy.
#1 THE COST TO PARTICIPATE
1 Corinthians 9:19-22

I just want you to think about an athlete for a moment
And the various costs they have to pay to be able to enter competition.

For the last few weeks HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES have been attending practices.
• They aren’t mandatory unless you want to play the sport.
• It is the cost for entering.

We may think of OLYMPIC ATHLETES or COLLEGE ATHLETES
• Who cannot accept payment for their services but must compete as amateurs.

We may think of PRO ATHLETES
• Who are given a list of medications that are off limits (not necessarily illegal) if they want to participate.
• NBA players are asked to live in “a bubble” so they can compete.
• MLB players are subject to daily COVID testing.

Other costs are implied and unwritten.
• For example one could ask Colin Kapernick about the cost of political expression if you want to compete
• Or Dez Bryant or Antonio Brown about the cost of social media expression like twitter if you want to compete.

If you break the rules (written or unwritten) that’s fine.
You have that right as a human being.
You just won’t be able to compete.

NOW THIS IS WHERE PAUL IS COMING FROM.
It is the cost to enter the competition.

In this case, it is the cost of SECURING THE OPPORTUNITY
To proclaim the gospel to someone else.

(19) “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.”

Now, this isn’t the beginning of his thought, not by a longshot.
In chapter 8 Paul answered a specific question about rather or not the Corinthians could eat meat sacrificed to idols.

To summarize, Paul said this.
• (8:4-6) – FACT, idols aren’t real, it’s just meat, you are free to eat it.
• (8:7-12) – HOWEVER, not everyone has that knowledge and by eating you
might wreck the faith of your brother who thinks it is a sin.
• (8:13) – DECISION – though I’m free to eat, I’ll never eat again if it offends my
brother.

Then Paul addressed paying the preacher.
• (9:1-14) – FACT, paying your preacher is the right thing to do and all preachers
have the right to expect it.
• (9:15-18) – HOWEVER, I will never require it because I don’t want people to be
confused about my motives.

So you understand Paul has already spent a great deal of time
Discussing the issues of personal liberty.

And he has unequivocally said that
Personal liberties should be readily sacrificed for the purpose of ministry.

And that is where he continues now, as it pertains to evangelism.

(19) “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.”

Paul describes himself as a volunteer slave.
• I had my freedom, I had my rights.
• I intentionally gave those up and became a slave.

WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!?!
“so that I may win more.”

The story is told of two young Moravians who heard of a slave owner who bought a small island and determined that he would never allow a missionary to ever set foot on that island. No preacher will ever come here, he said.

Two young Moravians sold themselves to that man as slaves and then used the money he paid for their lives as their passage fare out to the island so that they could be a gospel witness among the slaves.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_slaves

This is the idea Paul has in mind.
It is the cost of securing the opportunity to preach the gospel.

And he goes on TO CLARIFY what he means.
(20-22) “To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.”

Paul there gives 3 different groups of people.
• The Jews (those under Law)
• The Gentiles (those without Law)
• The Weak (those confused about the Law)

And in all 3 instances Paul said
He “became as” them in order to “win” them.

I should say that in the late 90’s and early 2000’s this verse became the battle cry for “Contextualization” and “Culturally Relevant” missions.

A misapplication of this passage opened the door
For all manner of godless behavior in the church,
Which even lingers until today in the forms of pragmatic entertainment.

I’ve heard of all manner of peculiarities performed by churches
Under the guise of being all things to all people.

The most recent was a church in Houston that moved in an MMA fighting arena into their sanctuary in order to “attract” the lost.

That is NOT at all what Paul is talking about.

He’s talking about forsaking his own personal rights and freedoms
In order that he might secure an opportunity to preach the gospel.

Paul knows, if he goes and preaches to a Jew, but does so while eating bacon that Jew isn’t going to hear a word he says.

So, even though Paul is no longer under the Law or dietary restrictions,
He willingly obeys them so as not to offend the lost Jews
So that he might be able to witness to them.

In Acts 15 we have the Jerusalem council where Paul argued vehemently AGAINST making Gentiles receive circumcision.

Paul won and the official statement of the church was that
Gentiles did not have to be circumcised.

And then we go to the VERY NEXT CHAPTER where we read:
Acts 16:1-3 “Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”

Why would Paul do that?
Because his goal was not to be an offence to Jews.

• Paul refused to allow circumcision to be a part of the gospel message.
• But once the church officially clarified that it was not, Paul willingly participated
just to keep from offending Jews.
• He wanted the opportunity to preach the gospel.

Other times Paul would preach to Gentiles who didn’t have law
• And Paul said in verse 21 to them he would act “as without law, though not
being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.”

• What do you do Paul when a Gentile man asks you into his home?
• What do you do when that man offers you camel meat to eat?
• What do you do when that man tells you he bought this meat in the
market where it had been sacrificed to demons?

All of those things would have been personally detestable to Paul.
So what did he do? HE ATE IT!

BECAUSE HIS OTHER OPTION WAS TO NOT EAT OR NOT ENTER
AND NEVER GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREACH.

Or some people were “weak” and so Paul said in verse 22 “to the weak I became weak”

• That would be like a Gentile who was trying convert to Christ who was
superstitious about the meat sacrificed to demons.
• Or a Jew converting to Christ who couldn’t get past unclean meat.

Paul would simply go along with his preferences
So that there was no offense and he could preach the gospel.

But the goal was always the same.
TO PREACH THE GOSPEL SO THAT I MIGHT WIN SOME.

And Paul knew that insisting upon his own personal rights
Was counterproductive to gaining that opportunity.

AND THAT IS THE FIRST POINT.
There is a cost involved in gaining an opportunity to preach the gospel.

You want me to tell you some ways we lose our opportunity?
How about engaging in political arguments on social media?
• Hey, I’m as passionate as the next guy, and I’ve done it too.
• But if the lost man you seek to reach is a democrat and all he ever sees from you his your politically biased posts do you think you really have an opportunity to share the gospel with him?

We never get the opportunity with some people because
We let our own ideas of personal liberty and right get in the way.

We complain at the waitress because our food took too long, and our opportunity for the gospel is shot…
We gripe at the coach because our kid didn’t get to play, and our opportunity for the gospel is shot…
We chew out the manager of the store because he made me wear a mask, and our opportunity for the gospel is shot…

Do you see how insisting upon our own personal rights and privileges
is actually counterproductive to our mission?

WELL, PREACHER YOU MAY NOT CARE ABOUT THE FREEDOMS THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON, BUT I DO, AND I’LL FIGHT FOR THEM.

• Believe me, I care.
• I have a short fuse when people start trying to make me do something that
doesn’t make any sense to me.
• Personally, I don’t understand 99% of this COVID stuff going around.

But the question is NOT do you value freedom.
The question is do you value your freedom
More than your obligation to preach the gospel?

And tomorrow if you have to give up one or the other
Either your personal freedom Or your gospel opportunity

WHICH WILL YOU GIVE UP?

Paul said, “There is no personal freedom more important
Than the preaching of the gospel.”

I’ll become a slave if I have to.

That is the cost to entering the race.
#2 THE COST TO COMPETE
1 Corinthians 9:23-25

IN A SPORTING ANALOGY we would simply speak here about the continual work that is required to compete well.

We all know that when a young man gets drafted to play a professional sport that his work isn’t over. He will have to continue to work if he wants to succeed.

Jerry Rice is often referred to as the G.O.A.T.
• He grew up as the son of a brick layer and spent his days catching bricks from
his dad.
• Once pro he did the same workout 6 days a week.
• Before lunch – 2 hours to run the hill (a 5 mile vertical trail)
• He would stop halfway up to run 10 – 40yd sprints.
• After lunch he spent 3 hours on weights where he would do 30 sets of 21
different lifts (630 reps)
• Then came football practice.
• After practice he would stay late and catch 1,000 extra footballs every day.
• And that is not to mention the mental grind of game film and other mental work.

For Jerry Rice it wasn’t about gaining the opportunity to compete,
IT WAS ABOUT COMPETING TO WIN.

And that is Paul’s next point.
• Sacrificing self in order to gain the opportunity to preach the gospel is certainly essential.
• But once you gain the opportunity you must continue to sacrifice so that you can SEIZE that opportunity.

Notice what Paul says:
(23) “I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”

THERE AGAIN WE HIS COMMITMENT.
“I do all things for the sake the of the gospel”
• Should we talk about his dangerous travel?
• Should we talk about his frequent hardships?
• Should we talk about his persecution?
• Should we talk about his relentless preaching?

Jerry Rice had nothing on Paul in the way of personal sacrifice to obtain a goal.

Now just for clarity sake,
Paul says “I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”

“fellow partaker” is SYGKOINONOS (soo-koy-no-nos)
It means “participant with others in anything”

Paul ISN’T SAYING I do all this so that I can be saved.
Paul says I do all this because
I want to participate WITH the gospel and NOT AGAINST it.

You understand that don’t you?

Imagine if Jerry Rice signed to play football and then spent his days eating chocolate covered donuts and playing X-box.

Jerry’s coaches would certainly be all over him for wasting his opportunity.
• They’d talk about his wasted potential.
• They’d grieve his lack of effort.
• They would call him his own worst enemy.

AND SO MUCH OF THE TIME THAT IS CHRISTIANS.

We proclaim the gospel, but we live in such a way
As is counterproductive to the message we preach.

Instead of participating with the work of the gospel, we actually work against it.
• This is when we call men to turn from sin while we live in it.
• This is when we call men to deny self, but we refuse.
• This is when we preach the gospel to our child when then watches us lose our
temper at the other driver on the road.

Paul’s point is that self-sacrifice is still required
Even as you run the race and preach the gospel.

And he gives another analogy.
(24-25) “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

Paul talks about men like Jerry Rice who sacrifice so much of their lives to obtain a goal.
• Does anyone in here know how many Super bowls Jerry Rice won?
• Does anyone know when the last one was?
• Does anyone know how many catches or yards he has?
• (Perhaps an enthusiast does, but not the average person)

• Does anyone remember who won the World Series 3 years ago?
• Who was the fastest downhill skier in the last Olympics?

We think all the sacrifice put in to obtaining those goals
And yet the reward is so temporary and so fleeting.

Paul actually told Timothy:
1 Timothy 4:8 “for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

But Paul says here that we actually compete for
An “imperishable” prize.

He also told Timothy:
2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Peter said:
1 Peter 5:4 “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

And here’s the point.
If a man would sacrifice so much of his body to obtain a temporary prize how much more should we to obtain an eternal one?

AND TO THAT PAUL GIVES THE ADMONITION
(24) “Run in such a way that you may win.”

Do what it takes to win!
• Don’t just run, run to win!
• Don’t just be in the game, compete well in the game!
• Even if you have to sacrifice to do it.

Don’t live your life in opposition to the gospel you preach.
• If the gospel calls men to self-denial then deny yourself.
• If the gospel calls men to carrying the cross then carry the cross.
• If the gospel calls men to following Jesus then follow Jesus.

Don’t get distracted with earthly rights
And privileges and riches and comforts.
Put those things away and work with the gospel, not against it.

DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
Not only to secure the opportunity to preach the gospel,
But also to make your preaching successful.

That’s the cost of participating That’s the cost of competing
#3 THE COST TO FINISH
1 Corinthians 9:26-27

If we are to take the sports analogy one more time
We talk about things like the “4th quarter” or what my coach used to call “gut check time”.
• It’s that moment when you are forced to dig deep to finish.
• You’ve sacrificed to get to the game…
• You’ve sacrificed to play the game…
• And now you have to dig even deeper to finish it.

It takes focus, it takes endurance,
It takes a willingness to lay it all on the line for the victory.

And this was certainly Paul.
(26-27) “Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

“disqualified” is the Greek word ADOKIMOS
It was a word used of testing metals or coins. It means “to not stand the test”.

It has the idea of failing under intense scrutiny.
The word is often rendered “disqualified”.

And here we speak of people who disqualify themselves as a gospel witness by reason of their bad choices and selfish lifestyle.

It is those who run, but don’t finish.
• They ultimately care about themselves
• And the gratification of their own flesh
• And the fulfillment of their own personal rights and freedoms
• And it causes them to kill their witness.

2 Timothy 2:5 “Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.”

Easy targets here are TV evangelists who get entrapped
With greed or sensual lusts that implode their ministries.

But in reality it is a danger for us all.
• It is when we preach Christ and then blow it with our moral choices.
• Instead of crucifying the flesh, we cater to it, and our gospel witness is the casualty.

That is why Paul says he remains focused on the finish line.
(26-27) “Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

• He’s not out there just running all over, he has a plan, he has a goal.
• He’s not just flailing his arms in the air, there is a target.

He understands that victory isn’t pure random coincidence.
• He’s not going to accidentally win this race.
• He’s not going to accidentally win someone to Christ.

How many times have you accidentally shared the gospel with someone?

It’s going to be the result of precise effort.
• He is going to have to crucify the flesh and get it out of the way.
• He is going to have to refuse to serve his personal interests and focus on the gospel.
• He is going to have to put aside his own rights and be committed to the mission.

And if he does that day after day after day
Then over time he will win the race.

THIS IS THE CALLING.
It’s not just being gospel focused, it’s being gospel committed.

And so the question.
WHAT IS YOUR PRIORITY?
• Is it your goal just to secure your rights?
• Is it your goal just to satisfy your desires?
• Is it your goal just to make sure no one makes you do what you don’t want?
• Is it your goal just to live comfortable?

Or is it your goal to fulfill your obligation to preach the gospel?

Well then it’s going to require sacrifice.
• There’s a cost to enter the race.
• There’s a cost to run the race.
• There’s a cost to finish the race.

The calling is that you and I would be committed enough to pay that price.

That is my encouragement not only to the teachers and students
But really to all of us this morning.

And this morning, I think we have the perfect gift/reminder for everyone.

This morning all of our students and teachers are going to get a mask.
• We’re doing this because I hate wearing a mask.
• I hate it when a store tells me to wear a mask.
• I hate it when people look at me sideways for not wearing a mask.

(Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care if you do, I just hate it when people try to make me.)

And so for me wearing a mask is a big issue
Of submitting personal rights and freedoms.

But the question hits me.
Would I be willing to wear a mask so as not to offend someone who thinks wearing a mask is important?

These masks have been printed to say:
“I’ll even wear this mask, for the sake of the gospel” 1 Corinthians 9:19-27

We’re going to give one to all the kids and teachers.
We ordered 100 so there’s extras if you’re like me and need this reminder.

But this morning I simply remind you that we are here for one purpose
And that is to preach the gospel and NOTHING, (not even personal rights and privileges), should stop that from happening.

Download here:

When Jacob Is Devoured
Psalms 79
August 9, 2020

We just finished a very helpful panoramic look
At Israel’s history in Psalms 78.

We were overwhelmingly reminded that while Israel may have been
The most unfaithful people the world has ever known,
They still have the most faithful God.

Psalms 78:37-39 “For their heart was not steadfast toward Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant. But He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; And often He restrained His anger And did not arouse all His wrath. Thus He remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passes and does not return.”

That of course did not mean that God was some sort of pushover.
• It was well documented throughout the Psalm that at times God was exceedingly angry.
• Israel’s history gives plenty of examples of where the wrath of God broke out against His people.

But the point was that even in His wrath and discipline,
• God never treated them as they deserved.
• He always remembered grace.
• He always showed compassion.
• He never failed to be merciful or to forget His covenant with them.

And those are very important reminders.
That history needs to be etched in your mind permanently.

WHY?
Because during times of distress
You may just have to hold on to that truth by faith.

That is what we see occurring here in the 79th Psalm.
Asaph is sort of having to hold on to the lesson he just proclaimed.

For Asaph is now writing from the carnage
Of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem.

There are really 2 Psalms that seem to address this terrible scene more than any others.
• Psalms 137 which remembers the destruction of Jerusalem from the captives who are now in Babylon.
• And Psalms 79 which looks upon the destruction of Jerusalem from Israel.

This Psalm has the feel of the book of Lamentations.
• Where one can almost picture Jeremiah sitting down on a rock, looking at the rubble that was once the city; seeing the smoke of the temple rising; gazing upon the dead children in the streets; and breaking out in tears.

It is a Psalm that gives great encouragement
How to pray and sing during days of intense discipline.

IF YOU’LL REMEMBER
Israel fell into terrible and intense idolatry during the days of the Kings.
• It really all started with the foreign wives of Solomon who turned his heart away
to worship false gods.
• That crack in the foundation eventually became idolatry of every kind,
• Including the burning of children in the fire to Molech,
• Even the setting up of a pagan altar in the very temple court in Jerusalem.

And throughout the years
God warned that there would be discipline for such sin.
TURN TO: JEREMIAH 16:1-13

Israel had sinned greatly and God would punish them severely for it.
• He actually promised that He would destroy their cities, burn their temple, and
kick them out of the land for 70 years.

However, even before the destruction occurred
God revealed that the main purpose of such distress
Was not condemnation, but rather sanctification.

God would use this to purify His people.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 “For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. ‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ‘I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’”

Israel was currently idolatrous and rebellious,
But 70 years in Babylon would change that.

It doesn’t make the current distress any less severe,
But it does afford hope even in the midst of it.

This is what Asaph is holding on to.
Not necessarily the promise God revealed through Jeremiah,
But rather THE REALITY OF WHO GOD IS TO ISRAEL.

I want to be careful trying to read our circumstances into the text,
For they are certainly different.

However, we face at our current time
A greater threat to the operation of the American church
Than I have ever known at any other time in my life.

Currently, we have an unprecedented event occurring in America,
• Where a state government is locked in a legal battle with a church over whether or not they are allowed to assemble and worship.

• John MacArthur’s “Grace Community Church” has been threatened with fines and arrest if they do not stop worshiping.

• In Portland, OR last week at a protest rally, protestors gathered to burn Bibles.

• One of the leaders of the “Black Lives Matters” movement has called for the destruction of all white churches in America saying they, with their white European depiction of Jesus are a major source of systemic racism and must be destroyed.

Perhaps like no other day the church
Is about to walk into a period of hardship
Like we have never known in our lifetimes.

REALITIES LIKE THAT CAUSE US TO SIT UP AND
Pay attention to laments like this with a little more concern.

For here we have a living example of faith in the midst of destruction,
And though our situation may be different from theirs,
There are still things very valuable to us to learn.

So let’s work through this 79th Psalm
And see a picture of faith during such hardship.

We’ll break this Psalm down into 4 points tonight.
#1 HIS CRY
Psalms 79:1-4

Just to read that Psalm paints an overwhelming scene of shock and awe.
The things described here were not supposed to be able to happen.
• Foreign armies were not supposed to be able to invade.
• The Temple was not supposed to be defiled.
• Jerusalem was not supposed to be burned.
• Dead bodies were supposed to be buried.

It is just an atrocious scene of carnage and ruin.

(1) “O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; They have defiled Your holy temple; They have laid Jerusalem in ruins.”

We have often read that sort of mocking chant from Jeremiah 7,
• When Jeremiah promised judgment
• The people scoffed saying, “The temple of the LORD, the temple of the
LORD, the temple of the LORD”

The idea was that regardless of how bad things got,
Nothing was going to happen because
God wasn’t going to let His temple be destroyed.

And even among those who saw a need for God’s discipline,
Discipline to this degree was certainly not expected.

We remember Habakkuk who lamented the sin of his people.
Habakkuk 1:3-4 “Why do You make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted.”

Habakkuk knew the sin of his nation was severe
And he knew (even prayed for) the purifying punishment of God.

But when God told Habakkuk that this punishment would entail the bloodthirsty Chaldeans who would
• “come for violence” (1:9)
• “collect captives” (1:9)
• “mock at kings” (1:10)
• “heap up rubble” (1:10)
It was more than Habakkuk could handle.

Habakkuk 1:12-13 “Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O LORD, have appointed them to judge; And You, O Rock, have established them to correct. Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?”

The point is, even among those who knew discipline was needed,
Discipline to this degree was still a shock.

THEY DID NOT EXPECT THAT
A foreign nation would enter and destroy everything.

The AFTERMATH was equally shocking.
(2-3) “They have given the dead bodies of Your servants for food to the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth. They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem; And there was no one to bury them.”

Death as one thing, but this was DEATH WITH DISHONOR.

Perhaps you remember Jehoiakim, one of Judah’s evil kings.
• It was during his reign that Daniel and his friends were taken.
• It was at the end of his reign that Ezekiel and 10,000 captives were taken.

But he was an evil king and as a result,
God promised a disgraceful burial for him.

Jeremiah 22:18-19 “Therefore thus says the LORD in regard to Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, “They will not lament for him: ‘Alas, my brother!’ or, ‘Alas, sister!’ They will not lament for him: ‘Alas for the master!’ or, ‘Alas for his splendor!’ “He will be buried with a donkey’s burial, Dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”

It was disgraceful and dishonorable to not be buried.
• And yet as Asaph looks around that is what he sees.
• He sees the vultures and the beasts feasting on the dead bodies of the slain in Jerusalem.
• It was a horror and a disgrace.

For Asaph says “there was no one to bury them.”

It is just a horrible scene, summed up in verse 4.
(4) “We have become a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and a derision to those around us.”

• Not only do we suffer, but we are also mocked.
• We are mocked as the slaughtered people of God.

And yet, that also contributes to the confusion of the entire event.
It’s not just that the nations did this to Israel,
BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS THAT THEY DID THIS TO GOD.

Notice how Asaph described it.
• “invaded YOUR inheritance.”
• “defiled YOUR holy temple”
• “given the dead bodies of YOUR servants for food to the birds”
• “The flesh of YOUR godly ones to the beasts of the earth.”

It is just a horrible scene where a pagan enemy came in
And did things that no one thought could be done.

The only point of application or explanation that can be made here
IS THE SEVERITY OF GOD’S WRATH AND JUDGMENT.

Jeremiah said people would die without burial for their rebellion
And Asaph saw it happen.

God warned; they had rejected, and God did exactly as He said He would.
• Rebellion and idolatry were not tolerated.
• Their apostasy was not left unpunished.
• God raised up a cruel people to invade His land just like He said He would.

And we certainly learn that God is to be feared.
• It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
• We certainly learn not to take lightly His judgment.

But at the same time WE ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED
For Asaph knows that this is a result of the judgment of God.

• Certainly he must know that God knows all about the scene in Jerusalem.
• Are we to assume that God wasn’t aware that Babylon invaded?
• Are we to assume that God wasn’t aware that vultures were eating the dead?
• Of course not.

God knew that, and Asaph knew God knew that.

Well if God knew what happened, and God even caused what happened,
Then what it is the purpose of Asaph telling Him?

It reveals what Asaph believed about God.
• Obviously Asaph believed God to be compassionate.
• Obviously Asaph believed that God still cared for His people, even in judgment.

Asaph had written
Psalms 78:38-39 “But He, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity and did not destroy them; And often He restrained His anger And did not arouse all His wrath. Thus He remembered that they were but flesh, A wind that passes and does not return.”

It’s obvious that Asaph believed that,
Or why even approach God with a cry at all?

That’s a good reminder.
Even in unimaginable destruction we still lift our cry to God
Because we believe He is compassionate.

Remember David during his times of punishment…
Remember when he sinned with Bathsheba and God promised to take the life of the child?
• David fasted while the child was sick, but after he died then David arose,
washed his face and ate.
• Those watching David thought this strange.

But David explained why he did it.
2 Samuel 12:22 “He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’”

Remember when David sinned by numbering Israel?
• God gave him the choice of 7 years of famine, or fleeing 3 months from his
enemies, or 3 days of pestilence.

David chose the pestilence and here is why:
2 Samuel 24:14 “Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

IT IS A GOOD REMINDER.
The nature of God does not change.
Even in wrath, He remembers mercy and Asaph continues to cry to Him.

His cry
#2 HIS CONFUSION
Psalms 79:5-7

As we said, so much of what happened in Jerusalem was unexpected.
• God had clearly articulated exactly what would happen through Jeremiah,
• But still it seemed so far-fetched that no one believed it.

Well now it did.
And not only was it the SEVERE ATTACK of Babylon,
But the LINGERING EFFECTS of it.

We’ve often said how many times the lingering effects of hardship
Are harder for us to handle than the initial tragedy.

And that is part of Asaph’s confusion here.
(5) “How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?”

Clearly to Asaph, the punishment had been severe enough.
• But since there was no relief, it was assumed that God must still be angry.
• Asaph couldn’t figure out why there was still no relief.
• God was still angry and God was still jealous.

Furthermore, Asaph couldn’t figure out
Why all of God’s rage seemed pointed at Jerusalem
While the pagan nations that did the slaughtering seemed unscathed.

(6-7) “Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You, And upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name. For they have devoured Jacob And laid waste his habitation.”

That’s sort of like Habakkuk’s problem isn’t it?
• Why would you focus all your wrath on us, when they are clearly worse than
us?

That continues to be a source of confusion, even in the church.
• When we live in a world of paganism.
• When we see extreme immorality on the rise.
• When the shedding of innocent blood is applauded.
• When unnatural behavior is celebrated.

And then we see the God’s people under attack.
• We tend to wonder, why in the world would God be disciplining us?
• Certainly He must see that we are the good guys (comparatively speaking).

But there is a very clear answer for this.
Amos 3:2 “You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

Luke 12:47-48 “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

TURN TO: EZEKIEL 16:1-34

Why would God be so angry at Israel?
Because He had done for Israel what He had done for no one else.

We certainly lament and abhor adultery in our world.
None of us celebrate the sexual immorality that is rampant in our culture.

BUT BE HONEST.
Which would bother you more,
The adultery of your neighbor or the adultery of your spouse?

1 Peter 4:17-18 “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER?”

In Ezekiel 8& 9,
• Ezekiel is transported back to Jerusalem in a vision where he saw the extreme idolatry of the people.
• He then saw the executioners coming into the city to slaughter.
• There was a man with a writing case who was to put a mark on the forehead of everyone who mourns over sin.
• And then everyone without a mark was to be destroyed.

Ezekiel 9: 6 “Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the elders who were before the temple.”

Asaph is confused that God’s ANGER HAS LINGERED.
Asaph is confused that God’s JEALOUSY HAS ENDURED.
Asaph is confused that God HAS NOT DEALT with the really wicked.

But the reality is that God has always promised
More severity to those who know better.
God has always promised more severity
To those who promised loyalty and then didn’t offer it.

But even in that we still learn more from Asaph here.

• The fact that Asaph would cry to God even though God was the cause of the destruction told us that Asaph believed God to be compassionate.

• Now we say that the fact Asaph expressed confusion as to the ongoing judgment of Israel and the escape of Babylon reveals to us that Asaph also believed God to be just.

If you don’t believe God to be just then the suffering of the saints
And the prosperity of the wicked isn’t surprising.

Remember when God promised the destruction of Sodom?
Genesis 18:24-26 “Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? “Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.”

Abraham was perplexed by the revelation
Because he knew God to be just.

Asaph is here in similar confusion.
• He clearly believes God to be just and so he addresses this perceived injustice.

God is not unjust, Israel deserves what they are receiving,
But you still understand the faith of Asaph.

He clearly believes God to be compassionate.
He clearly believes God to be just.

We see that in his cry and his confusion.
#3 HIS CONFESSION
Psalms 79:8-10

WE LOVE THIS BECAUSE
Even though Asaph does not understand all that God is doing
Or why God is doing it that way,
There is one thing Asaph does know…

REPENTANCE IS NEEDED.

He starts in a way that is confusion to some.
(8) “Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us; Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us, For we are brought very low.”

It’s fun to read commentaries on such a verse because

Some will read that statement and say, “God absolutely punishes us for the iniquity of our parents”

And they quote:
Exodus 20:4-6 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

Exodus 34:7 “who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

Deuteronomy 5:9 “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,”

And then others will read Psalms 79:8 and say, “God absolutely DOES NOT punish the iniquity of the fathers the children.”

And they will quote:
Deuteronomy 24:16 “Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.”

Ezekiel 18:1-4 “Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children’s teeth are set on edge’? “As I live,” declares the Lord GOD, “you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore. “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.”

So what in the world are we supposed to do with that?

LET ME EXPLAIN IT.
1) Every man stands before God for his own sin, and every man gives an account for his own sin.

That is actually fundamental to the gospel.
• That is the problem with the “Social Justice” movement of our day
• And the WOKE mentality where everyone is a victim.
• It eliminates responsibility for personal sin and seeks to blame everything on a past generation.

That won’t fly at the judgment.

2) Our fathers can create a culture that is makes sin more accessible, more tolerable, and more approvable.

Their decisions affect future generations by making sin easier,
But it doesn’t change that men still die for their own sin
Even if someone else makes it easier.

JUST TO CLARIFY OUR PRESENT DAY.
The main question our society askes is: “Am I a victim?”
The question they should ask is: “Am I a sinner?”

The reality is that past generations may affect your culture,
But the choice to sin in that culture is totally yours.
(In a way then both are guilty)

ASAPH SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND BOTH.

ON ONE HAND he and his people lived in a culture of sin that was created by past generations.
• Past generations had led them into idolatry and wickedness and created a culture where such sin was easy.
• Asaph lamented those sins and asked for deliverance from them.
(8) “Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us; Let Your compassion come quickly to meet us, For we are brought very low.”

ON THE OTHER HAND Asaph also realized his own sin in the midst of that culture, for which he also needed forgiveness.
(9) “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; And deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.”

We might say that our fathers had a hand in the sinful culture we live in,
But ultimately our sin is our fault.

Asaph sought forgiveness and deliverance from both.

And he sought that forgiveness for the glory of God.
“Help us, O God of our salvation, FOR THE GLORY OF YOUR NAME”
“forgive our sins FOR YOUR NAME’S SAKE”

AND THEN HE CONTINUES.
(10) “Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight, Vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed.”

It is REMINISCENT of Ezekiel 36 where God promises
To restore Israel to their land, but makes no bones about why.

Ezekiel 36:22-23 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. “I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight.”

Asaph understands that.

The worst effect of the sin of God’s people
Was not the punishment it caused.
The worst effect of the sin of God’s people
Was the blasphemy it caused.

THIS IS WHY ASAPH IS REPENTING.
He longs for forgiveness and restoration,
Not just so that the consequences are removed,
But also so that God is once again glorified.

Yet again we see what Asaph believes.
• We know he believes God to be compassionate.
• We know he believes God to be just.
• And now we see he clearly believes God to be merciful.

Why else would you ask for forgiveness from a God
Whom you have blasphemed among the nations?

Clearly Asaph believes that no matter their sin,
God is merciful and will forgive it.
That is a good thing to remember during such times.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

His Cry, His Confusion, His Confession
#4 HIS COMMITMENT
Psalms 79:11-13

The final 3 verses serve as sort of an expectation and a promised response to that expectation.
• Even though Jerusalem is in ashes.
• Even though survivors are being led away in chains.
• Even though the birds are feasting on the dead.

Asaph still has an expectation.
It is an expectation that God will act on behalf of His people and will AVENGE them on the enemy.

(11-12) “Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are doomed to die. And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom The reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.”

He does not yet see what he asks for, but it is clear that he still believes in the loyalty of God.
• He still believes God will preserve the prisoners.
• He still believes God will punish the wicked.

He does not believe that God has forsaken His covenant.
He does not believe that God has forgotten His people.
• God will “preserve those who are doomed to die”
• And God will “return to our neighbors sevenfold in their bosom the reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.”

He still trusts that, even in a dark day.

And so Asaph can also make this pledge.
(13) “So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture Will give thanks to You forever; To all generations we will tell of Your praise.”

In view of the scene of verse 1, that is a pretty remarkable promise.
• Asaph looks to the day when God’s sheep will again be in God’s pasture.
• Asaph looks to the day when God’s sheep will be overcome with gratitude.
• Asaph looks to the day when old men will tell stories of God’s deliverance.

That is an optimistic statement in light of the destruction all around him.
• It is eyes of hope.
• It is faith in God’s loyalty.
• It is a commitment to worship God even in the darkness.

And those are good reminders for facing dark days.

And when we read Psalms 79,
It is important that we read it through the EYES OF THE GOSPEL.

The church today IS IMMUNE from the condemnation of God.

Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

There is no wrath from God for His church
For Jesus bore and satisfied the full wrath of God for all our sin.
WE DO NOT FEAR GOD’S WRATH.

Now, as His church,
We are NOT IMMUNE from living in the effects of a sinful culture.

God’s wrath is clearly displayed on our culture today.
• People say that God will judge America.
• Look, if you believe Romans 1 then you have to say that God IS judging
America.

Romans 1:28-32 “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”

Clearly we see that today and we live under
The devastating effects of the sinful choices of our fathers.

We also know that that as His church,
We are NOT IMMUNE from the sanctifying discipline of the Lord.

He will allow trials and suffering to purify us as we live in a sinful world.

So learn from Asaph
And even when you don’t understand what you see
Then remember this.

• Trust that God is compassionate.
• Trust that God is just.
• Trust that God is merciful.
• Trust that God is loyal.

That is who God is.
And with eyes of hope praise God in the midst of the struggle
Because regardless of the trial,
Through Christ we know that we will be redeemed.

Jeremiah 31:27-34 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast. “As I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy and to bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD. “In those days they will not say again, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ “But everyone will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge. “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Regardless of the current destruction, the eternal plan has not changed.
We praise God for that.

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The Person of the Gospel
Luke 20:41-44
August 9, 2020

As we have studied the 20th chapter of Luke
We have listened as Jesus has preached the gospel in the temple.

Luke 20:1 “On one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel…”

• We have noted that it is Wednesday.
• In two days Jesus will be dead.
• But here we find Him preaching the gospel in the temple to all who are there.

We have taken notice of what His gospel preaching looked like,
And we have noticed that thus far Jesus
Has really only been able to give really the first point of the gospel.

The word gospel of course is a word that means “GOOD NEWS”.
But as has been often pointed out, before people will believe the good news, they first need to hear the BAD NEWS.

• The bad news is that we have sinned against God.
• The bad news is that God is infinitely holy and will judge all sinners.
• The bad news is that there is a day of judgment and no man will escape it.

This bad news is essential to understand
So that a man is ready and eager to hear the good news.

And thus far in the temple,
THE BAD NEWS IS REALLY ALL THAT JESUS HAS PREACHED.

Various groups have confronted Him regarding various issues,
But regardless of the questions,
Jesus always has managed to turn it around to the gospel.

When they asked Him by what authority He was doing these things, He referenced the baptism of John.
• It was a baptism of repentance.
• It was a repentance they had rejected.

When He told a parable of a vineyard owner the point was that those in the vineyard had rejected and killed His Son.
• And the point was that those who rejected the Son would be broken to pieces and scattered like dust.

When they tried to trick Him regarding paying taxes to Caesar He told them to pay their debts, and at the same time He reminded them of their debt before God saying,
• “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

When they tried to confuse Him regarding marriage in the resurrection,
• He reminded them that eternal life in heaven is only for those who are worthy and that when the dead are raised they will all be raised to stand before God.

It really hasn’t mattered.
Whatever the question, whatever the accusation, whatever the dilemma, Jesus has continually landed on that first step of the gospel message.

He has routinely reminded of what we might call the bad news.
• You have an unpaid debt before God.
• You are not worthy to have eternal life.
• You are in need of repentance, which you have rejected.
• You are in need of a Savior, whom You will kill.

Everything He has had to say
Has been for the simple purpose of CONDEMNING HIS AUDIENCE,
And believe me, the audience felt it.

We even read last week.
Luke 20:39-40 “Some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything.”

No matter what they say, He ends up condemning them.
• Have you ever tried to argue with God?
• Have you ever tried to excuse your sin before Him?
• It doesn’t work.

And so finally, here on Wednesday, the crowd has finally become silent.
• The arguments are over.
• The accusations are over.
• The tricks and the traps are finished.
• The crowd stands before Him too afraid to say anything else.

And so now Jesus is free to give whatever message He so desires.
And it is no surprise to us that He returns to the gospel.

Only now, He moves to THE SECOND LEG OF THE GOSPEL.

A lot of what we are going to study this morning
Is also what the youth studied a couple of weeks ago at camp.

One of the things we talked about there on the last day was
TO CLARIFY THE GOSPEL.

If I were to ask you, “What is the gospel?”
How would you answer?

If I can clarify it for you a little this morning.
If we were to sum up the gospel in ONE WORD,
Then obviously that word is “Jesus”.

The gospel message is simply this:
It is the message of the person and work of Jesus.

It is to preach who Jesus is, and what Jesus did.

And I tell you that because you’re going to see this morning
That after Jesus has successfully silenced and condemned the crowd
He is now going to move into the gospel.

And His message here is very simply: THE PERSON OF THE GOSPEL
It is very important.

WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO THIS MORNING IS
Sort of take a quick trip through this passage and gain the overall scope,
Then we’ll come back and look at the truths that are being revealed.

SO HERE WE ARE.
In LUKE’S GOSPEL, Jesus has just silenced the crowd by answering every question and thoroughly binding them up under their guilt.

Now Luke does omit one story.
Matthew 22:34-42 “But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” “Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.”

There was one more question asked, before the crowd quit asking,
And it fit right in line with Jesus purposes.

After successfully condemning the crowd,
It is extremely fitting that the next question asked
Had to do with God’s righteous requirement.

If I find out I’m condemned before God
Then it is only right to ask what He wants me to do.

They DIDN’T exactly ask, “What should I do?”
If they had then Jesus would have told them to repent and believe in Him.

But they asked what was the most important command to obey in the Law And Jesus gave them the two most impossible ones to obey.

And if you’ve never figured that out then you should hear it here.
Telling an UNREGENERATE MAN that he is required to love God with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength is an IMPOSSIBLE REQUIREMENT.

• Sinful man does not love God.
• Sinful man does not even seek God or fear God, let alone love Him.
• Sinful man also does not love his neighbor as himself.
• Sinful man loves himself.

Those are impossible commands
So you see that Jesus really just condemned them again.

They turned to the Law for their relief,
But they would find no relief there
For the requirements of the Law are far too high.

But it is on the heels of that question
That Jesus turns to this crowd to ask them a question.

According to MATTHEW’S GOSPEL He asks, “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.”

AND THAT IS WHERE WE PICK UP IN LUKE’S GOSPEL.

(41) “Then He said to them, “How is it that they say the Christ is David’s son?”

Well, first off the answer to that question would have been obvious
To the religious crowd listening.

2 Samuel 7:12-14 “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men,”

Psalms 89:35-37 “Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. “His descendants shall endure forever And his throne as the sun before Me. “It shall be established forever like the moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful.” Selah.”

Isaiah 9:6-7 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”

The reason they all knew that the Christ would be “David’s son”
• Is because there were so many prophesies that clearly indicated that the Christ would be a descendant of David.

And with this fact they were well-acquainted.
It was a slam-dunk, no-brainer to them.

But Jesus is about to challenge their thinking a little.

There is another passage that Jesus wants to quote
That seems to make a real confusing point.

Jesus is going to quote Psalms 110:1

(42-43) “For David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.’”

Ok, we’ve read that before…
So what’s the problem?

(44) “Therefore David call Him ‘Lord,’ and how is He his son?”
• Do you pick up on the dilemma?
• Do you catch the mystery?

Everyone knew the Christ would be the descendant of David.
But in Psalms 110:1 David referenced that he already had a Lord.

“THE LORD (Yahweh) SAID TO MY LORD (Adonai), “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMEIS A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.”

If David is already submitting to the Christ as his Lord,
Then how can it be that the Christ will be David’s son?

That’s what you call a dilemma.
• Can you see the crowd scratching their head?
• How can the Christ be both before David and after him?
• Perhaps they didn’t know the Christ as well as they thought.

YOU AND I KNOW THE ANSWER.
Because the Christ is more than just a man. The Christ is also God.

And this is the point that Jesus is making about Himself
As He reveals to the people the very person of the gospel.

At youth camp two of our services were focused on this.
• Stephen preached that “The Deity of Jesus is Essential”
• Then I had the next sermon that “The Humanity of Jesus is Essential”

That is to say that they are non-negotiables.
If they aren’t true then we can’t be saved.

We are talking here about THE PERSON OF THE GOSPEL
Who is the Christ?
Who is the Messiah?
Who is Jesus?

And this morning I’ll just give you
The TWO ANSWERS that Jesus points out to the crowd.

#1 THE CHRIST IS DAVID’S SON
Luke 20:41

“Then He said to them, “How is it that they say the Christ is David’s son?”

We already read some of those prophetic passages
That emphasize that the Christ would be a descendant of David.

Certainly the gospels bear this out regarding Jesus.

Matthew 1 & Luke 3 both give us THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS.

• Of course you have read them and recognize that they are different.
• Matthew’s gospel gives the genealogy of Joseph and thus Jesus’ political right to the throne.
• Luke’s gospel gives the genealogy of Mary and thus Jesus’ blood right to the throne.

It’s really quite remarkable that Jesus fits them both.
• On one hand Jesus had to be of the kingly line of David.
• However, there was one king in particular (Jeconiah) that God swore would not have a child sit on the throne.

It seemed like a contradiction and impossibility.
Well, he didn’t and yet Jesus still came from that line.

• Jesus was not the blood son of Joseph, and thus not the descendant of Jeconiah.
• He did not get His blood right to the throne from Joseph,
• He got that from Mary through David’s son Nathan.

But the real point of it all is that Jesus was born; JESUS IS A HUMAN.

HE IS FULLY MAN.
Or as R.C. Sproul would say, “He is truly man”.

AND WE SEE THIS CLEARLY.
• We see Him eat, drink, sleep, grieve, weep, and face exhaustion…
• We clearly saw humanity in Him.

And though we must hit them quickly
There are TWO MAIN REASONS why He had to be human.

1. There was a human obligation to fulfill (obedience)
2. There was a human debt to pay (death)

If Jesus is not human then He cannot obey as a human and He cannot die.

Man needs an advocate to do both for him and so Jesus had be human.
He had to be the Son of David.

1) We are familiar with the necessity of His obedient life.
Hebrews 10:5-10 “Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'” After saying above, “SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Jesus had to come and fulfill the obligation of man.
• God demanded holiness from man.
• God demanded obedience from man.

Thus far no man had ever given either to Him.
• Jesus said that a man must “render to God that which is God’s”
• And no man ever had.

Psalms 14:3 “They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.”

Man had yet to satisfy the righteous requirement of God.
Jesus had to come as a man to do that.

But that’s not the only reason He had to be human.
2) More than anything, He had to become a human SO HE COULD DIE.

Hopefully our young people will remember, but turn over to Hebrews 2.
TURN TO: HEBREWS 2:5

We can’t spend as much time on it here this morning,
But you’ll get the main point.

(5-8) is where the writer of Hebrews quoted Psalms 8 and God’s promise to subject all things to man.

• The only problem, the writer says is that, “But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.”
• God promised that man would rule over all things, but look around, we don’t see it.

• Man doesn’t control the weather.
• Man doesn’t control the beasts.
• We can’t make the ocean hard enough to walk on.
• The rain doesn’t yield to our commands.
• When we were at Yellowstone, they warned us repeatedly not to get close to wolves, bison, bears, or moose.

We don’t see man in control, even though God promised it.

The reason of course is because
Our great great great…granddaddy ADAM BLEW IT.

• He sinned against God,
• Gave his authority over to the usurper (the god of this world)
• And Adam incurred a debt to pay before God for his rebellion.
• That debt was death.

Until God’s holiness was satisfied through Adam’s death
There could be no return.

Simply put, a man had to die to pay the debt of man.

And that is what the writer of Hebrews points out.
(2:9) “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”

Jesus became human so that He could die.

Later in the same chapter the writer reiterates it again.
(2:14-15) “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

• Man had a sentence…
• Man had a dilemma…
• Man had an enemy…

And it is an enemy that we could not beat.
• We could not beat it because we deserved it.
• We could not beat it because we earned it.

We stood in desperate need for someone,
For some human, to first live a holy life
And then who could face death for us and defeat it.

And before Jesus, all we ever had was failure.
• We saw man after man after man die,
• BUT NO ONE WAS ABLE TO COME BACK FROM IT.

Death had a perfect record.
• No one was able to pay off Adam’s debt
• Because each man was accruing his own debt before God.
• It was failure after failure after failure.

If you’ll remember this was the lament of Revelation 5.
There John looked at the scroll, the title deed to the earth, and the search was made for anyone who was worthy to open it and take back the earth from the usurper.

Revelation 5:1-4 “I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;”

THAT ISN’T JUST THE WEEPING OF JOHN,
That’s the weeping of all humanity for all time.

• No one is worthy.
• No one can undo what Adam did.
• No human has been able to live this life without offense to God so that he might pay off Adam’s debt.

And so John wept.
But there was good news! (the gospel)

Revelation 5:5 “and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

Christ overcame!
The son of David overcame.

He overcame sin and temptation and lived a holy life.
And so when He faced death, He overcame that too!

Revelation 1:17-18 “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

I know that’s quick, but do you see why Jesus had to be human?
• Only a man could pay man’s debt.
• Only a man could die.

• Jesus had to enter Adam’s race.
• Jesus had to enter Adam’s dilemma.
• Jesus had to face Adam’s battle.
• Jesus had to endure Adam’s struggle and temptation and suffering.
• Jesus had to suffer Adam’s death.

He had to be human.
If He is not human then there is no salvation.

But that’s not really the tough one for this crowd.
They were well aware that the Christ would be a human.

The Christ is David’s Son
#2 THE CHRIST IS DAVID’S LORD
Luke 20:42-44

We find that not only would the Christ be born as a descendant of David, We also find out that the Christ first existed as David’s Lord.

And He is the sovereign Lord of all.
• He sits at the right hand of God (the seat of authority)
• And all enemies are made a footstool for His feet.
• That is to say that He is the ultimate sovereign and preeminent authority.

What we are talking about here is that
THE CHRIST IS AND MUST ALSO BE GOD.

When we talk about Jesus we use terms like “God-Man”
Or we talk about the “Hypostatic Union”

As I told the youth, if you wish to understand it.
God is referred to in theology as 1 WHAT & 3 WHOS
• WHAT? God
• WHO? Father, Son, Holy Spirit

But Jesus is referred to as 1 WHO & 2 WHATS
• WHO? Jesus
• WHAT? God & Man

Mysterious? Yes, but absolutely necessary.

And just as we clearly see His humanity in Scripture
WE ALSO CLEARLY SEE HIS DIVINITY.

We see Him having authority over everything.
• Nature, Disease, Death, Sin, Demons – everything obeys Him.

We see Him with power to create.
• Wine from water; bread from nothing; restoring withered arms, etc.

We Him with omniscience.
• How many times we read that He knew what they were thinking.

There is even a thread of omnipresence.
• We remember how He told Nathanael, “when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” (Jn 1:48)

WE CLEARLY SAW THE DIVINE NATURE IN HIM.

The youth will remember from Stephen’s sermon
How Jesus so often claimed to be God.
• There are His famous 7 “I Am” statements.
• There are His authoritative words “I say to You”
• There is His power to forgive sin (which God alone can do)
• There are His claims to be God like in John 5 or John 8

We could ADD TO THAT HIS MIRACULOUS WORKS which Jesus said prove that He is from the Father.

We could talk about the responses He had.
• When Thomas called Him, “My Lord and My God” Jesus did not rebuke him.
• When the Bible says the disciples worshiped Him, Jesus did not correct them.
• Jesus even told the disciples in John 14 that they would pray to Him and He would answer them.

The deity of Jesus is clearly seen throughout Scripture.

BUT WHAT IS THAT IMPORTANT?

We saw that He had to be man to fulfill man’s obligation and pay man’s debt, BUT WHY DID HE HAVE TO BE GOD?

Hopefully the youth will remember Stephen’s point.
He had to be God because He came to save.

If Jesus is nothing more than righteous human example
Then He does us no good at all.

Before Jesus came WE ALREADY HAD A RIGHTEOUS EXAMPLE;
That’s exactly what the Law is.

The Law clearly articulates the “Do’s & Don’ts” of life.
The Law clearly spells out the expectation of God.

If all Jesus was, was a moral or righteous example
Then He only adds to our condemnation.

Now, we are doubly condemned
• We can’t even use the excuse that righteous living is impossible
• Since Jesus, as a mere man, would have done it.

There is no hope for us if Jesus is only a man.

Jesus has to be more than a man.
• He not only has to escape all the traps and temptations of humanity
• He also has to bear the punishment for all the sin of all the elect for all time.

The main issue that plagues us from birth is that as humans
We bear the fallen nature of our father Adam.

We are born sinful and bent toward sin.
In fact we are born spiritually dead.
And we are born loving sin.

Jesus was born of a virgin (conceived by God)
So that He would not bear Adam’s fallen nature.
He could not just be a human like the rest of us.

Certainly this was what allowed Him to resist every temptation.

But then, He would go to the cross
Where He must bear the punishment, not just for the one sin of Adam,
But for every sin of all of God’s elect for all time.

The ONE SIN OF ADAM is enough to put him in hell for all eternity.
Jesus must bear that, AND every other.

We remember Isaiah 53.
Isaiah 53:6 “All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.”

Let that sink in.
• If one sin is enough to send me to hell for eternity
• Upon which there is no remission,
• What must the weight of my entire life of sin be like?

• And then I add that to your sin.
• And then I think of the sin of all those who have gone before me.
• And I think of the sin of those who will come after me.

The cost is absolutely unfathomable.
When we talk about a sin debt, we are talking about a debt
That makes The National Deficit look like nothing.

We are talking about thousands of years and billions of people
And sins beyond number, each of which carries an eternal sentence of hell, and Jesus had to pay all of that.

IF HE WAS GOING TO SAVE,
HE HAD TO PAY OFF THE ENTIRE DEBT OF ALL THE REDEEMED.

No man can bear that weight, only God can bear an eternal weight of sin.
Jesus had to be man, but He also had to be God.

• He had to be able to face death and defeat it.
• He had to be able to bear sin and judgment and survive it.
• If He isn’t God then He can’t save.

Jesus isn’t just David’s Son, He is also David’s Lord.
He is human and He is divine.

And with one verse in the Old Testament
He points that out to this crowd in the temple.

IT IS THE NEXT LEG OF THE GOSPEL.
• First He delivered to them the bad news of condemnation and judgment and
an unpaid debt before God.
• But now He is beginning to give the good news which is the person and
work of Jesus.

And when we talk about His person
We are talking about the one who was perfect man and eternal God.

And He had to be if you and I were to be saved.

• There had to be a payment valuable enough…
• There had to be a Savior strong enough…

JESUS WAS.

Hebrews 10:11-14 “Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”

That is the PERSON of the gospel.
That is the SAVIOR.

This morning we come to remember that Savior
Through the taking of the Lord’s Supper.

We see this bread
• We remember that it represents a perfectly holy life lived in a human body
• And He did so that He might satisfy our righteous requirement before God.
• He lived this life for us.

We see this juice
• We remember that it represents His life blood
• Which was offered to God on our behalf
• To pay off our penalty and condemnation.
• He died for us.

And when we partake we confess our need for this sacrifice.
• When we partake we confess our loyalty to Him.
• When we partake we confess to the world that only through His death does salvation occur.

This morning, we will have our time of preparation.
We examine ourselves, we humble ourselves.
We then come and partake of the table of the Lord.

OUR COVID-19 POLICY

While we understand that the virus is real and people do get sick and for some this is severe, we simply have chosen to leave precautions up to you and to not seek to enforce anything upon you.  We simply are here to worship, study God’s word, and fellowship.  All decisions regarding attendance, wearing masks, and other precautions will be left up to you the parent.  We certainly encourage anyone who is sick or symptomatic not to come.  We will safeguard the food line and things like that, but other precautions are decisions that you need to make as a parent.  While we hope you and your family will participate, we certainly understand if the timing right now is not a good idea for you.  But when the threat decreases or you feel the time is right, we would certainly love to have you worship with us on Wednesday nights!

5:00pm – KFC (Kids For Christ)

• Will meet in the sanctuary at 5 for worship and then break out into classes.
• Will end at the family meal at 6:00pm

 

 

 

5:15pm – HEARTBEAT (prayer meeting)

• Will meet in the foyer of the sanctuary
• We simply meet and pray and close in song.

 

 

6:00pm – FAMILY MEAL 

• It’s a home-cooked meal
• For the whole family
• No charge, just good food

 

 

6:30pm – YOUTH UNWIND

• In the youth room
• Just 30 minutes of fun and games before worship

 

7 :00pm – YOUTH + YOU

• We’re moving our youth worship/bible study into the sanctuary.
• Since our adults have no regular Wednesday night bible study we’re inviting them to sit in.
• We’ll start with singing (it might get loud) and move to Bible study
• Everyone is welcome