Sunday February 21, 2021 AM

Sunnyside Baptist Church

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

05:34

Good morning everyone. It's good to see you all this morning. Good to be here to worship at Sunnyside Baptist Church this morning.

05:43

If you're visiting with us, we're especially glad that you're here this morning. And if you're joining us on live stream, we're glad that you're joining us that way as well.

05:51

A few announcements as we get started this morning. Come back tonight for our evening service at 530.

05:58

That's here at the church in the main auditorium. And then Wednesday, we will have a 545 dinner for the whole church and Bible study at 630 for the adults and prayer for the adults.

06:11

And then the kids will have their tag program in the tag room. And then looking ahead, some dates that need to be adjusted just with regard to the winter storm and being out.

06:22

We will have truth group for the young adults next Sunday night, the 28th.

06:28

Okay, after the evening service. But we will not have communion next

06:34

Sunday morning. If that will instead be pushed to March 7th. Okay, that morning.

06:39

So Lord's Supper on March 7th. Please plan to be here for that. All right, our fighter verses of the week come from the

06:49

Psalm Psalm 56, verses three and four. When I am afraid

06:54

I put my trust in you. In God whose word I praise. In God I trust.

07:01

I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? Good verse to meditate and memorize.

07:09

There's still need for a volunteer to work in the infant room in the nursery during the

07:15

Sunday school hour. Please see Marla Hovarter if you can serve in that capacity. Also Operation Christmas Child we're still continuing to give regularly with regards to that.

07:27

This month, hats and gloves and then I think next month small stuffed animals.

07:33

We want those to be able to fit into a shoebox. And then lastly, we've been talking for a little bit about our church directory and some updates there.

07:42

Those updates have come out. So if you need to go check the mailbox that's at the back on the back table.

07:49

Look for the letter of your last name and look for those updates for your family.

07:55

If you know somebody who maybe isn't going to be here for a week or two but you can get it to them, feel free to do that as well.

08:02

And then if there are any questions with regard to that you can talk to Tristan Call. Okay, any other announcements before we get started with worship this morning?

08:13

All right, it's good to be together this morning. We're going to have a time of prayer, silent preparation for worship and then after we're done with that Dwight will open us in prayer.

10:11

Oh Lord our Lord how excellent is your name in all the earth.

10:19

We have come together this morning to worship you and to lift up your most excellent holy name.

10:30

We thank you and we praise you for who you are and for what you've done for us.

10:40

How you've created this earth, this world, this universe, a beautiful place and you have placed us in it to care for it.

10:55

We thank you and praise you for your creation and Father how we need you.

11:10

We are a poor and spiritually needy people and we come before you this morning looking to you to help us worship in spirit and in truth and to lift up the name of your son the

11:39

Lord Jesus our Savior. The one who gave his life for us that we might have life, who shed his blood on our behalf that we might be forgiven.

11:52

We have so much to be grateful for. Help us to offer up to you the sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise.

12:04

How good you are to us. How you've so richly blessed us. How you care for us.

12:13

Watch over us and as Michael comes later to open your word to us, feed us and nourish us with your word and may it grow within us and restore the image within us that is broken.

12:49

Make us after the image of your son the Lord Jesus that we might be a blessing to others.

13:00

In Jesus name I pray, amen. Would you stand with me for our call to worship?

13:19

In our high school boys Sunday school class we've been looking at how

13:24

God is watching over, protecting, preserving the life of David from his enemies.

13:30

And so in our passage this morning we're going to see not just in theory that God watches over us in experience.

13:40

The psalmist is speaking from experience of God's protection in his own life.

13:48

And it's just good to have God's protection even this past week over the storm. And so I'm glad we're all able to meet here together today and those even online as well.

13:58

Read with me together Psalms chapter 59 verses 1 and 2. Deliver me from my enemies,

14:05

O my God. Protect me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from those who work evil and save me from bloodthirsty men.

14:17

Our first song this morning is on page 25, Immortal, Invisible.

14:25

He is the only wise God. Thy great name we praise.

15:04

Unresting, unhasty, as silent as light.

15:10

Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might.

15:17

Thy justice like mountains high soaring above.

15:24

Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

15:32

To all life thou givest, both great and small.

15:39

In all life thou givest the true life of all.

15:46

We blossom and flourish as leaves on a tree.

15:53

And wither and perish, but not change at thee.

16:10

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

16:17

Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight.

16:25

All praise we would render, all help us to see.

16:33

Tis only the splendor of Thy dignity.

17:24

I'm the backup. Good morning.

17:38

We'll begin Deuteronomy this morning, chapter 32, 34 through 52, starting in verse 34, 32, sorry.

17:55

For their vine is of the vine of Sodom and the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are grapes of gall.

18:02

Their clusters are bitter. Their wine is the poison of serpents and the cruel venom of cobras.

18:08

Is this not laid up in store with me, sealed up among my treasures? Vengeance is mine and recompense.

18:16

Their foot shall slip in due time, for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.

18:24

For the Lord will judge His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their power is gone and there is one remaining, bond or free.

18:33

He will say, where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge, who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offering?

18:42

Let them rise and help you and be your refuge. Now see that I, even I, am

18:48

He, and there is no God besides me. I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal, nor is there any who can deliver from my hand.

18:57

For I raise my hand to heaven and say, as I live forever, if I wet my glitting sword and my hand takes hold on judgment,

19:06

I will render vengeance to my enemies and repay those who hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with blood and my sword shall devour flesh and the blood of the slain and the captives from the heads of the leaders of the enemy.

19:20

Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants and render vengeance to His adversaries.

19:27

He will provide atonement for His land and His people. So Moses came with Joshua, the son of Nun, and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people.

19:38

Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel, and he said to them, set your hearts on all the words which

19:44

I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe all the words of this law.

19:52

For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land which you cross over the

20:01

Jordan to possess. Then the Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, Go up this mountain of the

20:09

Abram Mount Nebo, which is the land of Moab, across from Jericho. View the land of Canaan, which

20:15

I give to the children of Israel as a possession, and die on the mountain which you ascend, and be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people.

20:27

Because you trespassed against me among the children of Israel in the waters of Meribah, Kadesh, in the wilderness of Sin.

20:36

Because you did not hollow me in the midst of the children of Israel, yet you shall see the land before you, though you shall not go there, into the land which

20:44

I am giving to the children of Israel. Would you pray with me? Father, we thank you for this morning.

20:53

We thank you for the word. We thank you for being so gracious, so kind, and so holy.

20:58

We thank you for being so good. We ask, Lord, that you would give us ears to hear your word this morning, that we would submit to it and live it out, that we would know more of you and be filled with all spiritual wisdom and understanding, that we would be filled with Christ, Lord, and further know the depth, the height, and the width, the love of Christ which you have given unto us through your

21:20

Son. And it's in his name we pray. Amen. You may be seated.

21:30

We're going to continue our song service on page 355, Trusting Jesus. Be trusting every day, trusting through a stormy wind and whistle, trusting

22:18

Jesus, that is all. Trusting Jesus, that is all.

23:36

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

24:06

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

24:36

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

25:10

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

25:51

Our last song is page 529, Oh, How I Love Jesus.

25:58

Whole heart to him. There is a name

26:07

I love to hear, I love to sing, it's worthy.

26:14

It sounds like music in my ear, the sweetest name on earth.

26:24

Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how

26:30

I love Jesus. Oh, how

26:36

I love Jesus, because he first loved me.

26:44

It tells me of a Savior's love who died to set me free.

26:53

He tells me of his precious blood, the sinner's perfect being.

27:05

Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how

27:11

I love Jesus. Oh, how I love

27:17

Jesus, because he first loved me.

27:25

It tells me what my Father hath in store for me.

27:38

I tread a dark sun path, he'll sunshine all the way.

27:47

Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how

27:54

I love Jesus. Oh, how

27:59

I love Jesus, because he first loved me.

28:10

It tells of one whose loving heart can feel my deepest woe, who in each sorrow bears a part that none can ever know.

28:35

Oh, how

28:47

I love Jesus, because he first loved me.

29:04

Oh, how I love Jesus, because he first loved me.

30:11

Let's go to the Lord together and pray for his blessing. Father, I thank you for the many answered prayers you have heard us offer up to you, us and our neighbors and our loved ones this last couple of weeks.

30:35

We thank you for the way that you hear our prayers, the way that you answer. You are to be praised for the way that you hear, that you incline your ear to us, that you know what is going on, that you have and are and will move according to your good pleasure.

30:59

And we praise you for it. Thank you for bringing us here today when there was the distinct concern that we would not be able to due to the weather.

31:11

What a joy it is to come together and dwell together in unity, to rejoice in the truth of your son and our savior and our sovereign

31:27

Jesus Christ, who is even now at your right hand, reigning with all authority and all glory.

31:39

And what a joy it is to give him praise today. I ask that you would help us as we look at your word this morning.

31:48

I pray that you would give us a good look at your son, Jesus, that you would strengthen us in our faith, guide us in our path and do what you want in our lives.

32:03

And I pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. I invite you to open your

32:09

Bibles to Psalm 116. Psalm 116.

32:16

We will be looking at verses five and six in particular this morning.

32:26

The title of the series is this. Call upon the name of the

32:33

Lord whom you praise. Call upon the name of the

32:38

Lord whom you praise. This is what Psalm 116 shows us.

32:46

It shows us somebody who fears God. And so whether they're in the fight or they're at the feast, they praise

32:57

God and they pray to him and they call upon his name. It doesn't matter if times are bad or times are good.

33:08

In times are bad, they're not giving up on God or desperately searching for other things.

33:15

When times are good, they're not forgetting about God and going on to other things. They're calling upon the name of the

33:23

Lord whom they praise. This psalm was written in the same style as King David wrote his psalms.

33:35

There were many things that David experienced in his life when times were low, when he was on the run, hiding out in caves in fear of his life.

33:44

And there were times that were good when he was reigning in Jerusalem and victory on every side.

33:52

But in both cases, when we see

33:58

King David fearing the Lord, he called upon the name of the Lord and he praised the

34:03

Lord. And this is essential for us, that we would fear the Lord and so praise him in every respect.

34:13

The key word for this group of psalms, 111 through 118, the key word, in fact, it's probably the key word of the whole book of psalms, is this, hallelujah.

34:27

Praise the Lord. That's the key word all the way through. And we've got a lot to learn about hallelujah.

34:36

It's easy to say. We say it all the time in the songs that we sing.

34:42

We read it all the time in the Bible, but we've got a lot to learn about it. One thing we've got to know, and we see it from our passage today, is that hallelujah is a first order prayer in the fight for faith.

34:58

It's a first order song when we're fighting against unbelief.

35:05

It's a first order thought when we're fighting to trust the

35:13

Lord in the fight of suffering and pain.

35:20

You're going to see this as I read verses 1 through 11 in a moment, but you see it in verse 3, the pains of death, the pangs of Sheol, trouble and sorrow, and that he calls upon the name of the

35:36

Lord like the child he is to the Father that God is. But the very next thing he does is stop to praise the

35:46

Lord for who he is and what he does. He gives a hallelujah before he even knows the outcome.

35:55

Hallelujah is not a wait around and see kind of word. Hallelujah is before things get resolved word.

36:03

I'm going to first, and then when it's all going through it out,

36:09

I'll hallelujah throughout, and then I'll hallelujah at the end. And that is a good way of understanding what it means to fear the

36:19

Lord. If you'll stand with me, I'm going to read this morning Psalm 116 verses 1 through 11.

36:25

I love the

36:31

Lord because he has heard my voice and my supplications, because he has inclined his ear to me.

36:40

Therefore, I will call upon him as long as I live. The pains of death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me.

36:54

I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the

37:00

Lord. O Lord, I implore you, deliver my soul. Gracious is the

37:08

Lord and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple.

37:16

I was brought low and he saved me. Return to your rest,

37:22

O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

37:35

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. I believed, therefore

37:41

I spoke. I am greatly afflicted. I said in my haste, all men are liars.

37:50

This is the word of the Lord. You may be seated. This first portion of Psalm 116 shows us the worshiper, the

38:07

God -fearer, in a bad time, in a fight.

38:18

And he begins by talking about how much he loves God, because he knows that God is hearing him in his hurting.

38:33

And not only does God hear us in our trouble, but he saves us in his goodness.

38:42

This morning, we're just going to look at how good God is, not based on experience, not based on our notions, not based upon our perception, but based on how

39:01

God has revealed himself. That's where we have to begin.

39:08

We have to begin with how praiseworthy God is, and then we proceed.

39:17

And that's the theme of this whole psalm, that the Lord who is praiseworthy in all things is trustworthy at all times.

39:27

We will know that throughout, and at the end, we'll know that he has been more than sufficient in all matters.

39:38

He is certainly trustworthy at all times, but how do we know that? Because he is praiseworthy in all things, but that's where we have to begin.

39:45

He is praiseworthy in all things, and so he is trustworthy at all times. It's an old saying that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

39:55

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. But what of your soul?

40:04

What of your soul? Do you take your soul in hand and direct your own inner person to where you know your thirst can be quenched?

40:22

Do you direct yourself to drink and be satisfied? Do you taste and see that the

40:31

Lord is good? That's what the psalmist is doing here. He's in a bad way, but he's going to take his soul and direct his person to the

40:42

Lord, and he's going to taste and see and be satisfied in God. We are often careening about in our anger.

40:54

We are often consumed by our anxieties.

41:01

We are often standing thirsty and undrinking by the spring of the water of life.

41:15

Listen to what Jesus says. Psalm 32 verse 8. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.

41:24

I will guide you with my eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.

41:41

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked, but he who trusts in the

41:47

Lord, mercy shall surround him. Mercy shall surround him.

41:55

Fear of man and the fear of death leave you parched, leave you without recourse.

42:06

Let me commend to you the fear of the Lord. To trust in the Lord, to praise the Lord, to think first of the

42:13

Lord, to think most of the Lord, to bring all your considerations into the light of who

42:20

God is, how he has revealed himself in his attributes and his actions.

42:29

You must walk by faith rather than by sight. In verses 7 through 11, you see what the psalmist says, what he begins to say to himself and to the

42:45

Lord and to others about the situation that he's in. I think he does pretty well.

42:52

We are so often ready to talk about the situation that we're in, the pains of death, the pains of Sheol, the trouble and the sorrow.

43:01

We're ready to talk about it. We're ready to characterize it. We're ready to to qualify it. We're ready to tell everybody else about it.

43:08

We're ready to complain about it. But before we start saying things about it, we got to start with what we know and then consider what we say.

43:18

What do we know first? What has God revealed about himself first? That's where we have to begin.

43:28

So we see this goodness of God. The fear of the

43:36

Lord is the beginning of wisdom, the beginning of knowledge, the beginning of understanding, and thus we should think of him first.

43:46

We should think about who he is first, consider his attributes and his actions first, and then we'll have the knowledge and understanding and wisdom to talk about what we're going through.

43:57

First of all, the attributes of God. What are we to think about God in our fight for faith? What are we to think about?

44:03

There are many, many things we could praise the Lord for and they are given it to us again and again in the word of God.

44:10

We may praise God many times over for a variety of his goodness.

44:17

But there are three things mentioned here. Here's a good starting place in our fight for faith to fear

44:23

God, to praise him, and notice there are these three attributes that he is gracious, that he is righteous, and that he is merciful.

44:32

Verse five. He's gracious, that he is righteous, and that he is merciful.

44:40

We can begin there. Pains of Sheol, pains of death, trouble and sorrow.

44:46

Before we start talking about it, before we start categorizing it, let's start by praising the

44:51

Lord for him being gracious and righteous and merciful. What does it mean that he's gracious?

45:00

What does it mean that he's gracious? It's a word that necessarily means that God is far above us, beyond us, in power and in glory, that he is not like us, limited or concerned, that he has all power.

45:32

He is thoroughly sovereign. He has made everything and he controls everything.

45:42

And yet, this word envisions him being careful and favorable in his consideration of his people.

45:58

He is not so transcendent that he's uninvolved, but in his power, in his glory, in his high exalted state, he is thoroughly concerned about what is going on with his people.

46:16

He is gracious. He is gracious. Look, this person fears the

46:21

Lord, and so he knows how powerful God is, how glorious God is, how he's in control of all things.

46:27

But he also knows that God is considerate and favorable and indeed merciful.

46:34

God has shown that he is merciful and he remains merciful from on high. This is one of the very first things that we are tempted about in our trouble, in our sorrow, in our suffering.

46:46

We are tempted to grumble that God doesn't care about too many things he's involved with to bother with what's going on with me.

46:58

Or the reason why everything has been derailed is because he is not paying attention. Or that when

47:05

I call out to him and I call upon him for help and deliverance, and things don't seem to go at my speed or my desire, that somehow

47:15

God is not considerate, that God is not favorable. But he is gracious.

47:23

He is gracious. And the fight we must remember who reigns on high, and that he is not inconsiderate in the least.

47:35

He is, the I Am, the one who is above all, is concerned and generous and kind to us in the things that we are in.

47:52

Not only is he gracious, but he's also righteous. He's also righteous.

47:59

We begin with God being merciful even in his sovereign exaltation, but also that he is righteous, that he is just.

48:10

And isn't this the case that if we're not thinking that God is somehow inconsiderate, or he's just unseeing about our situation, then aren't we tempted to think that God is unfair?

48:22

He's not doing the right thing. He's somehow failing to be consistent with what his own word says.

48:32

But you see how in our praising of the Lord, in our hallelujah of God, that we begin with him being, we say he's gracious and he is righteous.

48:42

You've got to understand that this hallelujah of the Lord is where we begin before we begin.

48:49

It's what we know before we think. It is the most necessary starting point for those who fear the

48:57

Lord. I know that he is gracious. I know that he is righteous. And when we say that God is righteous, when the scriptures say that God is righteous, it means that what he has sovereignly ordained to take place cannot contradict his righteousness.

49:16

That he is just in how he governs. Don't you desire that?

49:24

Out of those in authority, they would govern justly and righteously.

49:33

God is just and righteous in how he governs. Whether he delays his vengeance or he accelerates it, whether he delays his deliverance or accelerates it, he is just in how he governs and he is just in his cause.

49:48

He is right in what he desires. He is just in what he wills.

49:54

Though all men be warped and wrong, God is right. He is right in how he governs.

50:01

He is right in his cause. He is just in his conduct. Not a single deed that God has performed is out of place, ill -timed, lacking aim.

50:17

How he governs in his cause, in his conduct, he is just and right.

50:24

And so also in his character, perfect integrity, all that he thinks and desires, does and says in agreement.

50:35

He is gracious, he is righteous, and he is merciful. Merciful. This is the third listed goodness of God is easily translated as compassionate.

50:47

Compassionate. Now gracious is a top -down word by definition.

50:55

He must be above and exalted in order to be gracious. Righteous is an all -around word in all considerations.

51:07

This word merciful is a face -to -face word. It's the kind which flows from a deep love and a tender affection.

51:19

He is gracious, he is righteous, he is merciful.

51:26

We've got to know that in our suffering. If we're not doubting

51:31

God's attentiveness from on high or his justice in all things, then aren't we doubting his affection for us?

51:39

His love toward us? Is this not why we are careening in anger or consumed by anxiety?

51:49

Because we're not beginning with the fear of the Lord. We fear man, we fear death, but we don't fear the

51:58

Lord. Fearing the Lord means we begin with this. The Lord is gracious, he is righteous, he is merciful.

52:09

I don't care what my perception of my experience is. I don't trust me. I trust

52:15

God. And he is gracious, and he is righteous, and he is merciful.

52:23

You have nowhere else to begin. Begin here. Begin at the cross of Jesus Christ. Begin with Jesus Christ, who is the manifestation of God to us.

52:36

God revealed to us through Christ. Consider the grace of the incarnation that God the

52:48

Son took upon human flesh so that it would be God with us. Fully God and fully man.

52:54

Jesus with us means God with us. Because of sin, it was man apart from God.

53:03

And look at the disaster, and the death, and the horrendous chaos upon our world because of sin.

53:09

Man apart from God, banished because of his rebellion. But with Christ, it is

53:15

God with us. God with us. This is grace.

53:21

For God the Creator, sovereign, exalted to be with us, to come to us, to be one of us, that is grace.

53:34

God is gracious. How do we know? Because of Jesus Christ. God is righteous. How do we know?

53:40

Look at Jesus Christ, who never said, or thought, or did, or felt anything unrighteous.

53:49

In all things, he pleased his Father. In all things, he obeyed perfectly.

53:57

Even obeying to the point of dying upon a cross, suffering what we deserve.

54:05

The judgment and wrath of the holy God for our rebellion. Christ, who never rebelled, and never sinned, and never failed in any way, offers himself up as the substitutionary atonement, atonement, the lamb, the innocent lamb in our place dying.

54:24

Perfectly righteous. And he is merciful. Look at the mercy of the cross.

54:36

How can it be that God would show mercy upon sinners?

54:46

Mercy upon those who blaspheme him, and profane him, and commit adultery in our hearts, and with our bodies, and murder from our minds, through our hands, and commit idolatry in the mind, and with our crafts.

55:05

How could it be that God would ever forgive us?

55:12

But look at the mercy. How could God ever love us? Look at the mercy of the cross.

55:19

A thoroughgoing forgiveness. We're in Christ because of him dying in our place, and for our sake.

55:29

That God would give him no mercy on the cross.

55:36

He would give us mercy. That God's smile, which

55:43

Christ alone deserves, would be upon us. Because we trust in Christ.

55:49

Because by God's grace, we are brought into relationship with him through faith in Jesus Christ. Trusting only in him.

55:58

We have nowhere else to start. Start with Jesus. Simply trusting

56:04

Jesus every day. Start with Jesus to remember that God is gracious, that God is righteous, that God is merciful.

56:13

Just start there. Start there. His attributes show us that he is good, and his actions show us that he is good.

56:25

Of course, these are impossible to truly separate. But notice his actions toward the simple and the lowly.

56:32

And this is how the Godfear of the worshiper describes himself. He identifies as one of the simple.

56:39

He identifies as one of the lowly. This is who I am. We see that God guards the simple.

56:47

He preserves the simple. Quite often in the Old Testament, we observe mockery and hear rebuke against the simple for being silly and naive, which is not a desirable trait for those made in the image of God, who have been blessed to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it, to exercise dominion in the name of God, to give glory to him, and to do great things, to grow up into the maturity which

57:17

Christ possesses and models for us and blesses us with. Being silly and naive is not godly.

57:26

But there's another use of the term, because don't you know little children are pretty silly and naive?

57:35

And it's not a bad thing at all to humble ourselves before God the

57:40

Father and recognize that we are but little children. And in fact, that word infant is the

57:48

Greek word that the ancient translation used to cover this Hebrew word simple.

57:55

In the Septuagint, when they translated the Hebrew into the Greek, they looked at this word simple and says, well, in that context, that means child or infant.

58:02

They took the Greek word for infant and put it right over the top. That is the meaning of what is being said here, that God preserves the simple.

58:12

God preserves the simple. You know,

58:18

Jesus didn't say anything contrary to that, did he? Mark 10 verse 13 and following, then they brought little children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

58:30

But when Jesus saw it, he was greatly displeased. And he said to them, let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God.

58:38

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.

58:46

And he took them up in his arms and laid his hands on them and blessed them. Well, I'm confused.

58:51

He told Nicodemus he had to be born again. And now he's saying, as long as you're just a little child, which is it? But again, the metaphor matters.

59:01

What Jesus is saying is, unless you come into the kingdom of God, like these little children, in their state of neediness, their lack of ability to offer anything, unless you're coming in like a little child, you're not going to get in at all.

59:17

The disciples didn't want the little children there because they are only a bother. You've noticed that with little children, they're just, they're only a bother.

59:26

They never offer you anything. They don't contribute to the budget.

59:34

They don't eliminate the housework. They don't ease the headache.

59:42

Have you noticed that about little children? Very little children, all they can do is require more work, more labor, more cost.

59:52

And Jesus says, that's how you come into the kingdom of heaven. You have nothing

59:57

God needs. You come in by grace, so you don't come in at all, which is the same idea of the new birth.

01:00:10

It says God preserves the simple. The simple in this case are those who keep it simple and trust their heavenly father.

01:00:19

Single -minded, basically trusting. It says he protects them, he preserves them. You have the word picture here of God hedging them about as with thorns, which keeps out what he wants to kept out and keeps in what he wants to be kept in.

01:00:36

And we've got to know this about our Lord, that he preserves the simple.

01:00:45

And we need to recognize that we are like little children, simple and in need of preservation.

01:00:54

It's good news for somebody who has no resources of their own, who is surrounded by the pains of death and the pains of sheol and trouble and sorrow.

01:01:01

Somebody who has no way out and no way to best their own enemies. Good news, the

01:01:07

Lord preserves the simple. And good news, I was brought low and he saved me. He saves the lowly.

01:01:14

He saves the lowly. The psalmist, you see, makes the second part of this parallel personal.

01:01:21

He starts off in the general, the Lord preserves the simple. Then he says, I was brought low and he saved me. What's he doing there?

01:01:27

Well, he's intensifying and advancing the praise. There's the humility of acknowledging,

01:01:36

I'm simple, I'm a child. But there's additional texture here. He says, I was brought low and he saved me.

01:01:45

Been brought low. That term has the idea of hanging down and languishing.

01:01:53

Do you see that the God -fearer, in fearing the

01:01:58

Lord, does not hold much stock in himself? He portrays himself like a neglected infant, too weak even to cry, lying there in his empty, infamous state.

01:02:15

That's how he portrays himself. But then he praises the

01:02:20

Lord because God guards the simple and he saves the lowly. Do we not see that in how

01:02:34

God reveals himself in his word? How often do we see

01:02:39

God saving the lowly? How often do we see this?

01:02:45

That God is in the habit of giving water from the rock to the thirsty, bread from heaven to the hungry, those in bondage he liberates, those in peril he delivers, the defeated he makes victorious, and the dead he raises to life.

01:03:08

So whatever your trouble and sorrow is, whatever your trouble and sorrow is, before you begin to talk about it, before you consider what to say, consider what you know, consider what has been revealed to us about our

01:03:25

Lord, that he is gracious, that he is righteous, that he is merciful, that he guards the simple and he saves the lowly.

01:03:34

See your salvation in Christ and from that point see the goodness of God in every respect.

01:03:43

Let that color all that you know and fill all that you know and focus all that you know so that when it comes time to say something, that we can say with a sincere heart and an undivided mind, hallelujah.

01:04:06

Praise the Lord. Let's pray together. Father, I thank you for the reminder of these things which

01:04:13

I know, Lord, you say them again and again in your word, but we thank you for your long -suffering and your patience with us as children, that you know our frame that we are but dust.

01:04:27

We thank you, Father, for your graciousness and for your righteousness and your mercy. We thank you that you guard the simple and save the lowly.

01:04:40

Thank you for reminding us of what we are to know. Help us to fear you so that we will praise you, that we will trust you.

01:04:50

We pray these things for Christ's sake. Would you stand with me for our song of benediction?

01:05:07

We're going to sing in our little black hymnals, hymn number 83, Merciful God.

01:05:14

We'll sing all three verses. With love that flows from forgiveness, cause us to yield and return to the mercy of God.

01:07:28

Merciful God, faithful to keep us from falling, raise with your motherly heart, grow in our faith with each testing.

01:07:58

What's be the day? Struggle will end, faultless will stay on your glory, stand overwhelmed by the mercy of God.

01:08:30

May the love of the Father and the grace of the Son and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.