A Shepherd Looks Upon The Shepherd

Well, good morning everyone. Thank you for Pastor allowing me the time to share this wonderful Word of God. And we want to thank our pastor for he's been laboring so faithfully among us for For almost a year now solid straight without a vacation.

So we want to continue to keep him in our prayers throughout this week. He'll have a sweet retreat and be encouraged. I Know he tells me he has a lot of things to do around the house, but maybe he'll slow down a little bit but uh.

Let's turn our focus now. Redeeming Grace Church is all about the Word of God. We are all about the Word of God. I've been working at a church this week, and I was curious of What this church believed.

What at what word are they preaching. And the first thing I read it said have you ever been to a church and been beat up? Have you ever been to a church and beat up? Well, we will welcome you here, but we will not avoid the hard things but the question is is that I Don't know about you, but Where the Holy Spirit has shown me we have a great disease.

And we need to be wounded. We need to be humbled but God has that remedy. We're gonna see this in this so if you will please take your Bibles and turn with me to Psalm 22. This week is I was trying to prepare for this message.

I really didn't know what to preach. I didn't know what To. I'm just searching Lord. Like where where do you want me to exhort and encourage your people? This is the last place that I ever wanted to really go.

This is uh as The proverb says a word fitly spoken in season is like gold and that you know an app like gold and settings of in settings of gold every single word of this psalm needs to be Cherished. Every single word of this psalm should be Taken into your closet and adored.

Every single word if you will. You've heard the old English adage it says a picture is a worth a thousand words. In Psalm 53 we have the theology of the cross. In Psalm 22 we have God's commentary on the cross.

So this messianic psalm is written by David almost a thousand years before the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. So let us hear now from the Word of God. And please know this is I'm gonna ask for your endurance to persevere.

There's 31 verses here and this is a lot to cover and really all I'm doing is just taking a rock. Skipping it across the water that you may be stirred up in your own private devotions. To endure to seek out this.

I'm gonna try to give an outline for you to further dive into. So let us hear Psalm 22. This is the Word of the Living God. My God my God. Why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me and from the words of my groaning?

Oh my god, I cry in the daytime, but you do not hear and in the night season and It am NOT silent. But you are holy and thrown in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in you they trusted and You delivered them.

They cried to you and were delivered. They trusted in you and were not ashamed. But I'm a worm and no man. I reproach of men and despised by the people. All those who see me ridicule me. They shoot out the lip.

They shake their head saying he trusted in the Lord. Let him rescue him. Let him deliver him since he delights in him but you. Are he who took me out of the womb? You made me trust while I was on my mother's breast.

I Was cast upon you from birth from my mother's womb. You have been my God. Be not far from me for trouble is near for there's none to help. Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan Have encircled me.

They gave it their mouth with me with their mouths like a raging and roaring line. I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joy. My heart is like wax. It has melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue clings to my jaws.

And you have brought me to the dust of death. For dogs have circled around me the congregation of the wicked have enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet and I count all my bones. They look and stare at me.

They divided my garments among them and my clothing they cast lots. But you Oh Lord Do not be far from me. Oh My strength hasten to help me. Deliver me from the sword my precious life from the power of the dog.

Save me from the lion's mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen. You have answered me. I Would declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly. I will praise you. You who fear the Lord praise him all you descendants of Jacob glorify him and fear him all you offspring of Israel.

For he has not despised nor bored the affliction of the afflicted nor is he hidden his face from him. But when he sir, but when he cried to him he heard him. My praise shall be of you in the great assembly.

I pay my vows before those who fear him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied. Those who seek him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord and all the families of the nation shall worship before you.

For the kingdom is the Lord's and he rules over the nation's. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him and Even he who cannot keep himself alive.

And will you please join with me and read these last two versions. A Posterity shall serve him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation. They will come and declare his righteousness to a people who will be born that he has done this.

Amen.

Prayer for Illumination and the Burden of Psalm 22

Let us pray.

Father.

Your servants are listening. Oh God, will you please speak to us? Lord is as if you're standing right now in the midst of your congregation walking among us telling us to take off our shoes. We are standing on holy ground.

Lord.

Please forgive us of our backslidings. Please forgive us of our lukewarmness. Please forgive us Oh Lord. For our familiarity was your holy word Father we want to love you more as the psalm Writer says Lord, will you open the eyes of our hearts?

Open the eyes of our hearts. For we want to see you lifted high and lifted up shining in the light of your glory. Lord change us this day. We ask you please do this for your great name's sake in Jesus name.

I pray Amen. So first I want to just go over some groundwork and this is basic 101, but I think it will help us. I Got a couple of questions. What is sin may we never forget this? Sin is only a lack of conformity to the moral character of God of the law of God and we sin By thinking evil speaking evil and acting evil or omitting good.

Romans.

1423 tells us Whatsoever is not a faith is sin. Whatsoever is not a faith is sin. Let us never forget that whatsoever is not a faith is sin. Romans 14 23. In First John 3 4 we read that sin is the transgression of the law.

Next question, so what is the consequences of doing this. The wages of sin is death Romans 6 23. So the question we have to say is how does God see our sin? How does God see our sin and Isaiah? He says the whole head is sick.

The whole heart is faint. God our maker is revealing us like a faithful physician has come in to diagnose his patient. We are totally and completely.

Sinful.

Every thought of man's heart is evil continually. So what does it matter if you're dying of cancer? You're dying of heart disease. The problem is the great thing it the the thing that you have to focus on is that you're dying.

You are dying. We each one of us is dying. Death will be our arresting officer that will seize us and Bind us and take us to the judgment seat. We all will face it. We may be tempted to think well. This is not describing me.

What we are that was what we are before Jesus saved us in Christ, we're saints now don't fall into this trap. It's is it true. Are you are you spared from this? Does a saint does this keep you from lying?

Does a saint watch unquestionable things on TV as pastor already mentioned. Does a saint go dishonoring to dishonoring websites? Does a saint get impatient with those on the roads my wife can test of that make no mistake about it you and our sinners.

We're sinners. God is not describing the pagan nations around them back in Isaiah. We have to understand this. He is not describing the pagan nations around him. But God is speaking to his own people.

Romans chapter 3. It tells us clearly of More about our condition. No one understands. No, not one. Man is unable to comprehend the truth of God and God's standard of righteousness. That's the key. No, man has the ability within himself to understand the standard of God's righteousness.

That's why you see always Ray Comfort asking he believe you're a good person and you can ask his video watch his videos and I would.

Say.

98 say yes, I'm good. They have no understanding their spiritual ignorance. And until the Spirit of God opens the eyes of their hearts, they will never see it. And we too would have never seen it. So the big question I have I want to start before we plunge into this great text and it's Wonderful.

It's been a big burden upon my heart this week and So inadequate. For this this waiting text, but the big question I have to you all that I want to charge to you is. So how can God keep his word and reject the sinner in his sin and yet say I'll never forsaken.

I'm gonna read it again. How can God keep his word and reject the sinner in his sin? And yet also say I'll never forsake you let's just now turn to Psalm 22 and we'll see the answer to this. I want to give you an outline.

So this is profound. I've never seen any. I've never seen any out. I mean, I've never really saw clearly the divisions of this Psalm 22, but it is so beautiful a Lament is a basically a deep grievance and sorrow of the heart.

It's okay to lament it's okay to grieve and let God know what's upon your heart. And we're gonna see this and I want you to understand. Please see this. May the Spirit of God show us. This is our our faithful guide to our conduct.

This is a guide to our conduct. As miss Lillian informed me right when I came to Berean years ago. She said, you know, the Lord has one University and it's the University of suffering. And that is so true.

So in this I want you to see. We're gonna see the two main themes of this right here the two pillars that then this text we have The humiliation of Christ and we have the exaltation of Christ and within each of these the humiliation we have Laments, there's gonna be three laments, but for every three laments There's gonna be a response of faith mixed to it to respond to that sorrow.

Fate grabs any weapon possible and fights on the other side of that. We'll see is exaltation. And that's all gonna be Thanksgiving in the midst of the believers into the ends of the earth and that God has promised to seed.

Forever.

So I got this outline is kind of combination of I want to give credit to John McArthur and Dale Ralph Davies that.

Showed I.

Learned that there's a trail of faith through here. Pastor lives close to the trail of tears, but there's a trail of faith here. That's so beautiful that I hope we all will see. That fate responds fate stands.

So.

If you look at verses one and two We're going to have the first lament. The first lament is silence. The first lament is silence. Remember these laments by the three s's We're gonna have silence scorn and solitude are the three laments of the deep sorrow and grief.

And in that solitude, you know, ultimately sin wants to get us along and when we're alone That's when the satanic hosts come and I hate to say this right now. But I often think this was the fall of Robbie Zacharias.

This is the fall of Robbie Zacharias. Sin wants to get you alone. In a satanic host come and that's why we had the local church is for sanctification one another and to hold each other accountable. That is God's provision for means of grace and God forbid.

Do you know every time you put a hedge about it saying will come with another? Greater job offer, but you'll have to leave the company. You'll have to leave the state soon as you put a hedge about saying saturated in God's Word Being a one another church Satan will come the satanic host will come and say do you really are you lucky as he tempted?

Christ are you truly the Son of God? Are you truly a child of God? Let me put the bait over here for you. Every time every time every time. But listen at this my God my God. This is the beloved the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is his fourth petition on the cross. The fourth petition on the cross the first petition. Do you remember what it said father? Forgive them for they do not know what they say or do. Forgiveness first petition on a suffering on a cross on a cool criminals cross crucifixion Was not common in David's turn David's time.

This is before he knew nothing about this. So, how does David know about this acts 230 tells us David was a prophet? So as the Sun as The star shines in the darkness the Sun comes out has has the star so the Sun has.

David.

So that's what we see. This is a messianic song. But here we see. Yes David suffered but not. This is the suffering lamb of God. He suffered for his own sins, too. There's no sin here none. So we hear the silence here my god my god.

Why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me and from the words of my groaning? Oh my god. I cry in the daytime, but you do not hear in the night season and I'm not silent again. I said this is the fourth Petition from the cross the Golgotha is the scene.

This is the midday midnight. This is uh, they say around the ninth hour. I believe it's in Matthew the Gospels. So the second petition the Lord, uh, I Believe the second petition as he says this day you will be with me in paradise.

You know, he said that to the thief on the cross. The third petition mother behold your son son behold your mother John and Mary. This is number four. My god, my god, it's like fake clutches with both hands to God.

My god my god fake clutches with both hands. So what I want to look at this right here.

Is.

Why?

Why is there silence? Why is there silence having you receive silence in your prayers? Number one, it's an atonement. Number two as sinners We do not deserve to be heard. So why did Jesus have to be baptized?

To be identified with sinners he is the center representative. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. And third. He's the high priest to intercede. It shall comfort you to know that Christ has been where you are this very day.

Our Lord has already set up the example for you and I and he bids us to follow in his footsteps this morning. Let us draw near to the man of sorrows and hear from him. Hear from him beloved hear his words.

Let it comfort you and be like a bomb to your soul. Satan's chief object is to make you abandon your prayer closet. He is make he's saying forsake the closet give up private devotion. God doesn't hear you.

Never draw near. For a prayer is all just fancy and fallacy. Anyway, let us burn every thought from that pits of hell where that comes from. Let us grow more earnest in prayer. You remember in Matthew 11 to 12 It says the kingdom of heaven suffered violent and the violent take it by storm.

Take a battering ram to the gates of heaven and keep banging it keep banging it. The old Puritan said Cold prayers ask for denials. But red-hot prayers prevail and chapter and verses that is faithful prayers of the righteous availeth much.

The faithful affection fervent prayer. That's a red-hot prayer. So bring your battering ram and keep banging. So we see in this my god my god, why are you forsaking me? So I want to bring this down to a practical level quickly.

Why does God why do our prayers go unanswered? Number one, I believe it's because of our own sin. Psalm 66 18 says if we regard iniquity in the heart the Lord will not hear you hear us. Number two James 4 3 says we pray in the wrong motives.

We have a lack of fear. Number three. We have a lack of fear and reverence towards God. Number four. Paul pleaded often Lord, please remove this thorn from my side side. And God said my grace is sufficient.

But the delays for that were the training school. That was a training school. Oftentimes these delays are training schools.

And number five.

God is sovereign the Almighty God. The Potter. I can do whatever he has he would desires to with the clay. And number six and this is the positive note oftentimes when a street performer plays. You want to hear his talent?

You want to hear the sweet sound coming from his instrument on the street before you give him a token of appreciation a Token of gratitude. So oftentimes God just wants to hear our voice. He loves his children.

He loves to hear their voices. So it's oftentimes just saying I want to hear your voice. Our first business is to believe prayer without faith. Is basically.

Basically.

Prayers without faith have no blood in them. Prayers without faith have no blood in them. So right here we see silence as the first grief so our hope. We look to the mercies of God. So you see right here.

We have silence as the first as the first lament and the cry of our Lord from this cool cross. Look how faith responds in verse 3. Look at this response and this is profound. Here's how faith responds, but you are holy in.

Thrown in the praises of Israel father stressed it in you. That's Yahweh. That's God's covenant name. They trusted in you. Delivered them they cried to you and we're delivered. They trusted in you and we're not ashamed.

Have your prayers ever been unanswered and you responded in this manner. This is convicting. What basically what our Lord is saying? Though you don't answer me. You're not unjust. You're not untrue. You're not unfaithful.

He's appealing. Faith appeals to the character of God. Faith is appealing to the character of God and let this be our example when our prayers sing to Terry. Appeal to God's character. Appeal to God's character.

So.

He looks back and he and says our father our fathers trusted in you so the covenants of God is nothing but the support of the seed of the faithful. The covenant is a support of the seed of the faithful and Satan has been after that seed from the garden.

We're not to question the holiness of God. But let this be your resolve and agree to use this as a petition for your plea. So no matter what tempest comes from. What trial comes your way? No matter what beats upon you.

Faith is like that old coral rock that stands firm no matter what the tempest brings towards it. No matter how much it roars. This becomes an island of your salvation for our shipwrecked souls. So no matter how it roars this ugly head and beats upon you and beats upon you.

Faith is like that coral rock Which becomes an island of our salvation for our shipwrecked souls. So no matter what remember what Job said though you slay me yet. I'll praise you God is holy and there's no Absolutely, no unrighteousness in him.

So if we continue on let's go to the second lament is scorn. So if you look at verses 6 through 8, this is scorn verses 1 2 of silence. I've always loved this verse but I'm a worm and no man a reproach of men and despised by the people all those who see me ridicule me and they shoot out the lip and they shake their Head saying he trusted in God.

You can hear the sarcasm. You can hear the insults. He's used they're using his own word against him. They're hitting at the object in the heart of your faith. And that's the way the enemy does he will hit and aim at the object of your faith.

He will turn and use God's Word on you. But we know. Let him deliver him since he delights in him. They knew he delighted in him. What a testimony they knew he delighted to. They knew that they brought Acquisitions, he would be guilty for delighting in God.

Is that true of us? Others know that we truly delight in God. So the mockings and ridicules are nothing but poisonous bullets that go deeper than the flesh. They strike to the heart. They strike at the heart.

David knew this in such a small measure. But what do we have to do with the son of Jesse when we had the Son of God here before us.

Uh.

Look at this verse 6, but I'm a worm and no man. Let us ponder this for a second. Look at something as a contrast. This is fully God and fully man. It's like saying hold up The Lord of Glory to be brought to such an abasement and to think that we're any better God help us.

The Lord of Glory brought us such an abasement. And we think we're better. Notice a worm is below a man's foot is below man's feet. I never have really seen this before but you look at this. I Am remember in John chapter 8 and we see it all throughout the Old Testament before Abraham was I am.

And.

I am a worm. Wow. Did you know that the word humility? Stems from the scientific word humus, which means dirt. John McArthur brought out and that me my background being a biology major I was really interested to learn more about the scarlet worm and I thought this was so amazing.

This little worm which has such a picture for us to help us. This Worm this scarlet worm. I can't pronounce the Greek word. I'm not even try to but uh This worm Would embed itself in the wood and make a covering like almost like similar like a covenant For it to bring forth birth to its little ones.

This worm is called a scarlet worm in its original context. This one would be crushed and used to change the garments colors to crimson and When it gave forth birth That that that cover in there Would protect the little ones Until the age they could be on their own and then it would die and when it died it stained the tree and this is a scarlet worm.

And this is the context our Lord uses in regards to the the Greek the the Hebrew meaning of this worm. But this is this is far greater than this. This is not just changing of the external garments of the clothing.

This is the changing of the external position in eternity.

So.

If you look at this, I read this in the treasure of David David.

A.

Spurgeon has said was gifted with such a great mind to give pictures to help drive a point home. But think about this an angler uses a hook a hook an angle that's what it's called an angle. It's really called an angle angler that uses an angle to catch its bait to catch its fish.

But if you think about this think think about the sea it says an unbeliever is signified by being tossed to and fro so the ocean offers no stability and. And they it talks about that the sea monster being a great Levithan the great monster of all Roarings of all instability of being tossed to and fro of all chaos.

So here was the great Levithan the sea monster which represents the dog the dog of hell of seeing this worm as bait and Going for it as a bait, but didn't realize it had a divine nature and the hook caught him.

So the Lord told his disciples. I'll make you fishers of men and who were to fish with the worm the worm This is the Lord Jesus Christ and he's Saying I am a worm and no man were to fish only with Christ.

He says I will make you fishers of men so we see Say the enemy of God coming towards this worm Believing that he would just devour the kingdom of God and put an end to it. But he didn't realize that that divine nature was his hook that would kill him and destroy him that that would be the crushing of his head if you will let's continue on to the Verses 9 and 10.

So we had silence and 1 2 we had faiths response in 3 4 5. Scorn in 6 7 8 and now we have an appeal to faith again. Faith responds to the scorn and mockery Faiths in verse 9, but you are he who took me out of the womb.

You made me trust While I was on my mother's breast. I was cast upon you from birth from my mother's womb. You have been my God. Be not far from me for trouble is near.

For is.

None to help. Do you see? Faith appeals now to the personal testimony. First it appealed to God's character. Now faith appeals to God to the personal testimony. So we always have the person and the work.

So let us have used this first God. You're a holy you've always been faithful. And then your work. So we see this as Christ as our Lord Jesus Christ is telling us you took me out of my mother's womb. I had no earthly father.

My mother was poor. In your provisions you had a census come about that led me to Bethlehem. And you have been my God. Do you remember when the Lord they came? It was Passover week and they couldn't find him and They they wondered where he was at.

They went back into the temple and they found him and he said. And he asked questions to them to his parents not in a disrespectful Manner, but the Lord said why do it thou seeketh me? Don't you know I must be about my father's business.

This is as a child.

So.

Providence testifies for faith and draws time. When Jesus was the weakest. Jesus was the weakest as a child and in God's providence There was provisions there to protect him. Is he gonna forsake him now as he's an older?

No. Nothing changes. God never changes. Fate utilizes every means of grace and fates finds a weapon everywhere. First in God's name. Second and what he's done. So if we keep traveling we look now to the third lament.

Which is solitude. Solitude is going to run from verses 12 through 18. Solitude we're gonna see. Solitude gets bombarded. It's like Pearl Harbor it gets bombarded by satanic hosts when they're solitude.

Satanic host bombardment within solitude. Listen to the Word of God here verse 12. Many bulls have surrounded me strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. They gave it me with their mouths like a raging and roaring lion.

I'm gonna stop there to picture the scene. Midday midnight. I say that because at one time Half the world had light half the world didn't and God shut darkness. Darkness was a representation of judgment of sin.

So.

In these last hours of our Lord's life We see These strong bulls of Bashan what this represents. They had that this this area was known to have large plots of land and these bulls were very well fed and fat.

Basically swollen with pride that's swollen with pride. They gave it me with their mouths like a raging and roaring lion these people these Jewish his own people that he came unto Surrounded him like beast.

It's like they could not vomit their insults fast enough. They could not get their hatred out fast enough. When you when we look at this right here. But can't we all in a way reflect Before the Lord and before the Spirit of God opening our eyes.

We hated we were at enmity with God. We were to enmity with God. So my question is where are you today? Where are you at at this cross? Where are you at at the cross? So if you look in verse 14 I'm poured out like water and all my bones are out of joy.

My heart is like wax. It has melted within me.

This is.

Our Lord describes his own personal condition. The wrath of God is being poured out. The wages of sin is coming to full. The full brought the blunt of the dregs of the wrath and the cup of God the wrath of God.

The full price is being paid here. All my bones are out of joint. So hanging suspended in the air between heaven and earth. We have our Lord suspended. My strength is dried up like a pot shirt. My tongue clings to my jaws and he have brought me to the dust of death.

For dogs have surrounded the congregation of the wicked and the wicked has enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet and I count all my bones. The zeal of his father's house had eaten him up. The zeal of his father's house had eaten him up.

So here and it says they divided my garments among them and my clothing they cast lots. Don't you see the callousness of the hardness of their own hearts? Gambling. It's like beyond an expression of how hard our nature is.

When our our our hearts to see that this is our nature. This is our nature. Crisis here. It says they divided his garments among them and they cast lots. So through Adam's sin, we all were naked. And we became that way.

In Christ became naked the second Adam the second federal headship. They stripped him of his clothes that all flesh Which is naked before God shall be covered. That is so beautiful that all flesh. That all flesh may be covered.

So if you will we've looked at those three laments. And this is the final plea. To the final where faith appeals with urgency in verses 19 20 and 21. So we've had three Sessions of laments. Now, this is the third response.

With faith response the final lament. Faith appeals were urgency. But you Oh Lord do not be far from me. Oh my strength hasten to help me deliver me from the sword my precious life from the power of the dog.

Save me from the lion's mouth from the horns of the wild oxen. Faith returns and wants nothing but God. Remember the shortest plea one of the shortest prayers in the Bible. Lord help me in the greatest sense of the trial the urgency grows greater and in the words become Greater with urgency and fervor.

Lord help me. This is the last degree and plea to make haste. Notice, this is the last degree. Remember the first degrees that we went through we had remembered God's character. I remember the personal testimony his person in his work and then the urgency here.

So the last cry is to for rescue from death and this prayer is answered. This prayer is answered. So remember the first gospel called proto Evangelion from Genesis 3. God the Father preached it and said the day you eat of this tree.

The knowledge of good and evil you shall surely die. God cannot lie and Satan coming to them. Tempted them and said did God say. Did God say? The day you eat of this trees least you shall die. Took scripture twisted it.

Used it against them the same way. Nothing's changed but as you know the first gospel God comes and after asking Adam the question. Asking Eve the question and then the questions are over and says I will send a seed into this world.

There will be empathy between your seed and the seed of the woman. You shall bruise his heel, but he will crush your head. So if we look at this look at verse 21 and look at the end of that I call it 21 B and most of times is set apart in Bibles.

You have answered me. You have answered me. This prayer was answered. So I asked a question here we go from all this pain to praise. So I asked the question What divides this what happened here? What's going on here.

Can anyone take a guess? The resurrection. The resurrection. If you will turn with me to Matthew 28 verse 9 and we'll see this Matthew 28. I'm sorry. Matthew 28 verse. Verse 50. Matthew 28 Verse 50. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

And then behold the veil of the temple was torn into from top to bottom and the earthquake and the rock split and The graves were open in many bodies of the Saints who had fallen asleep or raised. And the coming out of the graves after his resurrection.

They went into the holy city and appeared to many. Now if you flip back listen that verse 22 I Will declare your name. To my brethren in the midst of the assembly, I will praise you. Where was the heart of it?

Where is the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ today? It is with his bride. It is with his brethren in the midst of the congregation and midst of the assembly. You who fear the Lord so we'll see this this Thanksgiving is twofold the body of believers to the ends of the world.

So this is our example for holy praise. So we've seen our example of conduct through suffering now. We see it on the flip side of his exaltation that our duty is twofold. First we start with declaring his name his name.