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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/gary-sharp/there-is-sin/
Psalm 106, please. Psalm 106. This is one of those psalms that has both history and humility in it. But thank God, it also has praise and adoration as well. So if I was to ask you whether you want the good news first or the bad news, I'm not sure what you'd say, but we're going to read both.
I want you to think first of all in the verses that we'll read at the beginning of confession, and honesty. So you can have that in mind as we read from verse 6 of Psalm 106. We have sinned with our fathers.
We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies. Verse 13, they soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness.
I don't think that was a human view, but that was the divine view. They lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.
Verse 19, they made a calf in Horeb and worshipped the molten image. Verse 21, they forgot God, their Savior, which had done great things in Egypt, wondrous things in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red Sea.
Verse 24, yea, they despised the pleasant land. They believed not his word, but murmured in their tents and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord. Verse 43, many times did he deliver them, but they were rebellious is the sense.
They provoked him with their counsel and were brought low for their iniquity, confession, and humility. Let's read again, please. And over these words, I think you can write compassion and hope. Verse 1, Psalm 106, verse 1.
Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Verse 8. Nevertheless, he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
He rebuked the Red Sea also. And it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them. And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
Verse 48. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. And let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. Compassion and hope. Trust that God will bless what we've read from his precious word in this beautiful psalm that speaks both history and humility.
Notice the language he speaks in verse 6. I just want to run down some of these verses so we'll have the setting. We have sinned. You know one of the charges in the book of Malachi over and over again was that they had left their God.
They had turned aside from his ways. They had not bowed to his word. And they kept saying, well how and why and where did it ever take place? But here we find the psalmist plain speaking. We have sinned.
We have sinned with our fathers. Notice how they have thoughtlessly followed the footsteps of others. How easy it is to do that. To go on just going along with others. Just following the self same path.
Just taking the same course of life as our forefathers before us. Aimless. Uncommitted. We have sinned. Child of God today. Would we dare to live? We who have been purchased with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus.
Would we dare to live? An aimless life. A life uncommitted. A life with little response to a Savior who loved us and gave himself for us. They thoughtlessly followed along. Notice the language of verse 6 again.
He says we have done wickedly. They say, really? Christians? I used to react to preachers preaching about the wickedness of a sinner. I knew I was a sinner. I knew I had done many, many things that were wrong.
But there was just something in me rebelled at the thought that I was wicked. But as I read my Bible and I've read it over the years, I've come to this conclusion. To be wicked simply means to be a sinner and content to stay the way you are.
Are we content to stay the way we are? He says we have done wickedly. Look at verse 7. It says that they did not understand nor appreciate God's wonders. Oh, the wonders of the great God who has so set his love upon us.
Who is so moved on our behalf. And oh, the wonders of the universe. No wonder we sometimes sing, oh, Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made. Makes you feel mighty small.
When you stop and get a little taste of the wonder of the great God who has brought everything into being and so controls and shapes it all, even its history. The great God of wonders. Why do we miss out on that soul-thrilling wonder?
When we rise in the morning, are we impressed each day by the greatness of our God and the glory of his name and the power of his might, the majesty of his being? Why do we miss out on that great soul-thrilling wonder in our souls?
Why? Well, I think a very quick conclusion could be that we're too busy. To sit and contemplate the greatness of our God. Says we have done wickedly. And it says that they did not understand or appreciate God's wonders.
Notice something else it tells us in verse 7. It says that they did not remember a multitude of mercies. Isn't it true? How quick we are to forget. I know once you reach a certain age, you start noticing the things that you forget.
And you start getting rather alarmed about the things that you might have forgotten. And I don't think this is determined upon age. Isn't it sad that we so easily forget a multitude? It doesn't say that we missed a thing or two along the way.
This or that. But a multitude of mercies. Mercies countless as the sands have to our souls been given. Why even before we knew what it was to think when we resided in the womb of our mother God's thoughts were towards us and God's intention and grace was seen even in our very beginnings.
And even long before that there was a multitude of mercies shown to us. Why were you born into the home that you were born in? Why did you experience the grace of God in this way or that along the way?
Why has He preserved and kept and blessed and enriched you? Why has He brought teaching into our lives that has so helped us? Because some of it certainly wasn't because we sought it out. But others did the labor and others have done that which it takes to bring the word of God before us in power.
And I'm not always conscious. And I certainly don't always revisit the multitude of mercies that have been shown towards me by the matchless grace of God. It says they didn't remember a multitude of mercies.
Notice in verse 13 where we read it says that they forgot again. They forgot again. What was it that they forgot? It's not here the mercies that are mentioned but His works, those things that He has done.
They had God's fingerprint on those things. His signature was on those very things that were done. His works. How is it possible that with the finger of God on it and His power in those things how is it possible that we could forget His works?
Oh what a mighty God and what might has been displayed in our lives, yours and mine. But here it speaks of these who forgot again His works. Notice what else it says. Same verse, verse 13. It says they waited not for His counsel.
How could we just go ahead with our finite and limited wisdom thinking that all will be well? Do we trust our own wisdom? Do we take our own way? Or do we wait upon God for His counsel? He whose wisdom is far beyond ours.
He whose mind and ways are greater far than yours and mine. And while it's all available to us. And He has said if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and abradeth not.
It shall be given. Why is it we don't wait? Why do we take our own way? Why don't we wait for the counsel of the Lord? My Bible tells me trust in the Lord and He shall bring it to pass. Wait also for Him.
They waited not for His counsel. Notice verse 14. It says that they lusted exceedingly. They lusted a lust. Exceedingly it was so evident to the eyes of God. Why aren't we satisfied with the portion God gives us?
Why do we restlessly seek after more and more and more? Why have we not learned to understand that ill that God blesses is our good and unblessed good is ill. And all is right that seems most wrong if it be His sweet will they lusted exceedingly.
There are things God doesn't want you to have. And perhaps today there are things in your life that God never intended you to have. And He never intended us to pursue. I wonder how heaven looks at it all.
Our life is all open before Him. All our thoughts. Oh others can't see them. But all our thoughts. All our ways. All our strivings. All known to Him. Heaven's comment on these people were they lusted exceedingly.
Verse 14 tells us that they tested God. They tested God. All the great reality of this. You know we have a little expression in our lives that we use and I'm not saying it's biblical at all. He's pushing His luck.
And you know when it comes to our relationship with God it seems as though there are times when we cross the line. They tested God. They pushed for their own way. Do we provoke the Lord? Do you? Do I?
Do we provoke the Lord by going after everything else? But His kingdom and His righteousness and if we have time we try and fit some of those things in. It says of this people they tested God. Notice verse 15.
And oh what a note this is. God might give you what you ask for. God might give us what we seek. And you would be the poorest person in the world if God gave you everything that you sought after. And perhaps that very thing that your mind or your heart is set upon even today.
If God was to give it to you but the consequences of what He speaks of here came to you as well. It says He sent leanness into their soul. Is it possible that even today here with the company of God's people come to hear His word?
Is it possible that we are already experiencing the reality of this because of the things that we've been seeking? The things that we've been putting first? The things that we have placed in places of importance?
And the person and the righteousness that we have displaced because of what we wanted? It says He granted them their request but He sent leanness into their souls. Notice verse 19. They served idols and they worshipped gold.
They served idols and worshipped gold. Idols once wooed us in our unsaved days, didn't they? Why, there were those things we'd set our heart upon and we went after and we wanted to possess and nothing was so important as those things.
One thing to have them woo us, it's another thing to have them before us in our Christian life today. Is there some idol in your life that conflicts with the place that God should have? Is there something that you hold so important today that somehow or other as God looks on He sees what you're really worshipping.
He sees what you really count important. Verse 21. Look what it says here. They forgot again. They forgot once more. But here it's not His mercies and here it's not His mighty works. But here is they forgot the Savior.
Oh, is it possible? Is it at all possible? That we can look at that all rugged cross and we can see the One who hung there in agonies and blood. The One who paid for our redemption with His own precious blood.
The One who rose from the dead. A mighty conqueror and able to save. Is it possible that with Him and with His love we could somehow or other forget? Lest I forget Yosemite. Lest I forget thine agony.
Lest I forget thy love to me. Get me back to Calvary. Have you been to Calvary this week? They say it's not Easter yet. Every day should be a day we visit Calvary. Calvary, oh Calvary. Mercy's vast unfathomed sea.
Love eternal, love to me. No wonder the believer truly says, Savior we adore Thee. But the sad thing is we could sing the song. We could even love to sing the song. And we could sing it with all our heart and all our voice.
And yet is it possible I could forget my Savior and forget what I owe Him. Forget all His vast sacrifice. They forgot the Savior. Notice verse 24. It says that they despised their inheritance. They wouldn't lay full claim on what God intended for them.
God has so much purposed and planned for you. It's not in this world. And it's not of this world. And God had so much for these people and it tells us ever so clearly they despised it. What's your attitude towards the things of God?
Towards your Bible? Towards its truth? Towards God's great provision for you as a believer? Notice verse 25. Well actually verse 24. We mustn't miss this. It says in black and white. Something that causes me to say whoa.
Wait. It says they would not believe His word. Has God been speaking to you? Maybe there's some truth that keeps coming before you. Maybe there's something that reminds you that the goal that you've said is not His goal for you.
Maybe there's been some truth that's come home to your heart that reminds you that your all should be laid upon the altar for God. That your life should be a life that is for Him. Offered first of all not so that other brethren might admire you.
But just for Him. All for Him. It says they would not believe His word. Has God been calling you? Speaking to your heart. Not necessarily that you might go into the work as we speak of it. But that you might be somebody where you are.
That you might be a blessing in your home and in your family and in the assembly and the gatherings of God's people. That you could be all that you could be. His voice. It says they believed not His word.
Oh, I know sometimes God gives us an urge. And He stirs us. And He tries to draw us to Himself. And He wants us to offer whether it's even our worship to Him. And we resist. He's promised to be with us all the way.
He's promised never to forsake us or leave us. He's promised to be all that we stand in need of. He's promised to be in any emergency. All that we require. And sometimes we say, but look at me. I'm not much.
I'm not good at that. They believed not His word. Notice again verse 25. They grumbled. I don't suppose this would be convicting to anybody. They grumbled. They murmured in their tents. Was it the giants that so disturbed them?
Was it the fortified cities? Was it some other secret fear? Was it the question in my mind? God wants to use me? You mean I have to give up what I have? They murmured in their tents. Notice. They didn't listen or respond to His voice.
If God's speaking to you, dear brother, humble your heart in His presence. Acknowledge like a Samuel long ago. Speak. Oh, speak. Speak to me. I want to hear what you have to say. I want your voice to lift me from this life I've been living.
I want to hear what God has to say in my life and for me. But it says they did not listen or respond to His voice. We read there in verse 43, it says they were rebellious and they were brought low. They were rebellious and they were brought low which has the sense of being impoverished of being poor.
What a reminder of that church in Laodicea. They thought they were rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing. And He says, you don't know all the tragedy of not knowing that we're poor, impoverished.
Hey, we're brought low. As I think on all of this, what can I say? And what can you? We have sinned. We have sinned. Is there any hope for us? Or must we say like Peter said unwisely, depart from me. I'm a sinful man.
The answer is not for Christ to leave us, brethren. The answer is for Christ to fill us with His fullness. We read there of the compassion of the Savior and of hope. Four simple thoughts. First of all, I want you to notice in verse 1 where we read, we can rest on who He is.
Ah, thank God He's just the same today as ever He was. The God that lived in Moses' time is just the same today. Just the same. Notice what it says. He is the Lord. You say, what's that mean? I knew that.
What does it mean, He is the Lord? Well, this is the word that's used that tells us that He doesn't need any of us. Well, you say, wait a minute. He doesn't need any of us? Ah, that's not all it means.
It means that while He doesn't need any of us, He longs to reveal Himself to us, and He longs to reveal Himself to you and me in greater ways than we've ever known in the past. He is the Lord. Not only is He the Lord, but it says He is good.
Oh, the wonderful truth of this. His compassions fail not, and He is new. They are new every morning that I live. He's good. Your God is good. He's always good. Not just good when He gives us the answer that we want, but He's always good.
He is good. He can rest on who He is. Not only that, but notice verse 2. We can reflect on what He's done. What has He done? He has done more than we're capable of telling. Ah, if you could only trace His ways.
Sometimes we say to unsaved people, if I could only tell you how He loves you, if we get through the lonely garden, go. But I can never tell you how He loves you. I can never fully tell it out. And if you tried to trace God's ways of grace in your life, you'd be absolutely amazed how good is the God we adore.
A faithful and unchangeable friend. His love is as great as His power. And He knows neither measure nor end. He's good, yes, but reflect on what He's done. Oh, the goodness of God. He's done more than we're capable of telling.
Not only that, but even in this same verse, verse 2, He deserves so much praise. So much praise. Do you praise Him enough? Do you bow in His presence with wonder in your soul at the greatness of a God and of His mercies towards you?
For dead ones raised and lost and found. We've heard of some recently saved and yet there are prodigals that need to be brought home. And I'll tell you, restoration is a mighty thing from God. Maybe as we sit in His presence today, we'll realize how much we need it individually.
And maybe our minds will go to someone who has wandered so far. And their lives now are a sad statement about what they could be. And we need the fresh touch of the Savior. Touching lives. Restoring for Himself.
Making new. Ah, yes. Reflect on what He's done. Notice verse 8 says, He saved them. And it's the idea of nevertheless He saved them. In spite of what they had done. In spite of the ways they wandered.
And for all that they had forgotten. And for the things that they hadn't remembered. That means that you put your mind to it. And they hadn't put their minds to it. Have you? It says, nevertheless He saved them.
Notice 2. He still acts in keeping with His name and glory. It tells us that right there in verse 8. He still acts in keeping with His own name. I am the Lord. That is my name. My glory I will not give unto another.
And He still acts in the same way. With His own purpose. With His own plan. Plans that are higher and greater than yours. Ways that are far higher and more majestic than any of us can think. Yes. How wonderful to realize.
And to reflect on what He's done. Rest on who He is. And reflect on what He's done. Be reminded that His mighty power should give us confidence and hope today. Because brethren and sisters, unless our hope unless our confidence is in the Lord, we're on a downward track.
And individually, unless we know His nearness and His might, His glory and His preservation, our story won't end the way we dreamed it would. Reflect on what He's done. Then I want you to think about reveling in what He can do.
It tells us in verse 9 that He led them. He led them. Think of all that vast number of God's people and He led them. And He still leads His people today. He can still lead us through the most difficult days or hour.
Sometimes we sing, lead on. Lead on triumphantly. Oh blessed Lord, lead on. You long for that kind of leading in your individual service for God? Do you long for that kind of leading in your own life and your family?
Do you long for that kind of leading in assembly endeavors and gospel outreach? Lead on Lord, we'll follow. Show us the way and I will put our footsteps in Thine. In the psalm several times over we read, lead me.
Can't you just hear the plea? Oh lead me Lord. Lead me. Lead me in Thy path. Is that what we want? Is that what we want? His path. Lead me in Thy righteousness. Do we really want to do the right thing?
He will never lead us to do the wrong thing. Lead me in Thy truth. Oh how much we need the truth. We need His word. We need His revelation to us. Lead me. He led them and He can still lead us. Revel in what He can do.
Then as well think of verse 10. It says that He brought the control of those that hated them. Now wonderful to know there is no one who can deliver after the sort that our God can. Whether by many or by few God's ways go on and God marches on in victory.
Have we joined with that triumphant train it says here. He broke the control of those that hated them. You know there is a world around you around us today and maybe that hatred isn't so outright but if you manifest Christ in their midst if you show an adherence to the truth of the word of God you will find that there are more people who hate you than you ever dreamed.
The world its power needs to be broken and He can break that kind of power. Not only that but it says in verse 10 as well that He set them free from the enemy that enslaved them. He set them free from the enemy that enslaved them.
Once the servants of sin, the slaves of sin, once following after sin and doing His bidding. Now oh how wonderful the believer can know an emancipation a deliverance a rescue from the power and effect of sin.
Thank God revel in what He can do. Some of God's people today are under attack. Some of God's people are experiencing the onslaughts of the wicked one. Some of God's people today are in great danger and we need to pray urgently for them.
I had a dear lady come up to me not very long ago and she spoke the truth. She says we don't pray enough for each other. And brethren we don't. None of us can get along without God. None of us can somehow or other slip through on our own laurels or our own abilities.
None of us have the wisdom that we need. Some are under attack and they're in danger. Yes we need to revel in what He can do. He can deliver. Ah look at Daniel in the lion's den. Those enemies of Daniel's thought.
It's all up. It's all over. It's all done. The king cries out is your God able to deliver you? Nice and wonderful when you've been challenged. When you've faced the enemy. And it doesn't look good at the end of the trial as the light of the morning dawns and you can see just the deliverance of God to cry out my God can deliver.
My God is able and He's delivered me from the lion's mouth. So rest on who He is. Reflect. Reflect on what He's done. Revel in what He can do. And one last piece of advice is this. Rest in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord.
He is the reason that we can rejoice. You know if you're sad just turn your thoughts to Him. If you've been sinful and you're discouraged because of what you've found within turn your eyes upon Jesus.
And look full in His wonderful face. The things of earth will grow strangely dim in light of His glory and grace. Notice He will always be the cause for our confidence. We can't trust in the princeliest of men.
Trust not in princes. Trust not in horses. Ah there's some and they just seem to be able to just carry the weight of things and move forward so confidently. Trust in the Lord. Depend on Him and see His mighty power.
Then of course my last thought is simply this. He's the center of the praises of God's people. What did we read? All the people said amen. Praise ye the Lord. Brethren and sisters I trust that today that as we face our own shortcomings and there are many of them and we with honesty admit without Him it's all up.
It's all hopeless. If we simply remember who He is and rely on what He can do and rejoice in His glorious person we shall see a victory and we shall be able to rejoice in the Lord.