- Sep 1, 2024Mark 10:28-31 | The Cost and Reward of Following Christ
Sep 1, 2024Mark 10:28-31 | The Cost and Reward of Following ChristBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: (All)"Mark 10:28-31 | The Cost and Reward of Following Christ" from Lakeshore Baptist Church by Pastor John Cole. Released: 2024. Genre: Preaching.
- Feb 23, 2020Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlike Obedience – Farewells to the Cole Family – Part 2 of 2
Feb 23, 2020Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlike Obedience – Farewells to the Cole Family – Part 2 of 2By: Pastor John ColeSeries: Joy With You in JesusWe share memories of how God has changed us through the church, and we say "See you later!" to our founding pastor, John Cole, Wife Martha Cole, and his wonderful children. "Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlike Obedience - Farewells - Part 2 of 2" from Lakeshore Baptist Church by Pastor John Cole . Released: 2020. Genre: Preaching.
- Feb 23, 2020Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlike Obedience – Main Message – Part 1
Feb 23, 2020Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlike Obedience – Main Message – Part 1By: Pastor John ColeSeries: Joy With You in JesusHear the very last message from John Cole in his role as pastor of Lakeshore Baptist before he transitions to a new ministry in Alexandria, Virginia. "Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlike Obedience - Main Message - Part 1" from Lakeshore Baptist Church by Pastor John Cole . Released: 2020. Genre: Preaching.
- Feb 16, 2020Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlike Humility
Feb 16, 2020Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlike HumilityBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Joy With You in Jesus"Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlike Humility" from Lakeshore Baptist Church by Pastor John Cole. Released: 2020. Genre: Preaching.
- Jan 26, 2020Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlikeness
Jan 26, 2020Philippians 2 | Joy in ChristlikenessBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Joy With You in Jesus"Philippians 2 | Joy in Christlikeness" from Lakeshore Baptist Church by Pastor John Cole. Released: 2020. Genre: Preaching.
- Jan 19, 2020Philippians 1 | Joy in the Gospel
Jan 19, 2020Philippians 1 | Joy in the GospelBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Joy With You in Jesus"Philippians 1 | Joy in the Gospel" from Lakeshore Baptist Church by Pastor John Cole. Released: 2020. Genre: Preaching.
- Jan 12, 2020Philippians 1 | Joy in Serving Jesus
Jan 12, 2020Philippians 1 | Joy in Serving JesusBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Joy With You in JesusAUDIO Podcast from Lakeshore Baptist Church by Pastor John Cole. Released: 2020. Genre: Preaching.
Joy in Serving Jesus
Philippians 1:1–2
Paul, Timothy, and the church of Philippi were believers who found joy with one another in Jesus as they served Him. You and I can find joy in serving Jesus too.
TEXT
Philippians 1:1–2 KJV
1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul and the church at Philippi have a deep love for one another.
Paul and his team (Silas, Timothy, & Luke) were in Troas when God gave him a vision of a man calling for help in Macedonia. This was around AD 50, during what many call Paul’s second missionary journey.
• I preached about this in Acts 16 in January of last year.
In obedience to this vision, Paul brought the Gospel to Macedonia and to what we would now consider Europe.
The first people God led Paul and his company to was a small group of Jewish worshipers in Philippi.
• No synagogue, so probably under 10 Jewish males in the city
• Instead, found a group of Jewish, God-fearing women meeting by a riverside on the Sabbath for worship.
The first of those to believe the Gospel and become a follower of Christ was a wealthy, entrepreneurial woman named Lydia—from Thyatira. Her household and others followed.
Not long after, Paul and Silas are imprisoned for “troubling” the city after commanding a demon out of a fortune teller.
Paul is able to visit these believers at least one or two more times and help establish them in the faith and organize as a church.
The church became committed supporters of Paul as he went on to bring the Gospel to other people in obedience to Christ.
This letter might be called a “missionary letter” today as Paul writes to this supporting church of his gratitude, his well-fare, and the fruit of the ministry.
Being that this church was more than a supporting church, but also his “ children in the faith’ and church he established, he also encourages and instructs them.
The key themes in this letter are
1. Joy
2. Gospel fellowship
3. Knowing and being in Christ
Therefore, I have entitled this series: “Joy with You in Jesus.”
TRANSITION
Today, I wish to start with just the first two verses.
Here, we see the:
1. Authors and their attitudes
2. Audience and their applications
3. Area and its affluence
4. Appeal and its affection
TEXT
1) Authors and their attitudes
Paul
Former persecutor
Convert of Christ
Sold-out follower of Christ
Spiritual father
Benefactor of their prayers, love, finances, and helpers
Timotheus
Probably secretary for this letter
Disciple, companion, and friend of Paul
Pastor in Ephesus
“The servants of Jesus”
In many of Paul’s other epistles, he introduced himself as “Apostle.”
Not here…Paul did not have to establish his authority with them.
They were trusting, dear friends.
If I had to pick one attribute both necessary for teams to function and leaders to lead, it might be trust.
It is simply difficult to reach honesty and decisiveness when there is lack of trust.
It is difficult to teach and lead without trust.
I am not referring to unaccountably here…actually, trust is necessary for true accountability.
Paul and Timothy knew they were owned by Christ.
From slaves to sin to slaves to Christ.
Romans 6:22 KJV
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Paul modeled the humility he would go on to instruct in this letter.
2) Audience and their applications
Saints
Common address of Paul
“Holy ones” set apart from the world for God.
God’s special possession purchased by the blood of Christ
“In Christ”
Bishops
“Overseers”
Same as elders and pastors/shepherds
Followed Jewish patterns in this area
Paul specifically addresses the church leaders, along with the saints and deacons
Acts 14:23 KJV
23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Acts 20:17 KJV
17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
Acts 20:28 KJV
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
1 Timothy 3:1–7 KJV
1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
James 5:14 KJV
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
1 Peter 5:1–4 KJV
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
1 Timothy 5:17–20 KJV
17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
Deacons
Diakonos—servant
Administrators or staff
Acts 6:1–7 KJV
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
1 Timothy 3:8–13 KJV
8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
3) Area and its affluence
At Philippi
Philippians: Verse by Verse Circumstances and City
The city had been named after Phillip II, the father of Alexander the Great, and it was located on a major trade route called the Egnatian Way. However, it did not become important until 42 BC, when Mark Antony and Julius Caesar’s nephew Octavian defeated Cassius and Brutus (the assassins of Julius Caesar) on a battlefield near the city. In honor of that victory, Octavian made Philippi a Roman colony and a settlement for veteran officers and soldiers. Considered a miniature copy of Rome itself, it became one of the region’s leading cities, with about 10,000 inhabitants.
While they were at Philippi, Paul calls them “in Christ” and then goes on later to point out that they are citizens of Heaven.
It’s important you and I know find our identity in Christ, not our achievements, abilities, location, vocation, or anything else.
4) Appeal and its affection
Grace & Peace
Greeks wanted grace (charis)
Jews wanted peace (shalom)
The qualities they both wanted in life were now available in Christ.
God our Father
Not only were they slaves, but they were sons.
“from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus.”
In Christ, we are adopted children of God.
The Lord Jesus Christ
The Triune God
Jesus is exalted and glorified as He ought to be
Lord (Master, Jehovah)
Jesus (Savior)
Christ (Messiah)
CONCLUSION
Paul, Timothy, and the church of Philippi were believers who found joy with one another in Jesus as they served Him.
We saw the:
1. Authors and their attitudes
2. Audience and their applications
3. Area and its affluence
4. Appeal and its affection
Do we have attitudes of a servant of Christ? (ownership)
Are we surrendered to help our church function as a body under Christ?
Do we find our identity in Christ?
Do we look for grace and peace in God our Father and in Christ?
Let’s have joy together in Jesus.
Begin by finding joy in serving Jesus.
- Sep 18, 2019Psalm 112 | The Redeemed Righteous and the Fearless Fearful
Sep 18, 2019Psalm 112 | The Redeemed Righteous and the Fearless FearfulBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Jesus and Me in the PsalmsPsalm 111 displays several attributes of righteous God, and Psalm 112 reveals those same attributes in the life of the righteous, God-fearing follower of God. As a redeemed follower of God, would you say these attributes are evident in your life?
Psalm 112 | The Redeemed Righteous and the Fearless Fearful
Jesus & Me in the Psalms / God-fearer; Righteous People; God
Psalm 112
INTRO
The character of the God-fearing righteous (v. 1),
Blessings that come to them (vv. 2–5).
The righteous are secure because they can trust in Yahweh (vv. 6–9).
The ultimate fate of the wicked (v. 10).
But, to better understand it, we have to back up to the previous Psalm.
Psalm 111 praises God for his work and character, and Psalm 112 complements it by recognising the work and character of the godly, God-fearing man.
It takes up the idea of the fear of the Lord (Ps. 111:10) and develops it by describing the way of life of the righteous man.
We can only be made righteous through the shared righteousness of God.
Throughout the Scripture, God covenants to send redemption for His people.
Psalm 111:9 KJV
9 He sent redemption unto his people: He hath commanded his covenant for ever: Holy and reverend is his name.
God not only fed his people, but he did something far more wonderful.
Part of the commitment of God’s covenant with Abraham was:
- the promise of redemption from Egypt
Genesis 15:13–16 KJV
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
- a promise reaffirmed to Moses
Exodus 3:7–10 KJV
7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
- In later Old Testament prophecy
(Isa. 42:6–7; 49:8; 55:3–5; Jer. 31:31–34)
- In New Testament fulfilment
Matthew 26:28 KJV
28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Luke 22:20
Redemption and the covenant
The character of God displayed through His covenant and redemption.
Why would God redeem people?
He redeems to transform us to His likeness and invite us into fellowship.
TRANS
Today, we will look at paralleling attributes described in these two Psalms.
In Psalm 111, they are descriptions of God.
In Psalm 112, they are descriptions of the God-fearing, righteous person.
PARALLEL ATTRIBUTES
righteous (111:3)
righteous (112:3, 6, 9)
gracious and compassionate (111:4)
gracious and compassionate (112:4)
just (111:7)
justice (112:5)
remembers (111:5)
remembered (112:6)
steadfast (111:8)
established (112:7-8)
The righteous will not be afraid of bad news because his heart is fixed, or ready, for what life brings. He is trusting in God.
The person who fears God and lives righteously is ready for whatever life brings.
One who doesn't fear God, lives driven after their own desires without care of God, and this one is blind-sided when life doesn't turn out the way they are trying to design it to be.
provides (111:5)
charitable (112:9)
Proverbs 11:24 KJV
24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; And there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
forever (111:5, 8, 9)
forever (112:3, 6
CONCLUSION
Psalm 111 displays several attributes of righteous God, and Psalm 112 reveals those same attributes in the life of the righteous, God-fearing follower of God. As a redeemed follower of God, would you say these attributes are evident in your life?
- Sep 8, 2019Psalm 110 | Follow Your Priest-King
Sep 8, 2019Psalm 110 | Follow Your Priest-KingBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Jesus and Me in the PsalmsBe inspired from one of the most cited Old Testament passages to faithfully follow your Priest-King.
Psalm 110 | Follow Your Priest-King
Jesus & Me in the Psalms
›SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 110 KJV
A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness From the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. 4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. 5 The Lord at thy right hand Shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; He shall wound the heads over many countries. 7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: Therefore shall he lift up the head.
›INTRO:
1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking: Fresh, Timely, and Compelling Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Speakers 673 TOPIC: Peers The Jesus Fashion
Dad was tired of hearing his son complain about what his friends had and he did not have. Dad had an idea: set a higher standard for his son. The next time his son began his complaining, the father stopped him: “Is this what Jesus would do? Would Jesus complain about the clothes he had and want to wear the same thing your friends are wearing? Is it so important that you wear just what your friends are wearing? Why can’t you be more like Jesus?” The son waited for his father to catch his breath and then interrupted, “All right, Dad, I give up; just tell me what Jesus is wearing, and I’ll wear it too!”
Though the intent didn’t get through clearly between that father and son, the message is still true: Jesus is worthy for us to follow.
This Psalm points all its readers to the Priest/King Messiah.
It is one of the most cited Old Testament passages, and it inspires us to faithfully follow our Priest-King.
As we will see today, this Psalm is clearly what we call a Messianic Psalm: one that points to Jesus Christ.
Interwoven in this Psalm, we will find six applications to take home—all inspiring us to follow Jesus, our Priest-King.
Let’s begin with the OT verse most cited by the NT: verse one.
›MESSAGE:
Psalm 110:1 KJV
1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
God spoke to God . (vs. 1)
Jehovah/Yahweh said to Adonai—the Davidic king.
This same verse cited in the NT helps us see a number of things of Christ:
Peter preaching at Pentecost:
Acts 2:32–35 KJV
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
Identity of Christ (Acts 2:32-35)
To Jewish believers contemplating going back to Judaism:
Hebrews 1:13–14 KJV
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Superiority of Christ (Hebrews 1:13-14)
Hebrews 10:12–13 KJV
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Finished work of Christ (Hebrews 10:12-13)
Jesus to the sitting high priest at His trial:
Matthew 26:63–66 KJV
63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
Declaration of Christ (Matthew 26:63-66)
Jesus to the Pharisees after being tested with questions from Sadducees and Pharisees:
Matthew 22:41–46 KJV
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
Deity of Christ (Matthew 22:41-46)
No one asked Jesus any more questions from that point.
1) See Jesus as Lord .
1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking: Fresh, Timely, and Compelling Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Speakers 684 TOPIC: Perspective No View
A Colorado native moved to Texas and built a house with a large picture window from which he could view hundreds of miles of rangeland. “The only problem is,” he said, “there’s nothing to see.” About the same time, a Texan moved to Colorado and built a house with a large picture window overlooking the Rocky Mountains. “The only problem is I can’t see anything,” he said. “The mountains are in the way.” People have a way of missing what is right before them.
Don’t miss seeing Jesus as Lord.
Psalm 110:2–3 KJV
2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness From the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
God will send the Messiah to rule as King with His willing people. (vs. 2-3)
Out of Zion
In the midst of enemies
With willing servants adorned in righteousness
There’s no need to wait:
Romans 12:1–2 KJV
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
It is our reasonable service to present ourselves now to God as a living sacrifice
We ought to be transformed in expectation of God’s will.
2) Be a willing servant.
Psalm 110:4 KJV
4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.
God will fulfill His oath of an eternal Priest and King through the Messiah. (vs. 4)
Hebrews 6:17-20 A fulfilled promise of God.
Zechariah 6:13 KJV
13 Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; And he shall bear the glory, And shall sit and rule upon his throne; And he shall be a priest upon his throne: And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
O.T. prophesy of a priest-king. Those roles were always to be separated.
Jesus was sent from the Father to be our High Priest
As High Priest, Jesus offered Himself as our sacrifice, not an animal
Jesus is Priest after the order of Melchisedec, not the Levitical priesthood.
Hebrews 7:19–28 KJV
19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: 21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) 22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
The law and Levites helped fore run a new promise of God.
Jesus is our promised, unchangeable and eternal High Priest.
Jesus is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate, and exalted.
3) Go to your High Priest .
Psalm 110:4–7 KJV
4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. 5 The Lord at thy right hand Shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; He shall wound the heads over many countries. 7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: Therefore shall he lift up the head.
God declares the victory. (vs. 4-7)
1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking: Fresh, Timely, and Compelling Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Speakers 961 TOPIC: Victory Missing a Loser
One night at a basketball banquet the president of a junior college was congratulating the coach and the team profusely. The beaming coach asked the president, “Would you still like me as much if we didn’t win?” “I’d like you as much,” the president replied. “I’d just miss having you around.”
Everyone enjoys being on the winning team!
4) Rejoice in the declared victory.
The last two are applications from the larger picture of both Testaments.
Colossians 3:1 KJV
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
5) Seek things that matter where Christ is now. (Colossians 3:1)
1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking: Fresh, Timely, and Compelling Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Speakers 709 TOPIC: Possessions Keep Moving
The place was Bethel, Vermont, nestled in the vast expanse of the Green Mountains. It was a hot day, a perfect day for a walk to enjoy the view of the river and the surrounding mountains. My trail was the railroad tracks that seemed to endlessly imitate the direction of the river. By the tracks stood an old mill that was being converted into some kind of a workshop. From my vantage point on the tracks, I could see a stop sign on one of the windows of the shop. No doubt it said, “NO TRESPASSING!” but I had to check it out just to make sure. I was right. But the sign said a lot more than I had expected. There in black and white on that dusty window were these words: “Trespassers will be shot; Survivors will be shot again.” Without letting on how I felt at that point, I glanced over my shoulders and scouted the bush and the riverbank for signs of life, particularly property owners who carried loaded guns. I rapidly came to the conclusion that I did not belong in that place, that I was passing through. I kept moving! Sometimes (maybe more than we would like to admit) we find ourselves preoccupied with the beauty of the world around us, including those things that may attract our attention, saying to us, “Come and see what I am all about.” Often in the midst of the beautiful and the interesting, there lies the quiet, yet very real, warning of danger. We need to keep moving! The apostle Peter no doubt had this in mind when he reminded his readers that they were only “aliens and strangers” here on earth. The apostle Paul shared this concern as he prompted the Philippians to remember that their “citizenship is in heaven.” As we walk where God has placed us, may we walk while enjoying the beauty, avoiding the dangers, seeking our promised home, and all the while pressing on, heeding the call that says, KEEP MOVING!
We can’t just move; we have to move the right direction.
We need to follow the right lead.
Hebrews 12:1–3 KJV
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
6) Look to Jesus, and follow His lead . (Hebrews 12:1-3)
› CONCLUSION
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Inspiration
I think of David Livingstone, the pioneer missionary to Africa, who walked over 29,000 miles. His wife died early in their ministry and he faced stiff opposition from his Scottish brethren. He ministered half blind. His kind of perseverance spurs me on. As I run, I remember the words in his diary: Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever me from any tie but the tie that binds me to Your service and to Your heart. Joseph Stowell, Through The Fire, Victor Books, 1988, p. 150
A person only follows so much dedication if they see Jesus for Who He really is.
Follow Jesus as your eternal Priest-King.
- Sep 1, 2019Psalm 91 | A Dialogue of Trust
Sep 1, 2019Psalm 91 | A Dialogue of TrustBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Jesus and Me in the PsalmsPsalm 91 invites us in on a dialogue of trust between the Psalmist, the worshiper, and God Himself. Let this psalm encourage you to have trusting fellowship with God.
Psalm 91 | A Dialogue of Trust
Jesus & Me in the Psalms / Trust; Trustworthy; Defense; Provide; Love; Dwell
SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 91 KJV
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, And under his wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; But it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold And see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, Even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, Neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, And shew him my salvation.
INTRO:
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Boy Trusted His Father
Some years ago I read an account that went something like this: A group of scientists and botanists were exploring remote regions of the Alps in search of new species of flowers. One day they noticed through binoculars a flower of such rarity and beauty that its value to science was incalculable. But it lay deep in a ravine with cliffs on both sides. To get the flower someone had to be lowered over the cliff on a rope. A curious young boy was watching nearby, and the scientists told him they would pay him well if he would agree to be lowered over the cliff to retrieve the flower below. The boy took one long look down the steep, dizzy depths and said, “I’ll be back in a minute.” A short time later he returned, followed by a gray-haired man. Approaching the botanist, the boy said, “I’ll go over that cliff and get that flower for you if this man holds the rope. He’s my dad.” Our Daily Bread, April 8, 1996
Throughout the Scriptures, we see God inviting humans into trust and fellowship with Him.
God making Himself available to men and women is a central theme of the Bible.
The Psalms are Old Testament Hebrew songs for worship.
Worship is part of our fellowship with God.
Psalm 91 invites us in on a dialogue of trust between the Psalmist, the worshiper, and God Himself.
It lets us see the communion, love, and trust we should seek to have with God.
We know today that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Way to God for all who come to Him by faith.
As you and I follow God in Christ, let us gain insight from Psalm 91 in how we ought to trust in God and depend on His provisions.
THE PSALM 91 DIALOGUE OF TRUST:
(Psalmist to the worshiper)
Psalm 91:1 KJV
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
He that dwells in God’s presence will abide in God’s protection . (vs. 1)
Psalm 91:2 KJV
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in him will I trust.
I will trust in God to be my fortress . (vs. 2)
Because you have chosen the Lord (vs 9), God will deliver you. (vs. 3-13)
Psalm 91:3 KJV
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the noisome pestilence.
God will deliver you from the hunter and disease. (vs. 3)
Psalm 91:4 KJV
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, And under his wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
God will cover you with His protection. (vs. 4a)
You will trust God in His protection. (vs. 4b)
God’s truth (trustworthiness) will be your defense. (vs. 4c)
Psalm 91:5–8 KJV
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; But it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold And see the reward of the wicked.
You will not be afraid while in God’s defense. (vs. 5-8)
Of attacks (vs. 5)
Of pestilence, destruction, and God’s judgement (vs. 6-8)
Psalm 91:10–13 KJV
10 There shall no evil befall thee, Neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, To keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
No evil will happen to you because God will assign angels to watch over, guard and lift you. (vs. 10-13)
Note: Trusting in God does not justify foolishly tempting Him (Mt. 4:6, Lk 4:10-11)
Matthew 4:6–7 KJV
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
(God about the worshiper)
Because the worshiper trusts, I (God) will provide. (vs. 14-16)
Psalm 91:14 KJV
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
He desired and loved Me (God), therefore I will deliver him. (vs. 14a)
I (God) will lift him to safety because he knows My (God) name (vs. 14b)
Psalm 91:15 KJV
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
He called on me, and I (God) will answer him. (vs. 15a)
Be with him in trouble
Deliver him
Honor him
Psalm 91:16 KJV
16 With long life will I satisfy him, And shew him my salvation.
I will prolong his life and cause him to see salvation. (vs. 16)
TRANSITION:
God is worthy of our trust, and He has chosen to provide for those who trust in Him.
God delivers, protects, answers, honors, prolongs, and saves those trust, love, know, and call on Him.
Don’t miss out on trusting fellowship with God.
OTHER BIBLE PASSAGES ABOUT GOD DWELLING WITH HIS FOLLOWERS:
Psalm 145:18–19 KJV
18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, To all that call upon him in truth. 19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Matthew 18:20 KJV
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Matthew 28:20 KJV
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
We see God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost makes His presence available.
He invites us to dwell with Him and Him with us.
CONCLUSION:
Let Psalm 91 encourage you to have trusting fellowship with God.
Let this dialogue of trust move you to:
1. Choose God
2. Trust God
3. Dwell with God
4. Love God
5. Know God
6. Call on God
a. For salvation
b. For faithful living
c. For help
- Aug 25, 2019Psalm 90 | Limited Life, Unlimited God
Aug 25, 2019Psalm 90 | Limited Life, Unlimited GodBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Jesus and Me in the PsalmsSummary: As humans, we are limited and frail, but God is unlimited. Come to Jesus. Come to God. Seek His wisdom, mercy, and grace.
Limited Life, Unlimited God
John Cole
Jesus & Me in the Psalm / Mortality; Being and Attributes of God; Wisdom; Mercy; God: Grace / Psalm
SCRIPTURE READING:
Psalm 90 KJV
A Prayer of Moses the man of God. 1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 3 Thou turnest man to destruction; And sayest, Return, ye children of men. 4 For a thousand years in thy sight Are but as yesterday when it is past, And as a watch in the night. 5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: In the morning they are like grass which groweth up. 6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; In the evening it is cut down, and withereth. 7 For we are consumed by thine anger, And by thy wrath are we troubled. 8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, Our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: We spend our years as a tale that is told. 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; And if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, Yet is their strength labour and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 13 Return, O Lord, how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants. 14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; That we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, And the years wherein we have seen evil. 16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, And thy glory unto their children. 17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
INTRO:
Have you ever been pressed for time?
Find yourself intensely focused?
Seek out wisdom and help?
Plead for mercy regarding your shortcomings?
Ask God to help your efforts?
Surprised how much you could pack in when urgent?
Has time ever went really slow for you?
Anticipation drew out the time
Suffering seemed it would never end?
Monotony went on and on while time just dragged?
Humor—A husband once said he had been married 45 years, but it has only seemed like 5 minutes…under water!
Funny how those two last words drastically change the condition and experience of time.
Moses is writing one of three psalms he wrote, and the only one actually in the Psalms.
He experienced 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in a desert, and 40 years leading the people of Israel through a wilderness.
He saw hundreds of thousands, and likely over a million, people die in that wilderness on their way to the Promise Land.
The people of Israel had grieved both Moses and the LORD over and over.
• Feared to enter the Promise Land
• Created and worshiped idols while Moses met with God
• Lusted after the way of Egypt
• Doubted God’s ability to provide
• Almost revolted against Moses
For Moses, this these experiences had to seem like forever!
…but not so for God.
God exists outside of time, so He exists in the past, present, and future eternally.
God is beyond our comprehension!
God is super (above and beyond) natural (state of things in nature).
Consider some attributes of God’s nature as described in the Scripture:
Moral, or communicable attributes:
• Holy
• Love
• Just
• True
• Etc
Metaphysical, or incommunicable attributes:
• Eternal
• Infinite
• Incomprehensible
• Incomparable
• Immutable (unchanging)
• Immortal
• Omnipresent
• Omniscient
• Omnipotent
• Self-existent
• Self-sufficient
• Sovereign
• Trinity
PROPOSITION:
Psalm 90 magnifies our need for God.
God is beyond our comprehension
We need God.
God made Himself available to us through Christ.
TRANSITION:
Psalm 90 lets us listen in as Moses prays to the LORD.
We will find three primary requests that we also need of the LORD.
Moses describes God’s eternality , man’s frailty , and God’s just judgement of sin. (vs. 1-11)
• God is eternal and timeless (vs. 1-2)
• God justly judges our sin (vs. 3-11)
Moses prays for wisdom , mercy , and grace to help our use of time on this earth (vs. 12-17)
#1 Teach us to number our days and apply our hearts to wisdom. (vs. 12)
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Dean Chose Wisdom
An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom. “Done!” says the angel, and disappears in a cloud of smoke and a bolt of lightning. Now, all heads turn toward the dean, who sits surrounded by a faint halo of light. At length, one of his colleagues whispers, “Say something.” The dean looks at them and says, “I should have taken the money.”
Psalm 90:12 KJV
12 So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Proverbs 2:6 KJV
6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 4:7 KJV
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: And with all thy getting get understanding.
#2 Give us mercy that we may rejoice and be glad . (vs. 13-15)
10,000 Sermon Illustrations I Plead For Mercy
A mother once approached Napoleon seeking a pardon for her son. The emperor replied that the young man had committed a certain offense twice and justice demanded death. “But I don’t ask for justice,” the mother explained. “I plead for mercy.” “But your son does not deserve mercy,” Napoleon replied. “Sir,” the woman cried, “it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for.” “Well, then,” the emperor said, “I will have mercy.” And he spared the woman’s son. Luis Palau, “Experiencing God’s Forgiveness,” Multnomah Press, 1984
Psalm 90:13–15 KJV
13 Return, O Lord, how long? And let it repent thee concerning thy servants. 14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; That we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, And the years wherein we have seen evil.
From a NT perspective, Christ’s salvation is the ultimate gift of mercy and grace that lets us rejoice and be glad with God.
Ephesians 2:3–10 KJV
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
#3 Make Your grace evident in our lives and work . (vs. 16-17)
Psalm 90:16–17 KJV
16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, And thy glory unto their children. 17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; Yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
See God’s grace evident in the life and work of Apostle Paul:
1 Corinthians 15:9–10 KJV
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
10,000 Sermon Illustrations It’s Grace
During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religious had different versions of gods appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death. The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. “What’s the rumpus about? He asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.” After some discussion, the conferees had to agree. The notion of God’s love coming to us free of charge, no strings attached, seems to go against every instinct of humanity. The Buddhist eight-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of karma, the Jewish covenant, and Muslim code of law—each of these offers a way to earn approval. Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional. Phillip Yancey, What’s So Amazing About Grace, Zondervan, 1997, p. 45
CONCLUSION:
As humans, we are limited and frail, but God is unlimited .
We ought to seek God and ask for His wisdom , mercy , and grace .
God is rich and willing to give of Himself to us, and He has made that clear especially through Jesus’ sacrificial offering for our sin .
Come to Jesus. Come to God. Seek His wisdom, mercy, and grace.
- Aug 18, 2019Psalm 84 | Desires God Blesses
Aug 18, 2019Psalm 84 | Desires God BlessesBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Jesus and Me in the Psalms
Be blessed by God as you desire first God’s way and presence.
John Cole; Jesus & Me in the Psalm / God: Presence; Dwell; Endurance; ChooseSCRIPTURE READING:
Psalm 84 KJV
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. 1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. 4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: They will be still praising thee. Selah. 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; In whose heart are the ways of them. 6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; The rain also filleth the pools. 7 They go from strength to strength, Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. 8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: Give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. 9 Behold, O God our shield, And look upon the face of thine anointed. 10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: The Lord will give grace and glory: No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
INTRO:
Have you ever struggled with your heart?
• Wrong desires
• Covetousness
• Envy
• Entitlement
• Lust
One preacher said:
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Lust
sin (lust for example) “gets its power by persuading me to believe that I will be more happy if I follow it. The power of all temptation is the prospect that it will make me happier.”
One of the greatest challenges we face is to keep a right heart.
Proverbs 4:23 KJV
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
This psalm reveals the heart’s desire of the writer.
We are not sure who is the writer God used to give us this psalm.
• It could have been David while out of Jerusalem due to Absalom’s rebellion and since it seemed to be written before the Babylonian captivity and prior to the temple being built. Another reason is because verses 8-9 almost strangely insert a prayer for the king, when the rest of the psalm is largely personal between the writer and God.
• It could have been a Levite priest away from the tabernacles.
• It could have been a Jew reflecting on his journeys to the tabernacles and his worship.
Whoever it was, the writer had righteous desires that God blesses, and he described them here in this psalm.
The desires remind me of Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Mark:
Mark 12:28–33 KJV
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Jesus was quoting the OT:
Deuteronomy 6:4–5 KJV
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
PROPOSITION:
It is vital that you and I, by God’s grace, keep a healthy heart with righteous desires.
God blesses righteous desires.
TRANSITION:
Psalm 84 reveals three righteous desires God blesses.
#1 Desire to Dwell in God’s Presence (vs. 1-4)
vs. 1 God’s tabernacles are both loved and lovely
vs. 2 His soul, heart, and flesh long for and cry out to God
vs. 3 He observes how blessed are the birds that nest in God’s tabernacles
vs. 4 Happy and blessed are they (maybe priests) who dwell in God’s house. They praise God.
#2 Desire to Travel the Way to God (vs. 5-9)
vs. 5 Find your strength in God; desire the way to God’s presence (Zion)
vs. 6 Because of the desire and God’s grace (rain), even dry, sorrowful roads are made joyous
vs. 6 Possibly he makes a well for himself and for travels coming next
vs. 7 Continues from strength to strength even when they are dry times between
vs. 7 Possibly travels from well to well
vs. 8-9 Asks God to look upon the king (possibly the writer, David)
#3 Desire to Choose God First (vs. 10-12)
vs. 10a One day in God’s presence is better than a 1000 anywhere else
vs. 10b Rather be a doorkeeper (like some of the sons of Korah) or even just be positioned in the very back by the door in God’s presence than dwell in the finest of places with the wicked.
vs. 11s God is a sun and shield to us
vs. 11b God gives grace (favor) and glory (honor)
vs. 11c God does not withhold good from those who walk uprightly with Him
vs. 12 Happy and blessed are those who trust God (sums it up)
CONCLUSION:
Be blessed by God as you desire first God’s way and presence.
- Aug 11, 2019Psalm 72 | We Need Our King
Aug 11, 2019Psalm 72 | We Need Our KingBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Jesus and Me in the Psalms
It is easy for us to not notice how much this world needs the return of Christ. Our world as a whole is divided and scattered in confusion "as sheep without a shepherd." The world will remain this way until Jesus returns and leads the world in peace, righteousness and blessing. Until then, we ought to desire Jesus' rule, seek His kingdom, and exalt His person.
John Cole
Jesus & Me in the Psalms / Kingdom of God; Christ as King
SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 72 KJV
A Psalm for Solomon. 1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, And thy righteousness unto the king’s son. 2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, And thy poor with judgment. 3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, And the little hills, by righteousness. 4 He shall judge the poor of the people, He shall save the children of the needy, And shall break in pieces the oppressor. 5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun And moon endure, throughout all generations. 6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: As showers that water the earth. 7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; And abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; And his enemies shall lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: All nations shall serve him. 12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; The poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13 He shall spare the poor and needy, And shall save the souls of the needy. 14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: And precious shall their blood be in his sight. 15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: Prayer also shall be made for him continually; And daily shall he be praised. 16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; The fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: And they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17 His name shall endure for ever: His name shall be continued as long as the sun: And men shall be blessed in him: All nations shall call him blessed. 18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things. 19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: And let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
INTRO
There’s a common theme in inspirational messages to:
“CHANGE THE WORLD!”
• What does that mean?
• What’s the scope of change to make?
• Who decides what is changed?
The truth is, we do need change.
• The current world population is nearly 7.5 billion people
• [slide] 80% of the world lives on less than $10 a day
• [slide] Every 10 seconds, a child dies from hunger-related diseases
• One out of nine people in this world are either without clean water or malnourished
• [slide] 40% of the world’s money belongs to the 4% of the world in America
• If you make $10,000 a year, you are wealthier than 84% of the world
• Religious zealots continue to attempt to force conversions, which is both irrational and unbiblical
• World powers continue to position, deceive, and politic the world stage
• Oppression, murder and abuse continues
• Destruction of unprotected, innocent babies happens each day under the guise of “pro-choice abortion.”
• Confusion of God-given realities such as birth gender, Creation, and life authorities is ever spreading and being propagated
Psalm 72 tells us Who will bring the needed change to our world and how He will lead the change.
This psalm is a royal psalm, describing how David’s line of kings will lead, beginning with Solomon, and ending with the Messiah.
It looks forward to Christ’s righteous, universal, and endless reign on this earth.
It seems to parallel Solomon’s early reign with what Jesus’ reign will be like:
• vs. 1–4 with his prayer for the listening heart,
1 Kings 3:9 KJV
9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
• the anticipations of peace, vs. 3, 7, with his name, “the peaceful one”;
• the rule from sea to sea, v. 8, with
1 Kings 4:24 KJV
24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
• the presents from Sheba, v. 10, with 1 Kings 10.
We had previously looked at Psalm 2 and seen a similar message.
• The difference is that Psalm 2 gives a war perspective of Jesus’ reign similar David,
• while Psalm 72 gives a peaceful perspective, similar to Solomon.
God had promised to bless all nations through Abraham and to give an eternal throne through David.
Genesis 12:2–3 KJV
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Galatians 3:14 KJV
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
It will be a righteous, peaceful kingdom.
Isaiah 2:1–5 KJV
1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, That the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; And he will teach us of his ways, And we will walk in his paths: For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, And shall rebuke many people: And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruninghooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war any more. 5 O house of Jacob, come ye, And let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Isaiah 11:1–10 KJV
1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, Neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, And reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, And faithfulness the girdle of his reins. 6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, And the leopard shall lie down with the kid; And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; Their young ones shall lie down together: And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, And the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea. 10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, Which shall stand for an ensign of the people; To it shall the Gentiles seek: And his rest shall be glorious.
TEXT
A Righteous King (vs. 1-4)
Psalm 72:1–4 KJV
1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, And thy righteousness unto the king’s son. 2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, And thy poor with judgment. 3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, And the little hills, by righteousness. 4 He shall judge the poor of the people, He shall save the children of the needy, And shall break in pieces the oppressor.
An Enduring King (vs. 5-7)
Psalm 72:5–7 KJV
5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun And moon endure, throughout all generations. 6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: As showers that water the earth. 7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; And abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
A Universal King (vs. 8-11)
Psalm 72:8–11 KJV
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; And his enemies shall lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: All nations shall serve him.
A Just King (vs. 12-14)
Psalm 72:12–14 KJV
12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; The poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13 He shall spare the poor and needy, And shall save the souls of the needy. 14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: And precious shall their blood be in his sight.
A Blessed Kingdom (vs. 15-17)
Psalm 72:15–17 KJV
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: Prayer also shall be made for him continually; And daily shall he be praised. 16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; The fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: And they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17 His name shall endure for ever: His name shall be continued as long as the sun: And men shall be blessed in him: All nations shall call him blessed.
A Kingdom of God Alone (vs. 18-20)
Psalm 72:18–20 KJV
18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things. 19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: And let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
APPLICATIONS
Desire Jesus’ rule
Seek Jesus’ kingdom
Exalt Jesus today
- Aug 4, 2019Psalm 66 | Personally Devoted Worship
Aug 4, 2019Psalm 66 | Personally Devoted WorshipBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Jesus and Me in the PsalmsThis Psalm invites its audience to come, see and hear the great deeds God has done for Israel and the writer. It displays qualities of a personally devoted worshiper that we ought to follow in our own worship of the Lord.
Jesus & Me in the Psalms / Worship; Devotion; Commitment; Praise; Agreement; Prayer
SCRIPTURE
Psalm 66 KJV
To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. 1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: 2 Sing forth the honour of his name: Make his praise glorious. 3 Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! Through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee. 4 All the earth shall worship thee, And shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. 5 Come and see the works of God: He is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. 6 He turned the sea into dry land: They went through the flood on foot: There did we rejoice in him. 7 He ruleth by his power for ever; His eyes behold the nations: Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah. 8 O bless our God, ye people, And make the voice of his praise to be heard: 9 Which holdeth our soul in life, And suffereth not our feet to be moved. 10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. 11 Thou broughtest us into the net; Thou laidst affliction upon our loins. 12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water: But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. 13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, 14 Which my lips have uttered, And my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, With the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah. 16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, And I will declare what he hath done for my soul. 17 I cried unto him with my mouth, And he was extolled with my tongue. 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me: 19 But verily God hath heard me; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, Nor his mercy from me.
INTRO
This Psalm invites its audience to come, see and hear the great deeds God has done for Israel and the writer.
The audience seems to be very broad. It begins with “all ye lands” and “all the earth,” and then in verse 16 it narrows to “all ye that fear God.”
When speaking to all the earth, much praise is given for deeds God has done in the past, particularly for the people of Israel.
[Go through the praise.]
PROP
While praise for what God has done for groups of people in the past can be motivating for us, it is not enough.
We need personal experiences of God working in our own lives.
While knowledge growth is vital in the Christian life, so it relational growth.
Relational growth calls for us to be personally devoted to God.
TRANS
This Psalm displays qualities of a personally devoted worshiper that we ought to follow in our own worship of the Lord.
Today, I would like to look at four of them.
FOUR QUALITIES OF BEING PERSONALLY DEVOTED TO GOD
#1 Fulfilled Commitments (vs. 13-15)
Psalm 66:13–15 KJV
13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, 14 Which my lips have uttered, And my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, With the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
#2 Open Praise (vs. 16-17)
Psalm 66:16–17 KJV
16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, And I will declare what he hath done for my soul. 17 I cried unto him with my mouth, And he was extolled with my tongue.
#3 Private Agreement (vs. 18)
Psalm 66:18 KJV
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me:
#4 Answered Prayer (vs. 19-20)
Psalm 66:19–20 KJV
19 But verily God hath heard me; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, Nor his mercy from me.
CONCLUSION
The invitation has been given.
The call is to everyone.
Personal devotion is particularly modeled for those who fear God.
Don’t settle for what God has done for others.
Be personally devoted to God, and expect personal relationship and acts of God in your life.
Vs. 4 tells us all the earth will worship God. The rest of the Scriptures reveal this is fulfilled through God the Son, Jesus.
Jesus is the One Who makes personal relationship with God even possible.
Come to Jesus. See and hear God work in your life.
- Jul 28, 2019Psalm 51 | A Heart Condition Desired by God
Jul 28, 2019Psalm 51 | A Heart Condition Desired by GodBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Jesus and Me in the Psalms
Psalm 51 | A Heart Condition Desired by God
Jesus & Me in the Psalms / Repentance / Psalm 51
A repentant heart as exemplified in Psalm 51 may be the most vital heart condition and response we can give to God. Without it, we live in pride and contention both with God and others. With it, we find restoration, acceptance, and agreement with God and others. See what repentance looks like in this message.SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 51 KJV To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba.1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me.4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest.5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.9 Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities.10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.11 Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto thee.14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.15 O Lord, open thou my lips; And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: Build thou the walls of Jerusalem.19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: Then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.The topic exemplified in this Psalm is what I believe to be the most vital heart condition and response we can give to God.It corresponds with the first attitude Jesus taught His disciples to have in Matthew 5.Without it, we live in pride and contention both with God and others.With it, we find restoration, acceptance, and agreement with God and others.You cannot even start the Christian life without this heart condition.And yet, it is not a condition we can generate on our own.It takes a pointing out of truth which contradicts our direction.What is this condition?Repentance.It includes: listening, believing, turning, and confessing.Do you want to know and be accepted by God?Do you want more agreement in your life relationships?Would you like for God to give you the ability to live life the right way and for the right reasons?Do you desire to please God with your heart and life?If any of those questions matter to you, then pay attention as we look at both this Psalm and the realities in David’s life that led to him writing it.DAVID’S SIN
2 Samuel 11–12:13 KJV 1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,20 And if so be that the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king’s servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.David’s Confession (vs. 1-6)
Have mercy upon me (vs. 1)Wash and cleanse me (vs. 2)I acknowledge my sin (vs. 3)My sin was against You (vs. 4)I am a sinner from birth (vs. 5)You desire truth within me (vs. 6a)You make me to know wisdom (vs. 6b)David’s Requests (vs. 7-15)
Purge and wash me (vs. 7)Make me to hear joy and gladness (vs. 8)Hide Your face from my sin (vs. 9a)Blot out my iniquities (vs. 9b)Create in me a clean heart (vs. 10)Renew a right spirit within me (vs. 10)Cast me not away (vs. 11)Take not Your Holy Spirit from me (vs. 11, Like Saul)Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation (vs. 12)Deliver me from guilt (vs. 14)Open my lips (vs. 15)David’s Promises (vs. 13-15)
I will teach transgressors (vs. 13)I will sing of Your righteousness (vs. 14b)I will praise You (vs. 15)David’s Understanding (vs. 16-17)
God desires from us a repentant heart, not empty religion or works. (vs. 16-17)David’s Concern (vs. 18-19)
Do good to the people of Israel and be pleased with their worship.God’s Provision
Repentance cannot stand alone; it needs redemption.Jesus offers redemption if we will receive it with a repentant heart.Jesus models how to live, but to follow Him, we must keep a repentant heart.Conclusion
With a repentant heart you can find restoration , acceptance , and agreement with God and others.A repentant heart involves listening , believing , turning , and confessing .Have a heart condition desired by God.Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:13 PM July 30, 2019. Sincerely,John Cole Pastor------- - Jul 14, 2019Psalm 49 | Eternally Redeemed
Jul 14, 2019Psalm 49 | Eternally RedeemedBy: Pastor John ColeSeries: Jesus and Me in the PsalmsJesus & Me in the Psalms / Psalm 49The message of this Psalm is a message of justice, hope and redemption. Know the eternal redemption only found in God.Psalm 49 | Eternally RedeemedJohn Cole / General
SCRIPTURE READING:
Psalm 49:12–15 KJV
12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish. 13 This their way is their folly: Yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah. 14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: For he shall receive me. Selah.
INTRODUCTION:
Similarly to Psalm 37, this Psalm helps us respond to God in faith when wrongdoers prosper around us.
Psalm 49:5–6 KJV
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about? 6 They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
In contrast, this Psalm focuses on eternal salvation rather than the general salvation of a life deliverance.
A key word in this Psalm is the word redemption.
Redemption:
“The purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom.” —Easton’s Bible Dictionary
PAYMENT ILLUSTRATIONS:
Have you ever had insufficient or unavailable funds for a purchase?
• Woman invited by church second time after someone paid her grocery bill at the counter
• I forgot my wallet for a lunch appointment but made due
• Unaccepted currency when abroad
Making payments, especially ransoms, have to be paid satisfactorily.
#6 Patty Hearst
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PattyHearstmug.jpgRansomed for $6 million in 1974.
Equivalent to $29.3 million today.
A sophomore at Cal Berkeley, the 19-year-old heiress to the Hearst media conglomerate and her boyfriend were kidnapped by left-wing militants known as the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA).
The SLA demanded that her family distribute $70 worth of food to every needy Californian, which would have cost an estimated $400 million. Hearst's father eventually distributed $6 million in food, but the kidnappers were unsatisfied, claiming the food was of low quality, and they refused to release his daughter
Later Patty would join the SLA, becoming the poster child for Stockholm Syndrome. And she'd get arrested (see attached mugshot).
----
The message of this Psalm is a message of justice and redemption needed by all people throughout the world: the unknown and the powerful, the rich and the poor.
Psalm 49:1–2 KJV
1 Hear this, all ye people; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: 2 Both low and high, Rich and poor, together.
I. The Reality of Death
#1 We all experience death , yet many fight it. (vs. 10-13)
Fight it with wealth, legacy, and monuments.
Psalm 49:10–13 KJV
10 For he seeth that wise men die, Likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, And leave their wealth to others. 11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, And their dwelling places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names. 12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish. 13 This their way is their folly: Yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.
#2 Some remain under the power of death, while others do not. (vs. 14)
Psalm 49:14 KJV
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
(Personification of Death as a shepherd.)
#3 We cannot redeem our souls or the souls of others from the power of death. (vs. 7-9)
Psalm 49:7–9 KJV
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him: 8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, And it ceaseth for ever:) 9 That he should still live for ever, And not see corruption.
#4 God does redeem souls from the power of death. (vs. 15)
Psalm 49:15 KJV
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: For he shall receive me. Selah.
#5 Our earthly possessions will not be redeemed. (vs. 17-20)
Psalm 49:17 KJV
17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: His glory shall not descend after him.
1 Timothy 6:7–8 KJV
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
II. The Redemption of Christ
#1 Jesus came to pay our ransom .
Mark 10:45 KJV
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Galatians 3:13 KJV
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
1 Peter 1:18–19 KJV
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Ephesians 1:7 KJV
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
#2 Jesus’ redemption is received through faith , not earned or purchased by us.
Colossians 1:12–14 KJV
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 3:22–24 KJV
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
#3 Jesus’ redemption gives us victory over death.
1 Corinthians 15:55–57 KJV
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
III. The Responsibility of the Redeemed
#1 The redeemed live for the Redeemer.
1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
#2 The redeemed find fullness of life by losing it in the purposes and plans of the Redeemer.
Matthew 16:21–27 KJV
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
CONCLUSION:
Psalm 49:1–2 KJV
1 Hear this, all ye people; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: 2 Both low and high, Rich and poor, together.
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Winston Churchill
A wealthy English family once invited friends to spend some time at their beautiful estate. The happy gathering was almost plunged into a terrible tragedy on the first day. When the children went swimming, one of them got into deep water and was drowning. Fortunately, the gardener heard the others screaming and plunged into the pool to rescue the helpless victim. That youngster was Winston Churchill. His parents, deeply grateful to the gardener, asked what they could do to reward him. He hesitated, then said, “I wish my son could go to college someday and become a doctor.” “We’ll pay his way,” replied Churchill’s parents. Years later when Sir Winston was prime minister of England, he was stricken with pneumonia. Greatly concerned, the king summoned the best physician who could be found to the bedside of the ailing leader. That doctor was Sir Alexander Fleming, the developer of penicillin. He was also the son of that gardener who had saved Winston from drowning as a boy! Later Churchill said, “Rarely has one man owed his life twice to the same person.” What was rare in the case of that great English statesman is in a much deeper sense a wonderful reality for every believer in Christ. The Heavenly Father has given us the gift of physical life, and then through His Son, the Great Physician, He has imparted to us eternal life. May the awareness that we are doubly indebted to God as our Creator and Redeemer motivate us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Him. - D.J.D
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- Aug 18, 2019Psalm 84 | Desires God Blesses
- Aug 11, 2019Psalm 72 | We Need Our King
- Aug 4, 2019Psalm 66 | Personally Devoted Worship
- Jul 28, 2019Psalm 51 | A Heart Condition Desired by God
- Jul 14, 2019Psalm 49 | Eternally Redeemed
Psalm 49 | Eternally RedeemedJesus & Me in the Psalms / Psalm 49The message of this Psalm is a message of justice, hope and redemption. Know the eternal redemption only found in God.Psalm 49 | Eternally RedeemedJohn Cole / General
SCRIPTURE READING:
Psalm 49:12–15 KJV
12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish. 13 This their way is their folly: Yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah. 14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: For he shall receive me. Selah.
INTRODUCTION:
Similarly to Psalm 37, this Psalm helps us respond to God in faith when wrongdoers prosper around us.
Psalm 49:5–6 KJV
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about? 6 They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
In contrast, this Psalm focuses on eternal salvation rather than the general salvation of a life deliverance.
A key word in this Psalm is the word redemption.
Redemption:
“The purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom.” —Easton’s Bible Dictionary
PAYMENT ILLUSTRATIONS:
Have you ever had insufficient or unavailable funds for a purchase?
• Woman invited by church second time after someone paid her grocery bill at the counter
• I forgot my wallet for a lunch appointment but made due
• Unaccepted currency when abroad
Making payments, especially ransoms, have to be paid satisfactorily.
#6 Patty Hearst
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PattyHearstmug.jpgRansomed for $6 million in 1974.
Equivalent to $29.3 million today.
A sophomore at Cal Berkeley, the 19-year-old heiress to the Hearst media conglomerate and her boyfriend were kidnapped by left-wing militants known as the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA).
The SLA demanded that her family distribute $70 worth of food to every needy Californian, which would have cost an estimated $400 million. Hearst's father eventually distributed $6 million in food, but the kidnappers were unsatisfied, claiming the food was of low quality, and they refused to release his daughter
Later Patty would join the SLA, becoming the poster child for Stockholm Syndrome. And she'd get arrested (see attached mugshot).
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The message of this Psalm is a message of justice and redemption needed by all people throughout the world: the unknown and the powerful, the rich and the poor.
Psalm 49:1–2 KJV
1 Hear this, all ye people; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: 2 Both low and high, Rich and poor, together.
I. The Reality of Death
#1 We all experience death , yet many fight it. (vs. 10-13)
Fight it with wealth, legacy, and monuments.
Psalm 49:10–13 KJV
10 For he seeth that wise men die, Likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, And leave their wealth to others. 11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, And their dwelling places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names. 12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish. 13 This their way is their folly: Yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.
#2 Some remain under the power of death, while others do not. (vs. 14)
Psalm 49:14 KJV
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
(Personification of Death as a shepherd.)
#3 We cannot redeem our souls or the souls of others from the power of death. (vs. 7-9)
Psalm 49:7–9 KJV
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him: 8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, And it ceaseth for ever:) 9 That he should still live for ever, And not see corruption.
#4 God does redeem souls from the power of death. (vs. 15)
Psalm 49:15 KJV
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: For he shall receive me. Selah.
#5 Our earthly possessions will not be redeemed. (vs. 17-20)
Psalm 49:17 KJV
17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: His glory shall not descend after him.
1 Timothy 6:7–8 KJV
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
II. The Redemption of Christ
#1 Jesus came to pay our ransom .
Mark 10:45 KJV
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Galatians 3:13 KJV
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
1 Peter 1:18–19 KJV
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Ephesians 1:7 KJV
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
#2 Jesus’ redemption is received through faith , not earned or purchased by us.
Colossians 1:12–14 KJV
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 3:22–24 KJV
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
#3 Jesus’ redemption gives us victory over death.
1 Corinthians 15:55–57 KJV
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
III. The Responsibility of the Redeemed
#1 The redeemed live for the Redeemer.
1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
#2 The redeemed find fullness of life by losing it in the purposes and plans of the Redeemer.
Matthew 16:21–27 KJV
21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
CONCLUSION:
Psalm 49:1–2 KJV
1 Hear this, all ye people; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: 2 Both low and high, Rich and poor, together.
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Winston Churchill
A wealthy English family once invited friends to spend some time at their beautiful estate. The happy gathering was almost plunged into a terrible tragedy on the first day. When the children went swimming, one of them got into deep water and was drowning. Fortunately, the gardener heard the others screaming and plunged into the pool to rescue the helpless victim. That youngster was Winston Churchill. His parents, deeply grateful to the gardener, asked what they could do to reward him. He hesitated, then said, “I wish my son could go to college someday and become a doctor.” “We’ll pay his way,” replied Churchill’s parents. Years later when Sir Winston was prime minister of England, he was stricken with pneumonia. Greatly concerned, the king summoned the best physician who could be found to the bedside of the ailing leader. That doctor was Sir Alexander Fleming, the developer of penicillin. He was also the son of that gardener who had saved Winston from drowning as a boy! Later Churchill said, “Rarely has one man owed his life twice to the same person.” What was rare in the case of that great English statesman is in a much deeper sense a wonderful reality for every believer in Christ. The Heavenly Father has given us the gift of physical life, and then through His Son, the Great Physician, He has imparted to us eternal life. May the awareness that we are doubly indebted to God as our Creator and Redeemer motivate us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Him. - D.J.D
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