1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:05,200 As we continue in our series in the book of Psalms, I love this 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,840 book. These Psalms are, as all of them 3 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:12,680 are, straight from the heart. They are speaking to the 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,480 practical matters of life, and my goodness, they are 5 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:18,760 encouraging, clarifying, and often meet us right where we 6 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,640 are, no matter what we're going through. 7 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,520 If you're interested in where we're headed at the end of July, 8 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,160 when we turn the turn into August, on those Sundays, we 9 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,440 will pick up in the New Testament letter of First John. 10 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,040 So if you want to read ahead and study a bit, we're going to be 11 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,720 walking through First John together beginning this fall. 12 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,640 But we're walking through Psalms now, and I pray they've been an 13 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,000 encouragement to you. I know they've been an 14 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,800 encouragement to me as you, as you have your place in Psalm 15 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,080 May, let me tell you the story that's been told of a man by the 16 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:48,920 name. Giovanni. 17 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,720 Giovanni was a lawyer, had a son named Carlo, and they moved in 18 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,600 the middle of winter. It was January and they moved to 19 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,920 a new home. And as soon as they moved in, 20 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,800 father and son, the next day, this massive snowstorm hits and 21 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,800 they're snowed in. So all schools are canceled. 22 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:07,080 And Carlo had some school work he had to do from home. 23 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,760 In fact, he did have a school essay he had to submit that day 24 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,480 online that was due. And unfortunately though, 25 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,320 Giovanni the father still had to go into the office at least for 26 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:19,720 about an hour to sign a contract with a client that he had. 27 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,040 And so he leaves Carlo behind as he goes into the office. 28 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,000 A few hours later, Giovanni received a text message from his 29 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:32,080 son Carlo that read Windows frozen won't open. 30 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,840 Windows Frozen won't open. Now Giovanni was a little bit 31 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:40,720 confused, because he didn't know why young Carlo wanted to open 32 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,480 the windows on such a wintery snowy day. 33 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,240 But he thought for a minute he didn't have much time to think 34 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:47,360 about it. He was trying to get to the 35 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,760 meeting with his client, so he simply thought back to some days 36 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:52,240 when he actually lived in the Italian. 37 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,720 Alps and some. Cold weather and gave his son a 38 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:56,800 remedy he thought would work and it went like this. 39 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:01,000 He text heat up some water and pour it over the edges and the 40 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:06,400 gently tap with a hammer. Giovanni then raced off to his 41 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,120 meeting with his client to make sure the contract got signed as 42 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,040 he had promised and over the next hour they worked through 43 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:14,720 that contract in his phone as you felt before when you can't 44 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,840 look at it was buzzing all along in his pocket. 45 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,720 Finally contract signed client was served and looks at his 46 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,040 phone and the text messages from Carlo red number one. 47 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:29,560 Are you sure? Then a few minutes later, hurry 48 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:34,640 up my I must send in my essay. Then the text message said, OK, 49 00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:37,160 now the computer won't turn on at all. 50 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:40,560 Well, I'm confused by the messages. 51 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,960 Giovanni called home, and Carlo answered the phone, a little 52 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:45,880 frustrated, a little angry, as you might imagine, The 53 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:47,920 conversation went like this. OK, what's wrong with the 54 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:49,880 computer? Giovanni asked. 55 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:51,960 I don't know. I poured hot water over the 56 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:53,280 edges and I tapped with a hammer. 57 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,560 Now it won't turn on at all. It's dead. 58 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,320 Well, Giovanni realized the Sun wasn't talking about the windows 59 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:04,160 of the House is some of the windows of the operating system 60 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:08,280 of his computer. Carlos computer had been frozen 61 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,960 now, thanks to hot water and a tapping hammer, it was dead as a 62 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,960 doornail, right as a door knob. However that saying goes, My 63 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:21,280 point is this confusion y'all can be can be damaging, 64 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:28,720 confusion is destructive and confusion can be honestly can be 65 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:32,960 deadly. And not just physically but 66 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,080 spiritually. Confusion can be damaging and 67 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,280 destructive and deadly. Now on the other hand, the 68 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,200 opposite of confusion is clarity. 69 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,360 And, and clarity can be constructive. 70 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,320 Clarity, praise God can be so kind. 71 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:52,160 Clarity can be life giving. And again, not just physically 72 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:57,440 but spiritually, praise God for the clarity He has given us in 73 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,920 His word. Clarity for life. 74 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:02,440 Because you know what the truth of the matter is. 75 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,800 Because of sin, my sin, your sin, and our forefathers sins, 76 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,320 life has frozen up and won't open. 77 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:15,000 Life is locked up on us because of sin and won't open, and all 78 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,680 people everywhere are trying lots of different things, every 79 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,720 experiment under the sun to try to get life to thaw out and open 80 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:24,520 up and to work and it just won't right. 81 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:26,800 And sometimes only making things worse. 82 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,320 I praise God, we praise God for the clarity for life that He 83 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,400 gives us in his Word. And by the way, out of all the 84 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:36,920 things that Psalm chapter 8 does, in fact, there's so many 85 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,920 ways to go about processing the truth of Psalm 8. 86 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,720 But as I thought about it and worked through it this week, I 87 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:46,040 just thought, you know what? This Psalm is clarity for life. 88 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,120 If you don't understand the truths of Psalm 8, life will 89 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,240 never work and make sense the way it's supposed to. 90 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:59,640 By the way, this clarity for life sometimes can be can can be 91 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,280 something that we think sometimes people have got all 92 00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:07,400 figured out life on the outside, but they don't have on the 93 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:10,600 inside. Sometimes people can look like 94 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,280 they've got life all put together, maybe like a fit body 95 00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:17,240 and a fat wallet and driving fine cars and a perfectly 96 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:18,800 manicured yard. You know, maybe like your 97 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,080 neighbor has or you have. But on the inside they're 98 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,920 they're broke. On the inside, life's frozen up. 99 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,080 They're confused, they're pouring hot water over the edges 100 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,240 of life and anything they can do to try to tap and make life work 101 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:39,000 and seek and find contentment and satisfaction and joy and 102 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,800 life and future and hope, and they just can't find it because 103 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:43,200 they're looking at all the wrong places. 104 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:47,520 Praise God for the clarity for life He's given us in His Word. 105 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,200 Psalm chapter 8 is going to give us some clarity for life. 106 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:54,240 Listen to the Word of God as I read Psalm chapter 8. 107 00:05:55,320 --> 00:06:02,120 Oh Lord our Lord, oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name 108 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:07,440 in all the earth. You've set your glory above the 109 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:11,120 heavens, and out of the mouths of babies and infants. 110 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,800 You've established strength because of your foes, to steal 111 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,680 the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the 112 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,480 work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you've set 113 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,120 in place, what is man? And that's the question of life, 114 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:26,320 isn't it? What is man? 115 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,600 God, that you are mindful of Him, and the Son of man that you 116 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:32,360 care for him. Yet you've made him a little 117 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:36,720 lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and 118 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:38,520 honor. You've given Him dominion over 119 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:40,960 the works of your hands. You've put all things under his 120 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:45,240 feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beast of the field, the 121 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:47,880 birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes 122 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:52,560 along the paths of the Seas. Oh Lord our Lord, how majestic 123 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:57,680 is your name in all the earth. The first clarity for life that 124 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:02,600 we get from this text is this truth, and it's #1 here only God 125 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:08,040 is great, only God is truly great. 126 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,640 Oh Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name, David says in all 127 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:13,440 the earth. The first thing David is 128 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,080 acknowledging here is the reality, y'all, that there is 129 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:22,080 one true and only one true God, Lord, Maker, Sustainer, and 130 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:24,840 Creator of everything that there is. 131 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,040 Some people have had that clarity of life and others have 132 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:32,960 not, and they're still pouring hot water and tapping on the 133 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,200 edges, failing to realize the truth. 134 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,360 There is only one God, one Maker, 1 Sustainer, and 1 Lord. 135 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,920 Second, David isn't just acknowledging God, but he is 136 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:46,080 claiming to know God. In other words, he's claiming 137 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:46,880 the reality. You. 138 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,600 We can know God personally. Notice he says not just O God or 139 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:56,400 O Lord, but our like David knows this God personally, right? 140 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:00,840 And again, lots of people, some people have made this clarity 141 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,240 for life realization that God not only is, but he wants and 142 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,000 longs and desires a personal relationship with us. 143 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:11,600 But most people, many people have not found this clarity for 144 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,280 life realization that God not only is, belongs and desires to 145 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,400 have a personal relationship with him through faith in his 146 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,760 Son Jesus Christ. And so the reality is right. 147 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:25,200 So like all human beings belong to humankind, right? 148 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:27,800 And in that way, we have a relationship with one another as 149 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,800 human beings. And yet we know, you know, that 150 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,799 you share a unique relationship with those in your family. 151 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,960 Well, guess what? God the Father obviously is the 152 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,960 Creator of all people, of all mankind, right? 153 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:45,000 Of every human being. But God only shares a special, 154 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,600 unique relationship as Father, not just with those He made, but 155 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,840 only with those who have been born again and made his, brought 156 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,600 into His family by faith in His Son Jesus Christ. 157 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,880 Do you belong in that family if you made the realization for 158 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:00,960 life that God not only is, but He longs for a personal 159 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:05,400 relationship with you through His Son Jesus Christ, longing 160 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:12,760 for you to be in His? Family, David acknowledges not 161 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,960 just that God is that you can know him personally, but David 162 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,040 acknowledges the greatness of God here. 163 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:20,720 Did you see that word he uses twice at the beginning and end? 164 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:26,720 Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all? 165 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,000 The earth. Now what in the world does David 166 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,920 mean when he says, oh Lord, how majestic is your name, right? 167 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,800 I mean, maybe you'd be like me, like God. 168 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,720 I've never actually seen your name inscribed or scribbled in 169 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,600 the sky. I haven't. 170 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,600 Have you, God? I've never seen your name carved 171 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:51,680 in the bark of a tree, God, I've witnessed a lot of incredible 172 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:54,760 western sky sunsets, but God, I've never looked at the bottom 173 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:58,480 right hand corner and seen the initials of God, of Yahweh, of 174 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,880 the I am Himself scribbled right there to see. 175 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:04,080 Have you? What in the world then does 176 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,800 David mean then? How majestic is your name in all 177 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,280 the earth? Well, by name, by that David 178 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:13,920 simply means God's reality, God's existence and God's 179 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:17,000 excellence and God's character and his goodness and his power 180 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,280 and his glory. And yes, even as the word he 181 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:23,320 uses, God's majesty, it's clear that the greatness and goodness 182 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:27,120 and glory of God permeates all of creation. 183 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,800 Now again, people get confused here. 184 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:32,480 Right, because you may be sitting here thinking, McCall, 185 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,280 if that's true, how come so many people can't see it? 186 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:39,760 Let's be honest. How do scientists spend their 187 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:44,280 lives investigating the secrets of the universe and fail to see 188 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:47,920 the majesty of Almighty God permeating every inch of it? 189 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:50,640 If it's there, how do they miss it? 190 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,480 How does scientists and geologists and astronomers see 191 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:00,400 the incredible balance and perfection of the law and order 192 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,920 and detailed intricacy of the universe, even down to the human 193 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,720 eye and failed to see the design and the creator behind 194 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,720 everything created? How are they so blind if it's 195 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,080 true, Kyle How many times, how often, how? 196 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:18,360 Why can't people see? The Bible has a very clear 197 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,600 clarity for life answer for that issue. 198 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:23,640 I'll go and tell it to you, but then I want you to maybe read 199 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:25,400 this passage on your own this afternoon. 200 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:28,240 But it answers in a passage, Romans chapter 1. 201 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:31,720 The answer is people don't see because of the blindness that 202 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:36,840 sin has caused them. This truth out of Romans chapter 203 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,920 1 is one that often we have to go back to to understand how our 204 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:42,080 world works. This is clarity for life. 205 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,840 Let me just read you some verses of chapter one verse 18. 206 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,320 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all 207 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:52,080 ungodliness and unrighteousness to men who watch this by their 208 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,760 unrighteousness suppress the what? 209 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,720 The truth of the majesty of the name of God written throughout 210 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:01,960 all creation. For what can be known about God 211 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:05,040 is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 212 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,880 For His invisible attributes, namely His eternal power and 213 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,720 divine nature, have been clearly perceived from when, ever since 214 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,680 the creation of the world, ever since the world's been around, 215 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,560 the nature, beauty, power, excellence, the name of God has 216 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:18,320 been obviously written throughout it. 217 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:23,480 For all they knew God right? And let me go back in the things 218 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:25,160 that have been made. So they are without excuse. 219 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,120 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give 220 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,440 thanks to him, but became futile in their thinking, and in their 221 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:34,400 foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became 222 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,800 fools, and they exchanged. Can I use a different word? 223 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,640 They exchanged the majesty of Almighty God for the of the 224 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,680 immortal God, for images resembling mortal man and birds 225 00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:48,320 and animals and creeping things. Why can't man see? 226 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:52,080 Because mankind saw and decided to suppress the truth of the 227 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:55,560 majesty of God and continues to suppress that truth and deny 228 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:58,000 that truth to this day. Praise God. 229 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:01,320 Aren't you glad that if you see the majesty of God, it's because 230 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:03,440 of the grace of God, because of the work of the Holy Spirit in 231 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,280 your heart that has opened your eyes to see the greatness and 232 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,720 glory of Jesus Christ and the Maker of all things. 233 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,520 David is a man who's had his eyes opened to the majesty and 234 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,280 might and glory of God. By the way, can I just tell you 235 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:19,880 this practically, if you ever lose sight of the greatness of 236 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,840 God, that only God is great, you will live your life 237 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,400 disappointed, looking for greatness in anything and 238 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:27,640 everything else under the sun that will never give you 239 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:34,360 greatness. Fail to see, fail to realize 240 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,920 that only God is great. You'll spend your life. 241 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,840 You'll waste your life looking for something great. 242 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:45,360 Lots of good things under the sun to enjoy, but only God. 243 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:49,600 Only God. Is great clarity for life #1 244 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,560 clarity for life number 2 is God's glory. 245 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:55,120 God's glory is everywhere. God's glory is everywhere. 246 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:59,240 David says how majestic is your name where in all the earth no 247 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,320 matter where you go, right, no matter where you look, the 248 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:05,200 evidence of the master handiwork of God is present. 249 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,440 It didn't matter if you go to the deserts full of sand or the 250 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,680 ocean depths. The majesty and might of the 251 00:14:10,680 --> 00:14:13,480 handiwork of God if you go and see mountain heights, if you 252 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:15,960 just behold a bright blue Big Sky. 253 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,360 If you go look in a microscope at microscopic organisms, if you 254 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:23,120 just want to sit on your porch and see day, sunrise and sunset 255 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,680 and the rhythm of day and night, pouring forth speech, all of it 256 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:30,240 speaks of the might and master handiwork of God, right? 257 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,680 And yet as loud as all of that is, even more so God has 258 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,680 manifested his glory, David says above the heavens. 259 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:41,160 He's like, hey, as great as all that is is as unimaginable as 260 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,280 God's glory is that we see reflected in creation. 261 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,040 You know, you can't even see God's greatest glory right now 262 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:49,920 because this above the heavens. Now, what does he mean by 263 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,760 heavens? Well, the Bible kind of has a 264 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,200 three fold concept of the word heaven. 265 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,640 The first one might be just what we might call the aerial heaven, 266 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:00,400 like Earth's atmosphere, heavens. 267 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,640 That's referred to as heaven in the Bible where the birds fly, 268 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:06,600 airplanes go, and skyscrapers reach, right? 269 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,400 That's kind of the aerial Earth's atmosphere, right? 270 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:11,320 And then there's what we might call like the stellar heavens, 271 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:14,520 like the home of the sun, moon and stars. 272 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,640 There's those heavens. They've been saying God has set 273 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:20,200 his glory above plural the heavens, Earth's atmosphere, 274 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,400 heaven above the galactic stellar heavens. 275 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,400 He set his glory in the dwelling place, what's called the 3rd 276 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:28,880 heaven. It's even referenced in Hebrews 277 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:32,480 924, the dwelling place of God, where it says for Christ has 278 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:34,720 entered. This is after his life, death, 279 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,600 burial and resurrection. Christ has entered not into holy 280 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:41,560 places made with hands which are copies of the true things, but 281 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:46,800 into heaven itself. Now, to appear in the presence 282 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:51,120 of God on our behalf, y'all, as glorious as all of creation is, 283 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:55,040 God's greatest glory as we speak is not even yet fully visible. 284 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,160 But Can you imagine that day we get to see God's glory face to 285 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,840 face, dwelling in unapproachable light? 286 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:04,240 God Almighty, Maker of all things. 287 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,480 I mean, part of creation's design is just to give us a 288 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,320 glimpse of just how glorious it's Maker must be. 289 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,960 For how big, how grand, how majestic God is infinitely 290 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:20,080 greater, bigger and better. This set his glory above the 291 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:22,480 heavens and yet right just as heaven. 292 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,760 This is not just heaven, shouts the glory of God. 293 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,840 You go back down to earth and David says, did you notice an 294 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:33,240 inner creation and find the smallest, the weakest among us? 295 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,440 And guess what you'll find there, even out of the mouth of 296 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:40,040 children, God is what God is praised. 297 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:44,520 Now, that doesn't mean that all children everywhere all the time 298 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,040 praise God. Wouldn't that be awesome if they 299 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,240 did? My son, he's not in here 300 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,040 anymore. I look down, he's like, dad, I'm 301 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:52,760 just here for the Lord's Supper, not for you preaching. 302 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,200 So praise God, right? He came for that. 303 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,240 But he's going back to Sunday school to hear what? 304 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,360 What if all kids everywhere, they never talked back. 305 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:01,320 I'm not saying they did anything wrong. 306 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:02,400 That was probably the right move. 307 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,880 But I what if they just always everywhere gave praise and glory 308 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:08,800 to God? Well, they don't always do that, 309 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,359 but what this is saying is that yes, and even specific ways and 310 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:15,680 certain times and for His design and glory, even out of the 311 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,839 mouths of the youngest, the smallest, the feeblest, God has 312 00:17:18,839 --> 00:17:22,480 ordained praise. Now the greatest, the greatest 313 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:26,599 come to pass of this happened in the life of Jesus while on earth 314 00:17:26,599 --> 00:17:29,000 in Matthew 21, verse 14 through 16. 315 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,320 This is familiar to you, I think. 316 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,320 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he 317 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:35,440 healed them. But when the chief priest and 318 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,320 the scribe saw the wonderful things that he did and the 319 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:42,320 children crying out in the temple, Hosanna to the son of 320 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,360 David, they were indignant and they asked, they said to him, do 321 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:46,880 you hear what these people are saying? 322 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:48,920 And Jesus said to them, have you never read? 323 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:54,000 Do you not know Psalm 8? Out of the mouths of infants and 324 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:57,840 nursing babies, you have prepared praise. 325 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:01,320 Now what might be a shock to you? 326 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:04,840 But if you read and study any on the history of revivals and 327 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:10,600 mighty movements of God, almost always you will find written 328 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:15,920 records of how God mightily used little children and mighty 329 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:17,480 movements of God around the world. 330 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,280 Included little children to do things that only by the power of 331 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,000 the Holy Spirit could have happened. 332 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:26,480 Things like being led by God, children being led by God to 333 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:31,080 pray and fast children being led by God to prompted to preach 334 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:34,360 children being emboldened by God to witness and share the gospel. 335 00:18:34,360 --> 00:18:37,600 Children emboldened by God to pray for physical healing and 336 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,200 the salvation of the lost. Oftentimes their parents 337 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,360 anywhere you look and see out of the mouth even of little 338 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:45,760 children, God is ordained praise out of the weakest. 339 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,600 Why would God do that? God who's majesty and glory is 340 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:51,920 ultimately set above the heavens, Why would he 341 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,800 intentionally design even out of the mouths of the weakest, the 342 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:56,800 littlest of feeblest to ordain praise? 343 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:59,080 You know why? Because God loves to look at the 344 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:01,440 enemy and say, you know what? I'm going to show you how great 345 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,680 I am by taking the weakest, the smallest of feeblest, and 346 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,600 they're even going to glorify me and give me praise. 347 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,280 I can be glorified and honored. And the littlest, the smallest 348 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:11,480 of feeblest. God loves to slap the enemy in 349 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,720 the face by using the weakest to bring glory to Himself. 350 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,880 Which by the way, ought to be a reminder to me and you of this. 351 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,520 We may not be a little child anymore, but if God can use a 352 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,120 little child to bring glory, honor and praise to him, then 353 00:19:29,120 --> 00:19:33,760 God can use you. And the The thing is, we often 354 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,800 think, well, I'm not good at this, or I can't do that, or 355 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:39,640 I've done this, or I'm disqualified because of this or 356 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:43,800 I don't feel like I'm excuse after excuse, right? 357 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:51,000 We throw up our weaknesses at God and God's like, don't you 358 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,360 realize? I love to use that very tight 359 00:19:54,360 --> 00:19:57,600 situation. I love to use people and things 360 00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:59,800 that are weak and in abilities because you know what happens 361 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:03,080 when God uses our weaknesses to display His strength? 362 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:06,720 You know what happens? Who gets the glory God does 363 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,760 instead of us. God, whose glory is above the 364 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,280 heavens, wants to use the weakest, the feeblest, the 365 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:17,120 littlest. Including you and me to bring 366 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:21,480 himself glory. God's glory is everywhere. 367 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:26,000 Thirdly, third clarity for life. We get out of the question that 368 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,760 David asked in this Psalm, and it's this truth. 369 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:34,080 Physically, physically, mankind is minuscule in light of all 370 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,360 creation, in light of the grandness of the universe. 371 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:39,760 The truth of the matter is you need to understand. 372 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,040 I need to understand mankind is kind of minuscule. 373 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:47,480 Y'all notice that we're pretty small in light of all of 374 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:49,280 creation? In fact, David asked, it says it 375 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,520 like this. He asked the most logical 376 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,480 question possible. He he's beholding the heavens, 377 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:56,440 he's thinking about. And he didn't even fully 378 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,680 understand to the level of the degree that scientists have been 379 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:04,480 able to understand how that sun is 1 giant blazing star and it's 380 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:06,600 just one among trillions of others. 381 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:08,120 David says. When I look at the heavens, when 382 00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:11,200 I look up at the galactic distances, the stellar 383 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:14,800 realities, the stars and the moon and planets, and of course 384 00:21:14,800 --> 00:21:17,320 we can see far more now and further than what he could see 385 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:19,720 in his day. When I look up there, God, and I 386 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,640 look back down, what in the world am I that you would care 387 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,560 for God? How small am I? 388 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,960 How minuscule am I that you would care for me? 389 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:31,520 This is the question of all questions. 390 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:33,800 In fact, in the words of another, they've said it like 391 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:34,880 this. Astronomy. 392 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:39,720 Reveals what a mere Adam man is in the midst of creations 393 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:41,840 immensity. David looks up and like God, I'm 394 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:44,240 like this small particle of matter. 395 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:50,120 What is it that you would care for for me physically? 396 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:53,400 It's true that mankind is minuscule, but that leads us to 397 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:56,880 the 4th and final clarity for life in verses 5 through 8. 398 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:01,840 Which is this? Spiritually, mankind is most 399 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:05,440 precious. Spiritually, mankind is most 400 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:07,760 precious. Physically, yes, we're miniscule 401 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:12,280 and light of the created universe, a mere Adam compared 402 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:14,760 to the gigantic realities all around us. 403 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,920 And yet spiritually, mankind is most precious. 404 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:22,200 It says here, look again, you've made him a little lower than the 405 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:24,120 heavenly beings. What does that mean? 406 00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:29,800 It means God made mankind in the degree of dignity, just slightly 407 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:34,000 lower than the angelic beings. And by the way, it will not 408 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,880 always be that way. It is for now, but a day's 409 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,240 coming when Jesus returns in the resurrection and we are joined 410 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:43,040 with him forever. The Saints. 411 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:46,000 God's Word tells us we'll even be involved in judging who? 412 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,560 Judging angels? No longer set just below them in 413 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:55,000 dignity, but we are for now God. You've made mankind just below, 414 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:58,040 just in dignity, a little lower than the heavenly beings. 415 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,480 But then notice what he says. Yet you've crowned him mankind 416 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:05,080 with glory and honor. I'm going to quote something in 417 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:07,240 a second that might sound different than something you've 418 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,560 heard. I'll hope to bring a balance 419 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:11,640 between two truths I want you to see here. 420 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:15,400 But listen to this. This is helpful quote if one 421 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:22,200 were to imagine a scale. Of one to 10 with living 422 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:30,000 creatures such as Beast as a one and God as a 10, then so high is 423 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:35,880 David's estimation of humanity, he should have put mankind at an 424 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:39,600 8 or a nine. In other words, it is God, not 425 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:45,120 animals, who is man's closest relatives now, closest relative. 426 00:23:45,120 --> 00:23:48,520 Now when you hear that, like I hear that, I'm like, whoa, wait 427 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,240 a second. There is still a vast, in fact 428 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,440 infinite distance between the creator and the Creator. 429 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,240 And I'm not trying to close that distance. 430 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,280 We're not God, and God is infinitely greater and 431 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:03,240 infinitely higher and infinitely more absolute. 432 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:05,960 And he's only independent. He's the only one self existent 433 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:07,920 and we are totally as creatures dependent on Him. 434 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:12,440 And yet clarity versus confusion is most of men through the 435 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,160 years, in fact, some that you know well and Charles Darwin and 436 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:20,360 others have said, you know what, we're just a little higher than 437 00:24:20,360 --> 00:24:23,600 animals. We're just one degree more 438 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:28,960 sophisticated than monkeys. The Bible says you're just a 439 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:33,720 degree below the heavenly angelic beings out of all of 440 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:37,440 creation on a scale of 1 to 10, you're more like God, the only 441 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,200 ones the crown of his creation made in his image to rule and 442 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,960 represent on earth for him. It was as if when God made all 443 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:46,640 of creation in the earth, you know what he said? 444 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:50,080 I'm going to make a special part of my creation to be the royal 445 00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:54,560 family on my behalf, to image me, to represent me, to reign 446 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:56,520 and rule through them so they can create. 447 00:24:56,800 --> 00:24:59,680 A place in a culture and relationships and environment 448 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:03,120 that reflect my character. They're going to be most like me 449 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:05,680 than anything else I put on the planet. 450 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:13,960 Do you follow me? Praise God for the clarity God's 451 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:19,720 Word provides us confusion on the place and role of man in 452 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,680 life. Confusion brings destruction. 453 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:28,440 It's damaging and it's deadly because if you're just a cosmic 454 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:32,840 accident that happened to get dressed this morning, then your 455 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:36,440 life is meaningless and mine is meaningless and you're not 456 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:39,240 really going anywhere. There really is no hope. 457 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:41,760 And you better eat and drink and be merry, for tomorrow you die. 458 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:47,480 It might happen today. That confusion is damaging, it's 459 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:52,200 destructive, it's deadly. But the reality that God made 460 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:59,520 you, designed you for His glory, made you in His image, and gave 461 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:02,440 you the job of exercising dominion over all that He has 462 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:04,040 made. In fact, let me put it in the 463 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,640 words of another, mortals have not gained power over the 464 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:11,800 creation by chance, mechanistic process, but by a mandate from 465 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:15,680 the Creator to establish a culture that expresses God's 466 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:19,280 character. All this role that we were given 467 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:21,760 to exercise this dominion. He says you have given Him 468 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:24,760 dominion over the works of your hands, and then he put all says 469 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:27,560 put all things under our feet. God has given to mankind the 470 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:30,200 charge to rule and reign over and to steward everything in 471 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:32,320 creation. All right, God gave us this 472 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:34,680 mandate prior to the fall of sin. 473 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,120 God is not taking it away after our fallen descent. 474 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:40,960 Yes, the image of God is marred in us. 475 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,760 The crown we have has been rolled in the dust, right? 476 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,960 The glory is not what it once was. 477 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:48,960 In fact, you could put it like this when in Garden of Eden, 478 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,440 Adam and Eve had perfect dominion, perfect charge, 479 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:53,920 perfect control and leadership of all of creation. 480 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:55,440 They're under their stewardship, right? 481 00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:58,400 Imagine the day the animals just walked right by, nice and kind 482 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:00,360 by Adam. He was unafraid of the lions and 483 00:27:00,360 --> 00:27:03,080 the tigers and the bears giving them their name. 484 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:05,800 Life's not quite like that anymore, is it? 485 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,680 The wrong encounter with the wrong dog on the wrong day can 486 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:11,680 be terrifying. Sends you up a tree or climbing 487 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:15,280 and hugging a mailbox, right? You're like, I don't really feel 488 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:19,680 in domain right now, Kyle. I was running at youth camp, ran 489 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:21,880 down this road, saw a dog at the garage. 490 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:23,800 Next thing you know, that dog was at the end of that driveway 491 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:25,200 looking at me like he didn't like me. 492 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:27,920 I talked back to him like I didn't like him. 493 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,400 Then I kept running. Praise God, but right? 494 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:34,480 I mean, that domain is imperfect now, and yet it's not over with. 495 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:37,280 And even through the brokenness of sin, we're exercising that 496 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,600 domain, right? Because mankind still tames 497 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:43,360 beast of every kind, Do we not? Do we not fly through the air at 498 00:27:43,360 --> 00:27:45,440 the speed of sound? Do we not till the ground to 499 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:47,560 grow our food? Do we not, by the power and 500 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,000 grace of God, rocket into space and back? 501 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,200 Do we not sail the seas? Do we not understand mysteries? 502 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:54,920 That got me. That domain is still. 503 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:56,800 It's imperfect. We're marred. 504 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,440 The image of God is not nearly as clear as it once was. 505 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,120 But this is not over with. We still have a charge given to 506 00:28:02,120 --> 00:28:07,560 us by God to exercise and reign and rule over creation on His 507 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,680 behalf. It's just not near as easy as it 508 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,440 once was. We still have the charge, now we 509 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:15,480 just have to sweat, bleed, and die to do it. 510 00:28:17,120 --> 00:28:19,000 But the truth of the matter is, it won't always be that way. 511 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,680 It won't always be that way. Life as we know it under the 512 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,480 curse of sin will not always be this way. 513 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:31,640 The reason we know that is because of what the Bible, again 514 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:33,560 clarity for life, makes so clear for us. 515 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:38,000 And This is why the writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm chapter 8 516 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:41,760 to speak to the answer of why is it that life will not always be 517 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:44,920 as we experience it now? Why is it that we have hope that 518 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:47,880 that curse one day will be broken, that one day we'll reign 519 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:51,920 and rule with Jesus Christ and perfect righteousness with life 520 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,040 forevermore, the way God intended for us to live it? 521 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:56,880 He says here in Hebrews, and I'll read it again as we read 522 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:58,640 it. What is man that you are mindful 523 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,360 of him, or the Son of man that you care for Him? 524 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,280 You made Him a little lower than the angels. 525 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:04,840 You've crowned Him with glory and honor. 526 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:07,200 You've put everything in subjection under His feet. 527 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:09,520 Now I'm putting everything in subjection to Him. 528 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:11,600 He left nothing outside His control. 529 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:13,400 But watch this. This is a really honest 530 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:16,520 statement right here. At present we do not yet see 531 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:18,280 everything in subjection to Jesus. 532 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:21,680 Is that not true? I mean the curse of sin still 533 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:25,040 running rampant, right? It ran in the form of how water 534 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,680 in like an hour in South Texas and how many people lost their 535 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:30,400 lives tragically. The curse of sin is still 536 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:32,160 happening. We don't yet see everything 537 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:36,200 perfectly yet under the feet of Jesus and yet namely Jesus 538 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:40,000 crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of 539 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,920 death, so that by the grace of God, he might taste death 540 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:44,560 forever. Now skip to verse 14. 541 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:48,480 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he 542 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:53,880 himself likewise partook of the same things he partook. 543 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:57,680 He was made a little lower than the angels, taking on flesh like 544 00:29:57,680 --> 00:29:58,880 we have. Why? 545 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:01,720 So that through death he might. Here it is. 546 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:03,560 Here's the good news. Here's the hope we have. 547 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:06,600 Here's why life will not always be the way we experience it 548 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:08,920 today. That He might destroy the one 549 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:12,120 who has the power of death, that is the devil. 550 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,960 And watch this and deliver all those who through fear of death, 551 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:18,760 were subject to lifelong slavery. 552 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:25,920 O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth. 553 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:31,120 Because though we messed it up. God was mindful of us, mere 554 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:35,360 Adams in comparison to all the physical created universe, but 555 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:38,600 made precious in His sight. God so loved us that He would 556 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:42,360 send His only Son to come and His dignity be humbled, taking 557 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:46,080 on the form of a human, taking on the form of a servant, and 558 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:49,080 even going to the humility to the point of dying on the cross 559 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:52,480 wine so that we huddled in our fig leaves in the garden because 560 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:54,360 of our sin. He could clothe us in the 561 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:57,880 righteousness of Christ and impart to us life if we by faith 562 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:01,040 would trust Him, raise us up to new life, cause us to be born 563 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:04,000 again so that one day when He returns, we will reign and rule 564 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:06,920 with Him forever, even judging angels. 565 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:12,560 Oh Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth? 566 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,680 Can you see it? Has the curse of sin blinded you 567 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:20,600 to it or have your eyes been open like David's have? 568 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:26,200 I just want to ask a few questions to ask you to reflect 569 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:27,720 on before John and praise team come. 570 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:34,400 The first one is this, have you realized, have your have you 571 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:39,400 seen, have your eyes been opened to the glory of God? 572 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:48,080 What I'm asking is, is there been a day and a time when 573 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:53,200 you've seen your sin, you've seen your need for a Savior? 574 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:58,960 You realize the glory of Jesus Christ, what He did for you out 575 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:02,000 of love for you, you called on Him to save you. 576 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,440 The glory power of God made you alive. 577 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:11,400 If not, maybe seeing that glory of God today, pointing to Jesus 578 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:14,480 Christ, you will call on Him right now to save you and ask to 579 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,120 forgive you of your sin and make you alive and make you His own, 580 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:20,640 and He will. Let me ask you if you've done 581 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:24,320 that, have you lost sight of the glory of God? 582 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:27,400 You know, one of the temptations we face as Christians, even as 583 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:32,120 believers, is to let our eyes move off of being fixated on the 584 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:36,000 author and perfector of our faith and start living thinking 585 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,680 something else is greater and better than Jesus. 586 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,320 Being distracted by things we think are great in the world 587 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:45,240 when only God is great. And often times we can be 588 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:48,480 believers and yet most miserable because we know the truth that 589 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:50,360 only God is great, but we're not living like it. 590 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:53,760 Do you need to realize again, only God is great? 591 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:57,640 Can I ask you, do you need to realize again today that God 592 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:02,040 wants to get glory from you? And maybe you've made lots of 593 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:04,880 excuses about your weaknesses or your failures or your 594 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:07,880 disqualifications when God just simply says, listen, hey, the 595 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:09,960 more that is, the more glory I can get from you. 596 00:33:09,960 --> 00:33:11,800 If you're just by faith, trust me to obey me. 597 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:19,240 May I ask it like this? Do you realize, third question, 598 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:24,000 that God has crowned you with glory and honor as the most 599 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,280 precious part of His creation? Here's what I mean. 600 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:29,560 This summer, some of you might have seen some amazing things on 601 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:31,480 vacation. Some of you might have seen some 602 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:32,400 mighty mountains. Some. 603 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:36,160 Of you might have seen the Grand Canyon, some of the wonders of 604 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:39,400 the world out there, some of the most beautiful gorgeous sunsets 605 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,720 or scenery or vacation places are things that God made looked 606 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,440 up in the night sky and seen all the stars. 607 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:46,880 And let me listen to what I'm trying to say is it doesn't 608 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:50,040 matter what you, where you go, or what you see that God has 609 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:53,200 made. The most precious part of all of 610 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,040 creation is none of those things in God's sight. 611 00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:59,960 It is you and it is me. Let me ask you like this, are 612 00:33:59,960 --> 00:34:03,080 you looking in the mirror and believing that God values you 613 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:05,640 and loves you as much as His Word says He does? 614 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:08,639 Are you looking for other people for your validation, for your 615 00:34:08,639 --> 00:34:10,760 value and your worth and yourself esteem? 616 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:14,440 Are you believing the truth that what God says about you is true, 617 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,560 that God has crowned you with glory and honor as made in His 618 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:22,400 image, and fourthly, given you a domain to exercise dominion in 619 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,080 like this? Let me ask you like this, what 620 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:25,800 is God put into your charge today? 621 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:38,760 A job, a family, kids, a role as a parent, schoolwork, your home. 622 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:44,639 He's a property. What is God giving you? 623 00:34:44,639 --> 00:34:48,360 Charge of the Bible says clarity for life. 624 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:52,120 God's giving you that domain to exercise stewardship over any of 625 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:53,320 that. It doesn't matter if it's 626 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:56,120 today's lunch, tonight's dinner, or your job tomorrow morning. 627 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:59,920 God has given you a domain to exercise dominion, to cultivate 628 00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:02,920 the character and glory of God in those things. 629 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:06,520 The smallest of things where God is honored because you're His 630 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:09,920 royal representative in those things God has given to you. 631 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:16,800 So are you living and doing life for the glory of God as a royal 632 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:20,800 member of the royal family? God put on earth who is most 633 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:24,400 prized possession made in His image, all to represent him. 634 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:28,040 Are you representing God when you do what God has given you 635 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:32,440 charge to do? John and praise him are going to 636 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:33,480 come out. I'm going to ask you to bow your 637 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:36,320 head where you are. I want to ask you to consider 638 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:40,920 those things that I've asked you about, and would God have you 639 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:42,840 respond in a way to them this morning? 640 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:47,880 They say How so? Well, I'm going to stand right 641 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:50,240 here in a moment as we sing and worship. 642 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:55,240 Maybe if realizing the glory of God means trusting Him for 643 00:35:55,240 --> 00:35:57,880 salvation is something that you just did while I spoke or need 644 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:00,320 to do, you'll step out from where you are and just come tell 645 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:06,560 me. Maybe God's been calling you to 646 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:08,480 do something. Up to step out. 647 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,880 You've just been making excuses because you think God couldn't 648 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:15,600 get glory from you. God couldn't be praised because 649 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:17,400 of you. God couldn't use you. 650 00:36:19,240 --> 00:36:20,880 Maybe it's going to come and. Put yourself on your. 651 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:22,560 Knees. Or stand at this altar and say 652 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:26,280 God. I want you to get praise and 653 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:30,840 honor and glory. For me I want to say yes and. 654 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:32,440 Take that step of faith to being used. 655 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:36,120 By you. Some of you maybe been looking 656 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:37,920 in the mirror and you. Don't like what you see or you 657 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:40,520 don't value the person God made you to be. 658 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:43,400 And maybe. You need to come and say God, I 659 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:44,880 need I. Need you to remind me that you 660 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:47,880 that you made me? As most precious. 661 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:49,920 You crown me with glory and honor. 662 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:52,520 God keep me from looking for glory and honor in the eyes of 663 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:54,720 other people. Help me to just trust the truth 664 00:36:54,720 --> 00:36:57,200 of what you believe, what you say about me. 665 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:02,200 Maybe it's going to say God I want help. 666 00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:05,040 To do what you've given. Me to do in such a. 667 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:08,480 Way that brings you glory? Not for me, not for others, but 668 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:12,080 for you, no. Matter what that is, no matter 669 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:14,720 how small or big. God help me to do that, Father, 670 00:37:14,720 --> 00:37:17,760 I pray, Lord, that however we need to respond today, you would 671 00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:22,080 you would prompt us accordingly. So, Father, that we. 672 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:25,840 Can live every day. Realizing and acting on the 673 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:27,680 truth of how majestic is your name. 674 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:31,160 And that you want, your Majesty proclaimed through our lives and 675 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:34,120 our mouths and our jobs and our duties and everywhere our feet 676 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:37,600 go, our eyes. Being opened to the glory of. 677 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:40,640 God helping other peoples have their eyes open to the glory of 678 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:41,480 God. Help us live it. 679 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:45,080 In Jesus name I pray, Amen. Would you stand with me? 680 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,320 We're going to sing together. You come, our encouragers will 681 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:49,320 be closed. I'll be here. 682 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:51,640 You come and use this altar. Come talk to me and let's 683 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:53,200 worship. And you respond as God leads you 684 00:37:53,200 --> 00:38:09,520 this morning. For my. 685 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:23,720 Waking breath for my daily breath I depend on you or. 686 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:28,640 I. Depend on you sing it out for 687 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:39,240 the sun to rise for my sleep at night I. 688 00:38:39,240 --> 00:38:46,160 Depend. On you, yes, I depend on you. 689 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:52,480 You're the way, the truth and the light. 690 00:38:53,640 --> 00:39:00,920 You're the well that never runs dry behind the branch, and you 691 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:06,840 are the bone. Draw me close and teach me to 692 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:17,960 abide. Where the Spirit? 693 00:39:21,640 --> 00:39:29,960 Leads as I'm far away, I depend on you. 694 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:41,440 I depend on. You before the victories, still 695 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:45,760 in front of me. I depend on you. 696 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:51,760 I depend on you. Yes. 697 00:39:51,840 --> 00:40:00,720 I depend on you all the way. The truth and the light. 698 00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:05,560 You're the whale that never runs right. 699 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,840 I'm the wrench in you are the vine. 700 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:18,960 And draw me close and teach me to abide me my strength, my song 701 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:24,360 in the night. Be my all, my treasure, my eyes 702 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:34,280 I am yours, whatever your mind. Draw me close again teaching to. 703 00:40:44,170 --> 00:40:53,210 The and when I pass. Through death as I am to sing it 704 00:40:53,210 --> 00:40:59,680 out. I depend on you, yes. 705 00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:09,520 I depend. On you for eternal life to be 706 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:18,800 raised with Christ. I depend on you. 707 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:42,440 Yes, I depend on you. Draw me close, then teach me to 708 00:41:43,640 --> 00:41:48,320 abide. Me, my strength, my song in the 709 00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:51,600 night. Light me my own, my treasure, my 710 00:41:51,720 --> 00:41:58,880 rise, high in the hearts forever true mine. 711 00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:02,360 Draw me close, then teach me to abide. 712 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:19,560 Church family, you can be seated. 713 00:42:25,110 --> 00:42:30,670 Chris and I had lunch this week and young man that just came 714 00:42:30,670 --> 00:42:34,190 down and with his permission I can tell you this, but Chris and 715 00:42:34,190 --> 00:42:39,830 I had a conversation about the gospel and we left that lunch. 716 00:42:39,830 --> 00:42:41,950 Just with Chris. Knowing that he had the decision 717 00:42:41,950 --> 00:42:45,750 one way or the other to make. And Chris wants you to know that 718 00:42:45,750 --> 00:42:49,320 he walked down today to say yes to Jesus and Amen. 719 00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:57,560 I'm proud of you, Chris. That's what it's all about. 720 00:42:58,360 --> 00:43:02,640 And those that's what it means. Your eyes are open to the glory 721 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,840 and goodness of God. And when they are, nothing else 722 00:43:05,840 --> 00:43:08,240 compares. Nothing else comes close. 723 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:12,520 And so Chris, we're proud of you man, and excited for the God has 724 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:15,760 in store for you. Let me just give you a few 725 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:18,360 things not near as important to close our service with. 726 00:43:20,400 --> 00:43:24,160 First of all is this is that elder nominations are going on. 727 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:26,800 Some of you participated, some of you are procrastinating and 728 00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:30,680 I'm looking at a lot of you. All right, y'all seen the video 729 00:43:30,680 --> 00:43:32,320 that I sent out by text or e-mail? 730 00:43:32,320 --> 00:43:34,000 You're like, no, I don't open those emails anymore. 731 00:43:34,720 --> 00:43:38,000 Well, before you take your Sunday afternoon nap, all right, 732 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:41,720 you can get on the website and the elder nomination process 733 00:43:41,720 --> 00:43:44,680 goes through this next Sunday and you can look at that list of 734 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:48,320 men and prayerfully put forward those that you think God would 735 00:43:48,320 --> 00:43:50,920 be calling to serve, that God places on your heart to do. 736 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:52,880 And I pray that you do. That's a huge help to us. 737 00:43:53,120 --> 00:43:55,560 It's a way to participate in that leadership dynamic of our 738 00:43:55,560 --> 00:43:57,440 church. If you've not taken the next 739 00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:01,400 step for membership at First Baptist, next Sunday is our next 740 00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:04,800 Discover First class. It's at 10:45 in room 1O3 right 741 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:07,320 across the hall and you can sign up online. 742 00:44:07,320 --> 00:44:10,000 Pastor Steven James leads that and let me encourage you to take 743 00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:11,840 part in that. It's not a commitment that you 744 00:44:11,840 --> 00:44:14,400 have to join, but it's that next step to get the info you need to 745 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:16,080 know. We're also doing a Back to 746 00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:17,920 school supply drive. We've been doing it. 747 00:44:17,920 --> 00:44:20,520 It'll go through July 23rd collecting backpacks and other 748 00:44:20,520 --> 00:44:23,160 school items for up to about 200 kids. 749 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:27,000 In fact, we asked those kids the things they need and 100, I want 750 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:30,920 you to get this. 125 out of 200 kids indicated they don't have a 751 00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:34,000 Bible, and so guess what? Just one of the things we're 752 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:35,400 going to be. Able to include when we supply 753 00:44:35,400 --> 00:44:38,560 them a backpack for school, we're also able to supply them a 754 00:44:38,560 --> 00:44:41,680 Bible to take home so you can be bringing those supplies we've 755 00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:44,080 got the Bibles already but you can bring other things they 756 00:44:44,080 --> 00:44:46,400 might need to fill those backpacks with through the 23rd 757 00:44:46,800 --> 00:44:49,040 And finally you might notice that sign up to serve table 758 00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:51,320 we've had in the lobby. If you've again not taken that 759 00:44:51,320 --> 00:44:54,200 next step to say, you know what, I know I'm saved. 760 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:55,160 I'm. Just not plugged. 761 00:44:55,160 --> 00:44:58,280 In serving in the body some way, let me encourage you to stop by. 762 00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:00,640 You can ask questions, you can say I just want to experiment. 763 00:45:00,640 --> 00:45:02,920 I want to shadow. I don't want to commit you fully 764 00:45:02,920 --> 00:45:04,760 yet. We'll give you a little time to 765 00:45:04,760 --> 00:45:06,640 experiment and see how God might want you to plug in. 766 00:45:06,640 --> 00:45:08,760 We've got so many ways, especially in the Nest and the 767 00:45:08,760 --> 00:45:11,600 kids area, but all kinds of ways to plug in the life of First 768 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:14,640 Baptist, that God will use you and your gift to bless the body 769 00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:17,080 of Christ. Don't forget about the guys at 770 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:19,720 the doors, one with a bag for benevolence and one with just 771 00:45:19,720 --> 00:45:21,880 the normal ties and offering search. 772 00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:23,800 Thank you for your generosity. That makes the ministry 773 00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:25,800 possible. That makes things like what we 774 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:28,520 see happen on Sunday morning when people choose Jesus and 775 00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:30,600 even like Puerto Rico team that just got back. 776 00:45:30,600 --> 00:45:32,000 Danny was on stage with his T-shirt. 777 00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:34,560 Many others around were able to take the gospel to the ends of 778 00:45:34,560 --> 00:45:36,440 the earth because of your generosity. 779 00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:38,160 Would you stand with me as you go? 780 00:45:38,920 --> 00:45:42,120 You go to church, family, make disciples. 781 00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:43,720 Love you all, guest. I'll be in the lobby. 782 00:45:43,720 --> 00:45:44,960 Would love to meet you out there.