1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:02,600 Good evening. I want to welcome you back to 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:05,440 our 7th Psalm this summer that we're looking at. 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:08,480 You turn to Psalm 86 tonight, Psalm 86. 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:10,520 I have a couple of announcements. 5 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,040 We have a church wide potluck on June 29th. 6 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:16,720 If you haven't signed up, but I know there's over 100 people 7 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,600 that have signed up, please sign up as soon as possible because 8 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,960 they got to order, they got to know how much chicken to order. 9 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,760 So they want you to order, sign up tonight or Sunday so they can 10 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,760 get the order in for that. VBS starts next Tuesday. 11 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,520 So if your kids or grandkids haven't signed up, please get 12 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:34,880 them signed up. And Rodger Flores will be 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:40,000 teaching a class on Wednesday night, July 2nd on how to defend 14 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:41,440 the faith. You can sign up for that in the 15 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,480 lobby too. So we just sang, I think the 16 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:48,200 greatest hymn ever recorded ever sung, Amazing Grace. 17 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:53,160 And I think you know about the writer of it, John Newton, that 18 00:00:53,160 --> 00:00:56,560 he was a slave trader and I could talk a lot about his life, 19 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,280 but he, you know, he was a slave trader. 20 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:05,760 And in 191754 after becoming violently I'll on a sea voyage, 21 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,280 he abandoned his life as a slave trader and he devoted his life 22 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:14,040 to God's service. He was ordained as a Anglican 23 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,800 priest in the year 1764 and he became quite a popular preacher 24 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,560 and hymn writer. I'm told he wrote over 280 hymns 25 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,800 and among them the great one, Amazing Grace. 26 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:30,240 But I'm going to give you 8 things about the hymn Amazing 27 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,240 Grace you might not know. OK, I didn't. 28 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,280 I just got this from an author here and he mentions 8 things 29 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,280 you didn't know about this great hymn. 30 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,920 Amazing Grace #1 The Library of Congress has a collection of 31 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,720 over 3000 recordings of Amazing Grace. 32 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,880 These recordings are made on vinyl, cassette tape, CDs and 33 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,600 other media between 1930 and the present time. 34 00:01:55,360 --> 00:02:00,000 This collection includes every imaginable genre of classical 35 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:05,920 music, to country, to gospel, to rap to world music #2 One of the 36 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:08,000 six verses. I'm sorry, one of the verses of 37 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,039 Amazing Grace was actually stolen. 38 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:15,200 The original version of Amazing Grace had 6 verses, but in 1910, 39 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,520 an enterprising hymn book publisher named Edwin Othello 40 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:23,320 Exel replaced the last three verses with the one that we just 41 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,680 finished. When we've been there 10,000 42 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,280 years, right? Shining as a sun. 43 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:33,000 He took that from a hymn called Jerusalem Our Happy Home, which 44 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,360 apparently had over 70 verses, so he probably thought nobody 45 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:37,760 would notice it if he borrowed that. 46 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:43,160 That last verse for Amazing Grace and #3 Plain Amazing Grace 47 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,400 on bagpipes is a recent innovation. 48 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,880 When I die, Tim's responsibility will be to my funeral here, my 49 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,840 celebration service. Tim will have to find a bagpiper 50 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,680 to play Amazing Grace at my funeral, but apparently that's 51 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,600 very new. It was only in 1972 that the 52 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,120 Royal Scots Dragoon Guards record an Amazing Grace on 53 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,840 bagpipes, and that version charted on the Billboard top for 54 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:09,920 4:40 for eight weeks. The original title wasn't 55 00:03:09,920 --> 00:03:12,960 Amazing Grace number four. The first title was called 56 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:18,160 Faith's Review and Expectation, and it was written for a new New 57 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:23,280 Year's Day sermon. And then #5 we don't know the 58 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,400 original tune to Amazing Grace because I'm not a musician, but 59 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:31,720 there were, there were different hymn books, tune books, and they 60 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:33,520 would mix and match different songs. 61 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,440 So they've gone back in the archives and apparently some of 62 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:38,520 the tunes are very different than what we have. 63 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,280 And number six, Amazing Grace became a very popular African 64 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,880 American spiritual. Though interesting, it was 65 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:46,400 written by a former slave trader. 66 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:49,840 Amazing Grace has long been cherished by African American 67 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:53,200 churches as a black gospel song and there have been powerful 68 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,520 performances by different people over the year, including Aretha 69 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:59,000 Franklin, Whitney Phillips and many others. 70 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,320 Yet the words were written by a former slave ship captain named 71 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:06,680 John Newton, 2 decades after he left the slave trade when he was 72 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,680 an Anglican minister in the English Midlands. 73 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:11,920 He would later move to London and he would make a. 74 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:14,880 Key. Contribution to abolish the 75 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,920 slave trade in England, Whitney Phillips said. 76 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,360 I believe God wanted that song written just the way it was 77 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,480 written so that we would be reminded that as a Christian, 78 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,840 whether black or white, we are connected by God's. 79 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:30,400 Amazing. Grace and #7 which was 80 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,920 interesting to me. Amazing Grace is actually a 81 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,680 paraphrase of the words of King David. 82 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,800 When John Newton wrote The Amazing Grace, he wrote it to 83 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:46,320 accompany a sermon on New Year's Day. 1773 and the text of that 84 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:52,560 sermon was first Chronicles chapter 17 verses 16 and 17 and 85 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:56,320 that's the passage where Nathan goes to David and tells David 86 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,720 that God's promise that you will have a son to sit on your throne 87 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,280 forever. So David went before the Lord 88 00:05:02,280 --> 00:05:06,640 and he said who am IO Lord God and what is my house that that 89 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:09,560 was brought me here through. In other words, David's 90 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,240 responding Amazing Grace. How sweet the sound that saved a 91 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,880 Wretch like me. He was a murderous, adulterous 92 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,360 king who had found mercy and forgiveness. 93 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,880 And now God promised he would extend his grace through David's 94 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,720 descendants. That grace ultimately would be 95 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,920 fulfilled in Jesus Christ as the greater Son of David. 96 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:31,840 And lastly and #8 Amazing Grace is a spiritual practice. 97 00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:34,840 When John Newton wrote to him, he was part of his regular 98 00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:38,560 practice of self examination. He would pause at key moments to 99 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,440 consider his sins and God's mercies in the past and make 100 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:46,080 confession and receive forgiveness in the present, he 101 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,720 wrote in his diary on January 1773. 102 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,920 I am now in the 49th year of my age and may expect in the course 103 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:59,080 of a few years at most to go, whence I shall no more return. 104 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,640 May Thy grace keep me always waiting to lab point, and change 105 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,760 shall come. Let's read Psalm 86 tonight. 106 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,960 We have a superscription that says a prayer of David. 107 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:15,560 There's one other Psalm, Psalm 17, that has the same 108 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,920 superscription, 2 psalms that are called a Prayer of David. 109 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,880 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and 110 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,280 needy. Preserve my life, for I am 111 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:29,720 godly. Save your servant who trusts in 112 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:31,520 you. You are my God. 113 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:37,680 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for You do I cry all the day. 114 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,440 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do 115 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,440 I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and 116 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:47,800 forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call 117 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,480 upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer. 118 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,960 Listen to my plea for grace in the day of my trouble. 119 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,680 I call upon you for you. Answer me. 120 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,200 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any 121 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,000 works like yours. All the nations you have made 122 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,480 shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify 123 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:10,520 Your name, for You are great and do wondrous things, You alone 124 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,840 our God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that 125 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,600 I may walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your 126 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,080 name. I give thanks to You, O Lord my 127 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,480 God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify Your name forever, 128 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,160 for great is your steadfast love toward me. 129 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,800 You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol, O God. 130 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:31,720 Insolent men have risen up against me. 131 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,600 A band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not see You 132 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,200 before them. But you, O Lord, are a God, 133 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,840 merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast 134 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:45,360 love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to 135 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,200 me. Give your strength to your 136 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,240 servant and save the son of your maidservant. 137 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,760 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see 138 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:57,320 and be put to shame, because you, O Lord, have helped me and 139 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,040 comforted me. Let's pray. 140 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,400 Father, we thank you tonight that we can read this great 141 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,720 Psalm. Father, You are gracious and you 142 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:07,240 are compassionate and you are loving. 143 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,680 And I pray that everybody here tonight would have saving faith, 144 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,520 saving faith that they'd have Jesus Christ in their heart. 145 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,640 And may we learn more about David's Psalm tonight. 146 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:20,080 May we leave here tonight being thankful for grace and being 147 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,840 ready to tell people about grace in Jesus name, Amen. 148 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:27,400 I said that we had a superscription, and I mentioned 149 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:32,000 that one other Psalm, Psalm 17, calls it a prayer of David. 150 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,080 And this Psalm is found in Book 3. 151 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,799 There's five books in the book of Psalms, and book 3 consists 152 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:42,760 of only 17 psalms. And this is the only one in Book 153 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,840 3 by David. So one commentator called it the 154 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,440 lonely prayer of David, the type of Psalm. 155 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:51,840 It's a lament. And I know what some of you are 156 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:53,680 thinking. Oh no, another lament. 157 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,240 Seems like every Psalm we do as a lament. 158 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,120 Well, most of the Psalms are laments, right? 159 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,280 But I think you're going to see tonight that this is a lot 160 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:04,200 different than just a normal lament. 161 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:07,520 So I'll, I'll wait and you can see it in just a few minutes. 162 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,360 You have three points tonight. I hope you have an outline. 163 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:14,720 David's appeal, OK, David's adoration and David's 164 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:16,360 adversaries. And we'll start with David's 165 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,680 appeal versus one to seven. David's going to make an appeal 166 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:22,960 to God. Now David's in trouble, but we 167 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,680 don't know why until much, much later in the Psalm. 168 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:27,920 So he's going to say 4 things here. 169 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:32,080 Grant my prayer, guard my life, gladden my soul, and give me 170 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:34,840 assurance. So First off, he says grant my 171 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,840 prayer in verse 1. And I want you to notice a few 172 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,800 things here. First off, when we read this 173 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,640 Psalm, you might not notice it right away 'cause you'd have to 174 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,320 read it in Hebrew. But the names of God, the names 175 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,720 of God. In Psalms 86, Yahweh is 176 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:58,760 mentioned four times in verses 1/6, 11, and 17. 177 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,000 Yahweh is God, our Savior, God our Redeemer. 178 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:09,760 Then the name for God, Elohim is mentioned four times in verse 2, 179 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:14,040 verse 10, verse 12, and verse 14. 180 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,960 And Elohim means God is the creator, the sustainer, the 181 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,920 provider. And then in verse 15, we have 182 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,280 the name for God L, which is just a generic name for God. 183 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:30,440 But then we have the the name of God Adonai 7 times in verse 184 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:38,280 3458912 and 15. And Adonai means God is the 185 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,920 master, the owner. And then if you look at like 186 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:48,720 verse 9, it says in verse 9 the name he says and you shall 187 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,360 glorify your name. And that says that three times 188 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:57,560 in verse 9, verse 11. And verse 12 and then you have 189 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:03,120 the emphatic second person pronoun you 16 times. 190 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,840 So if you added up all those, God's name is mentioned at least 191 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:14,640 35 times in 17 verses. So the point is that the 192 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,960 psalmist focuses more on God than his problem and the prayer 193 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,840 that we think it is. But notice the names in English 194 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:28,240 he says, oh Lord, that's Yahweh. He says in verse 20, you my God. 195 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:32,120 He then says, oh Lord, in verse 3 that's Adonai. 196 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:35,320 And then he says oh God in verse 10, that's Elohim. 197 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:37,840 And then he says, oh Lord my God. 198 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:39,560 So the way he uses the names of God. 199 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,200 The second thing I want you to notice is that the name that 200 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,720 David uses for himself. He uses a lot of different names 201 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:53,400 for God, but in verses. 2, 4 and 16 he calls himself a servant 202 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:57,040 verse two save your servant who trusts in you. 203 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,480 You are my God. Now a better translation would 204 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,720 be slave. That new translation, the legacy 205 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:07,320 standard Bible, which I mentioned a lot, uses the change 206 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,280 the name of servant in all the New Testament passages to slave, 207 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:15,640 John MacArthur says. You know, a servant can quit, a 208 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,280 servant can walk away and get a new master, but a slave cannot 209 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:23,080 quit. David is a slave of God as we 210 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,520 are slaves of Jesus Christ. So it's interesting how David 211 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,520 calls himself a slave in contrast to God. 212 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:35,480 And then I want to mention David's statement in verse 2. 213 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,720 He says, for I am godly. When you first read that, it may 214 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,360 sound like a prideful statement, but it's not. 215 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,560 There are translations that say I am holy. 216 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,080 I think the new living translation says I am devoted to 217 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,640 you, but this is not a prideful statement. 218 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:54,160 It's a declaration that David is the son of the covenant. 219 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,320 He belongs entirely to the Lord. David is pleading for help on 220 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,360 the basis of the covenant relationship with the Lord. 221 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,800 And we kind of do the same when we say in Jesus name, I pray. 222 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:06,480 So it's not a prideful statement. 223 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:09,720 And then the fourth thing I want you to notice in this Psalm, and 224 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:11,960 we'll go through them, the imperatives. 225 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:15,320 What's an imperative? Well, it's a command, it's an 226 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:20,080 exhortation, it's an entreaty. And in this Psalm there are 15 227 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,920 of them. So David is going to give 15 228 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:27,040 commands to God, 15 entreaties to God in 17 verses. 229 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:31,600 So David knows the names of God and he knows the attributes of 230 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,600 God which we'll look later, and he can command, ask, cry, or beg 231 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:36,880 God for certain. Things. 232 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,440 So he says incline your ear. That's the first imperative. 233 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:46,840 Incline your ear 15 times in Psalms we see this words incline 234 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:48,920 your ear. It's anthropomorphism because 235 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:50,440 God doesn't actually have an ear. 236 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:53,240 It's figurative language. God is omnipresent. 237 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,680 He doesn't need to incline his ear. 238 00:13:55,680 --> 00:13:58,760 He he hears every word of every human in the whole world. 239 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:04,920 One example, Psalm 17 six says I call upon you for you will 240 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:07,480 answer me. Oh God, incline your. 241 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,040 Ear to hear my words. The second imperative follows 242 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,200 immediately in verse one and it says, answer me. 243 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,440 That's the second imperative. I looked in the Psalms and I 244 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,600 found at least 20 times the psalmist cries out, Answer me. 245 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:26,600 Psalms 13 says Consider and answer me, O Lord, my God, light 246 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,600 up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. 247 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:32,120 Interesting, He says in verse one, answer me. 248 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,640 And if you go to verse 7, he says in the day of trouble, I 249 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:40,160 call upon you for you. Answer me, then let's look at 250 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:43,960 some point to guard my life. Verse 2, he says preserve my 251 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:45,520 life. That's the third imperative. 252 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:50,240 Some translations say guard my life or protect my life, but the 253 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:52,120 third imperative is preserve my life. 254 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,920 Again, we don't know what the trouble is and we won't find out 255 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:58,760 till many verses later. The 4th imperative, he just says 256 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:04,320 save or save your servant. That's in Psalms over 50 Times 257 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:09,480 Now the psalmist calls out, you know, to be saved at least 50 258 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:14,640 times In Psalm 69, one it says save me, O God, for the waters 259 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:17,040 have come up to my neck. And I've talked about this 260 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,600 before. When we see the word salvation 261 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,240 or save an Old Testament, it's talking about being delivered or 262 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,600 or asking deliverance. You know the Philippian jailer 263 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:31,040 in Acts chapter 16 verse 30 said what must I do to be saved? 264 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,840 That Philippian jailers talking about salvation, but here David 265 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,760 is talking about being saved from some crisis or some war or 266 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:42,080 some something that's going on the 3rd subpoint. 267 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,360 He says gladden my soul in verses 3 and 4. 268 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:49,240 And here we have imperative #5 He says, be gracious to me. 269 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,840 And the there are certain translations that some of you 270 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:56,160 may have that say be merciful to me, but most of the better 271 00:15:56,160 --> 00:16:00,160 translation, the SV, the LSV, the NSV say the word gracious. 272 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,480 And I think that's a better translation because mercy is the 273 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,720 act of withholding deserved punishment, while grace is the 274 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:09,720 in. The act of endowing unmerited 275 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,240 favor. And David's here is asking God 276 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:14,720 for unmerited favor. I don't deserve it, God, but 277 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:16,520 please give me this favor. Help me. 278 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,200 He's crying out. God gives us gifts we don't 279 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:21,600 deserve, and that's what David's crying out. 280 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:26,160 So he says here in verse 5, verse 3, be gracious to me and 281 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:28,800 He'll say it again in verse 16, be gracious to me. 282 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,720 And then in verse 6, He asked for grace in my translation. 283 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:35,120 And then he mentions verse 15, grace. 284 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:39,480 So four times in this Psalm we have grace, and that's why I 285 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,440 title it the Psalm. Of grace tonight when you look 286 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:46,840 through the the Psalms many times, he says in Psalm 62, be 287 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,920 gracious to me, O Yahweh, for I am pining away. 288 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:55,600 Psalms 913 be gracious to me, O Yahweh, see my affliction. 289 00:16:56,360 --> 00:17:01,160 Psalms 2516 turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am alone 290 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:04,560 and afflicted. Psalm 31 Nine be gracious to me, 291 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:09,760 O Yahweh, for I am in distress. Psalms 56 One be gracious to me, 292 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,280 O God, for man has trampled on me. 293 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,640 So anytime that you feel you're pining away, your suffering 294 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:19,960 afflictions, your lone, you're in distress or being trampled 295 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:22,480 on, you can do what David did and cry out. 296 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:27,440 Be gracious to me, God. Then we have the 6th imperative 297 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:32,480 gladdened my soul or gladdened the soul of your servant and 298 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,960 there's four. And the NSP says make the soul 299 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:37,800 of your servant be joyful instead of. 300 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,320 Literally saying make me happy, make me joyful. 301 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,840 God in the middle of a crisis of some type. 302 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:46,280 You know, the heart of the Psalm is that God would be gracious to 303 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,000 the Psalm. And David knew well the promises 304 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:53,400 of God, the verses here, verses 1 and 2, they would go back to 305 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:59,200 Numbers chapter 6, verses 24 to 27, where God spoke to Moses and 306 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:03,080 he said, speak to Aaron and his son, saying, thus she shall 307 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:06,840 bless the people of Israel. You shall say to them, the Lord 308 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,560 bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine 309 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,840 upon you, and be gracious to you. 310 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,040 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. 311 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,680 So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will 312 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:21,920 bless them. That's what David is is 313 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,560 referring back to. And then subpoint #4 give me 314 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:29,120 assurance in verses 5 and 7. And here he he says. 315 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:33,920 For you, O Lord, our good and forgiving about and steadfast 316 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:38,160 love to all who call upon you. This is the Old Testament 317 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:42,720 equivalent of Romans 1013. Romans 10/13 says For everyone 318 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:46,160 who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. 319 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:50,400 Verse 5 is one of the most beautiful verses in in Psalms 86 320 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,320 and even the Bible because God is described in triplet. 321 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:58,360 Here he's described as good, ready to forgive, and abundant 322 00:18:58,360 --> 00:19:01,720 in steadfast love. And then he says in verse 6 323 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:06,640 imperative #7 give ear. So in verse 1, he asked God to 324 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:10,880 incline his ear, and here in verse 6, he says give ear. 325 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:15,080 And then David's going to say, listen to my plea for grace. 326 00:19:15,240 --> 00:19:19,640 So imperative #8 is listen now God is omniscient. 327 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:22,840 God is omnipresent. He knows all things. 328 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:26,760 But David wants assurance of God answering prayer. 329 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:28,800 And that's why he keeps repeating those. 330 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:32,360 You know, a few weeks ago or last month, we looked at Psalms 331 00:19:32,360 --> 00:19:35,480 5 and Lord willing, you learn something about prayer. 332 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,960 But I think tonight David has a very important lesson for us. 333 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:43,320 And James Boyce, one of my favorite authors on the Psalms, 334 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,000 points out something that Charles Spurgeon pointed out. 335 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:50,600 And that's when we pray to God we should use arguments. 336 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:52,840 Now you're wondering, what do you mean arguments? 337 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,160 Well, maybe the word appeal is better. 338 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,360 But if Spurgeon uses arguments, I think we can use arguments. 339 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:02,200 We can we can express to God the reason why he should answer our 340 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,120 prayers. This isn't for God's benefit, 341 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:08,080 but it's for ours. You know, if we can't think of 342 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:12,760 reasons for God to answer our prayers, it's probably the case 343 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:16,440 that our reasons for asking are wrong and need to be revised. 344 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:21,280 Like we may say God I need a new car, or God, I need a new job 345 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,600 and you leave it at that. But what are the reasons you're 346 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:28,520 asking for that? We'll notice in Psalms 86 what 347 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:33,240 David does 8 times. He's going to use the word for 348 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:38,960 it's preposition and eight times David answers his prayers by 349 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:42,440 giving sound arguments to God. Why you should answer my prayer. 350 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:44,840 They're really easy to find. You just got to look for the 351 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:50,720 word for it's a preposition, which means because so 8 times 352 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:54,280 they're there. So the first four are based upon 353 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:58,800 David and his need. In verse one, David says, for I 354 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,880 am poor and needy. He's crying out for mercy there 355 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:06,520 #2 in verse 2 he says, for I am godly. 356 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:08,880 David's saying, you know I'm devoted to you. 357 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:13,240 I'm a child of yours, God. In verse three he says, for to 358 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:17,560 you do I cry all the day? David's crying out to the God 359 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:21,000 who answers prayer. And then in verse four he says, 360 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:24,680 for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul? 361 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,680 He's crying out to the one true God, the only God who can answer 362 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,000 his prayers. So there's four reasons based 363 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,160 upon his knee. Then secondly, there are four 364 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:35,760 reasons based upon God and God's character. 365 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:39,760 In verse 7 he says, for you answer me. 366 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:43,520 It reminds me of James 516. The prayer of a righteous man is 367 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:46,200 powerful and effective prayer works. 368 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:51,000 And then in verse 10 he says, for you are great and do 369 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,080 wondrous things. God is constantly doing good 370 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:58,440 things each and every day. And then verse 13 he says for 371 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:02,440 great is your steadfast love. You know, I'm a child of God, 372 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:06,320 I'm saved and I'm redeemed. And then verse 17, my Bible 373 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:09,960 actually says because but if you want to switch to the word for 374 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:15,240 same thing because or for you Lord have helped me and comfort 375 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,320 in me. You've helped me in the past. 376 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,200 He's saying help me in the present. 377 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:23,200 So I hope you look at all those fours and you can understand 378 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:25,920 what David's doing. You can argue, as Spurgeon says, 379 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,200 with God, don't just give him your prayer request. 380 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:31,800 Give me a new job, you know, give me a new house. 381 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:35,480 Give me give them the reason for it and and justify it. 382 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,480 Or maybe you're asking for the wrong thing. 383 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:42,120 So, you know, can there be any greater gift in the world than 384 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:46,480 the gift of grace? And is there anybody beyond the 385 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:48,600 reach of God's grace? I think. 386 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:53,480 Not somebody on social media put out something and I saw this and 387 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,280 it said the type of people God has used. 388 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:00,760 Noah was once a drunk. Abraham was an old man. 389 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:05,600 Isaac was a daydreamer. Jacob was sometimes a liar. 390 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:10,120 Leah was not attractive. Joseph had been abused. 391 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:14,200 Moses stuttered. Gideon was often afraid. 392 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:18,440 Sampson was a womanizer. Rahab was a prostitute. 393 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,800 Jeremiah and Timothy were young. David was an adulterous 394 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,360 murderer. Elijah doubted. 395 00:23:25,360 --> 00:23:28,720 Life's value. Isaiah once preached naked. 396 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:32,760 Jonah ran from God. Naomi was a widow. 397 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:37,320 Job went bankrupt. Peter denied Christ three times. 398 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:40,000 The disciples fell asleep while praying. 399 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,880 Martha worried about everything. Mary Magdalene. 400 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:45,760 Let's just say she had a bad reputation. 401 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:48,720 The Samaritan woman had multiple divorces. 402 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:53,400 Zacchaeus was a small man. Paul persecuted believers. 403 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,280 Timothy had an ulcer. Lazarus was once dead. 404 00:23:58,080 --> 00:23:59,800 Do you think God can use you if he? 405 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:04,000 Used all those people cannot we say like David said, God be 406 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:07,240 gracious to me. We go from David's appeal in 407 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:12,000 verses one to seven to David's adoration in verses 8 to 13 408 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,720 point #2 David's adoration. And you know, you know the 409 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,360 prayer model. We talked about it in Psalms 5. 410 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:23,480 You can model prayer A for adoration, C for confession, T 411 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:27,160 for Thanksgiving, S for supplication here and here David 412 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,440 has adoration in the second paragraph of his prayer. 413 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,600 And so we have three points here, The greatness of God, the 414 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:36,400 guidance of God, and the goodness of God. 415 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:41,000 So begins in in verses 8 to 10 to talk about the greatness of 416 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:43,160 God. And the first thing he comes 417 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:46,360 across is he wants everybody to know that there's only one true 418 00:24:46,360 --> 00:24:49,120 God. He says there is none like you 419 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:52,000 among the gods. Now, that's small G Those would 420 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:56,920 be false gods in Exodus 810, which would be the second 421 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:02,240 plague, the plague of frogs. Moses said to Pharaoh, be as it 422 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:04,600 you. Say so that you may know that 423 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,480 there is no one like the Lord our God. 424 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:13,320 Then in Exodus 914, the 7th plague, which was hail, he Moses 425 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:16,520 said, for this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself 426 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,120 and on your servants and your people, so that you may know 427 00:25:20,120 --> 00:25:23,240 that there is none like me in all the earth. 428 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:28,280 There's only a one true God. And then he says, O Lord, nor 429 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,080 are there any works like yours. Not only is the only the one 430 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:36,320 true God, He's the Creator God in Exodus 1511, which was a song 431 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:40,760 of Moses, they're singing who is like you, O Lord, O Lord among 432 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:44,160 the gods, small, the false gods, who is like you, majestic and 433 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:48,120 holiness, awesome, glorious in deeds, doing wonders. 434 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:51,360 There's no God that can do the wonders and works of God because 435 00:25:51,360 --> 00:25:55,440 they're false gods. And then he says in verse 9, All 436 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,840 the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O 437 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,360 Lord, and they shall glorify your name. 438 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:04,760 Some commentators have taken this verse 9 that there should 439 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,560 be a messianic Psalm because it points to that great day and 440 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,760 Revelation 9. I think Revelation 79 is one of 441 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:15,280 my favorite verses of anticipating someday in heaven 442 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:18,320 when we stand there. It says in Revelation 79. 443 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:21,760 After this I looked and behold a great multitude that no one 444 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:26,240 could number, from every nation, tribe, people and languages 445 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:29,000 standing for the throne and before the Lamb. 446 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:32,600 Clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands and 447 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,560 crying out with a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God who 448 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:38,560 sits on the throne and to the Lamb. 449 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,440 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the 450 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:44,160 elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on 451 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:48,200 their faces before the throne and worship God, saying Amen, 452 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,160 blessing and glory and wisdom and Thanksgiving and honor and 453 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:54,560 power, and might be to our God forever and ever. 454 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:57,720 Amen. So all the nations someday will 455 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,040 come and bow and worship for the God, all the elect. 456 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,240 And then he says in verse 10, just a summary statement. 457 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,840 For you are great and do wondrous things. 458 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:11,120 You alone are God. There's no one else. 459 00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:13,200 So he's talking about the greatness of God. 460 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,320 And then he moves on to the guidance of God. 461 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,200 And so now we have another imperative in verse 11. 462 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,800 Teach me your way. You know, we talked about this 463 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:28,040 in Psalms 27, didn't we? That even though David is is 464 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:31,280 lamenting about his enemies and seeking deliverance, he still 465 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:34,760 takes time to pray to God that God will teach him his ways and 466 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,960 give him an undivided heart. You know, let's be honest, most 467 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:41,680 of our prayer requests we see God immediately to answer some 468 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:45,400 emergency or need. Seldom do we pray God teach us 469 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:49,200 when we're praying, right? So David knew his heart was 470 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:52,600 capable of wandering and you know he would sin grievously 471 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,720 later and he knew he needed to go in God's way. 472 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,800 So if you remember when we talked about Psalm 27, we said 473 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:05,240 that great Psalm 119 mentions teach us, teach me your statutes 474 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:07,760 10 times. I won't read them all. 475 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:12,000 Psalm 1/19/12 says blessed are you, O Yahweh, teach me your 476 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:16,320 statutes. Psalms 1/19/68 you are good and 477 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,640 do good. Teach me your statutes. 478 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:24,000 Psalms One 19135 make your face shine upon your slave and teach 479 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:28,800 me your statutes. Psalms One 19171 Let my lips 480 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:32,560 pour forth praise for you. Teach me your statutes. 481 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:37,240 So true biblical wisdom consists of right thinking, join with 482 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,880 right believing, resulting in right living. 483 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,880 I mentioned in one of the messages, I think it was Psalms 484 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:47,480 27, that AW Tozer had that great quote that Satan's greatest 485 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,520 weapon. Is man's ignorance of the word 486 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:55,440 of God and you know he says David says in in verse 11 after 487 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:58,680 he says teach me, O Lord, that I may walk. 488 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:04,000 In your truth, you know David says says it here and Hezekiah 489 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:08,080 that great king would say in Second Kings 20, remember Isaiah 490 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,880 went to Hezekiah and says Hezekiah, you're going to die. 491 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:14,640 Get your house in order. And then Hezekiah would weep 492 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,320 before the Lord, and he would say to say to God, he's saying 493 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:22,000 Second Kings 20 verse 13. Remember now, O Yahweh, I 494 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,960 beseech you, how I have walked before you. 495 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:28,240 In truth. He says exactly what David says. 496 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,000 I walk with a whole heart. I've done what is good in your 497 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,800 sight. And Hezekiah wept greatly so. 498 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,880 He, he, he, he wants. David wants to be taught by God. 499 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:40,760 He wants to know the truth so he can walk in the truth. 500 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,240 And then we have the 10th imperative here. 501 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:46,040 Unite my heart to fear your name. 502 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:49,240 Unite my heart. Unite my heart means I just want 503 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:53,320 to have an undivided heart that is wholly fixed upon you, God. 504 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:58,360 And so Proverbs 10, Proverbs 910 says the fear of the Lord is the 505 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:01,080 beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One is 506 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:03,720 insight. So Dave is asking to be taught. 507 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:08,040 He's asking to know the truth, that he would fear God's name. 508 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,880 We know that the Holy Spirit teaches us, helps us on our 509 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,440 daily walk and helps us to fear the Lord. 510 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:18,440 And let's look at the goodness of God in verses 12 to 13. 511 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,120 David already said for you, O Lord our good in verse 5. 512 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:26,880 And here he just ends with giving thanks with a whole heart 513 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:28,480 and glorifying your name forever. 514 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:33,200 Last week when we finished Psalm 79, we finished by saying that 515 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,280 was ASAP. But ASAP said to give thanks 516 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:38,640 forever and give praise fervently when we. 517 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,440 Finished Psalm 79, but here in verse 12, David is giving thanks 518 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:44,680 and glorifying God's name forever. 519 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,400 Why? Well because God showed his love 520 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:50,280 to David time and time again, rescuing him. 521 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,600 God is so good and worthy of our adoration. 522 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:58,160 Let's look at point #3 David's adversaries. 523 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:02,800 And we have 3 sub points here. The arrogant persecute me, the 524 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:06,800 Almighty protects me and the assurance that God gives me. 525 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:16,480 So David made an appeal in .1 for God to listen to him, and 526 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:20,400 then .2 he gave adoration to God yet. 527 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:24,360 Notice he hasn't actually petitioned God for why he's 528 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:29,480 praying yet. So he's given 13 verses and he 529 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:31,640 hasn't actually given the actual prayer request yet. 530 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,760 So that's a really good lesson for us, isn't it? 531 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:38,080 You know, when we pray, it's usually we go right to the 532 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:40,320 request. God keep me safe. 533 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:43,480 I'm driving to church tonight. God, please heal my sister. 534 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:47,680 God, give me a new job. We, we, we don't give him the 535 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:50,360 adoration. We don't give him the the what? 536 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:56,400 David's doing 13 verses. So finally after 13 verses, we 537 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:58,760 see the reason why David wrote this Psalm. 538 00:31:59,360 --> 00:32:03,760 And he says in verse 14 insolent men have risen up against me. 539 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:07,120 A band of ruthless men are seeking his life. 540 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:09,800 You know, we don't know the occasion. 541 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,400 We can assume maybe Saul is chasing him. 542 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:15,600 We don't know, though. But as with most of David's 543 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:19,840 Psalms, there's always some enemy somewhere trying to kill 544 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:22,120 him. And that's because David is 545 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:25,840 God's chosen servant and Satan will do whatever he will use 546 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:27,880 Saul. He will use Israel's enemies to 547 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,040 try to kill David or destroy him. 548 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:34,040 So the arrogant are persecuting him and David has cried out for 549 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:36,800 help in verse 14. But notice verse 15. 550 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:39,600 What a contrast. The Almighty will protect me. 551 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:43,240 What a contrast. Verse 14 speaks of the ungodly. 552 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:47,400 Well, verse 15 speaks of our great God. 553 00:32:48,040 --> 00:32:52,000 Does this verse sound familiar? But you, O Lord our God, 554 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:56,000 merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, 555 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,480 steadfast love and faithfulness. It's a little bit like verse 5, 556 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:05,600 but this verse is a confession based upon Exodus 34 verse 6, 557 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:09,360 which is one of the most copied repeated verses in all the 558 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:12,280 Bible. Exodus 34, verse 6. 559 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,680 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, Now this is God 560 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:20,640 speaking about himself in Exodus 34, six, the Lord the Lord, a 561 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:24,400 God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and a bounty in 562 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,960 steadfast love and faithfulness. So it's first said in Exodus 34, 563 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:33,600 six Nehemiah Chapter 9, verse 17, we'll quote it. 564 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:36,880 And that's a prayer, by the way. Psalms one O 3, verse 8, we'll 565 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,240 quote this verse. Psalms 116, which we'll look at 566 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:42,640 in a couple weeks. Verse 5 quotes this. 567 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:46,080 Psalm 145, verse 8 quotes this verse. 568 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:50,320 And lastly, oh, I'm sorry, Joel 213 quotes it. 569 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:52,400 And lastly, you know who knew it? 570 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:56,160 Jonah. Jonah 4, verse 2. 571 00:33:56,600 --> 00:34:00,040 So this is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible from 572 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:04,280 Exodus 34, six that God talks about himself and his character. 573 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,320 But turn to me with the Jonah. I think you know the story of 574 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:09,239 Jonah, right? Jonah four. 575 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:13,080 And we'll just look at verses 1 and 2 because Jonah's going to 576 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:15,880 quote this verse and you know the story of Jonah, right? 577 00:34:16,199 --> 00:34:19,920 Chapter 1, he flees to Tarsus, disobeys God, right? 578 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:24,120 Chapter 2 He's swallowed by a fish and ultimately repents, and 579 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:26,480 a fish spits him on dry. Land. 580 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:31,360 Chapter 3, the greatest revival in the history of the world, an 581 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:35,639 entire city of pagans from the king, the greatest to the least 582 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:38,960 repents maybe 600,000 to 1,000,000 people. 583 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:43,199 So you come to chapter 4 and you think it would be a time of 584 00:34:43,199 --> 00:34:47,239 rejoicing, celebrating, right? Well, no, because it says in 585 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:52,480 chapter 4 of Jonah 4 verse one. But it displeased Jonah 586 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:57,560 exceedingly and he was angry and he prayed to the Lord and said, 587 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:01,960 Oh Lord, is this this what I said when I was yet in my 588 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,760 country? This is why I made haste to flee 589 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:07,200 to Tarsus and notice what he says. 590 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:13,360 For I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow 591 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:16,880 to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from 592 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:20,640 disaster. So Jonah quotes Exodus 34, six 593 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:26,600 and also Psalms 86 verse 15. I love how Jonah says, I knew 594 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:31,320 you, I know you God, I know you're merciful, you're 595 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:36,440 gracious, you're slow to anger and you just gave salvation to 596 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:40,600 an entire city, the most ruthless pagans at that time in 597 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:42,160 the world. That's why Jonah didn't want to 598 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:45,440 go to Tarsus. This was a a city, Nineveh. 599 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:48,240 If you read history, they slaughtered so many countries 600 00:35:48,240 --> 00:35:50,480 and so many people. They would cut the heads off of 601 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:52,880 all the people and they would stack them in pyramids at the 602 00:35:52,880 --> 00:35:55,120 front gate of all the countries these they went to. 603 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:56,840 So it's no wonder, Jonah. Didn't want to go there. 604 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:01,640 But Jonah knows that God is gracious and merciful, slow to 605 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,720 anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, and he didn't want 606 00:36:04,720 --> 00:36:06,720 that. So chapter 4 is interesting. 607 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:12,720 So you know, this I believe is Psalms 86. 608 00:36:12,720 --> 00:36:14,920 Verse 15 is one of the greatest verses in the Bible. 609 00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:19,000 And you say, well, they're all great, but it teaches us so much 610 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,480 about God. You could preach a whole sermon 611 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:25,760 on this one verse. He says God is merciful, mercy 612 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:30,000 is God giving us. Is God not giving us what we 613 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:32,640 deserve? Then he also says grace and a 614 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:36,000 lot of people put mercy and grace together, but grace is God 615 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:38,760 giving us something we do not deserve. 616 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:41,360 We deserve death. We deserve the penalty of hell. 617 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:45,160 But God is full of grace and he gives us salvation. 618 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:47,840 He gives us help. Then he says, slow to anger. 619 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:51,240 That's an attribute of God. And that highlights the patience 620 00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:54,400 of God, the willingness of God to delay judgment. 621 00:36:54,720 --> 00:36:58,920 God could judge anybody tonight. Today he does that, but he's 622 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:02,320 also very slow in in in his anger. 623 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:06,240 And it gives people an opportunity to repent and turn 624 00:37:06,240 --> 00:37:08,640 back to God. And then he mentions the 625 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:11,680 steadfast love of God. You know, for God so loved the 626 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:15,400 world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 627 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:18,720 believe in him will not perish, but have everlasting life. 628 00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:22,840 And then #5 he talks about the faithfulness of God, His 629 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:26,240 unwavering commitment to His own nature, His word, and His 630 00:37:26,240 --> 00:37:28,880 promises. So, you know, every time you 631 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:32,680 read your Bible, every time you read your Bible, you need to ask 632 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:34,920 questions like, is there a sin I need to confess? 633 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:37,280 Is there a promise I need to claim? 634 00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:42,920 Is there a principle I learn? But the most important thing is 635 00:37:42,920 --> 00:37:47,920 ask the question, what does this chapter, this paragraph, or this 636 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:50,920 verse teach me about God? Now, if you're in the New 637 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:54,240 Testament, what does it teach me about Jesus and the Holy Spirit? 638 00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:57,040 Not that they aren't in the Old Testament, but the Old Testament 639 00:37:57,040 --> 00:37:59,640 is mostly about God. So every time you read your 640 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:01,960 Bible, you know you ought to have a pen and paper when you 641 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:05,120 read your Bible 2 or a notebook. But ask yourself, maybe it's 642 00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:06,920 just one verse, maybe it's a paragraph. 643 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:09,320 What does this teach me about God? 644 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:14,240 And you see. Here Psalms 86. 15-5 Attributes 645 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:17,320 about our great God, 5 characteristics about our great 646 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:21,160 God. But if you go back to Psalms 86 647 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:27,480 and let me go back. There's a lot more and it's 648 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:28,800 interesting. That how well. 649 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:32,960 David knows them, but Psalms 86 and. 650 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:35,880 I may not even have them all. But I mentioned he talks about 651 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:40,320 grace in verses 3. And 15 and 16 and if you have an 652 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:46,800 ESV translation in verse 6 and then he says in verse 2, who 653 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:49,360 save your servant? Who trusts in you? 654 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:51,760 Well, David could trust in God. Because. 655 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:53,800 God is infinite. We're fine. 656 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:55,000 We're finite. You know. 657 00:38:55,160 --> 00:38:58,120 He's the creator, we're the creature, but he also trusts in 658 00:38:58,120 --> 00:39:00,720 God because God is immutable. God doesn't change, right? 659 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:03,120 And then he says in verse 5. God is. 660 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:07,080 Good God is always good, and He always gives good gifts, right? 661 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:09,760 And then he says in verse 4. Forgiving. 662 00:39:10,120 --> 00:39:12,440 Forgiving would go to the holiness of God. 663 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:14,280 It would go to the justice of God. 664 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:17,160 That's another attribute. And then of course steadfast 665 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:22,720 love in verse 513 and 15. And then in verse 8 he says. 666 00:39:22,720 --> 00:39:24,800 There's no God. Like you, that's the 667 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:28,960 transcendence of God. God transcends his creation and 668 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:31,960 everything there is under it. And then in verse 10 he says, 669 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:35,400 you are great and you do wonderful things that would 670 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:39,520 speak to the sovereignty of God. And then he says in verse 11. 671 00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:41,280 Teach. Me your ways that would teach to 672 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:45,280 the wisdom of God because God is all wise and we want we we can 673 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:48,440 learn some of that wisdom and then he talks about truth. 674 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:52,160 I want to walk in truth in verse. 11 God is truth, that's 675 00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:55,240 another attribute of God. And then we mentioned in verse 676 00:39:55,240 --> 00:40:00,360 15. Mercy, slow to anger, grace and 677 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:04,480 patience and faithfulness there. And in verse 16 he talks about 678 00:40:04,480 --> 00:40:05,680 God. 'S strength, that would be the 679 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:10,360 Nippon omnipotence of God, the power of God, and verse 17 he 680 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:11,320 says. You have helped. 681 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:13,640 Me and you know me. That would be omniscience of 682 00:40:13,640 --> 00:40:17,200 God, and if he added all those up together, it would just go to 683 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:21,960 the incomprehensibility of God. It's almost impossible to 684 00:40:21,960 --> 00:40:25,240 understand who God is, but the more we look. 685 00:40:25,240 --> 00:40:25,960 At the. Psalm. 686 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:29,200 The more we look at Scripture, we learn about God. 687 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:32,360 You know, when I when I see all these attributes of God, it 688 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:34,880 makes me want to sing that hymn. And we sing this hymn here. 689 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:37,720 I stand in awe of you. We sing that on Sunday quite 690 00:40:37,720 --> 00:40:40,320 often. And the first first words say 691 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:42,840 about God. You are beautiful beyond 692 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:47,560 description, too marvelous for works words, too wonderful for 693 00:40:47,560 --> 00:40:50,440 comprehension, like nothing ever seen. 694 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:52,880 Or heard. Who can grasp your infinite 695 00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:55,160 wisdom? Who can phantom the depth of 696 00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:59,240 your love? Excuse me? 697 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:02,840 Like mess. Up your page, you are beautiful 698 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:05,360 beyond description. Majesty A throned above. 699 00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:07,760 So you see, even though David is writing. 700 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:12,720 This Psalm about a crisis, he waits till verse 14 to tell us 701 00:41:12,720 --> 00:41:16,560 about his crisis. So this Psalm is more about God, 702 00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:18,840 his character. His. 703 00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:23,120 Names and his attributes. Knowing these attributes, the. 704 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:26,080 Apostle Paul would say in the New Testament, in Romans 2, 705 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:28,360 four. Or do you presume? 706 00:41:28,680 --> 00:41:30,840 That. The riches and kindness and 707 00:41:30,840 --> 00:41:34,440 forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is. 708 00:41:34,440 --> 00:41:38,960 Meant to lead you to repentance and let's look at some Point C 709 00:41:38,960 --> 00:41:40,560 the. Assurance that God gives us 710 00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:44,680 verses 16 and 17. Here David is crying out for 711 00:41:44,680 --> 00:41:48,840 God's favor, God's strength, and God's deliverance. 712 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:54,840 So we have imperatives #11 which he says turn to me, turn to me 713 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:58,120 in verse 16. And then he has the repetitive 714 00:41:58,120 --> 00:41:58,720 1. Be. 715 00:41:58,720 --> 00:42:01,480 Gracious to me again, that's the 12th imperative. 716 00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:04,680 So in verse 3. David could say be gracious to 717 00:42:04,680 --> 00:42:06,560 me. And now verse 16, David says it 718 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:09,720 again. Grace might be the sweetest and 719 00:42:09,720 --> 00:42:13,240 most beautiful word in the available vocabulary. 720 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:16,800 So we can see why David is continually at crying out for 721 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:20,080 God to be gracious to him. Grace is a favor from God we 722 00:42:20,080 --> 00:42:23,040 don't deserve. But David says be gracious to 723 00:42:23,040 --> 00:42:27,840 me, so he cries out for God's favor in verse. 16 Then he says, 724 00:42:28,640 --> 00:42:31,480 Ask for God's strength there. He says, Give strength to your 725 00:42:31,480 --> 00:42:33,560 sermon. So give strength to your servant 726 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:37,800 is the 13th imperative that we have in this Psalm, and when I 727 00:42:37,800 --> 00:42:41,400 read that it reminds. Me what Isaiah said about God 728 00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:45,440 says to Isaiah and Isaiah. 40 verse 21 to 31 Very common 729 00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:47,520 passage. Have you not known? 730 00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:49,400 Have you not? Heard the Lord is the 731 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:52,320 everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. 732 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:55,760 He does not faint or grow weary. His understanding is 733 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:59,040 unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and 734 00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:01,840 to him who has no might he increases strength. 735 00:43:02,240 --> 00:43:05,840 Even youth shall faint and be. Weary young men shall fall 736 00:43:05,840 --> 00:43:08,920 exhausted, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their 737 00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:10,920 strength. They shall mount up with wings 738 00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:13,160 of eagles. They shall run and not be weary. 739 00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:14,960 They shall walk and not be faint. 740 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:18,760 I think I mentioned once more 30 years ago when the youth group 741 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:22,160 of Christ Community Church, we would Tom smaller worship 742 00:43:22,160 --> 00:43:25,480 leader, would have us sing that song in Isaiah. 40 We would sing 743 00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:27,400 that. So David is calling out for 744 00:43:27,400 --> 00:43:30,120 God's strength to be able to fight his enemies. 745 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:34,040 So he calls for God's favor, he calls for God's strength, and 746 00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:35,800 then he calls for God's deliverance. 747 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:39,240 So imperative #14 he says. Save. 748 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:41,640 Or, he says, save the son. Of your. 749 00:43:41,640 --> 00:43:46,080 Maidservant, which is the same imperative as #4 so be gracious 750 00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:47,240 to me as listed. Twice. 751 00:43:47,400 --> 00:43:54,000 Save as listed twice and what he says save, save the the son of 752 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:57,400 your maidservant. That's an interesting word usage 753 00:43:57,400 --> 00:44:01,200 of word. Psalm 116, verse 16 says O. 754 00:44:01,200 --> 00:44:03,960 Lord, I am your. Servant, I am your servant, the 755 00:44:03,960 --> 00:44:05,760 son of your maidservant. What does that mean? 756 00:44:06,120 --> 00:44:07,960 Well, children. Born. 757 00:44:08,320 --> 00:44:12,240 To slaves were considered especially faithful because 758 00:44:12,240 --> 00:44:13,960 they're brought up in the master's house. 759 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:16,360 So David was the Lord's faithful. 760 00:44:16,360 --> 00:44:18,800 Servant, and it was the master's duty to. 761 00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:21,320 Protect. Him and to deliver him from this 762 00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:22,240 trouble that. He's in. 763 00:44:23,120 --> 00:44:25,000 And the number four? God's assurance. 764 00:44:25,080 --> 00:44:27,920 God's assurance. Here we have the last imperative 765 00:44:28,240 --> 00:44:31,600 #15 He says. Show me a sign of your favor, 766 00:44:31,600 --> 00:44:34,560 God, OK, Because he. Wants that. 767 00:44:34,560 --> 00:44:38,120 He wants two things. Here, he says for those who hate 768 00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:40,880 me may see and be put to shame. So he. 769 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:43,120 Wants condemnation for the enemies. 770 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:45,120 He wants his enemies to be put to shame. 771 00:44:45,840 --> 00:44:47,160 And then he says, Lord, you've helped. 772 00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:50,840 Me and comforted me David just wants comfort there's two things 773 00:44:50,840 --> 00:44:55,760 he wants condemnation for his enemies and comfort for me so 774 00:44:56,080 --> 00:44:58,520 let's just talk an. Application ending I mentioned 775 00:44:58,520 --> 00:45:01,360 about praying, mentioned about looking at the names of God, the 776 00:45:01,360 --> 00:45:03,800 attributes of God. But let's just talk about grace 777 00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:08,000 #1 grace. We get the word chorus from 778 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:11,200 that, which means to rejoice. We get the English word charity 779 00:45:11,200 --> 00:45:13,520 from it. It was Augustine who said. 780 00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:16,240 Beggars. Need charity even as sinners 781 00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:19,840 need grace, for we are all spiritual poppers outside of 782 00:45:19,840 --> 00:45:23,400 Christ, but God gives where he finds empty hands. 783 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:27,880 So it's a word which you know, means many different things. 784 00:45:28,600 --> 00:45:32,120 Some people say that the word grace is probably the greatest 785 00:45:32,120 --> 00:45:37,200 word in scriptures, even greater than love, because grace is love 786 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:39,960 in action. And then there are many. 787 00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:45,120 Types of Grace 11 commentator I read listed 15 types of grace. 788 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:47,760 I think that may be a little bit too many, but I'll just review 789 00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:48,920 four types of. Grace. 790 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:51,480 With you tonight. The First off, of course, is. 791 00:45:51,480 --> 00:45:54,280 Common. Grace This is the grace that God 792 00:45:54,280 --> 00:45:59,480 gives to all mankind, believers and unbelievers, Jesus said in 793 00:45:59,480 --> 00:46:02,840 Matthew 545. So you may be sons of your. 794 00:46:02,840 --> 00:46:04,160 Father. Who is in heaven? 795 00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:09,400 For He makes the sunrise on evil, and on the good he. 796 00:46:09,400 --> 00:46:11,840 Sends. Rain on the just and on the 797 00:46:11,840 --> 00:46:14,080 unjust. Every time I read that verse, I 798 00:46:14,080 --> 00:46:17,200 think of of India, I think of Thailand, I think of Myanmar. 799 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:21,720 God gives rain because there's 3 1/2 billion people. 800 00:46:21,720 --> 00:46:25,560 Almost half the people in the world eat rice last. 801 00:46:25,560 --> 00:46:27,880 Week I had a pastor from. Myanmar at my house. 802 00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:31,640 He's studying at the Masters seminary and you know, he wants 803 00:46:31,640 --> 00:46:34,720 rice for breakfast, he wants rice for lunch, and he wants 804 00:46:34,720 --> 00:46:36,960 rice for dinner. Some of the Filipinos here might 805 00:46:36,960 --> 00:46:41,320 understand that tonight, but God gives grace to half the people 806 00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:46,480 in the world, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, to grow rice. 807 00:46:47,120 --> 00:46:49,840 Almost 4 billion people, they don't know him, but that's 808 00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:52,080 common grace. God gives grace. 809 00:46:52,640 --> 00:46:55,600 He gives us grace every day to unbelievers. 810 00:46:55,600 --> 00:46:58,360 He doesn't know anybody. Another day of life, He could 811 00:46:58,360 --> 00:47:01,120 judge them and send them to hell instantly. 812 00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:04,160 But God gives common grace. But that common grace does not 813 00:47:04,160 --> 00:47:06,080 save you. And that leads us to the second 814 00:47:06,080 --> 00:47:09,920 grace, and that's saving grace. And I think Tim read the verse 815 00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:12,000 tonight. You know, Ephesians 28 and 9. 816 00:47:12,720 --> 00:47:14,600 For by grace you can save through faith. 817 00:47:14,600 --> 00:47:18,040 This is not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not by 818 00:47:18,040 --> 00:47:22,640 works, so that no one can boast. So saving grace initiates our. 819 00:47:22,640 --> 00:47:26,720 Journey, God gives us the grace and we need that saving grace if 820 00:47:26,720 --> 00:47:29,160 we're to be saved. And I trust tonight that every 821 00:47:29,160 --> 00:47:33,120 person here has saving grace. If not, see me afterwards or if 822 00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:36,600 you have any questions. But once we have saving grace, 823 00:47:37,200 --> 00:47:40,880 we then have sanctifying grace and this is the grace that 824 00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:44,800 transforms us to be in the likeness of Jesus. 2nd 825 00:47:44,800 --> 00:47:49,160 Corinthians 13 is that, but First Thessalonians 4 three says 826 00:47:49,160 --> 00:47:53,680 this is the will of God, your sanctification that you abstain 827 00:47:53,680 --> 00:47:57,040 from sexual immorality, and Titus 2:11 and 12:00. 828 00:47:57,040 --> 00:47:58,960 Says. For the grace of God has 829 00:47:58,960 --> 00:48:01,480 appeared, bringing salvation for all. 830 00:48:01,480 --> 00:48:04,200 People. Training us to renounce 831 00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:07,920 ungodliness, worldly passions and to live self controlled, 832 00:48:08,120 --> 00:48:10,720 upright and godly lives in the present age. 833 00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:14,680 So there's common grace, There's saving grace, there's 834 00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:18,600 sanctifying grace, and then there's sustaining grace. 835 00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:22,400 And I think that's what David is crying out in this Psalm 86. 836 00:48:22,720 --> 00:48:27,200 He says in Psalms 86, three, be gracious to me, O Lord, He says 837 00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:31,000 in Psalms 8616, turn to me and be gracious to me. 838 00:48:31,480 --> 00:48:33,240 And this is what Philippians. Paul. 839 00:48:33,240 --> 00:48:37,240 Would say in Philippians 1/6 and I'm sure of this that he that's 840 00:48:37,240 --> 00:48:40,320 God or the Holy Spirit who began a good work in you will. 841 00:48:40,320 --> 00:48:42,200 Bring it. To completion on the day of 842 00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:44,920 Christ so we can cry out. For. 843 00:48:44,920 --> 00:48:47,680 Sustaining grace. This is the grace that helps us 844 00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:50,840 through trials, through persecutions, through suffering. 845 00:48:51,160 --> 00:48:55,840 We can say to God, be gracious to me like David when he says be 846 00:48:55,840 --> 00:48:57,760 gracious to me for I am poor and needy. 847 00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:00,280 Be gracious to me for I am godly. 848 00:49:00,720 --> 00:49:03,880 Be gracious to me for to you I cry all the day. 849 00:49:04,360 --> 00:49:07,240 Be gracious to me for you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 850 00:49:07,800 --> 00:49:09,600 Be gracious to me for you. Answer. 851 00:49:09,600 --> 00:49:11,920 Me. Be gracious to me, for you are 852 00:49:11,920 --> 00:49:15,440 great and do wondrous things. Be gracious to me, for great is 853 00:49:15,440 --> 00:49:17,600 your steadfast love. Be gracious. 854 00:49:17,600 --> 00:49:20,360 To me, for you O. Lord have helped me and 855 00:49:20,360 --> 00:49:23,200 comforted me. So just a little bit about Grace 856 00:49:23,680 --> 00:49:26,280 and the third. Thing tonight we need to get to 857 00:49:26,280 --> 00:49:27,600 know this God. Of grace. 858 00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:29,400 So you got a homework assignment. 859 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:35,320 You need to memorize Psalms 86 verse 15, which I said is one of 860 00:49:35,320 --> 00:49:39,080 the greatest verses, if not one of the greatest verses in Psalms 861 00:49:39,080 --> 00:49:40,880 or the Old Testament in the Bible. 862 00:49:41,280 --> 00:49:44,960 But you, O Lord, are a God, merciful and gracious, slow to 863 00:49:44,960 --> 00:49:48,320 anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 864 00:49:48,480 --> 00:49:52,040 Memorize that verse, meditate upon that verse and the five 865 00:49:52,040 --> 00:49:54,680 attributes and you could just, you can meditate on that verse 866 00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:58,040 for hours at a time. And #4 we can leave here 867 00:49:58,040 --> 00:50:00,280 tonight. Proclaiming God's grace. 868 00:50:00,280 --> 00:50:02,760 To other people. We're going to have vacation 869 00:50:02,760 --> 00:50:04,760 Bible school next week. I hope you pray for the 870 00:50:04,760 --> 00:50:08,400 children, the parents, the grandparents who bring kids that 871 00:50:08,400 --> 00:50:10,560 they would know God's saving grace. 872 00:50:10,800 --> 00:50:13,600 We were passing out Flyers on Saturday. 873 00:50:13,960 --> 00:50:16,840 And as I'm walking up the street, I noticed that, you 874 00:50:16,840 --> 00:50:19,680 know, most of the homes over there, I think are older people 875 00:50:20,480 --> 00:50:23,000 and a lot of them are Asian, Chinese. 876 00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:24,880 I don't know. And I'm assuming you know how 877 00:50:24,880 --> 00:50:26,840 hard it is for an older person to come to Christ. 878 00:50:27,520 --> 00:50:30,000 And when when I was driving around making a map to pass out 879 00:50:30,000 --> 00:50:33,360 the Flyers, there were like 50 to 100 people walking, 880 00:50:33,360 --> 00:50:36,160 exercising, and most of them were Asian. 881 00:50:36,440 --> 00:50:37,520 And I'm looking at a lot of them. 882 00:50:37,520 --> 00:50:39,480 They're old. And then how can we reach them 883 00:50:39,480 --> 00:50:41,920 for Christ? Because they've probably been a 884 00:50:41,920 --> 00:50:44,080 Buddhist for 7080 years, a lot of them. 885 00:50:44,680 --> 00:50:47,480 But we can try to proclaim to them God's grace. 886 00:50:47,480 --> 00:50:49,960 And we need to. So may Vacation Bible School 887 00:50:49,960 --> 00:50:53,560 lead people to Christ. In one month from yesterday, 888 00:50:53,560 --> 00:50:56,960 we'll be in Argentina, 19 people from Christ Community Church. 889 00:50:57,160 --> 00:51:00,080 And we're going to blame God's grace because you know, Lance 890 00:51:00,080 --> 00:51:02,680 has said from this pulpit many times, there's only two 891 00:51:02,680 --> 00:51:05,640 religions in the world, evangelical Christianity, that 892 00:51:05,640 --> 00:51:08,360 believes it's salvation through grace alone, through Jesus 893 00:51:08,360 --> 00:51:11,080 Christ alone, or all the religions of the. 894 00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:13,240 World. Jews have their commandments, 895 00:51:13,440 --> 00:51:16,120 Buddhists have their five pillars, Muslims have their five 896 00:51:16,120 --> 00:51:17,960 pillars. You know, even there's 897 00:51:17,960 --> 00:51:21,240 Christians that have works. So it's either by grace or by 898 00:51:21,240 --> 00:51:26,200 works. 2 religions Galatians 216 says yet we know that a person 899 00:51:26,200 --> 00:51:30,120 is not justified by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus 900 00:51:30,120 --> 00:51:32,640 Christ, so we also have believed. 901 00:51:32,640 --> 00:51:37,240 In Jesus Christ in order to be justified by faith in Christ and 902 00:51:37,240 --> 00:51:42,280 not by works of the law because by works of the law no one will 903 00:51:42,280 --> 00:51:44,600 be justified. So may we leave here tonight 904 00:51:44,600 --> 00:51:47,360 proclaiming grace to others as we leave. 905 00:51:47,360 --> 00:51:49,840 Let's pray. Father, thank you tonight for 906 00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:53,400 Psalms 86. It's we can just talk about your 907 00:51:53,400 --> 00:51:55,600 names. We can talk about your 908 00:51:55,600 --> 00:51:58,600 attributes and then we see David can give. 909 00:51:58,600 --> 00:52:02,880 You 15 commands God because you are so gracious to. 910 00:52:02,880 --> 00:52:04,720 US. Father, you gave us common 911 00:52:04,720 --> 00:52:08,640 grace, but I believe you gave everyone here saving grace, and 912 00:52:08,640 --> 00:52:11,720 I pray that everyone here today would know that Jesus Christ is 913 00:52:11,720 --> 00:52:14,320 Lord and Savior and that they believe in Him and confess in 914 00:52:14,320 --> 00:52:17,240 Him and have Jesus Christ in their heart tonight. 915 00:52:17,800 --> 00:52:20,480 Father, we ask that you help. Us with that sustaining grace, 916 00:52:20,480 --> 00:52:23,280 that we would be holy. And there not be anything in 917 00:52:23,280 --> 00:52:23,800 our. Lives. 918 00:52:23,800 --> 00:52:26,000 That would cause you to look in shame upon us. 919 00:52:26,200 --> 00:52:29,440 May we live holy lives with that sanctifying grace. 920 00:52:29,760 --> 00:52:31,280 And then, Father, we ask for anybody. 921 00:52:31,280 --> 00:52:33,520 Tonight. Who's undergoing a time of 922 00:52:33,520 --> 00:52:37,040 difficulty, a time of trouble? Father, there are many prayer 923 00:52:37,040 --> 00:52:40,640 requests in the in the prayer. There are many people hurting in 924 00:52:40,640 --> 00:52:43,920 our church or friends and family, but we pray, as David 925 00:52:43,920 --> 00:52:46,360 said, we could cry out to God. Be gracious to me. 926 00:52:46,640 --> 00:52:50,480 And May God answer that and give us grace, sustaining grace, till 927 00:52:50,480 --> 00:52:53,760 that great day he comes. In Jesus name, Amen.