SPEAKER_00 0:34

Well, good morning. It is good to be here this morning. I'm gonna go ahead and move this uh stool back a little bit because I don't want to trip over it. That would not be funny. Oh, it's good to be here this morning. If you're visiting with us today, we're glad that you're here. We're we're actually uh doing a series Summer in the Psalms uh over the summer, and uh we we find ourselves at Psalm 41. And it's about service, if you really look at it and read it for what it is. It's about service and being a servant of God. I was uh noticing just visiting with folks this morning, I'm just gonna call her for the day Sister of Patriotism because uh Elizabeth Haid, she is the epitome of patriotic dress today. She has a beautiful white uh suit on with uh red and blue uh accessories, and she looks all-American today and absolutely beautiful. Uh so be sure to say hello to her and let her know how how all American she looks this morning. She looks wonderful. But we're coming up on the 4th of July, and it's not just any 4th of July, it's the 250th celebration of this country's independence, and it's a big deal. And when you think about how we got here, and you think about the people from uh you know the revolution, 1776, things such as that, there there's some names that just immediately pop into your head George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, uh, and others. But let me ask, have you ever heard of a man named Thomas Nelson in relation to that time period in American history? I don't see any hands going up out there. We'll get back to him in just a minute. There were 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Twelve were taken prisoner by the British and they were tortured. Two lost sons in the Revolutionary War. Many of them lost uh loved ones and property and whatnot. Thomas Nelson was a landowner, and the British general Cornwallis took his home as his headquarters. And so as the battle lines were drawing nearer and closer to his home, the commanding general at that time went to Nelson and said, Look, we got to take out your house if we're gonna take out Cornwallis. And Nelson said, So be it. Most of us have never heard of this man. But he was a servant to his country and he was willing to sacrifice his home and everything. He died in poverty trying to repay his debts. We don't hear about that. Think about all the things that go on closer to home around the church. Um, if people don't set up chairs in here, we don't have a place to worship unless we want to sit on the floor. Or I could sit down and y'all could stand up, uh, kind of like they did in Jesus' time. Somebody does those things. Okay? The communion that's prepared every week doesn't just, we don't have elves that come in and take care of that. We have no, we have people that commit to do that as their service. Take a look at this backdrop, which is absolutely amazing. I mean, there's no doubt what our vacation Bible school is about. It's about illumination, it's about bringing to light that which is hidden in the Word of God so that we can see God's word for all that it truly is. And a lot of people have put in a lot of work and are going to put in a lot of work this week because they're coming together to get at least one kid closer to knowing who Jesus is. I can remember the first VBS I went to. Can y'all? First VBS I was that I remember. I was eight years old. Gregton First Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, where I grew up. I remember connecting and understanding on the most basic level who Jesus was and what Jesus did for me. There are going to be children who come here this week because of because of our effort that are going to come to know a little bit about who Jesus is. And that's what makes VBS so important and service so important. And that's why those who serve are blessed. So before we get in the message this morning, let's let's go to God together in prayer and let's let's thank him for his word and for the opportunity to be here together this morning. Let's pray. Father God, we thank you for this beautiful day. We thank you for the opportunities of this day. We thank you for the blessing of service. And Lord, we just pray that our vacation Bible school illuminates the hearts and minds of children this week to come to know who Jesus is. Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to serve. We thank you that through Jesus we we have the blessing of everlasting life. And Lord, I just pray that from the youngest to the oldest that we're able to share the message of the gospel this week through our vacation Bible school and in our life. Spirit, I pray that the message today is your message as we take at this very, take a look at this very intense message from David at a very difficult time in his life. And Lord, help us to see how this applies to ourselves and how we can connect not only with David, but with you through the Word. Lord, we love you so much. We thank you, we praise you, and we offer this together in the name of Jesus. Amen. Again, it's good to be here this morning. I want to invite all of our visitors to join us for Bible study after worship is concluded. And as we take a look at this psalm this morning, family, this psalm, like so many others, is addressed to the chief musician, if you look in your Bible. And it's simply titled A Psalm of David. And what we see here again is the open book of David's life. We see the appreciation of God, we see the frustration with life, but we also see the hope of heaven that's prevalent in all of David's writings. And in this writing, what was challenging for him, family, has proven to be a point of identification for all of us. If you read David and what he wrote, you connect. You connect with David. And that's the case here. It's been suggested by some that Jesus' betrayal by Judas Iscariot is the theme of this psalm, as seen in verse 9, but not exclusively. This psalm is especially of comfort to those who've served and are serving the Lord and feel like nobody cares or nobody notices. As the Lord clearly indicates in the first three verses, he indeed knows our hearts and he knows our motives, as they're both seen in our actions. We see also how cruel people can be. When someone who is of good reputation falls into sin, how quickly, how very, very quickly people forget their goodness, and his enemies encircle him and attempt to destroy him. Family, this is a psalm about real life for many of us. The 41st Psalm, as I see it, has four major divisions. Verses 1 to 3 describe the mercies and blessings promised to those who minister to the weak and the poor. In verses 4 to 9, David states his own case to God for mercy from the Lord. In verse 10, David prays for God's mercy for a specific purpose in order to repay those who have betrayed him. And in verses 11 to 13, David closes with praise and thanksgiving. So let's get into this psalm. Let's break it down. Verse 1. It says, Blessed is he who has regard for the weak. The Lord delivers him in times of trouble. Church, verse 1 is stated as fact, saying that if we take an interest in the weakness of others, when the time comes, and the time will come, God will take interest in our weaknesses. So who are the weak? Who are the weak of our society? The orphans, the homeless, those in prison, the elderly, the addicts. Family, the weakest and poorest of all, regardless of their background, regardless of their standing or situation by far, are the lost. Those who are blessed regarding the weak family are blessed according to the measure that they have been a blessing in the lives of others. Church, they don't just toss them a couple of bucks and say, hey, be warm and well fed. They're truly interested in the problems of the week. They not only find solutions for their problems, but if and when necessary, they become the solution in someone else's life. They decide to be Jesus to someone. Just as that line says at the bottom of our sermon notes every week in the bulletin. And it asks a very simple question. Who are you going to be Jesus to this week? Do you have someone in mind? Do you have a name that you can write on that line just below that question? Verse 1 also says, quote, that the Lord will deliver them in times of trouble. Family, notice that this is not a promise of a trouble-free life. You know, I think a lot of people believe that when they become a Christian, when they come up out of that water and they begin living or trying to live the Christian life, they'll ever have a trouble-free existence. That is not the case, and that's not what's promised here. But it is promised that we will be preserved in the midst of trouble. They live it. He will bless him in the land, or as the King James puts it, he shall be blessed upon the earth. Why? Again, because in being compassionate, in being attentive toward the needs of others, toward the poor and the weak around them, they're doing the work and the service of the Lord as his hands and his feet. Church, that's what we're called to. Church, the sad fact is that there are many generous non-Christians in this world. We can probably name some of them. Who give support in many ways to the poor and to the weak of society, to the shame of Christians. They bless the lives of others, and the Lord blesses them with more blessings. You ever notice that? But they miss out on the greatest blessing of all. And make no mistake about it, family, the greatest blessing of all is receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior. But equally sad is the fact that many Christians who have little to nothing to do with the poor or the weak of our society have come to the conclusion that making a contribution exempts them from becoming involved in the lives of people. Family, the Lord values our time. The Lord values our time as much, if not more, than our financial blessings. And the reason why is because connecting with others by investing our time in service communicates to them that they're valuable. Verse 3. The Lord will sustain him on his deathbed and restore him from his bed of illness. This is a word of encouragement from David to those who, because of illness, can't serve. Church, one of the greatest disappointments is anything that prevents the servant from serving others. You ever known anybody like that? They love to help people, they love to serve others, they love to be a blessing of service in someone else's life. And what David is gently sharing with us here, family, is that God will see us through our most discouraging times. These are those who've accepted God's mission, who realize that they're God's instruments of peace, joy, love, kindness, and compassion. And in the midst of their suffering, God sustains them. And through them inspires others to ministry. And God will restore him from his bed of illness. It could mean that the Lord takes this person home. But in either case, I believe that God works through such people to inspire others to ministry. And so in these first three verses, David is communicating the importance of those who serve the weak and the poor in the sight of God. In verses four through nine, David states his own case for God's mercy. He shifts from focusing on others to focusing on his own need for the mercy of God. Verse 4 says, I said, O Lord, have mercy on me, heal me, for I have sinned against you. The King James here says, Be merciful to me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee. Church, what David is saying is that regardless of his outward being, it's his inward being that's in the deepest need of God's attention. Remember the words that Paul will write many years later to the church at Corinth. Though the outward man wastes away, my inward man is being renewed day by day. Basically, what David is saying is if you're right on the inside, you're okay. You're good to go. But if you aren't right on the inside, you just aren't right. And the difficulty with that is only God can see that. This further emphasizes the importance of being involved in ministry in the lives of others. Family, there's people all around us who look just fine. They look like they've got it all together. They appear to be living the perfect life. But on the inside, they're suffering. And they wish that someone cared enough to try and understand what they're going through. Verse 5. My enemies say of me in malice, when will he die and his name perish? Man, that's pretty rough, isn't it? I mean, I've had people mad at me before. I've had people that I just don't necessarily get along with. I've had people that I've, you know, quite honestly, I just really didn't care a whole lot for. But that right there, that's harsh. That's rough. In David's time, death was more than physical family. It was generational. Not only did his enemies want him dead, they wanted his lineage extinguished. That's what he's saying. Verse 6 whenever one comes to me to see me, he speaks falsely. While his heart gathers slander, then he goes out and spreads it abroad. Oh man, take a good look at that. It's getting a little closer to home for David. It's not just a general thing now, it's getting personal. Church, have you ever been betrayed by somebody that you trusted? I have. People I would have never thought it possible. By people who would smile to my face, hug me, and tell me that they loved me, and then would go out and spread lies about me with a straight face. You ever had that happen to you before? It ain't fun. It's hard. Family, there's few hurts that are deeper than to betray, be betrayed by someone we love and someone we trust. You ever been there before? Verses 7 and 8. David says, All my enemies whisper together against me. They imagine the worst of me, saying, A vile disease has beset him. He'll never get up from the place where he lies. Now take a good look at what that says and understand that in essence, what's being communicated to the people is the equivalent of a vote of no confidence. To discourage them and to encourage them to turn against David. You see, when when people can't defeat you one-on-one, they'll go to your friends. And they'll go to other people and try to turn the tide against you again. Have you ever been there before? If you have, you know what it's like. You know what it's like, in a sense, to be like David right there. That's why David is so easily related to by us because David was human. Church, if you've never been there, count your blessings. For David, the swell against him is building. And it seems like it can't get any worse until you read verse nine. David says, even my close friend whom I trusted, he who shared my bread has lifted up his heel against me. Family, it's one thing to be down, but it is an entirely different thing to be kicked while you're down by your closest friends. Church, it's this verse that many connect with Jesus' betrayal by Judas. And is quoted directly by Jesus in John chapter 13, verse 18. The message here is that someone who was a close friend to David, to Jesus, to you, did the unthinkable. And it hurt deeply. There really is no other way to describe it. Other than to say, it takes your breath away. And those who have experienced it before know all too well what it feels like. It's tough. Words can't begin to describe the anger, the depression, and the hopelessness that sets in. Which brings us to verse 10 and brings us squarely into context. David says, But you, O Lord, have mercy on me, raise me up that I might repay them. Now, family, there comes a time when you're so frustrated and you're so angry and you're so depressed and hopeless that all you have left is to beg God for mercy. And God's promise, which honestly at times is very hard to grasp, is this never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you. Even when everybody else walks away, I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. Church, notice in verse 10 that David prays that God will raise him up so that he can repay them. We've all been there, haven't we? We've all had that reaction when somebody wrongs us. Oh Lord, just give me what I need to repay them. Set it right. It's our human nature. And David's is on full display here. Family, love your enemies has yet to be commended. This was the time of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. And I can promise you, I can assure you, that David was serious about making a winking tooth spitter out of whoever it was that wronged him. But for us, for you, for me, who do live today in a love your enemy's world. What does that mean? For those under the grace of Jesus, how does this apply? Paul quotes Proverbs chapter 25 when he says in Romans chapter 12, verse 20, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he's thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you'll heap burning coals on his head. Don't be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. Take a good look at that and tell me how easy that is. It's not. It's not easy. But it's what we're commanded to do. In other words, what Paul is saying, kill him with kindness. Serve him. You mean the one who did me wrong? The one who lied to my face? The one who talked about me behind my back? Yeah. Serve them. Payment, this is not easy. Because it rubs against the grain of everything that our emotions are telling us to do. David says in verse 11, I know that you're pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. Basically, he's saying if you're still living, then God has a purpose for you. God's not done with you yet. You may feel like you want to die. And even if you've been beaten up emotionally and spiritually, well, God still has a plan for you. God still has a plan for you. Years ago, I remember going and visiting a man named George Nickison in the hospital. I'd just gotten to the Phoenix area to begin working with a church there, and I was just getting to know people. And George, I mean, he his time was limited, but he was still very, very with it mentally. He just couldn't do anything. And he was a doer. I mean, he was very mechanically inclined. He was a servant. I mean, he was a model of a guy that would just give you the shirt off his back. That was George Nickerson. In visiting with him, he was so frustrated. He said, Devin, I can't do anything. I said, Well, what do you mean you can't do anything? Well, I can't drive to go fix somebody's this or go paint somebody's that or whatever. I said, but is that all you can do? And he I said, What are you doing here? I said, I'm just laying in this bed. I said, Well, what about when your your nurses come in and the doctors come in? What do you what do you do? He says, Well, I try to talk to them about Jesus. I said, Really? He said, Yeah. Everybody comes through the door. I don't beat them over the head with it or anything, but I, you know, I ask them how they're doing, ask them about their family, ask them if they know Jesus. Try to study the Bible with them. I said, George, you're doing more good laying up in that bed than painting somebody's fence. The servant wants to serve. And I told George, George, God is not done with you yet. In fact, God may be doing his best work through you right now. I don't know if that ever clicked with him. And he died not long after that. But I truly believe that God was working through him at that time. God has a plan for you. Church, has anyone ever told you that when you were down and out? When you were hurt? On days when you thought it was impossible to get through an hour without crying or get angry, getting angry or both. And the one thing that's pulsating through your mind when someone says this, oh, God's got a plan for you. And in your mind you're saying, are you serious? Do you have any idea what I'm going through? And then after you come out of it, who knows how long it takes, but when you come out of it, guess who you always remember? You remember that one person that said, you know what, God's got a plan for you. Don't you want to just give them a huge hug and tell them, I love you so much for believing in me. And so we come to verse 12. David says, In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. It is coming full circle for David in his situation. Church, the word David uses here and is translated as integrity means completeness. Essentially, what David is saying here is that our integrity is incomplete outside of the presence of God. We have no foundation and little to no strength to stand on our own. When I think about it, our integrity is a little bit like a snow cone. Stay with me with this. When I was a kid at the ballpark, if you returned a foul ball to the concession stand, they gave you a snow cone. Anyone else deal with that? Might have given you something else. Or else I'm just really, really old. I don't know. Anyway, they give you a snow cone, and I always got the blue coconut flavor. So I was a kid running around with blue teeth. All right. And so I'd get my blue snow cone, my blue coconut snow cone, and and and I I couldn't do anything else because I had that snow cone in my hand. If I wanted to chase down another foul ball so I can get one for each hand, it wasn't happening because I couldn't carry that blue coconut snow cone around too far without spilling it. And so I couldn't hang out with my friends. I couldn't play, you know, uh hand uh baseball with a wadded-up cup. You know, I mean, I couldn't do anything. We had to make up stuff to do when I was a kid. Anyway, you couldn't do anything. And so I just figure, okay, I want to have fun, I'm gonna eat this snow cone. You do remember the brain freeze, right? Ooh, brain freeze. I still remember the brain freeze. What's the point of what I just said? Family or integrity, no matter what the situation, is much the same as long as we choose to remain in God's hand. You see, if I tried to set that snow cone down, it was gonna fall over. It was gonna spill, it was gonna be ruined if I tried to detach it from my hand. Remember, it came in a pointed cup. It wasn't gonna stand up on its own. I had to hold that thing the whole time. Our integrity is the same way. If we try to remove our integrity from the hand of God, we will fail. Finally, verse 13. David says, Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen. Church, the blessing from the mouth of God in the first three verses is returned from the mouth of his servant David in verse 13. It is complete. It's come full circle. And as is his custom, David returns all thanks and all praise to the Lord. He says, from everlasting to everlasting, Church, David's praise and encouragement of others to praise the Lord is encompassed here. And it means that regardless of what happens to him, and long after he's gone, the Lord will be eternally praised. And with this, he gives the double affirmation, amen and amen, meaning so let it be. Let it surely, let it firmly, let it eternally be. Can we say that this morning? Can you say that spiritually? Is that where you are in your spiritual life? Regardless of what's going on, can you honestly say right now, Lord, may you be eternally praised? So let it be, because I trust you with everything, and I give everything to you to hold within your hand, because I know that you will guide me and see me to the end. Is that where you are this morning? Or do you need us to pray with you, to pray for you? Shepherds will be up front. They'll be up here to welcome you, to greet you, to cry with you, to laugh with you, to pray with you. Whatever you need. If you need to recommit your life to Christ, this is a great time to do that. If you need to put on Jesus and baptism, can you name a better time than right now? Whatever your need is, do not walk out of this place today without that need being met, without being able to say, Lord, so let it be in my life together while we stand and sing.