2007-11-11 Sermon Title: But now Lord, What do I look for?
Tue, 11/13/2007 - 18:13 — hpcbc
Sermon on 11/11/07
Sermon Title: But now Lord, What do I look for?
講道題目：主呵、如今我等甚麽呢？
Sermon Text: Psalm 39:7
講道經文：詩篇三十九篇七節
Scripture Reading: Psalm 39:4-8
讀經：詩篇三十九篇四至八節
It is the time of the year we are talking turkey. Thanksgiving is near. It seems that in the United States, we live our whole year by the calendar. After Thanksgiving we will be so busy shopping for Christmas, before we know it, the year is over. If I ask an elementary school student what he is looking forward to in Thanksgiving. I am sure he will say: a long weekend that he does not have to go to school. I am sure some kids will say they are looking forward to see grandma because she made the best pumpkin pie. If you run into a busy housewife shopping for a thanksgiving turkey in HEB, and ask her what do you have to thank God for? She probably would say, “I don’t know. But I will tell you the day after Thanksgiving what I can get from the sales.”
We are so busy in a modern society we seldom have time to slow down. We seldom have time to reflect on life and give thanks to God who is the source of every blessing that comes our way. There is a story of an old pastor who serves his congregation tirelessly. A church member shows up in his office one Monday morning requesting the pastor to give a premarital counseling for his son. The Secretary tells him politely that Monday is the pastor’s day off. The man complains, “Why the pastor should have a day off? The devil doesn’t have a day off!” The pastor overhears it and says to him wisely, “If I don’t have a day off, I’ll be as mean as he is!” We all needs a time of quiet rest before the Lord otherwise the grind of life will become unbearable. When we take time to give thanks for every blessing we have received the joy in our heart will surely rekindled.
In Psalm 39, the psalmist is deeply troubled and stressed by life events that he has lost his joy. Doesn’t the psalmist speak true to some of us in our experiences? What are you going to do when you have a fuming boss in the office and a nagging wife at home and you have to endure it day after day? How depressing. At first the psalmist accepts the situation with fatalistic resignation. He said. “I will watch my ways, and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.” (Psalm 39:1) I just accept it and say nothing that I will not sin against God with my words of anger. After all if you get mad with the boss, you get fired; if you talk back to your wife, you will start a war at home. But that is not the solution. If anger suppressed is anger still kept alive; if sadness internalized it will nourish depression. “But when I was silent and still, not even saying anything good, my anguish increased. My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue.” (Psalm 39:2-3) He can’t take it anymore. If he keeps silent and suppresses his emotion any longer he will burst. I do not recommend any one to break his silence by blurring out some obscenities at the boss and then quit the job. Neither do I suggest one should break the truce by firing the first shot at your wife. David breaks his silence by praying to God acknowledging God’s sovereignty in his life. All the days of our life are in the hands of God. “Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.” (Psalm 29:6) Life is meaningless without knowing God is in charge. Life has no purpose if we just endure quietly the onslaught of our daily burden without raising the question of why we exist. “But now, Lord, What do I look for? My hope is in you. Save me from all my transgressions; do not make me the scorn of fools.” (Psalm 39:7-8) I still have a problem, but where do I look for deliverance? The Psalmist lifts his problem up to the Lord in humble prayer. He knows the Lord will restore him and not let the godless mock him. His hope is in the Lord not only for the present life situation. He humbles before God even more when he realizes that life is brief and just like a pilgrim passing through strange land he will soon be gone. Looking beyond the horizon of death he sees hope in the Lord. (Psalm 29:12-13)
Can a Christian be depressed in this holiday season? You better believe it. Paul told the Christians in Philippi, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) We Christian can be so wound up in the hustle and bustle of this holiday season that we forget how to rejoice in the Lord. Paul reminds us we can rejoice in any season if we keep a life style of prayer and thanksgiving. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every thing, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7)
Remember last week’s sermon text was on 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 when Paul said, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” It is God’s will that Christians should be joyful. If every Christian has a long face and be sad, who would want to be a Christian anyway? The secret to a joyful Christian life is to have a prayer life consistent with thanksgiving. Charles Spurgeon, a 19th century English preacher, was a man of prayer. In his classic sermon on “The Throne of Grace” he told us what a privilege a Christian has in prayer before the throne of grace. “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) Imagine we have permission to come before the King of kings, the almighty God. We are approaching the throne that is also the mercy seat, the place where God meets sinners through Jesus Christ. In prayer we are not presenting before the throne of Judgment, but before the throne of grace. Grace does not displace sovereignty. He is still the sovereign God. We should be completely submissive. We do not pray to God to instruct Him as to what he should do. He will do as He will. However, on the mercy seat, God never executes sovereign other than in a way of grace. On the throne of grace, sovereignty has place itself under the bond of love. God will do as He will, but He will do it on the mercy seat. The author of Hebrews said, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (KJV) We can come before the almighty King with great expectations; do not bring frivolous things. He would do for us “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think because he cannot turn from His promise. (Ephesians 3:20; 2Timothy 2:13)
There is a story about a church facing a special problem. A property owner next to the church decided to open a tavern and night club in his property. The church gathers together in fervent prayer that God would intervene and stop the adventure. One day, the property next to the church burns to the ground. The church gathers together for a thanksgiving service. Then the church receives a notice that the property owner is bringing a law suite against the church alleging their prayer brings about the wrath of God who sends fire to burn down the property. The church hires a team of lawyers denying the allegation that God answered their prayer. After hearing the argument from both sides, the judge decides that the non-Christian property owner believes in God answering prayer while Christians in the church deny that God is a God who answers prayer.
If you are not a Christian but believe in the God who would answer prayer, I urge you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior；so that you may approach His throne of mercy with confident and not the throne of judgment with fear. If you are a Christian looking for joy, try prayer and thanksgiving, believing that God will grand you the peace and joy beyond understanding if you only trust Him in total submission.
