Audio:
2007-10-21 AM Come and See.mp3

Come and See

Psalm 66:1-20; Colossians 3:1-25 / Psalm 11:1-7

I. Invite People to God

A. Honor God out loud so everyone knows; make it obvious to everyone. “To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.” (Psalm 66:1-2)

B. Invite the world to come and see what God, has done; it will be scary for some people. “Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.” (Psalm 66:5)

C. When people understand and find peace in God they want to share what they have found. “The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.” (John 1:43-46)

II. What Will People Find When They Come and See?

A. God does wondrous things; the humanly impossible never stops God. “He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.” (Psalm 66:6 )

B. God settles large accounts across the sweep of history. “He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.” (Psalm 66:7)

C. Jesus knows people better than they know themselves. “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” (John 1:47-49)

D. People will not find what tantalizes the world. “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:2-3 )

E. Christ brings comfort and consolation to the dark places of our hearts. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4)

F. Christ overcomes the penalties of sin in both body and soul. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

G. Jesus willingly does what sinful people cannot do for themselves. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:6-7)

III. Be Personal and Specific

A. Give a testimony. “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” (Psalm 66:16)

B. Teach the next generation. “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” (Psalm 34:11)

C. Publish the story of God’s mighty works and wonders; circulate the testimonies throughout the family of God. “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.” (Malachi 3:16)

D. Organize life around the study of God. “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

E. Believers have received mercy that they might become instruments of mercy. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

F. Make the invitation personal. “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” (Psalm 66:16)

The Voices and the Voice

Psalm 12

I. Apostasy Speaks in Many Loud Voices

A. People cease to be godly when faithful examples are unavailable; the hope is in turning to God. “To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” (Psalm 12:1)

B. When people do not live with respect for God, words lose meaning and people twist communication. “They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.” (Psalm 12:2)

C. God will destroy people who substitute falsehood for truth. “The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:” (Psalm 12:3)

1. Glorious Babylon was convinced of its world view and its right to do with people and resources as it chose, but Providence called a different tune. “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.” (Daniel 4:30-31)

2. Jude in his day warned about evil teachers who would use words for their personal advantage and not in the cause of truth or grace. “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.” (Jude 1:16)

D. People who twist truth distort reality and reject God as they do so. “Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?” (Psalm 12:4)

E. Truth is personal to God and truth is by definition exclusive. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.” (Job 38:1-3)

F. The voices of apostasy bring to mind the thought processes of fools. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” (Psalm 14:1)

II. The Voice of Pure Truth Exposes Apostasy

A. When apostasy clouds or even hides reality, God enters to assist the helpless. “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.” (Psalm 12:5)

B. God’s voice speaks the purest truth. “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” (Psalm 12:6)

C. The voices of apostasy are only hot air because they cannot contend with God in the final judgment. “Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” (Psalm 12:7)

III. Tolerating the Voice of Apostasy Compounds the Problem

A. Unchecked wickedness brings the worst people to the surface and such people attract others of their kind. “The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.” (Psalm 12:8)

B. God brings the problem close to home; controlling conversation is one of life’s most difficult challenges any person encounters. “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” (James 3:2)

C. Great forces can be controlled with small instruments. “Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.” (James 3:3-4)

D. The tongue is more like a spark which can destroy a forest. “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” (James 3:5-6)

E. The problem of the human condition is nowhere more obvious than in language. “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.” (James 3:8-9)

F. The answer to the human condition is always to turn to God for help. “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3)

Audio:

2007-10-07 PM The Gates of Heaven - Romans 10.mp3

The Gates of Heaven

Romans 10:5-21
Dr. Edwin P. Elliott

I. Scripture Explains Access to Heaven

A. If one were to keep the law with no variation, one would go to heaven; God likes perfection. “For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.” (Romans 10:5)

B. Scripture confirms what experience teaches; no one keeps God’s law. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Romans 3:10) “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)

C. Righteousness based on faith excludes all the schemes and methods to get around the facts. “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)” (Romans 10:6-7)

D. God states the only reliable way to approach Him. “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:8-9)

E. Trust and profession lead to the open door. “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10)

F. Salvation by grace puts the emphasis on God rather than the person. “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:11-13)

II. Christians Must Become Doorkeepers

A. David explained the joy of being a doorkeeper for God. “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (Psalm 84:10)

B. No one will believe without hearing the message; believers get the message from God’s appointed evangelistic method. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

C. The church is a mission agency by definition; the spread of the gospel is beautiful but it does not take place by accident or by spontaneous generation. “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15)

D. The message is essential, but it is not the effective force in the spread of the gospel. “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?” (Romans 10:16)

E. The word of God arrives through human agents, but it is the Word of God Who accomplishes the redemption. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

F. The redemption process is in the world but it is supernatural; worldly wisdom could never on its own lead to redemption by grace. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-24)

III. Grace, Not Witnessing, Is the Explanation

A. No one is excusable; all reality points to God. “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” (Romans 10:18)

B. When people refuse what God provides, He gives His gifts to others; salvation is by grace rather than by institution. “But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.” (Romans 10:19)

C. Isaiah predicted the shift from Israel to the nations. “But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.” (Romans 10:20)

D. God never stopped being concerned with Israel. “But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” (Romans 10:21)

Believers Do Not Cut and Run

Psalm 11

Dr. Edwin P. Elliott

I. Life Can Look Hopeless

A. In times and on occasions when a believer should trust God, someone will suggest running a way; cowardice can masquerade as prudence. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?” (Psalm 11:1)

1. The identifying mark of a believer is confidence in God; compared to God, human troublemakers are small concerns. “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” (Psalm 56:11)

2. Believers know better than to measure resources the way the world does; God can resolve any problem in His own way. “And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.” (2 Chronicles 14:11)

B. The wicked can seem powerful. “For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.” (Psalm 11:2)

1. Though wicked people are clever, ultimately they do more damage to themselves than to God’s people. “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.” (Psalm 10:2)

2. The most outstanding example of all is the plot to murder Jesus which turned out to be God’s means of redeeming sinners. “And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.” (Matthew 26:4)

C. Disaster and chaos challenge believers to reconsider their fundamental presuppositions. “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3)

D. Believers are called for just such times. “And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” (Isaiah 58:12)

E. God’s ultimate foundation never fails. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:19)

II. God Remains in Charge

A. Nothing functions outside God’s kingdom; nothing gets past God. “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” (Psalm 11:4) “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” (Psalm 2:4)

B. God constantly evaluates all which takes place. “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.” (Psalm 11:5)

1. Christians benefit from trials and unbelievers lose everything when they are tried by God. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 1:7)

2. Unbelievers so misunderstand reality that they boast of the evidence which will be used against them in the court of eternity. “For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.” (Psalm 10:3)

C. The all-seeing eye of God never winks. “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

D. Where can a person hide from God? “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:24) “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” (Psalm 139:8)

III. Justice Will Come

A. The wicked will get what is coming to them as they did at Sodom and in Egypt. “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.” (Psalm 11:6) “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;” (Genesis 19:24) “And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.” (Exodus 9:23-24)

B. The Lord loves the righteous. “For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” (Psalm 11:7) “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” (1 Peter 3:12)

Audio:
2007-09-23 PM Wrath and Mercy - Romans 9 Part 2.mp3

Wrath and Mercy

Romans 9:19-10:4

Dr. Edwin P. Elliott

I. Why Should People Try to Please God?

A. How do God’s final authority and man’s responsibility relate to each other? “Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?” (Romans 9:19)

1. Some questions inherently insult God. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:” (James 1:13)

2. Other questions do not relate to life; the answers do not relate to the present life and they will be obvious in their proper time. “But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?” (1 Corinthians 15:35)

B. The conundrum has obvious problems; the maker inherently has determining authority over what is made. “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?” (Romans 9:20)

1. Some lines of thought lead to unsatisfactory results. “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” (Romans 2:1)

2. God does not go out of His way to make the Christian life obscure. “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)

C. In common experience the question answers itself automatically. “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Romans 9:21)

II. Take a Closer Look at What God Has Done

A. Evil serves the larger purpose of salvation and revelation; election displays the overcoming mercy of God. “What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,” (Romans 9:22-23)

B. Grace, not judgment is the astounding doctrine; from all kinds and categories of people, God has chosen a people to be redeemed. “Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” (Romans 9:24)

C. Hosea explained what God was doing. “As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.” (Romans 9:25) [Hosea = Hebrew / Osee = Greek]

D. Apart from any consideration of election, God always said only a remnant would enter eternity with God. “Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” (Romans 9:27-28)

E. Only grace explains the salvation of anyone when all people deserve eternal damnation. “And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.” (Romans 9:29) “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

III. Election Explains Grace

A. Since works inevitably and universally fails, only election leads to grace. “But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;” (Romans 9:31-32)

B. Isaiah foreshadowed this insight and the implications for people who reject election. “As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Romans 9:33) “Therefore thus saith the Lord, even the Lord, Behold, I lay for the foundations of Sion a costly stone, a choice, a corner-stone, a precious stone, for its foundations; and he that believes on him shall by no means be ashamed.” (Isaiah 28:16 LXX)

C. Paul reassured readers that he had no conflict with Israel and genuinely wanted these non-believers to be saved. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” (Romans 10:1)

D. Zeal is no substitute for knowledge of the truth. “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (Romans 10:2-3)

E. Christ and salvation by works can never fit together; Christ accomplished what only grace can. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:4)

Is Prosperity Always Prosperity?

Psalm 10

I. Does Evil Actually Prosper

A. Even the faithful cannot always see the hand of God in the course of the world’s affairs; small children and parents place life in different timeframes. “Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1) “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.” (Psalm 90:4-5)

B. Wicked people target their evil attentions at the very helpless people whom God has chosen for His own. “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.” (Psalm 10:2) “His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” (Proverbs 5:22)

C. Instead of shame and repentance, the wicked boast of their evil. “For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.” (Psalm 10:3) “They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.” (Psalm 73:8-9)

D. The prosperity of the wicked can make believers desperate. “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;” (Psalm 13:1-3)

II. The Wicked Actually Are Wicked

A. People who never take God into their analysis of life are wicked; truth comes to such people the hard way. “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” (Psalm 10:4) “And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” (Exodus 5:2)

B. People who cannot understand how God thinks are wicked, not just uninformed or confused. “His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.” (Psalm 10:5) “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” (Proverbs 15:24) “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:12-14)

C. People who think they are beyond the reach of God are wicked. “He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.” (Psalm 10:6) “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” (Ecclesiastes 8:11)

D. People who wring the truth out of what they say are wicked. “His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.” (Psalm 10:7) “Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:” (Psalm 64:3) “None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.” (Isaiah 59:4)

E. People who take advantage of the poor and innocent, displaying no respect for life, are wicked. “He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.” (Psalm 10:8)

F. People who treat the helpless as game to be hunted are wicked, from business giants to juvenile delinquents. “He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.” (Psalm 10:9-10) “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.” (Proverbs 1:10-18)

III. The Answer Is To Turn to God

A. Trials cause believers to turn to God; people who feel pain get help for the problems causing the pain. “Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.” (Psalm 10:12) “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.” (Exodus 17:11)

B. Rather than taking direct action, pass the problems on to God; shift burden. “Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.” (Psalm 10:13-14)

C. Keep referring problems to God until God solves all of them. “Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.” (Psalm 10:15)

D. Never lose confidence; God never abdicates. “The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.” (Psalm 10:16) “Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?” (Luke 18:2-7)

E. God always listens to His people. “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:” (Psalm 10:17) “The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.” (Proverbs 10:24)

F. When God takes care of the helpless, He will take care of all the other problems in life. “To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.” (Psalm 10:18)

Audio:

2007-09-23 AM Fellow Citizens.mp3

Fellow Citizens

Psalm 100:1-5; Ephesians 2:1-22 / Psalm 138:1-8

I. Without Grace People Are Dead

A. Christ changes people. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” (Ephesians 2:1)

B. Apart from Christ, people are part of something entirely unattractive. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Ephesians 2:2-3)

C. God is bigger than all of life’s shadows, stresses, and failures. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

II. Christ Makes Dead People Live

A. Christ turns decay into glory. “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 2:6) “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isaiah 57:15)

B. New life tells far more about God than about sinners. “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:7-9)

C. God has good things in mind for people He brings to life. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” (Ephesians 2:10-12)

D. In Christ, believers have peace with God. “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;” (Ephesians 2:13-15)

III. All New People Become Citizens of New Jerusalem

A. Through Christ, there is one family of God; something bigger than the curse of Babel is now at work. “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.” (Ephesians 2:16-17)

B. All believers have access to God in a single way. “For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” (Ephesians 2:18)

C. Christians are the ultimate insiders – The Club For The Totally Cool. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” (Ephesians 2:19)

D. Unlike any other group of insiders, this one focuses on Christ, a leader Who does not disappoint. “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” (Ephesians 2:20)

E What Abraham and the Children of Faith have always sought is the City of God. “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:21-22)

F. The tragedy of the Garden ends in Christ and people become what God designed them to be – His friends and co-workers. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10)

G. Homeless aliens have become the citizens of God’s own city. “And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” (Revelation 21:2-3)