Sunday, June 22, 2008
THE SEED OF THE GOSPEL
Gen. 3:14-15
I have a question for you young people. As you know, we talk a lot about the gospel. And what does the term “gospel” mean? Give me the simple two-word definition. Yes, “gospel” means “good news.” We discussed that good news two weeks ago. Paul describes the gospel in these terms: Christ died for our sins according to the scripture; He was buried; and He rose according to the scriptures. Taking the cup of God’s wrath upon Himself, Jesus bore our sins upon the cross, demonstrating both the love and the justice of God. That is the good news.
Now let’s come to my question. Where in the Bible do we find the first gospel message, the first great promise of the Savior Jesus Christ? Do we find it in the prophets, even in Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel"? Or in Micah 5:2, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting"? Or do we find the first promise of the Savior in God’s promise to Abraham, when He said, “And in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:3)? No, we have to go back farther than that.
So come with me to Genesis 3. We have considered the first part of this chapter, but we still have some wonderful truths to discover in the last part of the chapter. So let’s take time to read again Gen. 3…
Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10. And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12. And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14. And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 22. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23. Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
This morning we want to focus on verses 14-15..
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
When George Whitefield once preached on this text, he began with these words: “I bring you glad tidings of great joy.” What an appropriate introduction, for here we do indeed find glad tidings of great joy.” Martin Luther was so taken by the words of verse 15 that he said, "This text, Verse 15, embraces and comprehends within itself everything noble and glorious that is to be found anywhere in the scriptures." What would lead him to make such a claim? Perhaps there is more here than first meets the eye. Yes, it is here that we have the first promise of the Savior, the first glimmer of the gospel. Young people, remember that though it was not as clear to Adam and Eve as it is to us, this is the first gospel message in the Bible, for it is here in Gen. 3:15 that our Lord gives us His first promise of the coming Savior. As we look at God’s curse upon the serpent and Satan, we hear the promise of the Savior.
I. The Curse upon the Serpent (14)
Before we come to verse 15, let’s deal with verse 14, “And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.” So here we have the Lord addressing the snake. Before the Lord God pronounces a curse upon Adam or to Eve concerning what they have done, He speaks to the snake. Of course, you will recall that it wasn’t the Lord Himself who brought up the snake in the conversation. When the Lord asked Eve what it was she had done, she responded by saying, “The snake deceived me, and I ate the fruit” (vs. 13) Then immediately the Lord spoke to the snake.
Notice the words: “Thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field.” On the surface, it may seem that the Lord is cursing all the animals, but He is cursing the snake more than the others. That is not the case. We see in Rom. 8:22 that “the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now,” but it was because of man’s sin, not because of a direct curse form God. But here in Gen. 3:14 we see that God curses the snake directly. The idea is that the snake is singled out from all the others and cursed by God.
So what’s the deal with this snake? Was it an ordinary snake? Was it the devil himself? Who or what was it? We can be sure that it was not just an ordinary snake. That snake had no interest in Adam and Eve. Don’t think for a minute that the snake desired to lead Adam and Eve into sin. However, there was someone who greatly desired to deceive this woman and lead the two of them into sin. That someone, of course, was Satan. From this time forward, Satan has been closely identified with the snake. We read in Rev. 12:9, "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Again in Rev. 20 we read of a time in the future…"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years…" (Rev. 20:1-2).
Now Satan, the devil, is a spirit. But on this occasion, he manifested himself in the snake. The snake was a tool that Satan used. And because of that, we see that Satan is associated with the snake. The snake becomes a symbol of the devil. If that is true, then why was the Lord so hard on the snake? Why did God punish the snake, if it was the devil who was using him for his own diabolical purposes?
First of all, we must be reminded that the snake is a reptile. That snake had no self-consciousness. This was no great punishment for the snake. The punishment itself was two-fold: he would afterward crawl on his belly and he would eat dust. We have no evidence that a snake is at any great disadvantage because he crawls on his belly and eats dust. Again, it is only a reptile.
Then why pronounce such a curse upon the snake? It was symbolic. By cursing the snake, the Lord was beginning to announce that He would bring Satan low. Crawling upon the ground is a symbol of lowliness and humiliation. Lev. 11:42, "Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination." The snake, which crawls on its belly, is an abomination to the Lord.
This is a picture of humiliation. Though we are not given much information, before this curse from the Lord, the snake evidently stood upright. Before the curse, it didn’t crawl upon its belly. So we could say that the Lord put the serpent down. That is always a picture of humiliation in the scripture. The Lord will be exalted, as He says in Ps. 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the earth.” But the serpent He put down. The curse of eating dust all the days of its life was a further symbol of humiliation. The Lord was not saying that dust would be the primary food of the snake. Rather, he was saying that because he was so low to the ground, the snake would have no choice but to eat a lot of dust. Speaking of the enemies of the king, Ps. 72:9 says, “They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.” That is, his enemies shall be brought low. Again, we read in Micah 7:16-17, "The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. 17. They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee."
Do you see? The curse upon the snake was really a symbolic way of beginning to announce the curse upon Satan himself. Snakes don’t feel the curse, but they do illustrate it (MacArthur). The Lord was making it clear that He was well aware of the tactics of Satan and He would not leave him unpunished. From that time forward, the devil would be associated with the snake, the most feared and most hated of all creatures. And the Lord would bring Satan down into humiliation.
II. The Curse Directly upon Satan (15)
Now we come to verse 15, where the curse is pronounced more directly upon Satan. Let’s read it again, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; and it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” The term “enmity” means “hostility” or “hatred.” The Lord tells Satan directly that He is going to put an attitude of hostility between him and the woman. Think about that.
We are not told everything we would like to know about Satan’s attitudes and schemes, but there are some things we can gather from what we know of Him. We have already read that when Satan rebelled against the Lord in heaven, he was cast down to the earth, along with a third of the angels. Though he was not able to overthrow God and become like the Most High (Is. 14:14), he was successful in that he convinced thousands of angels to follow him. Apparently, it wasn’t enough for him to lead legions of angels. Now he sets his sights on man. Though it is hard for us to understand, it seems that Satan will do anything to try to hinder the plan of Almighty God. If he could just get man to go against God and come over to his team, he could continue to be a thorn in the side of the God he hates. So his goal seemed to be to work in such a way that man would become his friend and God’s enemy. As we have read here in chapter 3, he was quite successful, as Adam and Eve listened to him and refused to obey the Lord.
But now through the pronouncement of this curse, the Lord makes it clear that it will not always be this way. “I will put hostility between you and the woman.” I suspect there was already some of that. When their eyes were opened, they must have realized that they had been conned by the father of lies. Now God announces to Satan that the woman’s seed of disappointment in her newfound friend would crystallize into open hatred. Not only would Satan continue to hate Eve, but she would hate him as well.
But the curse doesn’t stop there. The Lord goes on to say, “and between thy seed and her seed.” God said He would put hostility between the seed of Satan and the seed of the woman. “Seed” is commonly used to speak of offspring or descendants. We know that Eve would have many offspring. Adam would even call her “Eve,” because she was the mother of all living (Gen. 3:20). But what about the offspring of Satan? He was an angel; he couldn’t have any physical descendants. While that is true, the scripture is not silent about the seed of Satan. Speaking to the religious leaders, Jesus said, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). And I John 3:10, “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth his brother.” If a person is not a child of God, then he is a child of the devil. That is, he is like the devil because he is a slave to the devil. As the devil hates God, so the children of the devil hate God. So when the Lord speaks of the seed of Satan, He is speaking of all those who belong to Satan. Remember, we all belonged to Satan at one time. We were dead in our trespasses and sins and were by nature the children of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3).
For those of us who truly know the Lord, when we were born again we became the seed of the woman. How is that? Doesn’t the “seed of the woman” refer to all the descendants of Eve? Not really. Why not? Because this hostility is not between all the seed of the woman and Satan. Most of the descendants of Eve belong to Satan; they are a part of his crowd, not the children of God. And because they belong to Satan, there isn’t hatred between them and Satan. They hate God, not Satan. We read of this conflict between the seed of the woman and the seed of Satan in Gal. 4:28-29, "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now." Those who are born after the flesh belong to Satan’s crowd and they persecute those who are the children of promise, those who are born after the Spirit.
The key to all this is a proper understanding of the woman’s seed. And when we come to the last part of the curse in verse 15, the identification becomes perfectly clear. “It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Now the conflict is between Satan himself and the seed of the woman. Whether you translate that first word of the clause as “it” (KJV) or “he” (NIV, NASV, Ampl) makes little difference. What we must see is that it is singular. Now the Lord is not referring to many offspring of Eve, but to one. And that seed will bruise the head of Satan, and Satan will bruise the heel of the seed. Perhaps the translation “crush” would be better than “bruise,” as this speaks of a crushing blow.
I don’t know how much Adam and Eve understood about what the Lord says here. I doubt that Satan himself had perfect understanding of it. Praise God that we who are living on this side of the cross can see it clearly and have no doubt what our Lord meant. Here the Lord God is speaking of that great conflict between Satan and the Lord Jesus Himself. This is the seed of whom we read in Micah 5:2, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah; though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth." And what happened when Jesus was born in Bethlehem? No sooner was he born than Herod, one of Satan’s own, tried to kill him. Immediately after Jesus’ baptism some thirty years later, Satan was waiting for Him. You know the story of the temptation in the wilderness, and how there the woman's seed fought with him who was a liar from the beginning. The devil attacked Him directly three times, but each time Jesus fought back with the Word of God and refused to give into His enemy. What hostility between the seed of the woman and the old serpent, the devil. Our Lord was not only on the defensive. He began to take the war into the enemy’s camp by calling various ones unto Himself. He cast out demons. He spoke to the wicked and unclean spirit and said, "I charge thee, come out of him," and the demon was expelled. Thousands of demons fled before him, hiding themselves in the swine to escape from the terror of His presence. "Art thou come to torment us before our time?" was their cry when the wonder-working Christ dislodged them from the bodies which they tormented. He made his own disciples mighty against the evil one, for in His name they cast out demons, till Jesus said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" (Lk. 10:18). What conflict between the seed of the woman and the devil.
But all of that was only the preliminary for the great battle, which began in the Garden of Gethsemane, continued to the cross, and was finished on the morning of the resurrection. Remember we are told that Satan entered into Judas, and Judas betrayed his Master. What a struggle with Satan Jesus endured in the garden, as we read in Luke 22:44, "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." The battle was at its height when Jesus hung there on the cross. Having taken the cup of His Father’s wrath, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” But praise God for the words which Jesus spoke not too long after that, “It is finished.” That’s where the battle ended for our Lord. And we know He was victorious, for He was “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4).
It was at the cross that Satan bruised (crushed) the heel of our Lord, who was the seed of the woman Eve. What agony he inflicted upon the Savior. But though our Lord was bruised, it was there at the cross that He crushed the head of the old serpent, the devil himself. So was fulfilled the words of David in Ps. 16:10, "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Anticipating His triumph at the cross, Jesus said on the night of His arrest, John 12:31, "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out." A little bit later, Jesus said, John 16:11, "… the prince of this world is judged." What a victory our Lord won there at the cross, as Paul reminds us in Col. 2:13-15…
And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
And the leader of all those principalities and powers was Satan himself. Though it looked like Satan was victorious in the conflict, that was not the case. He only bruised Jesus’ heel, but Jesus dealt him the fatal blow by accomplishing the redemption of all those who trust Him.
You may say, “If the Lord crushed the head of Satan at the cross, then why does Satan have so much power now? He seems to be alive and well.” Yes, Satan is alive, but he is not well. He is a defeated foe; his days are numbered. His head has been crushed. Praise God that we know the end of the story, which is related to us in Rev. 20:10, "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." It’s as good as done.
So how much power does Satan have in the present world? He has the power to carry on the conflict between the seed of the woman and him and his own seed. Go back again to Gen. 3:15, where we read, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed…” The seed of the woman who will be in conflict with Satan and his crowd are those descendants of Eve who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, those who are in Christ, those who have been “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (I Pet. 1:23). We are included in the conflict because we are included in the Seed, the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan hates us and we hate him. There is great hostility between us.
But why? If Jesus was able to crush the head of Satan at the cross, why didn’t He just take him out? Why didn’t He bring him to full and complete destruction right there? Why let him live and walk about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (I Pet. 5:8)? Very simple – Satan is a tool in God’s hand. Though he hates God, ultimately he does God’s bidding. When he opposes us, we remember that “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it, and is safe” (Prov. 18:10). The devil drives us to seek our God. The more he afflicts us, the more we see our need to abide in Christ. God doesn’t leave Satan here because he has to, but because he chooses to. Don’t ever forget that.
Satan has power, but his power is not over the seed of the woman who are in Christ. Satan is the god of this world, but we are not of this world, “for our citizenship (“conversation” in KJV; it is the Greek word from which we get our word “politics,” etc.) is in heaven, from whence also we wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). Listen to the promise given to us at the end of Romans: “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly…” (Rom. 16:20). The day is coming when we will be presented to Him “a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing,” but we will “be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). That is how Satan will be bruised under our feet, as we stand without fault before the throne of God!
Conclusion
Isn’t it amazing that we find this great gospel promise within a curse. The words that curse Satan become a great blessing to all the redeemed. Isn’t it glorious that before we get past the Garden of Eden, God reveals to us the end of the story, the promise of victory in the Promised Seed. Praise God for His glorious promises to His people.
So what does this mean for us? It means that we know two things with absolute certainty…
1. There will be continual conflict between Satan and the seed of the woman.
2. As the seed of the woman through faith in the One Promised Seed, the victory is ours,
for our Lord Jesus has crushed the head of that old serpent, the devil.
We can take great comfort in that. When things seem to be going badly and you are at the end of your rope, remember that the Lord Jesus has already won the battle; He has crushed the head of your enemy. When all you can see is your weakness and inability, be reminded that you are in Him who rose from the dead in victory. His victory is yours. The God of peace will bruise Satan under your feet shortly. So rejoice in your weakness, for it is in your weakness that His strength is made perfect (II Cor. 12:9-10).
Let him who is wise make sure that he is part of the seed who is in conflict with Satan. Have you been born again of the incorruptible seed which is the Word of God? Do you have the life of the Son within you? Don’t take comfort just because you feel at peace and things seem to be going well. Satan would like nothing better than to give you such feelings of peace, in order that he might take you down to hell. Have you been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb?
When the doubts come and you aren’t able to convince yourself that it is well with your soul, fall on your face before Almighty God and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Don’t settle for the shallow clichés this world offers, but “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Is. 55:6-7).
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
A Psalm of Joy -- 6/15/08
Sunday, June 15, 2008
A PSALM OF JOY
Psalm 4
This morning we will be looking at Psalm 4. We will divide it into three sections. We will address each section, but we will give more attention to the second than the first, and even more to the third. I believe that is the flavor of this Psalm, as David brings it to a great climax at the end. We read Psalm 3 earlier. Now let’s go ahead and read Psalm 4…
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 3. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. 4. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. 6. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 8. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Down through the years, there have been those who have taught that this Psalm is intended to be a companion to Psalm 3. When we read them together, it is easy to see why. For example, look at Ps. 3:2-3, “Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” Now compare that with Ps. 4:6, “There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of countenance upon us.” There is a strong parallel between the two. This kind of correspondence runs throughout these Psalms. I will leave you to explore that on your own.
This morning we want to turn our attention to Psalm 4. I will put each section in the form of a saint addressing the Lord Himself. The divisions look like this…
I. We Cry to You for Mercy (1)
II. We Speak Your Truth Boldy (2-5)
III. We Delight in You (6-8)
I. We Cry to You for Mercy (1)
Verse 1, “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness; thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.” You may say, “Why would David cry for mercy? He was a man after God’s own heart. Shouldn’t the ungodly, the unbeliever, cry for mercy? But why should a man like David cry for mercy?” Please allow me to quote from Charles Spurgeon. By the way, I may quote him several times. I find his meditations on this Psalm to be priceless. Spurgeon says: “The best of men need mercy as truly as the worst of men. All the deliverances of saints, as well as the pardons of sinners, are the free gifts of heavenly grace” (The Treasury of David; Vol. 1, p. 35). If we think we no longer need God’s mercy, let us go back and read the Psalms of David. Or just let us reflect upon Heb. 4:14-16…
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
David addresses the Lord as “O God of my righteousness.” That phrase is not found anywhere else in the scripture. Surely he is saying that God is the author of his righteous. God is the one who gives him righteousness and who must maintain that righteousness. And so it is with every child of God. We can speak of “my righteousness” only in the sense that it is the righteousness that comes from God through Christ. Praise God for the promise of II Cor. 5:21, “For he made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Notice how the Psalmist appeals to past mercies as the basis of his plea for present favor from the Lord. He is reminded that in the past God showed mercy. God was merciful when enlarged David in time of distress. This is a military figure. There were times when David was surrounded by the enemy. He was pressed in. There was no room to move any direction. But in that distress, the Lord enlarged him. The Lord dealt with his enemies and gave him freedom to move about again. Perhaps there is also a reference to spiritual enlargement, the enlargement of the heart. We read of this in Ps. 119:32, “I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.”
On the basis of what God had done in the past, David cried out, “Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.” Isn’t that beautiful. How can we doubt the Lord’s ability to deliver us in the present, after all we have seen Him do in the past? Jesus reprimanded His own disciples for forgetting His past mercies. He told them their hearts were hardened in that they didn’t remember how He fed the 5,000 and then the 4,000 (Mark 6:15-21).
When you are in a crisis, do you let the Lord remind you of His mercies in the past? Do you thankfully remind the Lord of His mercies in the past? O that we might learn from the example of David.
II. We Speak the Truth Boldly (2-5)
Again, I am struck by the words of Spurgeon: “Observe, that David speaks first to God and then to men. Surely we should all speak the more boldly to men if we had more converse [conversation] with God. He who dares to face his Maker will not tremble before the sons of men” (p. 34). The confidence with which he addresses his enemies in verses 2-5 comes from his relationship to the Almighty God who created the universe.
He addresses his enemies with these words: “O ye sons of men.” Those words carry an idea of greatness. These were mighty men. Wisdom would seem to say that these men were to be feared, but that would not be the wisdom of God. Though they were mighty men, David spoke to them as if they were children. “O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing?” “Leasing” is a word that refers to lying and deceit. Do you hear what David is saying? He is warning these great ones to consider their ways. They delight in outward appearance that is gained through pretending and deceit. As for David, they have no regard for the fact that God has anointed him as king. Though they had a reputation as great men, David saw them as foolish and addressed them courageously.
Now come to verse 3. “But know this.” Here is one thing David wanted them to make note of. “Don’t forget this. The Lord has separated the godly man for himself. The Lord will hear when I call unto him.” What a powerful principle – the Lord has set apart him that is godly for Himself. We see the truth of this principle more clearly, because we have the privilege of viewing it from the other side of the cross. A person does not prove himself to be godly, and then God separates that person unto Himself. No. Rather, the Lord justifies the man that is ungodly. Then he sets apart that one who has been made godly through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Remember, there is none godly, there is none that seeks God, there is none that does good. If God did not justify the ungodly, no one would ever be righteous.
What a privilege to be set apart unto God. Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…” (John 15:16). And that choosing by the Son of God was in pursuing the eternal plan of the Father, “according as he hath chosen us in him (in Christ) before the foundation of the world.” What confidence and courage we can gain from God’s election of His children. We may face people who are mighty in this world, but rest assured that God has set apart the godly for Himself. The Lord will hear when we call unto Him!
In verse 4, David becomes more bold and gives a stern warning to his enemies. Ps. 4:4, "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." Translations of this verse will differ quite a bit. Stand in awe speaks of an attitude of reverence. The NASV puts it like this: “Tremble, and do not sin.” When David speaks of standing in awe or trembling, He is focusing upon the greatness of God. How can you not tremble in the presence of the Almighty God? What a message for our world today. Our world has it upside down; it sins and trembles not. But the warning here is to tremble and sin not.
Then he urges his enemies to take time to consider these matters. “Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.” Again, how appropriate for our day. We live in a time when one of the greatest downfalls of man is busyness. The more mankind ignores his creator, the busier he makes himself. That is no accident. Man has to have some way to hide from God. It does no good to try to find a physical place shielded from God, for if he ascends into the heavens, God is there; if he descends into the lowest places, God is there. But maybe, just maybe, he can keep himself so busy that he won’t have to consider his Creator. That is nothing new. David was aware that this is the nature of man. Regardless of how busy a person is, there comes the time when he must lay himself down on the pillow and get some sleep. In those quiet moments, it is more difficult to shut out the questions, the doubt, the guilt. So David urges them to take that time for consideration. As he says elsewhere, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the earth” (Ps. 46:10). Don’t try to squirm from beneath the truth; be still and face the Lord Himself.
You will notice the “Selah” at the end of verse 2 and again at the end of verse 4. There are some different ideas about the meaning of the term, but consider the way the Amplified Version amplifies it: “Selah (pause, and calmly think about that.” These are critical warnings that David is issuing to men who are bound for destruction. They will prove themselves wise if they do indeed slow down and carefully consider what is being said.
In verse 5, David gives the positive side. The order is not accidental. It is no accident that Jesus would said, “Repent and believer,” rather than “Believe and repent.” While repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin, repentance claims the priority. After David’s enemies have acknowledged the wrongdoing of loving vanity and seeking lying and deception, they can then “offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord.” That is exactly what David urges them to do. There is a life that is infinitely better than pretense and deception, and it is the life that finds righteousness through trust in the true and living God.
No doubt, David was saying far more than he understand when he urged them to offer the sacrifices of righteousness. When a Jew offered sacrifice in a righteous manner, with the proper motivation, he was looking to His Redeemer, the Lamb of God. Though he didn’t have perfect understanding, the sacrifice he offered was a picture (a type) of Jesus, who would be the propitiation for his sins. Notice how the offering of these sacrifices of righteousness are coupled closely with trust in the Lord.
III. We Delight in You (6-8)
Now we come to the best part of this Psalm. David has cried out to the Lord for mercy. He has spoken boldly to his enemies, who were persecuting him unjustly, treating him shamefully. But now David is going to turn his attention solely to the Lord. He has urged his enemies to trust the Lord. Now He will praise the name of the Lord. He will testify of the sweetness of trusting Him.
Listen again to verse 6, “There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.” Don’t miss the impact of this little verse. I have read over it many times. I have memorized it as a part of this Psalm. But recently the Lord has blessed me with its great truth. I don’t understand everything about it, but I do understand that there is something here we need to catch hold of.
Many say, “Who will show us any good?” That could be taken in a number of different ways. Perhaps there is reference to those who have become cynical and refuse to see any good at all. With great skepticism they say, “Who will show us any good?” They have lost the capacity to believe there is anything good. They have a frown for each and every situation. On the other hand, they may laugh and carry on, but deep within they have come to believe that it’s only a temporary reprieve from the reality that all is vanity, that there is nothing good in this world or the next.
More likely, David is addressing the tendency of man to walk by sight rather than by faith. “Who will show us any good? If someone will do us good, we will follow him.” Doesn’t that remind you of the people who pursued Jesus. Remember the feeding of the 5,000, and that was only the men, excluding the women and children. He fed that mob of people with 5 loaves of bread and two small fish. The people were so impressed that they tried to force Jesus to be their king. He would have none of it. Realizing the power of such temptation, Jesus withdrew the mountain to be with His Father. He sent the multitude away and told His disciples to get in the boat and go back across the Sea of Galilee. You will remember the great storm that suddenly rocked their boat and how Jesus calmed that storm.
What I want to focus on are the events of the next day. When the people couldn’t find Jesus, they crossed the sea in search of Him. And when they found Him, they asked, “When did you get here?” But Jesus knew they weren’t really interested in when He got there, but in what He could do for them. Ignoring the question they asked, Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you. You are not seeing me because you saw the miracles, but because you ate the meal I prepared and were filled.” Can you hear what Jesus is saying? Seeking me for miracles is not a pure motive, but you aren’t even doing that. You are just looking for more food to fill your bellies. The attitude of the people was, “Who will show us any good? Jesus, if you will give us what we want, we will follow you.”
Things haven’t changed much, have they? The great multitudes of religious people in this society are saying, “Jesus, do us good, and we will follow you.” Why do you think the Joel Osteens, the Benny Hinns, the Robert Schullers, and dozens more have such a following? It’s because they are telling people that Jesus will do them good, that He will give them what they want. All of us have at tendency to want to see rather than to believe. There are plenty of false teachers who will say, “Let me show you what Jesus can do for you. You can see it with your own eyes – health, prosperity, reputation, and more.”
Now come back to Psalm 4:6. “There be many that say, Who will show us any good?” Who will do good for us? Who will give us what we want? Now listen to the response of David: “Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon us.” That is, “Lord, let your face shine upon us. Lord, all we need is the light of your smile.” David delights in something that the eye cannot see and the hand cannot hold. This is the David who in the midst of war cries out in Ps. 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after – that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” He didn’t delight in military victory as much as in the presence of the Lord His God.
Listen to this same David in Ps. 63:1-8…
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2. To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 3. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. 7. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
Let the world do what it thinks best, but my soul will follow hard after you, O God. And when I am weak and lose my way, even then your right hand upholds me. You are the one who puts within my heart this great longing for you, and by your grace I will continue seeking you day and night.
It gets better. Now come to verse 7, “Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.” David reveals to us that his joy in the Lord is greater than the happiness of his enemies, even when their crops are abundant and their vineyards are at their best. In an agricultural society, plenty of food and an abundance of wine was extremely important. These were the best of times, but they couldn’t compare with the joy that the Lord put within David’s heart.
Let’s bring it up to date. “O Lord, you have given me more joy than the world around me. They take their dream vacations, but what they feel can’t compare with the joy you give me. They plan and party, but they know nothing of what you have given me. They sit in a secure home and drive only the best, but what they have can’t touch what you have given me. The best they can imagine is nothing compared to what I have in you right now.”
On a number of occasions in the Old Testament, we read of the heart that is made merry by wine. But consider Prov. 15:15, “All the days of the afflicted are evil; but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” There is evil all around us. We are not immune to affliction. Most people groan under the load of affliction, but the person who has a merry heart has a continual feast. “The Lord has put gladness in my heart, more than in the times that their corn and their wine increased.”
Listen to me. We see it throughout the scriptures, and now we see it again – the joy of the Lord is not dependent upon the outward circumstances. Remember that this Psalm begins with David crying out for mercy. If it is indeed a companion to Psalm 3, I remind you again of 3:1, “Lord, how are they increased that trouble me; many are they that rise up against me.” These were not easy times for David, but in the midst of all he rejoiced that God Himself had put gladness within his heart.
We find the same thing in the New Testament. Take, for example, I Pet. 1:3-9…
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7. 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: 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Peter speaks of the afflictions we face in this world, of the testing of our faith. We know the Lord Jesus, but we can’t see Him. But then read again those words of verse 8, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Yes, the day is coming when we will see Him face to face, and that will be glory. Nevertheless, even now we have a strong foretaste of that glory divine, for our Lord has put gladness in our heart, a gladness that the world knows nothing about.
And now the last verse, verse 8, “I will both lay me down in peace and sleep; for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety.” Notice the contrast. In verse 4, David says to his enemies: “Stand in awe and sin now; commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still.” Though we can’t see the wicked upon their beds, we know that it must be a time when no matter how hard they try to avoid it, they must wrestle with doubts and fears and guilt. But look at David, who says, “But as for me, I will lay down peacefully and sleep.” He is not eaten up with guilt. He is not plagued by doubts. Instead, he is able to lie down in perfect peace and sleep. Someone has said, “A quiet conscience is a good bedfellow” (Spurgeon, p. 37)
Why is that? What makes the difference? David confesses the truth to the Lord Himself: “Lord, you alone make me to dwell in safety.” In a Psalm that is all about safety and the Lord’s provision, David spoke these words: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Ps. 20:7).
I don’t know how much David understood, but in the big scheme of things his words go beyond getting a good night’s sleep. Our hope is not just that we will be protected from obvious evils. When I go to sleep tonight, I don’t know that I will wake up in the morning. I don’t know that my house won’t burn down around me tonight. But I know something far greater – regardless of what happens outwardly, I will still be in Him and His joy will still be in me. The safety of the Lord goes far beyond the outward. Quoting again from Spurgeon, “O Lord, give us this calm repose on thee, that like David we may lie down in peace, and sleep each night wile we life; and joyfully may we lie down in the appointed season, to sleep in death, to rest in God!” (p. 37).
Again, I must remind us that David’s rejoicing was rejoicing in the midst of trials. We see it not only here, but in many of the Psalms he wrote. That is why either David or a man of similar heart could write these words in Psalm 119… “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word (67)… It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes (71)… I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me (75).” That is the testimony of a man whose joy was not in the things of this world. Spurgeon makes this comment: “Happy is it for us that David was tried, or probably we should never had heard these sweet sonnets of faith [referring to Psalms 3 and 4]” (p. 34). God brings things out of affliction that can come in no other way, and not the least of those things is this abiding joy of which David speaks.
Let’s read Ps. 16:8-11…
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Yes, it is true that verse 10 refers uniquely to our Lord Jesus, as we find the New Testament writers applying it to Him. However, this passage was true of David and of every other true believer in Christ. When we set the Lord before us, we shall not be moved. We shall not be moved away from that fullness of joy that we find in His presence. Praise God!
Conclusion
When we taste the joy David speaks of in this Psalm, how can we keep it to ourselves? How can we care for another person and not long to have him know this same joy?
I must tell you that the message I have shared this morning is a very dangerous message. Let me explain what I mean. It is dangerous in the sense that I spoke often of the gladness that God has put in our hearts. The danger is in the term “our.” The third point of this message was, “We delight in you.” The danger is in the use of the word “we.” There is the strong possibility that some of you here this morning will wrongly apply this to yourselves. You will think that you delight in the Lord as David did, when the truth is you do not know Him. If even one of you should gather some false assurance from what has been said this morning, that is of great concern. I fear that you might confuse your own ability to cope with affliction with the supreme joy that the Lord can give.
I leave you with the example of our Lord Himself. David was greatly afflicted, but his afflictions do not compare with what Jesus faced. Jesus had more enemies than David did, but that doesn’t begin to tell the story. Remember what Jesus said to His Father in the garden shortly before He was arrested. Matt. 26:39, "And he went a little farther and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." And what was the cup? It was the cup of God’s wrath. Jesus was taking upon Himself the wrath that was upon us because of our sin. And as a result of drinking that cup, Jesus would be cut off from His Father.
Now I ask you the question: Did Jesus have joy in the midst of that supreme trial? Could He say that the Father had put gladness in His heart? What does the Word of God say? “…Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame…” Yes, He knew joy. It was not the “happy go lucky” laughter that is common in our day; it was a joy that the world knows nothing about.
The joy that you think you have, does it have that quality? Jesus told His own... (John 15:9-11...)
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Our Lord Jesus has shared His joy with us. Praise His name! As He delighted in His Father, so we also delight in our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
A PSALM OF JOY
Psalm 4
This morning we will be looking at Psalm 4. We will divide it into three sections. We will address each section, but we will give more attention to the second than the first, and even more to the third. I believe that is the flavor of this Psalm, as David brings it to a great climax at the end. We read Psalm 3 earlier. Now let’s go ahead and read Psalm 4…
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 3. But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. 4. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. 6. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 8. I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
Down through the years, there have been those who have taught that this Psalm is intended to be a companion to Psalm 3. When we read them together, it is easy to see why. For example, look at Ps. 3:2-3, “Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” Now compare that with Ps. 4:6, “There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of countenance upon us.” There is a strong parallel between the two. This kind of correspondence runs throughout these Psalms. I will leave you to explore that on your own.
This morning we want to turn our attention to Psalm 4. I will put each section in the form of a saint addressing the Lord Himself. The divisions look like this…
I. We Cry to You for Mercy (1)
II. We Speak Your Truth Boldy (2-5)
III. We Delight in You (6-8)
I. We Cry to You for Mercy (1)
Verse 1, “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness; thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.” You may say, “Why would David cry for mercy? He was a man after God’s own heart. Shouldn’t the ungodly, the unbeliever, cry for mercy? But why should a man like David cry for mercy?” Please allow me to quote from Charles Spurgeon. By the way, I may quote him several times. I find his meditations on this Psalm to be priceless. Spurgeon says: “The best of men need mercy as truly as the worst of men. All the deliverances of saints, as well as the pardons of sinners, are the free gifts of heavenly grace” (The Treasury of David; Vol. 1, p. 35). If we think we no longer need God’s mercy, let us go back and read the Psalms of David. Or just let us reflect upon Heb. 4:14-16…
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
David addresses the Lord as “O God of my righteousness.” That phrase is not found anywhere else in the scripture. Surely he is saying that God is the author of his righteous. God is the one who gives him righteousness and who must maintain that righteousness. And so it is with every child of God. We can speak of “my righteousness” only in the sense that it is the righteousness that comes from God through Christ. Praise God for the promise of II Cor. 5:21, “For he made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Notice how the Psalmist appeals to past mercies as the basis of his plea for present favor from the Lord. He is reminded that in the past God showed mercy. God was merciful when enlarged David in time of distress. This is a military figure. There were times when David was surrounded by the enemy. He was pressed in. There was no room to move any direction. But in that distress, the Lord enlarged him. The Lord dealt with his enemies and gave him freedom to move about again. Perhaps there is also a reference to spiritual enlargement, the enlargement of the heart. We read of this in Ps. 119:32, “I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.”
On the basis of what God had done in the past, David cried out, “Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.” Isn’t that beautiful. How can we doubt the Lord’s ability to deliver us in the present, after all we have seen Him do in the past? Jesus reprimanded His own disciples for forgetting His past mercies. He told them their hearts were hardened in that they didn’t remember how He fed the 5,000 and then the 4,000 (Mark 6:15-21).
When you are in a crisis, do you let the Lord remind you of His mercies in the past? Do you thankfully remind the Lord of His mercies in the past? O that we might learn from the example of David.
II. We Speak the Truth Boldly (2-5)
Again, I am struck by the words of Spurgeon: “Observe, that David speaks first to God and then to men. Surely we should all speak the more boldly to men if we had more converse [conversation] with God. He who dares to face his Maker will not tremble before the sons of men” (p. 34). The confidence with which he addresses his enemies in verses 2-5 comes from his relationship to the Almighty God who created the universe.
He addresses his enemies with these words: “O ye sons of men.” Those words carry an idea of greatness. These were mighty men. Wisdom would seem to say that these men were to be feared, but that would not be the wisdom of God. Though they were mighty men, David spoke to them as if they were children. “O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing?” “Leasing” is a word that refers to lying and deceit. Do you hear what David is saying? He is warning these great ones to consider their ways. They delight in outward appearance that is gained through pretending and deceit. As for David, they have no regard for the fact that God has anointed him as king. Though they had a reputation as great men, David saw them as foolish and addressed them courageously.
Now come to verse 3. “But know this.” Here is one thing David wanted them to make note of. “Don’t forget this. The Lord has separated the godly man for himself. The Lord will hear when I call unto him.” What a powerful principle – the Lord has set apart him that is godly for Himself. We see the truth of this principle more clearly, because we have the privilege of viewing it from the other side of the cross. A person does not prove himself to be godly, and then God separates that person unto Himself. No. Rather, the Lord justifies the man that is ungodly. Then he sets apart that one who has been made godly through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Remember, there is none godly, there is none that seeks God, there is none that does good. If God did not justify the ungodly, no one would ever be righteous.
What a privilege to be set apart unto God. Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…” (John 15:16). And that choosing by the Son of God was in pursuing the eternal plan of the Father, “according as he hath chosen us in him (in Christ) before the foundation of the world.” What confidence and courage we can gain from God’s election of His children. We may face people who are mighty in this world, but rest assured that God has set apart the godly for Himself. The Lord will hear when we call unto Him!
In verse 4, David becomes more bold and gives a stern warning to his enemies. Ps. 4:4, "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah." Translations of this verse will differ quite a bit. Stand in awe speaks of an attitude of reverence. The NASV puts it like this: “Tremble, and do not sin.” When David speaks of standing in awe or trembling, He is focusing upon the greatness of God. How can you not tremble in the presence of the Almighty God? What a message for our world today. Our world has it upside down; it sins and trembles not. But the warning here is to tremble and sin not.
Then he urges his enemies to take time to consider these matters. “Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.” Again, how appropriate for our day. We live in a time when one of the greatest downfalls of man is busyness. The more mankind ignores his creator, the busier he makes himself. That is no accident. Man has to have some way to hide from God. It does no good to try to find a physical place shielded from God, for if he ascends into the heavens, God is there; if he descends into the lowest places, God is there. But maybe, just maybe, he can keep himself so busy that he won’t have to consider his Creator. That is nothing new. David was aware that this is the nature of man. Regardless of how busy a person is, there comes the time when he must lay himself down on the pillow and get some sleep. In those quiet moments, it is more difficult to shut out the questions, the doubt, the guilt. So David urges them to take that time for consideration. As he says elsewhere, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in the earth” (Ps. 46:10). Don’t try to squirm from beneath the truth; be still and face the Lord Himself.
You will notice the “Selah” at the end of verse 2 and again at the end of verse 4. There are some different ideas about the meaning of the term, but consider the way the Amplified Version amplifies it: “Selah (pause, and calmly think about that.” These are critical warnings that David is issuing to men who are bound for destruction. They will prove themselves wise if they do indeed slow down and carefully consider what is being said.
In verse 5, David gives the positive side. The order is not accidental. It is no accident that Jesus would said, “Repent and believer,” rather than “Believe and repent.” While repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin, repentance claims the priority. After David’s enemies have acknowledged the wrongdoing of loving vanity and seeking lying and deception, they can then “offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord.” That is exactly what David urges them to do. There is a life that is infinitely better than pretense and deception, and it is the life that finds righteousness through trust in the true and living God.
No doubt, David was saying far more than he understand when he urged them to offer the sacrifices of righteousness. When a Jew offered sacrifice in a righteous manner, with the proper motivation, he was looking to His Redeemer, the Lamb of God. Though he didn’t have perfect understanding, the sacrifice he offered was a picture (a type) of Jesus, who would be the propitiation for his sins. Notice how the offering of these sacrifices of righteousness are coupled closely with trust in the Lord.
III. We Delight in You (6-8)
Now we come to the best part of this Psalm. David has cried out to the Lord for mercy. He has spoken boldly to his enemies, who were persecuting him unjustly, treating him shamefully. But now David is going to turn his attention solely to the Lord. He has urged his enemies to trust the Lord. Now He will praise the name of the Lord. He will testify of the sweetness of trusting Him.
Listen again to verse 6, “There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.” Don’t miss the impact of this little verse. I have read over it many times. I have memorized it as a part of this Psalm. But recently the Lord has blessed me with its great truth. I don’t understand everything about it, but I do understand that there is something here we need to catch hold of.
Many say, “Who will show us any good?” That could be taken in a number of different ways. Perhaps there is reference to those who have become cynical and refuse to see any good at all. With great skepticism they say, “Who will show us any good?” They have lost the capacity to believe there is anything good. They have a frown for each and every situation. On the other hand, they may laugh and carry on, but deep within they have come to believe that it’s only a temporary reprieve from the reality that all is vanity, that there is nothing good in this world or the next.
More likely, David is addressing the tendency of man to walk by sight rather than by faith. “Who will show us any good? If someone will do us good, we will follow him.” Doesn’t that remind you of the people who pursued Jesus. Remember the feeding of the 5,000, and that was only the men, excluding the women and children. He fed that mob of people with 5 loaves of bread and two small fish. The people were so impressed that they tried to force Jesus to be their king. He would have none of it. Realizing the power of such temptation, Jesus withdrew the mountain to be with His Father. He sent the multitude away and told His disciples to get in the boat and go back across the Sea of Galilee. You will remember the great storm that suddenly rocked their boat and how Jesus calmed that storm.
What I want to focus on are the events of the next day. When the people couldn’t find Jesus, they crossed the sea in search of Him. And when they found Him, they asked, “When did you get here?” But Jesus knew they weren’t really interested in when He got there, but in what He could do for them. Ignoring the question they asked, Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you. You are not seeing me because you saw the miracles, but because you ate the meal I prepared and were filled.” Can you hear what Jesus is saying? Seeking me for miracles is not a pure motive, but you aren’t even doing that. You are just looking for more food to fill your bellies. The attitude of the people was, “Who will show us any good? Jesus, if you will give us what we want, we will follow you.”
Things haven’t changed much, have they? The great multitudes of religious people in this society are saying, “Jesus, do us good, and we will follow you.” Why do you think the Joel Osteens, the Benny Hinns, the Robert Schullers, and dozens more have such a following? It’s because they are telling people that Jesus will do them good, that He will give them what they want. All of us have at tendency to want to see rather than to believe. There are plenty of false teachers who will say, “Let me show you what Jesus can do for you. You can see it with your own eyes – health, prosperity, reputation, and more.”
Now come back to Psalm 4:6. “There be many that say, Who will show us any good?” Who will do good for us? Who will give us what we want? Now listen to the response of David: “Lord, lift up the light of your countenance upon us.” That is, “Lord, let your face shine upon us. Lord, all we need is the light of your smile.” David delights in something that the eye cannot see and the hand cannot hold. This is the David who in the midst of war cries out in Ps. 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after – that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” He didn’t delight in military victory as much as in the presence of the Lord His God.
Listen to this same David in Ps. 63:1-8…
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2. To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 3. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. 7. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
Let the world do what it thinks best, but my soul will follow hard after you, O God. And when I am weak and lose my way, even then your right hand upholds me. You are the one who puts within my heart this great longing for you, and by your grace I will continue seeking you day and night.
It gets better. Now come to verse 7, “Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.” David reveals to us that his joy in the Lord is greater than the happiness of his enemies, even when their crops are abundant and their vineyards are at their best. In an agricultural society, plenty of food and an abundance of wine was extremely important. These were the best of times, but they couldn’t compare with the joy that the Lord put within David’s heart.
Let’s bring it up to date. “O Lord, you have given me more joy than the world around me. They take their dream vacations, but what they feel can’t compare with the joy you give me. They plan and party, but they know nothing of what you have given me. They sit in a secure home and drive only the best, but what they have can’t touch what you have given me. The best they can imagine is nothing compared to what I have in you right now.”
On a number of occasions in the Old Testament, we read of the heart that is made merry by wine. But consider Prov. 15:15, “All the days of the afflicted are evil; but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” There is evil all around us. We are not immune to affliction. Most people groan under the load of affliction, but the person who has a merry heart has a continual feast. “The Lord has put gladness in my heart, more than in the times that their corn and their wine increased.”
Listen to me. We see it throughout the scriptures, and now we see it again – the joy of the Lord is not dependent upon the outward circumstances. Remember that this Psalm begins with David crying out for mercy. If it is indeed a companion to Psalm 3, I remind you again of 3:1, “Lord, how are they increased that trouble me; many are they that rise up against me.” These were not easy times for David, but in the midst of all he rejoiced that God Himself had put gladness within his heart.
We find the same thing in the New Testament. Take, for example, I Pet. 1:3-9…
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7. 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: 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Peter speaks of the afflictions we face in this world, of the testing of our faith. We know the Lord Jesus, but we can’t see Him. But then read again those words of verse 8, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Yes, the day is coming when we will see Him face to face, and that will be glory. Nevertheless, even now we have a strong foretaste of that glory divine, for our Lord has put gladness in our heart, a gladness that the world knows nothing about.
And now the last verse, verse 8, “I will both lay me down in peace and sleep; for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety.” Notice the contrast. In verse 4, David says to his enemies: “Stand in awe and sin now; commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still.” Though we can’t see the wicked upon their beds, we know that it must be a time when no matter how hard they try to avoid it, they must wrestle with doubts and fears and guilt. But look at David, who says, “But as for me, I will lay down peacefully and sleep.” He is not eaten up with guilt. He is not plagued by doubts. Instead, he is able to lie down in perfect peace and sleep. Someone has said, “A quiet conscience is a good bedfellow” (Spurgeon, p. 37)
Why is that? What makes the difference? David confesses the truth to the Lord Himself: “Lord, you alone make me to dwell in safety.” In a Psalm that is all about safety and the Lord’s provision, David spoke these words: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Ps. 20:7).
I don’t know how much David understood, but in the big scheme of things his words go beyond getting a good night’s sleep. Our hope is not just that we will be protected from obvious evils. When I go to sleep tonight, I don’t know that I will wake up in the morning. I don’t know that my house won’t burn down around me tonight. But I know something far greater – regardless of what happens outwardly, I will still be in Him and His joy will still be in me. The safety of the Lord goes far beyond the outward. Quoting again from Spurgeon, “O Lord, give us this calm repose on thee, that like David we may lie down in peace, and sleep each night wile we life; and joyfully may we lie down in the appointed season, to sleep in death, to rest in God!” (p. 37).
Again, I must remind us that David’s rejoicing was rejoicing in the midst of trials. We see it not only here, but in many of the Psalms he wrote. That is why either David or a man of similar heart could write these words in Psalm 119… “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word (67)… It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes (71)… I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me (75).” That is the testimony of a man whose joy was not in the things of this world. Spurgeon makes this comment: “Happy is it for us that David was tried, or probably we should never had heard these sweet sonnets of faith [referring to Psalms 3 and 4]” (p. 34). God brings things out of affliction that can come in no other way, and not the least of those things is this abiding joy of which David speaks.
Let’s read Ps. 16:8-11…
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Yes, it is true that verse 10 refers uniquely to our Lord Jesus, as we find the New Testament writers applying it to Him. However, this passage was true of David and of every other true believer in Christ. When we set the Lord before us, we shall not be moved. We shall not be moved away from that fullness of joy that we find in His presence. Praise God!
Conclusion
When we taste the joy David speaks of in this Psalm, how can we keep it to ourselves? How can we care for another person and not long to have him know this same joy?
I must tell you that the message I have shared this morning is a very dangerous message. Let me explain what I mean. It is dangerous in the sense that I spoke often of the gladness that God has put in our hearts. The danger is in the term “our.” The third point of this message was, “We delight in you.” The danger is in the use of the word “we.” There is the strong possibility that some of you here this morning will wrongly apply this to yourselves. You will think that you delight in the Lord as David did, when the truth is you do not know Him. If even one of you should gather some false assurance from what has been said this morning, that is of great concern. I fear that you might confuse your own ability to cope with affliction with the supreme joy that the Lord can give.
I leave you with the example of our Lord Himself. David was greatly afflicted, but his afflictions do not compare with what Jesus faced. Jesus had more enemies than David did, but that doesn’t begin to tell the story. Remember what Jesus said to His Father in the garden shortly before He was arrested. Matt. 26:39, "And he went a little farther and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." And what was the cup? It was the cup of God’s wrath. Jesus was taking upon Himself the wrath that was upon us because of our sin. And as a result of drinking that cup, Jesus would be cut off from His Father.
Now I ask you the question: Did Jesus have joy in the midst of that supreme trial? Could He say that the Father had put gladness in His heart? What does the Word of God say? “…Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame…” Yes, He knew joy. It was not the “happy go lucky” laughter that is common in our day; it was a joy that the world knows nothing about.
The joy that you think you have, does it have that quality? Jesus told His own... (John 15:9-11...)
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Our Lord Jesus has shared His joy with us. Praise His name! As He delighted in His Father, so we also delight in our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Monday, June 9, 2008
The True Gospel -- 6/8/08
Sunday, June 8, 2008
WHICH GOSPEL?
(The True Gospel)
“I am not ashamed of the gospel…” Those words are taken from scripture. Do you know where they are found? Romans 1:16. Paul stated clearly that he was not ashamed of the gospel. And what does the term “gospel” mean? Yes, it means “good news.” Paul was not ashamed of the good news. He preached the gospel far and wide. He even said, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel” (I Cor. 9:16). Most of us understand that Paul’s attitude was not intended to be unique to apostles. He urged other believers to do exactly what he was doing, to proclaim the gospel unashamedly. I can say to you without apology, “It is God’s will that you be proclaiming the gospel. The Lord intends for His people to share the good news.”
All of this does raise a question. The question is this: “What gospel are we to proclaim?” We say, “The gospel of Christ, or course.” Of course. However, would it not be accurate to say that there is more than one so-called gospel being proclaimed today? Is Joel Osteen proclaiming the same gospel that is proclaimed here in this local church? Both Joel Osteen and myself would say, “I am proclaiming the gospel of Christ, the good news of the Lord Jesus.” Are we really sharing the same message? Do I preach the same gospel that Robert Schuller preaches?
When we take time to really consider this matter, we come to the conclusion that there is only one gospel, but that doesn’t change the fact that a number of contrasting messages are being proclaimed, and they all claim to be the gospel. Let me liken it to the concept of one God versus many gods. In the Bible itself, you can find references to gods. The first biblical reference to “the gods” is in Ex. 12:12, "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD." Were “the gods of Egypt” really gods? No. The Nile was not a god; it was a river. Nevertheless, we read that reference to “the gods of Egypt.” On the other hand, the true concept is stated clearly in Deut. 6:4-5, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." We find that truth throughout both the Old and New Testaments. While there is a sense in which whatever we bow down to becomes our “god,” we know that there is only one true and living God. So it is with the gospel. While there may be many messages that claim to be “the gospel,” in reality there is only one gospel of Jesus Christ.
This morning let’s take a little bit of time to be reminded of what the true gospel is. In doing so, we need to look at “another gospel.” You remember that Paul himself used that very term “another gospel.” Let’s read that passage again from Gal 1:6-9…
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
That is a very strong passage. It reminds us of the seriousness of proclaiming any “gospel” other than the true gospel of Christ.
Before we go on, let’s take time to read I Cor. 15:1-10…
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5. And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6. After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Notice especially verses 3-4, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” These truths about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ form the core of the gospel. While it is appropriate to expand the gospel a great deal, this is the core of it – that Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried [He was really dead], and rose from the dead the third day according to the scriptures. Just as God planned, Jesus, the Lamb of God, gave Himself willingly as our sacrifice on the cross. Yes, and it pleased the Lord to bruise Him (Is. 53:10) in order that He might be the propitiation for our sins. That is, that Jesus through His death and payment for sin might turn away the wrath of God from all who believe. This is the basic gospel story that God’s people have been commissioned to proclaim.
With that biblical framework, now let’s take a look at our world and see what gospel is being proclaimed.
I. A Self-Centered “Gospel”
Two weeks ago I received a very interesting email. It was a forward that was passed along to me and I don’t know how many others. It was entitled “A Heavy Prayer,” and it reads like this…
God Has Amazing Things in Store for You (This is a heavy prayer)
Stars do not struggle to shine; rivers do not struggle to flow, and you will never struggle to excel in life, because you deserve the best. Hold on to your dream and it shall be well with you... Amen.
The eyes beholding this message shall not behold evil, the hand that will send this message to others shall not labor in vain, the mouth saying Amen to this prayer shall laugh forever, remain in God's love.
Good morning, your dream will not die, your plans will not fail, your destiny will not be aborted, and the desire of your heart will be granted in Jesus' name. Say a big Amen and if you believe it, send it to all your friends.
Money will know your name and address before the end of this month. If you believe, send it back to all your friends. None goes to the river early in the morning and brings dirty water. As you are up this morning! may your life be clean, calm and clear like the early morning water. May the grace of the Almighty support, sustain and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. Amen.
Love the Lord. Have a wonderful day in Jesus' name.
The will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you. I see something good happening to you, something that you have been waiting to experience. This is not a joke; you are going to receive a divine visitation that will move your life forward mightily by the outworking of God's unstoppable Power.
Do not break this prayer; send it to a minimum of seven people.
You are Blessed beyond all curses in Jesus' name.... AMEN
Pray without ceasing 1 Thess 5:17
The hurt that harms us is the one that we allow, think on these things.
Is this the gospel? It is highly likely that the person who penned this so-called “heavy prayer” would agree that Jesus died for our sins according to the scripture, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. So there is a sense in which he is preaching the same gospel that is proclaimed here again and again. But is there something different? Does everyone who believes that Jesus died and rose from the grave understand the gospel of Christ? Is there something deeper than the raw facts that is vital to the proclaiming of the gospel?
Let’s come back again to Matthew 7. I hope that we have been over this passage so many times that whenever you hear that reference “Matthew 7,” a light comes on. Jesus’ words in this passage are crucial for these days. Let’s read it again in Matt. 7:13-24…
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: 14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Jesus was not talking about atheists and agnostics. Nor was He speaking of the pagans who rarely think about God. No, He had in mind religious people and especially religious leaders who are preaching a false gospel. His words apply to messages such as the one contained in the email I read. It is not a heavy prayer; it is the wide gate to the broad way that leads to destruction. It is a self-centered gospel.
Listen again to some of its opening word: “and you will never struggle to excel in life, because you deserve the best. Hold on to your dream and it shall be well with you.” Amen? No… anathema. No one on earth deserves the best; we all deserve the worst, hell and the damnation of God. Later it says: “the mouth saying Amen to this prayer shall laugh forever, remain in God's love.” That’s not what Jesus says. Take time later to compare with what Jesus says in Luke 6. No one can remain in God’s love until he receives that love, and he cannot receive God’s love until His wrath has been removed. And what about this part? “Good morning, your dream will not die, your plans will not fail, your destiny will not be aborted, and the desire of your heart will be granted in Jesus' name.” According to the Bible, there is one who will receive the desire of his heart. Who is it? Ps. 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart.” But the person who prays this so-called “heavy prayer” does not delight in the Lord; he delights in himself, for we then read: “Money will know your name and address before the end of this month.” And then, “May the grace of the Almighty support, sustain and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.” Wow! Now we even have a quotation from the scripture, but Phil. 4:19 is twisted just as when Satan himself twisted Psalm 91. God promised to supply the needs of a church who gave willingly and sacrificially to others. If money has the name and address of the person praying this prayer, it is because Satan is the one doing the sending. Jesus said that no man can serve God and money. The heavy prayer then exhorts one and all, “Love the Lord, Have a wonderful day in Jesus’ name.” No one who subscribes to this prayer loves the Lord, for Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). This prayer will not lead to a wonderful day, but to a Christless eternity in hell.
Please hear me. Such a selfish gospel is no gospel at all. It longs for the benefit of God’s blessings but refuses to consider the necessity of obedience. It latches on to the promises of the Bible with no regard for the conditions. It longs for the temporal blessings while largely ignoring the eternal. Jesus has become a ticket to prosperity in this world and heaven in the next. Mark it down: Jesus will not be used in such a way as this by those who seek God’s hand but not His face.
I repeat – such a selfish gospel is no gospel at all.
II. An Others-Centered Gospel
Praise God that we don’t have to stop there. Let’s now consider another gospel. Before we do, let’s learn something from that self-centered gospel that we just considered. I remind you again that many people who would say “Amen” to that email would heartily agree with the truths that Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. How could a person start with the truths of scripture and go so far astray?
As we ponder that question, we begin to see that motive and purpose are a vital part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus died for my sins, but what do I do with that truth? If I consider responding to Jesus and what He did at the cross, what is my motive? Do I want to find peace of mind? Am I eager to rid myself of the guilt I bear? Do I hope that Jesus will give me a way to escape from the problems that I face every day? Do I hope he will find me a better job so that finances won’t be so difficult? Am I looking for a ticket to heaven? Why do I desire this Jesus who died and rose from the grave?
Those are sobering questions, but they are important questions. If my motive in responding to Jesus is along those lines, how am I treating Jesus any different from any other purchase? Am I just looking for a good deal? Though our response is not part of the gospel itself, the motive of the heart says much about how we think of the gospel.
From a consideration of motive in responding to the gospel it isn’t far to the question, “So, why did God send His Son into the world?” So that His wrath might be turned away and we might be forgiven and become His sons and daughters. That’s true, but why does He want us to become His sons and daughters?
With some of those questions in mind, now let’s move on to consider another gospel which is not engulfed in self. Let’s illustrate it through the life of a man I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. His name was Paris Reidhead and he was born in a Minnesota farming community. He answered the call to missions when he was in his late teens. Reidhead had a great passion for the people who had never heard of Jesus Christ. When he was 26 years old, he took an assignment with the Sudan Interior Mission, where he alalyzed indigenous languages in preparation for evangelistic and educational work near the Sudan-Ehtiopia border.
Why would a young man with intellectual promise and a whole life before him go to Sudan? It was because he cared about the people who lived there. He had never been to Sudan, but he knew there were people there who were lost without Christ. With a great longing to reach them, he left the comforts of home and went to Sudan to invest his life there.
Does it sound a bit like our Lord, who left the glories of heaven and became a man on this earth? We read in Matt. 9:35-36, "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." When Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion. He cared about their problems, especially the fact that they had no shepherd. They were lost and without hope. In association with Jesus’ concern for Zacchaeus, we read in Luke 19:10, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Jesus was the ultimate missionary, coming from heaven to earth to seek and to save those who were lost.
So believing he was following the will of the Lord Jesus, Paris Reidhead was committed to an others-centered gospel. He was not selfish, like the followers of the so-called “heavy prayer.” He wasn’t looking for riches or fame. He just wanted to see lost people come to know the Savior.
Before we discuss this others-centered gospel any more, I need to introduce to you yet another gospel.
III. A God/Christ-Centered Gospel
This third gospel is best illustrated by a story that this same man, Paris Reidhead, tells. It’s a true story. Two young Moravians heard about an atheist British slave owner. He brought about 3,000 slaves from the jungles of Africa and held them on an island in the West Indies, where they worked on his plantations. This slave owner made it clear that no preacher would ever come and talk to them about God. If such a preacher should become shipwrecked on the island, he would be housed and fed, but he would not be allowed to talk to any of them. This atheist said he was through with God and all that nonsense.
It would seem that these slaves were destined to live and die on that island, working endlessly and never hearing about the Lord Jesus Christ. But these two young Moravians, who were in their early 20’s, heard about the situation. They prayed and acted on behalf of those slaves. They sold themselves to the atheist slave owner, so that they might live as slaves and live as Christians among the other slaves. The price he paid for them was no more than he would pay for any other slave, but it was enough to pay their ship fare from England to the island. The slave owner was so calloused that he wouldn’t even pay to transport them.
The day came for them to leave on the ship. Many of their Moravian brothers and sisters came to see them off. As they boarded the ship, there were many questions, for many questioned the wisdom of what they were doing. They knew they would never see them again, for they had sold themselves into lifetime slavery.
Up to this point, it sounds like these two young Moravians were acting exactly as Paris Reidhead himself had done. It appears that they had the same motivation, the spiritual welfare of those who had not yet heard the gospel. However, it is the rest of the story that sets them apart from the way Reidhead first went to the mission field (as well as thousands of other missionaries who have gone as he did).
As the ship was pulling away from the dock, one of the young men put his arm around the other and shouted back to those on the pier, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” Hear those words again: “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” And that became the cry of Moravian missions. As Paris Reidhead said, “That is the only reason for being, that the Lamb might receive the reward of His suffering.”
Do you see the difference between an others-centered gospel and a God-centered gospel? While at first it may appear that there is not much difference, in fact the difference is great, and it is important that we understand that difference, even as Paris Reidhead came to understand it. The classic question can be stated in these terms: “What is the mission motivation that pleases God? Is it concern for the lost? Or, is it a passion to do the will of God?” You may say, “It is both.” You would be right. However, one motivation is more important than the other. To put it another way, one of these goals is included in the other one.
I won’t beat around the bush. The great and godly motivation for missions is a passion to do the will of God. Compassion for mankind is nothing in comparison with the desire to please God. Love for others can actually become an idol, if our chief desire is not the glory of God.
But wait a minute. Didn’t we just read about Jesus’ compassion for the lost and about His mission to seek and to save the lost? Indeed, we did, but those statements must be taken in context. Jesus had compassion on poor sinners because that is what God sent Him to do. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost because that was the will of His Father. Jesus is the Savior of the world only because He is the Lamb of God before the foundation of the world.
Please consider Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4. In this account, we see Jesus reaching out to a Samaritan woman who was an outcast. This woman was a mess, but even though He was tired from traveling, Jesus gave Himself to visit with her, finally revealing to this sinful woman that He was indeed the Messiah. Remember that Jesus went out of His way to meet this woman. Normally, good Jews went around Samaria because they despised the Jew-hating half-breeds who lived there. Jesus actually walked on Samaritan soil in order to deal with this needy woman.
That’s part of the story, but the truth digs deeper. We read in verse 4 that Jesus “must needs go through Samaria.” Why must He go through Samaria? As I have already mentioned, it wasn’t because it was the shortest route back to Galilee. Surely it was in order that He might meet this woman. But how did He know this Samaritan woman would be at the well at the precise time He would be there? Do you see? Jesus went through Samaria at the prompting of His Father. It was God the Father who arranged this encounter with the woman at the well. We have no record that Jesus had any idea the woman was going to be there. He didn’t need to know that; all He needed was the sense that the Father wanted Him to go through Samaria.
The priority of the Father’s will is seen more clearly later in the story. We won’t go through the whole story, but we might ask again why Jesus was willing to take His time and energy to deal with this woman. Was it not because He saw her, cared about her, and wanted to help her, to bring her to eternal life? Again, that truth is undeniable, but it doesn’t go far enough. Why did Jesus care about this woman and desire to help her? Because that was the heart of His Father. Jesus would later say, “I can of mine own self do nothing” (Jn. 5:30). And again, “I do always those things that please him” (Jn. 8:29).
Now let’s move on in the story. As Jesus was ending His conversation with the woman, His disciples returned. Remember that they had gone into the town to get something to eat. When they returned and saw Jesus talking with this woman who was a Samaritan, they were amazed. Why would their Master be talking to her, of all people? But they didn’t think it wise to ask Jesus out loud. Instead, they suggested that he eat something. Surely He would be hungry after the morning’s long walk. It was noon before He even started talking with the woman. Now it is much later. Nevertheless, Jesus didn’t seem to be hungry. He responded to their suggestion with these words, “I have meat to eat that you know nothing about.” Before He could explain, they began to ask one another who could have given Jesus something to eat while they were gone. Then Jesus spoke clearly: “My meat [food] is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work” (Jn. 4:34).
Think about what Jesus was saying. What was His meat, that the disciples knew so little about? Was it to bring life to the Samaritan woman? No. Although that was important, that wasn’t what sustained Him. What sustained Jesus was doing the will of His Father. Was it the will of His Father to minister to that woman? Absolutely. But the key was not what He did for the woman, but rather His obedience to the Father. If the Father hadn’t directed Him to speak to the woman, the time He spent with her would have been sin. I know that sounds very strong and harsh, but it is the truth. Why? Because Jesus said He always did those things that pleased the Father. He never did anything else. It pleased the Father for Jesus to go through Samaria and bring life to that woman (as well as many others in the city), and that is why Jesus did it. What sustained Him was not the fulfillment He found in giving life to the woman, but the doing of the Father’s will.
Let me be very clear here. We must not take this as a loophole that will let us out of sharing the gospel with people. On the other hand, when we truly long to do the will of the Father, sharing the gospel will not longer be a have to. Rather, it will be life itself because we are doing it in obedience to our Father which is in heaven. Without question, when we do the will of the Father, a large part of that will involves sharing His life with others. Nevertheless, our primary motivation is not compassion for others, but a great longing to do the will of our Father.
Evangelism, like every other part of life in Christ, is done first unto the Lord, not unto people. Brothers and sisters, even non-Christians can demonstrate compassion for people who are hurting, but only God’s children can do the will of the Father. And in doing the will of our Father, we can be a channel for His life. Yes, rivers of living water can flow out of us.
Conclusion
So what is the true gospel? The true gospel is the message of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ shared for the glory of God. A self-centered gospel is no gospel at all. Even an others-centered gospel is less than the true gospel of Jesus Christ. The true gospel finds its beginning and end in God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Our motive for sharing it is His glory, and the glory of God is a part of the message itself. While it is true that God sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world, even that has a context, and that context is the glory of God. Ultimately, God saves sinners through the gospel for His own glory. Anything less falls short of being the true gospel.
Let’s come back to that so-called “heavy prayer” that we looked at earlier. To speak of such as “a heavy prayer” reveals great deception. Most anyone can pray a prayer that brings comfort, ease, financial blessing, and safety. If you want to stand in the presence of a heavy prayer, listen again to John 12:23-28…
And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. 27. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
If the writer of that email prayer had been in Jesus’ place, he would have prayed, “Father, save me from this hour. Protect me from death, and I will say, Amen. Don’t let me go the way of the cross. Reward me with plenty and I will love you.” But in the face of the greatest crisis ever known to a man before or since, Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify thy name.” That is a heavy prayer, for Jesus knew what it meant. It meant enduring the cross, bearing our sins, and being cut off from His Father.
Of course, that was Jesus. So let me remind you of others who prayed the same basic prayer. Stephen was speaking before his accusers. When he came to a certain point, they couldn’t stand it any more and they cut him short. Let’s pick it up in Acts 7:54-60…
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 59. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Surely this man’s attitude and heavy prayer influenced Saul, the Jewish Pharisee who stood by holding the garments of those who stoned Stephen. Many years later Paul would write these words from prison to the church at Philippi… (Phil. 1:19-21)
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
The context makes it clear that the salvation Paul speaks of here is not escaping from prison and death. For Paul, nothing could be greater than Christ being magnified (made large, glorified) through either his life or his death. It made no difference to Paul. If you continue reading, you will find that Paul would actually prefer death, for that would mean going to be with the Lord. But even in that, he couldn’t be selfish; God would receive more glory if he continued in this world for a time and ministered in Jesus’ name. This too is a heavy prayer. May God give us grace to pray like this.
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These concepts have been in my mind for many years, and I share them with you often in one form or another. But I must confess that these principles from the scripture have been strengthened and sharpened in my mind, as I have listened to other brothers who understand
them better than I. Please allow me to give you a couple of valuable resources. One is a book by John Piper. The title is God Is the Gospel. I have one ordered and should be on the shelf back there by next Sunday. Its message is scriptural and powerful.
The other is a sermon that some of you have heard. I heard it a couple of years ago and it has impacted my life. It is the message by Paris Reidhead entitled “Ten Shekels and a Shirt.” You can find it easily on the internet or pick up one of the CD’s on the bulletin table. If you want to listen to a three-minute clip from this sermon, go to…
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=3496021cfc4e9b196d9a
WHICH GOSPEL?
(The True Gospel)
“I am not ashamed of the gospel…” Those words are taken from scripture. Do you know where they are found? Romans 1:16. Paul stated clearly that he was not ashamed of the gospel. And what does the term “gospel” mean? Yes, it means “good news.” Paul was not ashamed of the good news. He preached the gospel far and wide. He even said, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel” (I Cor. 9:16). Most of us understand that Paul’s attitude was not intended to be unique to apostles. He urged other believers to do exactly what he was doing, to proclaim the gospel unashamedly. I can say to you without apology, “It is God’s will that you be proclaiming the gospel. The Lord intends for His people to share the good news.”
All of this does raise a question. The question is this: “What gospel are we to proclaim?” We say, “The gospel of Christ, or course.” Of course. However, would it not be accurate to say that there is more than one so-called gospel being proclaimed today? Is Joel Osteen proclaiming the same gospel that is proclaimed here in this local church? Both Joel Osteen and myself would say, “I am proclaiming the gospel of Christ, the good news of the Lord Jesus.” Are we really sharing the same message? Do I preach the same gospel that Robert Schuller preaches?
When we take time to really consider this matter, we come to the conclusion that there is only one gospel, but that doesn’t change the fact that a number of contrasting messages are being proclaimed, and they all claim to be the gospel. Let me liken it to the concept of one God versus many gods. In the Bible itself, you can find references to gods. The first biblical reference to “the gods” is in Ex. 12:12, "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD." Were “the gods of Egypt” really gods? No. The Nile was not a god; it was a river. Nevertheless, we read that reference to “the gods of Egypt.” On the other hand, the true concept is stated clearly in Deut. 6:4-5, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5. And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." We find that truth throughout both the Old and New Testaments. While there is a sense in which whatever we bow down to becomes our “god,” we know that there is only one true and living God. So it is with the gospel. While there may be many messages that claim to be “the gospel,” in reality there is only one gospel of Jesus Christ.
This morning let’s take a little bit of time to be reminded of what the true gospel is. In doing so, we need to look at “another gospel.” You remember that Paul himself used that very term “another gospel.” Let’s read that passage again from Gal 1:6-9…
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
That is a very strong passage. It reminds us of the seriousness of proclaiming any “gospel” other than the true gospel of Christ.
Before we go on, let’s take time to read I Cor. 15:1-10…
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5. And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6. After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
Notice especially verses 3-4, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” These truths about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ form the core of the gospel. While it is appropriate to expand the gospel a great deal, this is the core of it – that Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried [He was really dead], and rose from the dead the third day according to the scriptures. Just as God planned, Jesus, the Lamb of God, gave Himself willingly as our sacrifice on the cross. Yes, and it pleased the Lord to bruise Him (Is. 53:10) in order that He might be the propitiation for our sins. That is, that Jesus through His death and payment for sin might turn away the wrath of God from all who believe. This is the basic gospel story that God’s people have been commissioned to proclaim.
With that biblical framework, now let’s take a look at our world and see what gospel is being proclaimed.
I. A Self-Centered “Gospel”
Two weeks ago I received a very interesting email. It was a forward that was passed along to me and I don’t know how many others. It was entitled “A Heavy Prayer,” and it reads like this…
God Has Amazing Things in Store for You (This is a heavy prayer)
Stars do not struggle to shine; rivers do not struggle to flow, and you will never struggle to excel in life, because you deserve the best. Hold on to your dream and it shall be well with you... Amen.
The eyes beholding this message shall not behold evil, the hand that will send this message to others shall not labor in vain, the mouth saying Amen to this prayer shall laugh forever, remain in God's love.
Good morning, your dream will not die, your plans will not fail, your destiny will not be aborted, and the desire of your heart will be granted in Jesus' name. Say a big Amen and if you believe it, send it to all your friends.
Money will know your name and address before the end of this month. If you believe, send it back to all your friends. None goes to the river early in the morning and brings dirty water. As you are up this morning! may your life be clean, calm and clear like the early morning water. May the grace of the Almighty support, sustain and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. Amen.
Love the Lord. Have a wonderful day in Jesus' name.
The will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you. I see something good happening to you, something that you have been waiting to experience. This is not a joke; you are going to receive a divine visitation that will move your life forward mightily by the outworking of God's unstoppable Power.
Do not break this prayer; send it to a minimum of seven people.
You are Blessed beyond all curses in Jesus' name.... AMEN
Pray without ceasing 1 Thess 5:17
The hurt that harms us is the one that we allow, think on these things.
Is this the gospel? It is highly likely that the person who penned this so-called “heavy prayer” would agree that Jesus died for our sins according to the scripture, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. So there is a sense in which he is preaching the same gospel that is proclaimed here again and again. But is there something different? Does everyone who believes that Jesus died and rose from the grave understand the gospel of Christ? Is there something deeper than the raw facts that is vital to the proclaiming of the gospel?
Let’s come back again to Matthew 7. I hope that we have been over this passage so many times that whenever you hear that reference “Matthew 7,” a light comes on. Jesus’ words in this passage are crucial for these days. Let’s read it again in Matt. 7:13-24…
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: 14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Jesus was not talking about atheists and agnostics. Nor was He speaking of the pagans who rarely think about God. No, He had in mind religious people and especially religious leaders who are preaching a false gospel. His words apply to messages such as the one contained in the email I read. It is not a heavy prayer; it is the wide gate to the broad way that leads to destruction. It is a self-centered gospel.
Listen again to some of its opening word: “and you will never struggle to excel in life, because you deserve the best. Hold on to your dream and it shall be well with you.” Amen? No… anathema. No one on earth deserves the best; we all deserve the worst, hell and the damnation of God. Later it says: “the mouth saying Amen to this prayer shall laugh forever, remain in God's love.” That’s not what Jesus says. Take time later to compare with what Jesus says in Luke 6. No one can remain in God’s love until he receives that love, and he cannot receive God’s love until His wrath has been removed. And what about this part? “Good morning, your dream will not die, your plans will not fail, your destiny will not be aborted, and the desire of your heart will be granted in Jesus' name.” According to the Bible, there is one who will receive the desire of his heart. Who is it? Ps. 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart.” But the person who prays this so-called “heavy prayer” does not delight in the Lord; he delights in himself, for we then read: “Money will know your name and address before the end of this month.” And then, “May the grace of the Almighty support, sustain and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.” Wow! Now we even have a quotation from the scripture, but Phil. 4:19 is twisted just as when Satan himself twisted Psalm 91. God promised to supply the needs of a church who gave willingly and sacrificially to others. If money has the name and address of the person praying this prayer, it is because Satan is the one doing the sending. Jesus said that no man can serve God and money. The heavy prayer then exhorts one and all, “Love the Lord, Have a wonderful day in Jesus’ name.” No one who subscribes to this prayer loves the Lord, for Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). This prayer will not lead to a wonderful day, but to a Christless eternity in hell.
Please hear me. Such a selfish gospel is no gospel at all. It longs for the benefit of God’s blessings but refuses to consider the necessity of obedience. It latches on to the promises of the Bible with no regard for the conditions. It longs for the temporal blessings while largely ignoring the eternal. Jesus has become a ticket to prosperity in this world and heaven in the next. Mark it down: Jesus will not be used in such a way as this by those who seek God’s hand but not His face.
I repeat – such a selfish gospel is no gospel at all.
II. An Others-Centered Gospel
Praise God that we don’t have to stop there. Let’s now consider another gospel. Before we do, let’s learn something from that self-centered gospel that we just considered. I remind you again that many people who would say “Amen” to that email would heartily agree with the truths that Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. How could a person start with the truths of scripture and go so far astray?
As we ponder that question, we begin to see that motive and purpose are a vital part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus died for my sins, but what do I do with that truth? If I consider responding to Jesus and what He did at the cross, what is my motive? Do I want to find peace of mind? Am I eager to rid myself of the guilt I bear? Do I hope that Jesus will give me a way to escape from the problems that I face every day? Do I hope he will find me a better job so that finances won’t be so difficult? Am I looking for a ticket to heaven? Why do I desire this Jesus who died and rose from the grave?
Those are sobering questions, but they are important questions. If my motive in responding to Jesus is along those lines, how am I treating Jesus any different from any other purchase? Am I just looking for a good deal? Though our response is not part of the gospel itself, the motive of the heart says much about how we think of the gospel.
From a consideration of motive in responding to the gospel it isn’t far to the question, “So, why did God send His Son into the world?” So that His wrath might be turned away and we might be forgiven and become His sons and daughters. That’s true, but why does He want us to become His sons and daughters?
With some of those questions in mind, now let’s move on to consider another gospel which is not engulfed in self. Let’s illustrate it through the life of a man I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. His name was Paris Reidhead and he was born in a Minnesota farming community. He answered the call to missions when he was in his late teens. Reidhead had a great passion for the people who had never heard of Jesus Christ. When he was 26 years old, he took an assignment with the Sudan Interior Mission, where he alalyzed indigenous languages in preparation for evangelistic and educational work near the Sudan-Ehtiopia border.
Why would a young man with intellectual promise and a whole life before him go to Sudan? It was because he cared about the people who lived there. He had never been to Sudan, but he knew there were people there who were lost without Christ. With a great longing to reach them, he left the comforts of home and went to Sudan to invest his life there.
Does it sound a bit like our Lord, who left the glories of heaven and became a man on this earth? We read in Matt. 9:35-36, "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." When Jesus saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion. He cared about their problems, especially the fact that they had no shepherd. They were lost and without hope. In association with Jesus’ concern for Zacchaeus, we read in Luke 19:10, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Jesus was the ultimate missionary, coming from heaven to earth to seek and to save those who were lost.
So believing he was following the will of the Lord Jesus, Paris Reidhead was committed to an others-centered gospel. He was not selfish, like the followers of the so-called “heavy prayer.” He wasn’t looking for riches or fame. He just wanted to see lost people come to know the Savior.
Before we discuss this others-centered gospel any more, I need to introduce to you yet another gospel.
III. A God/Christ-Centered Gospel
This third gospel is best illustrated by a story that this same man, Paris Reidhead, tells. It’s a true story. Two young Moravians heard about an atheist British slave owner. He brought about 3,000 slaves from the jungles of Africa and held them on an island in the West Indies, where they worked on his plantations. This slave owner made it clear that no preacher would ever come and talk to them about God. If such a preacher should become shipwrecked on the island, he would be housed and fed, but he would not be allowed to talk to any of them. This atheist said he was through with God and all that nonsense.
It would seem that these slaves were destined to live and die on that island, working endlessly and never hearing about the Lord Jesus Christ. But these two young Moravians, who were in their early 20’s, heard about the situation. They prayed and acted on behalf of those slaves. They sold themselves to the atheist slave owner, so that they might live as slaves and live as Christians among the other slaves. The price he paid for them was no more than he would pay for any other slave, but it was enough to pay their ship fare from England to the island. The slave owner was so calloused that he wouldn’t even pay to transport them.
The day came for them to leave on the ship. Many of their Moravian brothers and sisters came to see them off. As they boarded the ship, there were many questions, for many questioned the wisdom of what they were doing. They knew they would never see them again, for they had sold themselves into lifetime slavery.
Up to this point, it sounds like these two young Moravians were acting exactly as Paris Reidhead himself had done. It appears that they had the same motivation, the spiritual welfare of those who had not yet heard the gospel. However, it is the rest of the story that sets them apart from the way Reidhead first went to the mission field (as well as thousands of other missionaries who have gone as he did).
As the ship was pulling away from the dock, one of the young men put his arm around the other and shouted back to those on the pier, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” Hear those words again: “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” And that became the cry of Moravian missions. As Paris Reidhead said, “That is the only reason for being, that the Lamb might receive the reward of His suffering.”
Do you see the difference between an others-centered gospel and a God-centered gospel? While at first it may appear that there is not much difference, in fact the difference is great, and it is important that we understand that difference, even as Paris Reidhead came to understand it. The classic question can be stated in these terms: “What is the mission motivation that pleases God? Is it concern for the lost? Or, is it a passion to do the will of God?” You may say, “It is both.” You would be right. However, one motivation is more important than the other. To put it another way, one of these goals is included in the other one.
I won’t beat around the bush. The great and godly motivation for missions is a passion to do the will of God. Compassion for mankind is nothing in comparison with the desire to please God. Love for others can actually become an idol, if our chief desire is not the glory of God.
But wait a minute. Didn’t we just read about Jesus’ compassion for the lost and about His mission to seek and to save the lost? Indeed, we did, but those statements must be taken in context. Jesus had compassion on poor sinners because that is what God sent Him to do. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost because that was the will of His Father. Jesus is the Savior of the world only because He is the Lamb of God before the foundation of the world.
Please consider Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4. In this account, we see Jesus reaching out to a Samaritan woman who was an outcast. This woman was a mess, but even though He was tired from traveling, Jesus gave Himself to visit with her, finally revealing to this sinful woman that He was indeed the Messiah. Remember that Jesus went out of His way to meet this woman. Normally, good Jews went around Samaria because they despised the Jew-hating half-breeds who lived there. Jesus actually walked on Samaritan soil in order to deal with this needy woman.
That’s part of the story, but the truth digs deeper. We read in verse 4 that Jesus “must needs go through Samaria.” Why must He go through Samaria? As I have already mentioned, it wasn’t because it was the shortest route back to Galilee. Surely it was in order that He might meet this woman. But how did He know this Samaritan woman would be at the well at the precise time He would be there? Do you see? Jesus went through Samaria at the prompting of His Father. It was God the Father who arranged this encounter with the woman at the well. We have no record that Jesus had any idea the woman was going to be there. He didn’t need to know that; all He needed was the sense that the Father wanted Him to go through Samaria.
The priority of the Father’s will is seen more clearly later in the story. We won’t go through the whole story, but we might ask again why Jesus was willing to take His time and energy to deal with this woman. Was it not because He saw her, cared about her, and wanted to help her, to bring her to eternal life? Again, that truth is undeniable, but it doesn’t go far enough. Why did Jesus care about this woman and desire to help her? Because that was the heart of His Father. Jesus would later say, “I can of mine own self do nothing” (Jn. 5:30). And again, “I do always those things that please him” (Jn. 8:29).
Now let’s move on in the story. As Jesus was ending His conversation with the woman, His disciples returned. Remember that they had gone into the town to get something to eat. When they returned and saw Jesus talking with this woman who was a Samaritan, they were amazed. Why would their Master be talking to her, of all people? But they didn’t think it wise to ask Jesus out loud. Instead, they suggested that he eat something. Surely He would be hungry after the morning’s long walk. It was noon before He even started talking with the woman. Now it is much later. Nevertheless, Jesus didn’t seem to be hungry. He responded to their suggestion with these words, “I have meat to eat that you know nothing about.” Before He could explain, they began to ask one another who could have given Jesus something to eat while they were gone. Then Jesus spoke clearly: “My meat [food] is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work” (Jn. 4:34).
Think about what Jesus was saying. What was His meat, that the disciples knew so little about? Was it to bring life to the Samaritan woman? No. Although that was important, that wasn’t what sustained Him. What sustained Jesus was doing the will of His Father. Was it the will of His Father to minister to that woman? Absolutely. But the key was not what He did for the woman, but rather His obedience to the Father. If the Father hadn’t directed Him to speak to the woman, the time He spent with her would have been sin. I know that sounds very strong and harsh, but it is the truth. Why? Because Jesus said He always did those things that pleased the Father. He never did anything else. It pleased the Father for Jesus to go through Samaria and bring life to that woman (as well as many others in the city), and that is why Jesus did it. What sustained Him was not the fulfillment He found in giving life to the woman, but the doing of the Father’s will.
Let me be very clear here. We must not take this as a loophole that will let us out of sharing the gospel with people. On the other hand, when we truly long to do the will of the Father, sharing the gospel will not longer be a have to. Rather, it will be life itself because we are doing it in obedience to our Father which is in heaven. Without question, when we do the will of the Father, a large part of that will involves sharing His life with others. Nevertheless, our primary motivation is not compassion for others, but a great longing to do the will of our Father.
Evangelism, like every other part of life in Christ, is done first unto the Lord, not unto people. Brothers and sisters, even non-Christians can demonstrate compassion for people who are hurting, but only God’s children can do the will of the Father. And in doing the will of our Father, we can be a channel for His life. Yes, rivers of living water can flow out of us.
Conclusion
So what is the true gospel? The true gospel is the message of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ shared for the glory of God. A self-centered gospel is no gospel at all. Even an others-centered gospel is less than the true gospel of Jesus Christ. The true gospel finds its beginning and end in God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Our motive for sharing it is His glory, and the glory of God is a part of the message itself. While it is true that God sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world, even that has a context, and that context is the glory of God. Ultimately, God saves sinners through the gospel for His own glory. Anything less falls short of being the true gospel.
Let’s come back to that so-called “heavy prayer” that we looked at earlier. To speak of such as “a heavy prayer” reveals great deception. Most anyone can pray a prayer that brings comfort, ease, financial blessing, and safety. If you want to stand in the presence of a heavy prayer, listen again to John 12:23-28…
And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. 27. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
If the writer of that email prayer had been in Jesus’ place, he would have prayed, “Father, save me from this hour. Protect me from death, and I will say, Amen. Don’t let me go the way of the cross. Reward me with plenty and I will love you.” But in the face of the greatest crisis ever known to a man before or since, Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify thy name.” That is a heavy prayer, for Jesus knew what it meant. It meant enduring the cross, bearing our sins, and being cut off from His Father.
Of course, that was Jesus. So let me remind you of others who prayed the same basic prayer. Stephen was speaking before his accusers. When he came to a certain point, they couldn’t stand it any more and they cut him short. Let’s pick it up in Acts 7:54-60…
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56. And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 59. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Surely this man’s attitude and heavy prayer influenced Saul, the Jewish Pharisee who stood by holding the garments of those who stoned Stephen. Many years later Paul would write these words from prison to the church at Philippi… (Phil. 1:19-21)
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
The context makes it clear that the salvation Paul speaks of here is not escaping from prison and death. For Paul, nothing could be greater than Christ being magnified (made large, glorified) through either his life or his death. It made no difference to Paul. If you continue reading, you will find that Paul would actually prefer death, for that would mean going to be with the Lord. But even in that, he couldn’t be selfish; God would receive more glory if he continued in this world for a time and ministered in Jesus’ name. This too is a heavy prayer. May God give us grace to pray like this.
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These concepts have been in my mind for many years, and I share them with you often in one form or another. But I must confess that these principles from the scripture have been strengthened and sharpened in my mind, as I have listened to other brothers who understand
them better than I. Please allow me to give you a couple of valuable resources. One is a book by John Piper. The title is God Is the Gospel. I have one ordered and should be on the shelf back there by next Sunday. Its message is scriptural and powerful.
The other is a sermon that some of you have heard. I heard it a couple of years ago and it has impacted my life. It is the message by Paris Reidhead entitled “Ten Shekels and a Shirt.” You can find it easily on the internet or pick up one of the CD’s on the bulletin table. If you want to listen to a three-minute clip from this sermon, go to…
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=3496021cfc4e9b196d9a
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