Contentment in Christ -- 10/10/10

Sunday, October 10, 2010

CONTENTMENT IN CHRIST

Phil. 4:10-13

Why is it that man by nature seems to always have a desire for more? You have heard the little saying, “The more we have, the more we want.” We might be tempted to restrict this attitude to children, until we take a good look at ourselves and people around us. Just think about the houses in which we live. Many people see the ideal something like this: “You may have to live in something small and basic when you first start out, but then you save your money and the time will come when you can get something better. If you treat it well, it will become a good investment. Then by the time you retire, you will be able to live in your dream house.” In other words, it is fine to want more and more. It is interesting that the primary word for “covetousness” in the New Testament is the Greek word which means “to have more.” Covetousness, or greediness, is basically the desire for more. That desire for more is the foundation of the American dream.

I paint that picture as the background for looking at a man whose outlook is in stark contrast. Of course, I am speaking about the apostle Paul. We are quickly coming to the end of Philippians. Today we are going to read a little bigger chunk of scripture than we have been reading. We are going to be reading Phil. 4:10-20. Lord willing, we will cover the contents of this passage in two sessions. In this passage, we will discover the confident contentment of Paul and the gracious generosity of the Philippians. As you will see, these two themes are woven together in this passage. This morning we are going to focus on the confident contentment we see in Paul.

Let’s read Phil. 4:10-20…

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 14. Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. 15. Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 17. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. 18. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. 19. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I. Keep on Rejoicing in the Lord

Before we look directly at Paul’s contentment, notice the link with what we find earlier in chapter 4. Remember that 4:1-9 was about standing firm in the Lord. And a part of that standing firm in the Lord is displaying the attitude revealed in verses 4-6. Notice especially verse 4, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice.” It isn’t a command to rejoice, but a command to rejoice in the Lord. We read those wonderful words in Neh. 8:10, “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Paul not only commanded the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord always, but he himself was continually rejoicing in the Lord. We see that attitude in Paul throughout this letter. Now let’s read again 4:10, "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity." Notice that Paul rejoiced in the Lord greatly. Surely that attitude goes hand in hand with the contentment we are going to see.

Why was Paul rejoicing in the Lord? Because the Philippians had expressed their care for him through a gift. At first, we might think that Paul was simply glad to get some things that would relieve his distress. However, Paul quickly pauses to give us a clarification in verse 11, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Paul explains that he is not rejoicing because he desperately needed the gift they sent to him. On the contrary, he has learned to be content regardless of his circumstances. He is rejoicing in the Lord on behalf of the Philippians. He is more concerned about their giving than his own receiving. We see this clearly confirmed in verse 17, "Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account." This rejoicing in the Lord is totally unselfish.

Now notice that Paul says he has learned to be content regardless of his circumstances. That word translated “content” literally means “self-sufficient,” “having enough on one’s own.” The word is used only three times in the New Testament (here in Phil. 4:11 it is the adjective; the other two are the noun form). 2 Cor. 9:8, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." 1 Tim. 6:6, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." So when I say that the word means “self-sufficient,” that definition must be filtered through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is similar to what we find in Gal. 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Many translations render that last quality (temperance) “self-control.” In reality, it is Christ-control or Spirit-control. So it is with this word “contentment.” It is not really self-sufficiency, but Christ-sufficiency.

The big question is this: How is Paul able to be content regardless of his circumstances? What was the secret that Paul learned? He goes on in verse 12 to say: "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Paul was satisfied when his circumstances were humble and lowly, but he was equally satisfied when he had an abundance. He recognized that he would be in both situations from time to time. Whichever way it was, he was not shaken. How could he be like that? What was his secret? Without doubt, the key is found in verse 13, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” We will deal more directly with this verse in a few minutes.

I recently heard a preacher say this: “Lord, if through prosperity you can advance the kingdom of God in my life and make me an instrument for the advancement of the kingdom of God, then give me prosperity. Lord, if through poverty and economic struggle you can greater advance the kingdom of God in my life and make me an instrument for that advancement in the world, then give me poverty” (Paul Washer in a sermon entitled “Worthless Prayer Meetings”).

Paul seemed to have that attitude, didn’t he? He knew how to prosper and he knew how to live in poverty.

II. Be Content When You Have Little

It is at this point that we need to stop and ponder more carefully what Paul is saying. What does he mean by “abased”? And what does he mean by “abound”? The NASV translates them respectively as “humble means” and “prosperity.” But here are the questions I want to pose. Just how humble? Just how serious can the poverty be and Paul still be content? On the other end, how far does Paul mean to go when he talks about prosperity, about abounding. Is he willing to be content with any amount of prosperity, no matter how much?

Let’s tackle the poverty question first, as we consider being content with little. We understand that Paul has learned to be content even if he doesn’t have much, but how far can we take this? Could Paul be content if he had only one meal a day for weeks at a time? What he says in I Timothy 6 may give us some help. 1 Tim 6:6-8, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." If we have food and clothing, let us be content. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this is the standard that Paul sets for all believers. Let us be content with food and clothing, so that we won’t desire “to be rich and fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition” (verse 9). Paul is not saying here in I Tim. 6 that it is categorically wrong to have more than the basic necessities of food and clothing, but he does indicate that it is wrong to desire more than that. Why? Because those who want to be rich, to have more than the necessary food and clothing, will fall into temptation and a snare. The key is godly contentment.

Surely it is in order to ask the simple question, “Am I content with food and clothing?” To bring it closer to home, “If that is all I had, would I still be content? If I had no car, no phone, no TV or radio or computer, would I be content?” That is a challenging question. You may think, “Ron, why do we need to deal with those kinds of questions?” The answer is very simple -- because we must deal with the Word of God. In this passage about contentment (I Tim. 6), Paul says clearly in verse 10 that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Our problem is that we tend to form our own definitions of “the love of money.” We must define it in the context of what Paul says. When we do, we cannot escape the contrast between the love of money and being content with food and clothing. If this seems very foreign to us, it is because we are vulnerable to being conformed to this selfish, God-defying world in which we live.

But what if Paul didn’t even have food and clothing? While he doesn’t answer that question for all believers, I believe he does answer it for himself. He has learned to be content in whatever state he finds himself. He offers no exceptions. Why can he be content no matter what? Because for him to live is Christ and to die is gain (1:21). If he doesn’t have anything to wear, it will bring shame, but Paul has determined that nothing is too great to suffer for the sake of Christ. I remind you of what he said in 1 Cor. 4:10-12, "We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 11. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 12. And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it." But what if Paul had nothing to eat and starved to death? I believe he would have praised God until he had breathed his last breath, because he was focused on the glory of God and not his own life. Whether he died by execution or by starvation would have made no difference to Paul, who could say, “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:20-21). No matter how humble his circumstances, no matter how little he had, no matter what he had to suffer, Paul was content because he had Christ.

Brothers and sisters, this is why a young woman who was formerly a Muslim and is beaten by her family can still praise God in the midst of it all. She has Christ. This is why men who were burned at the stake could praise God even as they were being engulfed by the flames. They had Christ and would rejoice in Him for all eternity. They were not looking at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (II Cor. 4:18).

III. Be Content When You Have an Abundance

But what about prosperity? Paul said that he was able to be content when he had much, when he was blessed with an abundance. If the Lord blesses you with an abundance, don’t feel guilty; be content. Here’s my question: What did he mean by abundance? While you are letting that thought soak in, let me try to bring it home with a modern-day illustration. A very popular Christian financial advisor teaches that if a person has been blessed by the Lord, it is perfectly okay for him to wear a $30,000 Rolex watch or to live in a multi-million-dollar home. Is this what Paul means by being content with an abundance?

Let me ask you another question: Would you describe Paul’s life in prison as poverty or prosperity, as suffering need or abounding? Paul experienced both while in prison. No doubt, there were times when he experienced poverty, when he had practically nothing, but what about when he wrote this letter? The answer to that question is in verse 18, “But I have all and abound; I am full…” When Paul wrote this letter, he was writing out of abundance, out of prosperity. But how could he say that he abounded and was full while he was in prison? He tells us in that same verse (18) -- “…having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you…” Wow! What did the Philippians send to him? Did they send him gold and silver? No. Though we are not told, surely we can infer that they simply sent Paul the necessities of life, things like food and clothing. Perhaps they sent him some homemade items to insure him of their love, but they did not send him things of great monetary value. There was a definite limit on what Paul considered to be prosperity. Paul was talking about an abundance of necessities, not an abundance of luxuries. We can’t be honest and picture Paul wearing a piece of clothing worth a year’s wages. Again, when we think about being content with an abundance, we must let the context of scripture define “abundance.” It wasn’t the luxurious lifestyles that people often try to justify.

As we study this passage we begin to realize that Paul’s contentment was not based on how many material things he had, but upon the fact that he had Christ. His relationship with Christ redefined his attitude toward material things. By modern definitions, Paul was always at the poverty level. What did he do before he went to prison? He preached the gospel. Yes, he sometimes made tents, but his passion was preaching the gospel for the glory of God. So why did he make tents? So that he could preach the gospel free of charge. Though we are not told specifically, the context of passages like I Cor. 9 and Acts 20 makes it abundantly clear that Paul only earned enough to get him by, so that he could pour his life into proclaiming Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Did Paul always border on poverty because he thought that made him more spiritual? Not at all. He always bordered on poverty because he understood what the true riches are. Why lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal (Matt. 6:19)? Why not rather lay up treasures in heaven, where nothing can touch them (6:20)? And Paul understood that such treasures had little to do with money. You can’t put a price on ministering to others. You can’t set a monetary value upon the preaching of the gospel.

Don’t misunderstand. The scriptures do not condemn the person who makes lots of money and uses it for the glory of God. But even the person who uses riches for God’s glory must learn to be content with little or much. In short, we must learn to be content with Christ and with Christ alone. It is that attitude that frees us to live for the glory of God in every situation.

IV. Claim the Promise of Christ’s Strength

Now we come directly to that beloved verse, Phil. 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.” Perhaps you are aware that virtually every translation except the King James, the New King James, and the Amplified omits the name “Christ” from this verse. That is because there is a difference in the Greek texts. To the best of my knowledge, the translations which omit Christ from the text do not even provide a footnote, alerting readers that many texts do include “Christ.” People will differ over how important the difference is, but suffice it to say that the Lord Jesus Christ is the One upon whose strength Paul is relying.

Many of us have heard this verse quoted all of our Christian lives. No doubt, some of us have quoted it ourselves. It is applied to a wide variety of situations. That final exam is going to be difficult, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Recovering from such a surgery is not an easy thing, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Why is this verse applied to such a variety of situations? Because Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” “All things” is a very broad term.

While I don’t want to discourage us from believing that the Lord Jesus can strengthen us for every situation, I do want us to be honest with the text and pay close attention to the context. By “all things,” Paul was not referring to every situation in life. How do I know that? From the context of verses 11-12. Notice that Paul uses the phrase “all things” there as well. And what does he mean by “all things”? He is saying that he has learned to be content in every situation, whether it means having little or having plenty. The “all things” is referring back to what Paul says in verses 11-12. No matter what the situation, whether I have little or an abundance, I can be content through Christ who strengthens me. Paul is not talking about strength to treat your neighbor right, to refrain from retaliation, or even to preach the gospel. He is referring to how he has confidence that Christ will strengthen him to be content in every economic condition.

Before you start accusing me of trying to restrict biblical application and robbing you of one of your favorite verses, think with me for a moment. You claim you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Can you be content in every economic situation, no matter how little or how much you have? Is your Christ strong enough to do that in you? Put yourself in prison with Paul. You have some clothing on your body and you have enough food to keep you alive, but that’s about it. Are you content in the One who strengthens you? Or suppose you receive a generous inheritance? Are you still content in Him? Are you able to resist the temptation to dwell on your newfound treasure and what you are going to do with it?

When we begin to think of this verse in that way, we see that it is powerful indeed. If we can be content that Christ’s strength is sufficient for every economic situation, then maybe His strength is sufficient for other things as well. This verse is not intended to supply us with a little cliché; it is intended to give us much confidence in the Christ who gave Paul contentment even in prison. Brothers and sisters, if you know Him, then that same Christ lives in you. He can give you as much contentment as He gave Paul. His strength is just as available to us as to the apostle Paul. Praise God!

Conclusion

You may notice that it is not unusual for us to talk about finances and material things. Why is that? Because the subject comes up fairly often in the scriptures. Yes, we find it in Paul’s letters and even more often in the words of Jesus. That shouldn’t surprise us, because that is life. Like it or not, we have to deal with finances on a regular basis. No matter how spiritual a person is, he still has to deal with the material. God obviously intended it to be that way. If we are going to glorify God in all of life, then the area of material possessions must be addressed. Praise God that He addresses it in His Word.

I don’t have all the answers concerning a Christian and his finances, but I know this: By and large, concerning material things, Christians are shaped far more by the culture around them than by the Word of God. That is why Paul’s outlook seems so extreme. We must expose our thinking to the Word of God and ask the Spirit of God to renew our minds, that we might think like Christ. Since God is molding us into the image of His Son, there is no area of life that is exempt. Jesus lived in a real world, walking among sinners. His body required food and clothing and He had to deal with how much He needed. As God’s children, we face those same issues. Praise God that He didn’t leave us to logic and speculation, but He has given us the principles His Word.

Behind all of this, we come to the central questions, to which we have already alluded this morning. The question is this: “Where is your treasure?” I will never be content regardless of my circumstances until I understand that Christ is truly my treasure. This contentment is not a matter of determination. It is primarily a matter of how we view the Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us. We see this attitude in Paul. The key is looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). The secret is gazing on Christ, that we might be changed into His image from glory to glory (II Cor. 3:18). When we truly grasp the treasure we have in Christ, contentment will follow, regardless of what is going on around us.

Let me close with this word of encouragement. I almost missed this truth in verse 11. Let’s read it again: "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." This attitude did not come instantly and automatically for Paul; he learned it. The word translated “learned” (muew) speaks of “giving onean intimate acquaintance with something.” Paul learned this attitude through experience. Now if Paul learned it that way, so can we. The same Christ who lived in Paul lives in all of us who know Him. Take heart, brothers and sisters. The Lord wants to teach us this contentment.

When we speak of contentment, understand that Paul was content with Christ, but that doesn’t mean that he was content in the sense that he was spiritually satisfied. He still longed for more of Christ his Lord. All we have to do is go back to 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, being made conformable unto his death.” He had all he needed in Christ, but he longed for more of his precious Lord. May we never be able to get enough of our Lord.

Out of the Depths -- 10/3/10

Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010

OUT OF THE DEPTHS

Psalm 130

Have you ever heard someone say something like this, “He’s on the bottom”? It is unlikely that means there is a man who has sunk into the lake and is now on the bottom. More likely, it means that such a person is so overwhelmed by despair that he can’t rise up. We might say that he is as far down as he can go. Yes, he’s on the bottom. He is in the depths. This morning we are going to look at a Psalm that begins with the words, “Out of the depths…”

Would you please turn with me to Psalm 130. Some of you are very familiar with this Psalm. I cannot explain the reasons, but I sense that the Lord wants us to spend a little time here this morning. You will notice the superscription, those words that occur before verse 1. It is actually a part of the Psalm, penned by the original writer. “A song of degrees (or ‘ascents’).” Psalm 130 is in a series of 15 Psalms (120-134) which contain this superscription “A song of ascents.” Four of them are authored by David, and one is either “for Solomon” or “by Solomon” (Ps. 127). It is generally believed that these were Psalms that the people of God sang as they journeyed to one of the feast days at Jerusalem. They were songs of ascent, in that they had to go up to Jerusalem, which was situated on a hill.

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. What depths? We don’t know in what circumstances the author found himself, esp. since we don’t know for certain the identity of the author. So what might have been the depths of the author? We could speculate, but perhaps it is no coincidence that the depths are no more identified than the author. Would that not indicate that it is proper to cry out to God out of the depths, regardless of what the depths are?

Think about the depths. The bottom of the ocean comes to mind for me. I looked up the biblical references to “depths” and “deep.” Here is what I found. In overwhelming majority or occurrences, the words “depth” and “deep” have sea or water somewhere in the context. Then at other times “depth” is contrasted with the height of the heavens or the mountains. We also find the phrases “depths of the sea,” “depths of the earth,” and “depths of hell.” I think it is most often related to the sea because there is no deeper place. If you want to get as low as you can possibly get, go to the depths of the sea? So when the Psalmist cries out from the depths, he is indicating that he is very low, as low as you can get. He is thinking, “Was there ever a time when I was this low?”

We know that the Psalmist (especially David) often faced trying circumstances, powerful enemies, etc. However, there is not even the remotest hint of that in this Psalm. We will talk more of this later, but for now it would seem that the depths have to do with his own personal struggles.

For now, just think of your own depths. Go deeper than outward threats from others. What are the deepest depths in your life? Try to identify them, because the Lord has a word to speak to those who are in the depths.

Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. The Psalmist is crying from the depths, and now he is begging God to hear his cry. He doesn’t want to cry out for nothing. This is not a futile exercise. Surely he expects the Lord to answer his prayer and hear his voice. He wants the Lord to know that he means business.

If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Now we learn more about the depths in which he found himself. He is concerned about his sins. He uses the term iniquities. This speaks of perverseness, crookedness. His life has become crooked and twisted.

Please hear me. There are no depths so deep as that which concerns our sins and shortcomings. It is one thing to be in the depths because of some terrible disease or because someone is threatening your life, but you are deeper still when you realize the depths of your own sin.

Now comes the bad news. If the Lord should mark iniquities, if He should keep track of every crooked deed and thought, who would be able to stand? Listen to him: “If you, Jehovah/Yahweh/the covenant-keeping God should mark down every sin I commit, O Master and King, how would I or anyone else be able to stand in your presence?” If even one sin will separate us from God, then what about the countless number of which we are guilty? Here is the bottom line -- Lord, I’m in big trouble.

The fact is that God does indeed mark iniquities. God is all knowing. Nothing escapes his notice, whether deed, word, or thought. Let’s read those familiar words from Psalm 139:1-5…

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

God knows everything about me, including my sins. It is no chore for Him to remember every sin I have ever committed. He is able to recite every evil thought and impure motive that I have ever entertained.

Medical technology is amazing. How many of you have had the privilege of wearing a heart monitor at one time or another? They put this monitor on you for 24 hours and then you take it back to them. That’s right -- you wear it around. It goes with you. All the while you are going about your daily activities, that monitor is keeping a record. When you turn it back in, those medical experts who read it have an accurate record of the activity of your heart during that time period.

Big deal. That is nothing compared to what God does. Without installing a monitor, God not only has an accurate record of my heart activity over the past 24 hours, but over every day that I have lived on this earth. And that is true of every human being. While it is possible that the doctor’s heart monitor might malfunction and give false information about this organ called the heart, God’s knowledge is always perfect and goes to the depth of the heart, that part of us that is the seat of the mind, the will, and the emotions. God knows. God keeps a record. And as a result, no one can stand in His presence.

Please hear me. This is why sin is such a serious thing. In our shallow evangelistic zeal, we are thrilled when someone is willing to casually say, “I admit that I am a sinner.” How can anyone understand the meaning of sin and not be thrown into the deepest depths? Sin cuts us off from God and will separate us from God both now and forever. Some people are convinced that a person does not need to have any sorrow for sin, just knowledge of sin. I ask you, how can there be true knowledge of sin without sorrow? How can a person contemplate the fact that God knows every evil thought and deed of his life and not be filled with sorrow… sorrow that he is guilty before God and is under the judgment of God, sorrow that he has offended a perfect and righteous God who has done him nothing but good?

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. Now the good news! There is a “BUT.” What would we do if God kept a record? And the bad news is that He does keep a record. “BUT there is forgiveness with You.” Yes, I have a terrible record. God’s books are overflowing with the record of my sinful thoughts and deeds, but that record can be cleansed. The marks against me can be sent away. There is forgiveness with God. The God who records all of our sins is willing to purge that record. He can send my sins away, as far as the east is from the west. Yes, there is forgiveness with God.

Isn’t this amazing? Perhaps the best way to understand this is to look at some human examples. You are walking along the sidewalk and an angry man confronts you, calls you every name in the book, and literally spits in your face. Immediately you want this man to know that there is forgiveness with you. Right? Is there forgiveness with you? You find out tomorrow that someone has stolen your identity and is ruining everything he can. Is there forgiveness with you? A person you thought was a friend is spreading ugly rumors about you. Is there forgiveness with you?

Listen to me. Those examples are nothing compared to what you and I have done to God. Perhaps there is some reason for that man to cuss you and spit in your face, but not one of us has a reason for rebelling against God. He has done us nothing but good, but there is no good in us. There is forgiveness with the God against whom we have rebelled. He commands our love; we respond with hatred. He commands our obedience; we respond with rebellion and defiance. But there is forgiveness with God.

We’re in Psalm 130, but this is where we must go beyond this Psalm. The Psalmist knew and proclaimed that there is forgiveness with God, but he didn’t have a clear understanding of how that forgiveness can come. How can a holy and righteous God send away the sins of people who have rebelled against Him? Let’s read it again in 1 John 4:9-10, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." Forgiveness is wrapped up in God’s Son Jesus, who “once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (I Pet. 3:18). We were under the wrath of God. His judgment was poised to fall upon us. But there is forgiveness with God, because He sent His own Son to take our place, to bear our punishment. We had no way of escaping the wrath of God, but God Himself made the way of escape, and that way is Jesus and His death and resurrection. Yes, God can send your sins away.

My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought,

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Come back to verse 4. “But there is forgiveness with thee…” Do you notice that this is not the end of the thought. “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.” God forgives in order that men might fear Him. On the surface, that doesn’t make sense. We would think that forgiveness would remove the fear of God. Before I was forgiven, I had every reason to fear God. Jesus said, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). But now God has sent my sins away and rescued me from hell. Surely I don’t have to fear Him any more. Nevertheless, this verse clearly says that God forgives me in order that I might fear Him.

Think with me. We live close to Trinity Site, where the first atomic bomb was detonated. People who grew up admiring the explosive power of dynamite, now lived in an age where a single explosion was equivalent to 20,000 tons of dynamite. That is almost a half a million pounds of dynamite. What power; what destructive power! However, that is not the end of the story. The splitting of the atom can also be used for constructive purposes. In 2008, roughly 20% of the electricity in the United States was produced by nuclear reactors. That is a lot of electricity.

Now think about the power of the Almighty God. Yes, He has the power to destroy both soul and body in hell. But let’s suppose that men started a campaign and collected a billion signatures to limit God’s power. Would it have any effect? None. But suppose man took matters into his own hands and built a super army from the strongest nations on earth to fight against God. Would they have any success? Absolutely none, because the nations are but a drop in a bucket compared to God (see Isaiah 40:15). Who can begin to understand the power of God? But that is not the end of the story. Look at yourself, as I look at myself. I rebelled against the gracious God who created me. I refused to obey His commands. I insisted on running my life, stating by my actions that I am more trustworthy than my Creator. Oh the filthy thoughts that have run through my mind. And were it not for God’s grace, my thoughts and actions would have been far worse. Surely there is absolutely no way the stain and pollution of sin can be wiped away? I charted my course. I deserve the most severe punishment against the God whose law I have trampled. But there is forgiveness with God. What power is this that can take a broken, dirty, stained vessel and make it clean again? Surely the Lord’s power to forgive and cleanse is even greater than His power to destroy! Praise His holy name!

And surely this is why the Psalmist says, “But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” Before we are forgiven in Christ, we fear the God who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, but now we fear Him because we see a God who is even greater. Not only is He able to destroy, but He is able to forgive and cleanse. We stand in awe of Him. We reverence Him. We fear this God of forgiveness.

When forgiveness comes, we rejoice. Our focus is on the fact that our sins have been sent away, that God chooses to remember them no more. The burden has been lifted from us. That is the beginning, but that is not the end. As we continue to consider this great forgiveness, our attention is turned from us, the forgiven, to the God who forgives. God created man for His glory. It is a wonderful thing to be forgiven, but it is far more wonderful to have our eyes lifted from self to gaze upon the God who is able to deal with our sins and make us clean. To God be the glory.

I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. Because my sin weighs heavily upon me, because it is recorded in God’s record, but because there is also forgiveness with God, I wait for the Lord. I long for Him to come and cleanse and forgive. I hope in His Word, because it is through that Word that I find this truth.

And just how intense is this waiting for the Lord? Notice verse 6, “My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning.” Then he repeats it for emphasis: “I say, more than they that watch for the morning.” Now here the Psalmist is using the language from that culture. If they were at war, a man was set to watch. Suppose he is set to watch from about three in the in the morning until daylight. How he longs for the first morning light to come. Watching is hard work. He has to be on the alert constantly. He would like for his work to end, and it ends when the morning comes. So the Psalmist says, “My soul waits for the Lord even more than they that watch for the morning.” The Psalmist has an intense longing for the Lord to come and forgive his sins.

This has not been an easy thing for the Psalmist. He knows there is forgiveness with the Lord, but there is still this time of waiting. What’s that all about? “If you know there is forgiveness with God, just ask for it.” We are captivated by our culture of instant gratification and light thinking. Don’t forget that man can do absolutely nothing about his own sin. He who is dead in his trespasses and sins is powerless to rid himself of its grip. Don’t forget that he is dealing with the God who created this universe and who holds every human being in His hand. How does he approach such a God? How does he address such majesty? Those questions rarely surface in our culture, but they were real to the Psalmist.

Those of you who are seeking the Lord, do you ever experience this intense waiting on the Lord? Please allow me to read you an excerpt from the writing of Charles Spurgeon, who would become a preacher whom God would mightily use in England and beyond.

For five years as a child there was nothing before my eyes but my guilt...Wherever I went, the law had a demand upon my thoughts, upon my words, upon my rising, upon my resting. What I did, and what I did not do, all came under the cognizance of the law. I seemed as if I was a sinner, and nothing else but a sinner...Was there ever a bond-slave who had more bitterness of soul than I, five years a captive in the dungeons of the law, till my youth seemed as if it would turn into premature old age?...When God the Holy Ghost first quickened me, little did I know of the precious blood which had put my sins away, and drowned them in the depths for ever. But I did know this, that I could not remain as I was; that I could not rest happy unless I became something better, something purer than I was; and, oh, how my spirit cried to God with groanings—I say without any exaggeration—groanings that could not be uttered!

I tried a long time to improve myself, but I never did make much of it; I found I had a devil within me when I began, and I had ten devils when I left off. Instead of becoming better, I became worse...Then I laboured to believe. It is a strange way of putting it, yet so it was. When I wished to believe, I found I could not. It seemed to me that the way to Heaven by Christ’s righteousness was as difficult as by my own, and that I could as soon get to Heaven by Sinai as by Calvary. I could do nothing, I could neither repent nor believe. I fainted with despair, feeling as if I must be lost despite the gospel, and be for ever driven from Jehovah’s presence, even though Christ had died. (Autobiography, Vol. 1, ‘The Early Years’, 1973, pp. 56-71).

In another place Spurgeon describes his conviction like this…

I used to hear a minister whose preaching was, as far as I could make it out, ‘Do this, and do that, and do the other, and you will be saved’. According to his theory, to pray was a very easy thing; to make yourself a new heart, was a thing of a few instants, and could be done at almost any time; and I really thought that I could turn to Christ when I pleased...But when the Lord gave my soul its first shakings in conviction, I soon knew better... (ibid, p. 49)

What a powerful illustration of the words we find here in Psalm 130: “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. I say, more than they that watch for the morning.”

Will it be exactly that way with everyone? No. But neither is dealing with the Almighty God a light thing that can be disposed of at our convenience. It isn’t that there is something lacking in God that causes Him to put us off. The problem is what is lacking in us, what our sin has done to us. If there is truly forgiveness in God, if we can just have a true and genuine sending away of our sins, isn’t it worth waiting as long as it takes?

Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. If there is forgiveness in God for the Psalmist, is there not also forgiveness for everyone in Israel? Surely there is, because with the Lord there is mercy and plenteous (abundant) redemption. Therefore, let all Israel hope in the Lord, for His mercy and redemption is sufficient for all His people. There is nowhere else to find hope.

Praise God for His mercy. We deserve His wrath, but He pours out His mercy. As Jeremiah put it, "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lam. 3:22-23). If it weren’t for God’s mercy, we would all have been in hell a long time ago. Listen to the words of David in Ps. 103:8-14…

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Aren’t you thankful that the Almighty takes pity on us who fear Him?

Not only is there mercy with the Lord, but there is also redemption. He takes pity on us, but then what does He do? He redeems. Last week Norman told that little story that is a beautiful illustration of God’s redemption. That little boy made the boat, lost his boat, and then had to buy it back at the pawn shop. That made the boat twice his -- he made it, and then he bought it back. So it is with God and His people. God created us, and then He bought us back. However, though it is an excellent illustration, even that little story falls short of the reality on two counts. First of all, his boat was swept away by high water. We aren’t like the boat. We weren’t swept away; we ran away. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way” (Is. 53:6). Unlike the boat, we defied God and rebelled against Him. The second shortcoming of the illustration is that it can’t capture the cost of the buying back. The boy bought the boat back with some money, but God bought me back at the price of His only Son. 1 Pet. 1:18-19, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." If you are a true child of God, then you are twice His. You are His by creation and His by redemption, the redemption that came at the price of His only begotten Son.

You will notice that the Psalmist says, “Let Israel hope in the Lord.” If anyone knew that there was indeed hope in the Lord, it was God’s own people Israel. These were the people who were blessed with “the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises,” as we read in Rom. 9:4. No matter what great things God had done for them in the past, their great need was to hope in the Lord, with whom is mercy and plenteous redemption.

But none of us are Israelites by birth. Recently we were reminded that when Jesus sent out His apostles, He told them to go only to the lost sheep of Israel. They weren’t sent to the Gentiles. However, when we come to the end of the gospel record in Matthew 28, we find Jesus saying to those same apostles, “Go and make disciples of all nations (peoples)…” (Matt. 28:18). Guess which side of Matthew 28 we live on. The message that was first given to Israel has become the good news for all people. We can say with confidence, “Let all people hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption.”

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Not only will He redeem Israel from all his iniquities, but He will do the same for all who call upon Him. Notice that the Psalmist does not say “some of his iniquities,” but “all of his iniquities.” Praise God that there is no sin too small or too big for God to forgive. There is no sin so great that it will restrict the extent of God’s redemption. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5:20).

In this Psalm, we see that God blesses us with forgiveness and redemption. Forgiveness speaks of our sins being sent away. Redemption is a picture of us being bought back by God through the blood of Christ. While forgiveness points to our sins, redemption points to us. We are not just forgiven, but we are also redeemed. We have been bought back. And what is the purpose of that redemption? 1 Cor. 6:19-20, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Because we have been bought with a price, because we have been redeemed, we do not belong to ourselves. Therefore, we are to glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which belong to God. The Lord redeemed us that we might bring Him glory. Hallelujah! What a privilege.

Conclusion

Please allow me to make something very clear. This passage is for all of us. For those of you who are lost, who do not have the Spirit of God living within you, there is forgiveness with God, that He may be feared. For those of you are His children, there is forgiveness with God, that He may be feared.

You say, “Can a true Christian cry out of the depths?” We must acknowledge that the depths for a Christian can never be as deep as the depths for the non-Christian, for nothing can separate the believer from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. However, we can still cry from the depths. Some of you here this morning are extremely aware of that. You know the Lord, but you have slipped into the depths of despair. You aren’t drowning your sorrows like much of the world, but you know something about the depths. You have known the heights, but you have left them far behind.

Please allow me to make a confession this morning. Last week Tom preached on Psalm 77. He read these words from verses 2-3, "In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. 3. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed." Then Tom asked this question, “Is there anyone here who hasn’t been in that place? Is there anyone who has not been overwhelmed by his trouble?” I have to confess that since I have come to know the Lord I have trouble identifying such a time in my life. At first, you might think, “Bless you, Ron. You have always put your trust in the Lord and you have never given in to discouragement and despair.” But let me share the truth with you. The author of Psalm 130 was blessed that he could cry to God out of the depths. Because what did he find, when he cried out of the depths? He found forgiveness, mercy, and redemption. And he isn’t alone. Everyone who truly cries to God out of the depths finds those blessings. But what if we don’t cry to God out of the depths? Does that mean that we have no troubles, no great sins? No, that is not what it means. What it means in my case is that I battle the sin of self-sufficiency. I am too good at relying upon myself. And because I have learned to cope with situations, I deceive myself into thinking that I am not in the depths. I have heard it said that a cat always lands on its feet. You pitch it off the roof, but it finds a way to come up on its feet. I’m like that in many ways. And that too often shortcircuits my need to cry out to God from the depths. So in these days I am crying out to God out of the depths of my self-sufficiency. What a deep pit it is, because it prevents a man from crying out to God. I know I am in the depths and I am crying out to God, with whom there is forgiveness, mercy, and redemption.

If you aren’t in the depths, you will be at one time or another. May the Lord give us grace to recognize the condition of our own lives and cry out to Him.

Can we as a church cry out to God from the depths? Brothers and sisters, do we not desperately need revival? Can we not see that we are relatively powerless in the midst of people who desperately need the power of God? Have our hearts not grown hard to the missionary call of God? Have we not stopped our ears to the cry of the needy? If we will cry out to Him from the depths, we will find forgiveness, mercy, and redemption.

Listen to me this morning. It doesn’t matter who you are, you are not beyond the reach of God’s mercy. You may think that you are so far down God can’t do anything about the dilemma of your soul. He who made the depths can rescue you out of the depths. He who made you knows the depths of your despair. He sees and knows about you what no one else in this world knows. Cry out of the depths. Dig up every rotten thing about yourself you can think of. You may dredge it all up and say, “God, take that. Do you think you can forgive me of that?” And the Lord might say to you, “You missed some things. You didn’t mention your anger toward me. You forgot about the fact that you have despised people who are made in my image. I’ve added all of that to your account, and here is the verdict. I sent my own Son to take the punishment for all your sins. I gladly sent Him to the cross, where He cried out, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ There is forgiveness with me. Come to me, you who labor and are heavyladen, and I will give you rest.”

That same Charles Spurgeon of whom we read earlier made this comment: “He that cries out of the depths shall soon sing in the heights” (The Treasury of David, Ps. 130:1). The key is not staying out of the depths, but rather stirring ourselves to cry to God when we are in the depths. Our greatest danger is that we will turn to self or something else as a substitute for crying out to God. Jonah ran from God, but what did he do when he was in the depths? He cried out to God. Notice that the Psalmist cries, waits, watches, and hopes. It is this intense seeking of God that will transform the depths into the heights.

God is love! Praise His name that He can raise us from the deepest depths!