[0:00] very warm welcome to our service this morning we come to worship God and we look to him to bless to us our time under the preaching of the word we can begin by singing to God's praise verses from Psalm 37 Psalm 37 and we're going to sing from verse 3 to verse 7 for stanzas set thou thy trust upon the Lord and be thou doing good and so thou in the land shalt dwell and verily have food delight thyself in God he'll give thine heart's desire to thee thy way to God commit him trust but bring to pass shall he and like unto the light he shall thy righteousness display and he thy judgment shall bring forth like noontide of the day rest in the Lord and patiently wait for him do not fret for him who prospering in his way success in sin doth get these verses that Psalm 37 verses 3 to 7 set thou thy trust upon the Lord set thou thy trust upon the Lord and in thy thy good and so thou in the land reins inf loso revelación de Gesished with a님
[2:27] Thy way to God, from which tempest it bring to the shawing.
[2:45] And like unto the light he shaw, thy righteousness is thee.
[3:06] And ye thy judgment shall bring forth, like noon, thy dawn, the day.
[3:25] Rest in the Lord, and kiss me, which for him do not let.
[3:45] For him who draws in his way, success is end of the end.
[4:07] Let us join together in prayer. Let us pray. O Lord our God, we are indebted to you, our God, for the encouragement given to us in your word to trust in you.
[4:31] To look unto God, and to do so with an eye to your glory.
[4:45] And we can only accomplish that by doing so by living in the light of your own word.
[4:58] And we marvel at the way in which it is so suitable, and so suited to our needs, that there is not one occasion, not one experience that is ours in the path of life, that your word does not have something to say about it.
[5:30] What it is to live in the bloom of youth. What it is to progress into middle age.
[5:43] What it is to achieve old age and all the frailies that accompany it.
[5:56] Your word has a truth to set before us, because your word is truth.
[6:08] And in all of these experiences that we find you addressing by way of your word, always you bring to our attention the passion of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
[6:28] He is the one who entered into our experiences in this world. Not only is he the God who was created as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the triune God.
[6:44] He is the Saviour God. The Redeemer of God's elect. Who took to himself the frailty of our nature by becoming man.
[7:02] And as man experiencing all the weaknesses that the body introduced into his experience.
[7:12] living in a world that was in the grip of sin. And living out a holy life, even surrounded by such sin.
[7:25] Without at any point yielding himself to it. And as one who was not a mere bystander, an onlooker from a distance.
[7:38] But one who saw for himself what sin had been in the experience of many. He is able to speak to us through his word.
[7:52] So that when we are passing through the veil of tears, he is not ignorant of the pain that it has introduced into the lives of many.
[8:08] And so we read he himself wept. And probably wept more than we are given account of.
[8:21] We cannot but believe that when he went aside to be with you, his God and his Father.
[8:33] In the solitude that his prayers were covered with the copious tears of one who understood better than most.
[8:46] We know that he wept. We know that he wept in the company of those who were grieving the loss of a loved one.
[8:59] We know that he wept. We know that he wept. We know that he wrestled even in the face of his own exodus from this world. Lord, help us to appreciate the fact that at your right hand there is such a one to whom we can go and bring our cares and concerns and burdens today.
[9:30] May your blessing be our portion as we read your word as we meditate upon the truth that it presents to us. May our mind be fixated with that truth.
[9:47] May our affections be drawn towards him and to know his life eternal. May your blessing be upon the needy. Those who are broken in body or mind we commend to you.
[10:04] Any such who may be present and many we know that are unable to be present by reason of their own personal circumstances. So visit the sick in mercy we pray.
[10:18] Heal their hearts, bind their wounds. Pour out the balm of your love so that they may be aware of the physician of souls in their near presence.
[10:30] That they may be uplifted in their minds and in their hearts. We pray for those who belong to the congregation and many others besides. We ask for your mercy for those who are sorrowing over the loss of loved ones.
[10:49] The voice of death frequently speaks to us. And we are to remind ourselves that it speaks to us personally. Reminding us of our own short duration in the world in which we are so fixed in our mind.
[11:11] Fixed as if we are rooted, never to be uprooted. And yet there is the blindness that sin has brought into our experience.
[11:22] That is the work of the evil one who is at any cost willing to blind the eyes of those who are in the world ignorant of who Christ is.
[11:36] We pray for your spirit to be poured out upon us. Not because we deserve it but because we desperately need it.
[11:47] We pray for the young people of our community. We remember the pupils in the Sunday school and in the day school. We especially bring before you the teaching that they receive here in the church.
[12:03] And we pray for the teachers that endeavour to bring the truth of God to bear upon your minds. Acknowledging that you are a God who is able to bless your word wherever it is.
[12:20] Planted even in the tenderest of soils. That their eyes would be opened to the marvels of a saviour God. We pray for your blessing upon the homes that they belong to.
[12:34] For their parents, for their grandparents. For loved ones who may bring them earnestly to a throne of grace. Petitioning the Lord of heaven to become their portion.
[12:48] Remember all that is done in your name. To that end in the various congregations of our island and our nation. And all the nations of the earth.
[12:59] Where the teaching of young children is especially desired to bring out the best. In a world that who knows what waits for them in it.
[13:11] We pray Lord your blessing upon the preaching of the gospel. Remembering what is done here in the congregation.
[13:22] And at this time we pray for our neighbouring congregations. As they gather in your name on this day. To remember the death of Jesus Christ until he comes.
[13:33] As he is lifted up in the gospel. As he is handled by way of symbol in the sacrament. We pray that the eye of faith would focus upon him.
[13:45] And the souls of believers. That they would feast upon the provision that he has made for us. And all who would believe in him.
[13:57] Remember Lord those who are wavered and negligent with regard to their faith. Who do not take care to strengthen the graces that you have implanted.
[14:13] Lord show them mercy and redirect them back to the path that they have forsaken. For those who have never embraced the truth. May they be turned from their path of neglect.
[14:26] And be taught of the danger that they have exposed themselves to. Through the gospel may they be drawn to look unto Jesus as the author and finisher of faith.
[14:42] We pray for your blessing upon this senseic world. Those who are in it and who find themselves burdened. By reason of the testimony that they bear.
[14:56] In places that are hostile to the name of Christ. We pray for the missionary activity of the church. That it may prosper. And those who have been won over to Christ.
[15:08] May they be kept secure. Those who are persecuted. May their faith never fail. Those who have faced death. May they do so without fear.
[15:20] Knowing that the Lord is with them. As he is with all his people. Especially in circumstances such as these. So hear our prayers.
[15:32] And watch over us. In all that we seek to do. Forgiving sin. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Well boys and girls.
[15:44] I believe that today you are going to be looking at. A very familiar story in the Bible. Familiar to some of us anyway.
[15:55] A story about Jesus' encounter with a woman at a well.
[16:06] A story about Jesus' encounter with a man. And there are many things that are true about this story. And many things have been said about it.
[16:18] But if you think of it like this. It has in its heart. A truth that we should always remember.
[16:30] And that is that when Jesus Christ meets with anyone. Wherever he meets with that person. It is never coincidence.
[16:44] It is never a chance occurrence. And that is a question that is asked by some. About this meeting that Jesus had with this woman.
[16:58] Was it something that took place. By chance. Was it something that just happened. Because she happened to be there.
[17:09] Getting water. While Jesus was walking past. And what we read in the section of the scriptures. That tell us about it.
[17:20] Is that Jesus must needs go this way. That he had to pass this way. In order to get to where he was wanting to go.
[17:32] A lot is made of that. Because the question is. Was this really something that made him go this way. Because this woman was going to meet with him.
[17:44] At this time. Or was it just the fact that. Because he was going where he was going. He couldn't go any other way. And if you read. Like I do. Various commentaries.
[17:55] There are different opinions. About the road that Jesus was on. Whether he could have taken another road. Or whether he might have. Decided to take this one.
[18:07] Because he was going to meet with this woman. At this time. The fact of the matter is. That whatever. Was the reason.
[18:19] For Jesus going this way. Only he knows it. But the fact is. That he met with this woman. At this time.
[18:30] Doing what she was doing. And because of his meeting with her. She was never ever the same again. So whatever.
[18:42] Brought him to this place. He met with her. And. Her life was changed. And. We have to.
[18:53] Remind ourselves. Of that. I don't think. There's a. A Christian here. A person who believes. In the Lord Jesus Christ. Who.
[19:04] If they're telling their story. To somebody else. That there is not always. A thought. That. Well maybe. If I hadn't been.
[19:15] In that place. At that time. I wouldn't have discovered this. Or. If I hadn't been. In that place. At this time. I wouldn't have heard this truth. Or whatever.
[19:26] Something that seems to us. To be chance. Or providence. Or whatever. It's always in God's plan. It's always in God's way.
[19:38] Of. Bringing a person. To know himself. And we're also reminded. In this story. Not only. Of this. Encounter.
[19:48] That Jesus had. With this woman. That changed her life. But it was. An encounter. That. We might have. Expected Jesus.
[19:59] To avoid. Because. Many people. Believed. That if Jesus. Was. Who he said he was. And if Jesus. Knew. All that.
[20:11] They. Said he knew. Then he would have known. What kind of woman. This was. And. They would have. He would have known. About her past.
[20:21] And he would have known. About her present. And he would have known. That she. Belonged to a country. That was. Alien. A country.
[20:32] That was. Despised. By the Jews. He would have known. Of all of these things. And if he had known. All of these things. They would have expected. Him to avoid her.
[20:43] But Jesus. Tells us. That is wrong. That is so wrong. Because. If. If. She was an outcast.
[20:55] Because of her past. If she was an outcast. Because of her religion. She was a Samaritan. If she was an outcast. In her own mind. Because of the kind of background.
[21:06] She had. Jesus had to show. That she was not. To be cast out. By God. That God was able. To bring.
[21:17] All kinds of people. To himself. And. The interesting thing. For you and me. Is this. That Jesus. Always knows.
[21:28] Us. Better than we know. Ourselves. And even if we think. We know ourselves. So well. That we think. That because of what we know. About ourselves. That God will have nothing.
[21:38] To do with us. Our thinking. Is wrong. Because Jesus. Frequently. Had to tell. Those he met. That he wasn't.
[21:49] In the world. To seek the righteous. He wasn't. In the world. To seek. After those. Who were good. And holy. And perfect. He was in the world. To seek sinners.
[22:01] And it didn't matter. If that sinner. Was the chief of sinners. It didn't matter. What kind of life. They had. He wanted. To give them. A better life. He wanted.
[22:12] To give them. A more complete. Relationship. A whole relationship. Not the fragmented. Broken relationships. That many of us. Have in this world. But a relationship.
[22:22] With himself. That would ensure. That our lives. Would be changed. And. We have to. Remind ourselves.
[22:32] Of that. Because prejudice. Has no place. In our religion. Not in our. Proclamation. Of it. Not in our. Dealing with.
[22:43] Individuals. Whatever we may. Think of them. Where they're at. Where they've been. If we are genuinely. Wanting to speak. Of Christ. To them.
[22:54] We tell them. In the way. That he tells it. And may God. Help you to think. Of some of these things. Today. As you hear this story. We're going to.
[23:06] Sing now. Some verses. From Psalm. 39. Psalm 39. I want us today. To sing. From verse 4.
[23:18] To verse 8. And then sing. Verses 12. And 13. Six stanzas. In all. But I want us. To sing.
[23:29] In that way. Verses 4. To 8. And then. Verses 12. And 13. Psalm 39. Mine end.
[23:41] And measure. Of my days. O Lord. Unto me show. What is the same. That I thereby. My frailty. Well. May know. Lo.
[23:52] Thou. My days. And hand. Breath. Maids. Mine ages. In thine eye. As nothing. Sure. Each man. Man. At best. Is holy vanity.
[24:03] Sure. Each man. Walks. In a vain show. They vex. Themselves. In vain. He heaps. Up wealth. And does not know. To whom it shall pertain.
[24:14] And now. O Lord. What weight I fall. My hope. Is fixed on thee. Free me. From all my trespasses. The full scorn. Make not me.
[24:26] Attend. My cry. Lord. That my tears. And prayers. Not silent. Be. I sojourn. As my father. Wrong. And stranger. Am with thee.
[24:37] O spare thou me. That I my strength. They cover me again. Before. From hence. I do depart. And here. No more. Remain.
[24:48] These verses. Psalm 39. Verses 4 to 8. And verses 12. And 13. Mine end. And measure. Of my days. O Lord. Unto me show.
[24:59] What is the sin.
[25:25] That I am. Dear God. 후zare. My death.说 from hell. To me.
[25:37] Lord. Me. O among Gethsemen To each man walks in a vigil, they vex themselves in vain.
[26:34] He gives that wealth and death not new to whom each other's in.
[26:53] And now, O Lord, what great I barred.
[27:04] My hope is mixed on Thee. Free me from all my trespasses.
[27:22] The false darkness killed me. Attend my cry, Lord, at my tears.
[27:42] And prayers, O silent Thee. I search your nest, my father's home.
[27:59] And stranger I am with thee. O spirit, I will die my strength.
[28:19] Reach now and lay again. Before from hence I do depart.
[28:38] And we are no more ready. I am going to read now from the book of Psalms.
[28:56] Psalm 49. Hear this, all ye people. Hear this, all ye people.
[29:08] Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak of wisdom. My mouth shall speak of wisdom.
[29:20] And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. I will incline my heart. I will open my heart. I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
[29:33] Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil? When the iniquity of my heart shall compass me about. They that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.
[29:54] For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceases forever, that he should still live forever and not see corruption.
[30:05] For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the full and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations.
[30:25] They call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not. He is like the beasts that perish.
[30:36] This their way is their folly, yet their posterity approve their saying, Selah. Like sheep they are laid in the grave, death shall feed on them, and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.
[30:53] And their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for he shall receive me, Selah.
[31:06] Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased. For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend after him.
[31:19] Though while he lived he blessed his soul, and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself. He shall go to the generation of his fathers.
[31:32] They shall never see light. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
[31:44] Amen. And may the Lord at his blessing to our reading of this word, and to his name be the praise. I just sing now from Psalm 73.
[31:56] Psalm 73 from verse 23 to the end of the psalm. Psalm 74. Psalm 74. Nevertheless, continually, O Lord, I am with thee.
[32:07] Thou dost me hold by my right hand, and still upholdest me. Thou, with thy counsel while I live, wilt me conduct and guide. And to thy glory afterward receive me to abide.
[32:21] Whom have I in the heavens high, but thee, O Lord, alone? And in the earth of my desire, besides thee there is none. My flesh and heart doth faint and fail.
[32:33] But God doth fail me never. For of my heart God is the strength and portion forever. For, lo, they that are far from thee forever perish shall.
[32:46] Then that a hooding from thee go, thou hast destroyed all. But surely it is good for me that I draw near to God. In God I trust that all thy works I may declare abroad.
[33:01] We'll sing these verses. Psalm 73, verse 23 to the end of God's praise. Nevertheless, continually, O Lord, I am with thee.
[33:13] O Lord, I am with thee.
[33:32] Westminster for today. O Lord, some truth!
[33:50] The added Señorances and allegations that all you belong. The proudest Lord, all you from the blanc, while I live will you meet on God's young guide until I glory afterwards receive me to abide whom have I in the heavens I but you Lord I know and in the earth on my side besides me there is none my flesh and heart did not give but God just gave me never for all my heart
[35:20] God is the strength and portion forever for for lo they are not part from thee forever perish shall than than like a holy ground the who the has destroyed all but surely it is good for me that I draw near to God and
[36:27] God I trust that all thy works I made he clear abroad can we turn to the passage that we were reading together in the Old Testament scriptures book of Psalms and Psalm 49 and we can read at verse 6 so we'll just take in some of the thoughts that are found in the psalm they that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches none of them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him for the redemption of their soul is precious and it ceases forever that he should still live forever and not see corruption for he seeth that wise men die likewise the fool and the brutish person perish and leave their wealth to others their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever and their dwelling places to all generations they call their lands after their own names nevertheless man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish people often well let me rephrase this sometimes people quote the scripture not often but they do occasionally quote the scripture it's getting less and less because people just don't know the
[38:32] Bible they don't know the word of God they haven't learnt it by rote so they're not able to quote it as readily as perhaps past generations did but even those who would quote scripture sometimes misquote scripture they have part of the scripture and yet they don't have all of the scripture one such passage that you will hear quite often quoted and it is a misquote and the quote is money is the root of all evil that's the misquote money is the root of all evil and that's not what the passage says it is the love of money that is the root of all evil and yet very often you have this statement coming off of the tongues of some people who judge a situation that involves wealth or materialism in some description and the downfall of a person that has the trappings of wealth and this will be something that they say now the apostle
[40:04] Paul from whom these words are quoted he was dealing with a situation in his own day where he saw a desire in infecting the heart of some where they were in the grip of a materialistic spirit to the degree that they wanted to gain more and more material possessions thinking that through the gain of these possessions through the multiplication of these possessions that this would in some way give to them satisfaction that it would make them happy and clearly that was not the case possessing much does not mean that a person who possesses that much or that quantity or that estate that's so vast doesn't make them any less open to the trials and troubles that are in the world the psalmist is something someone who in the days of writing this psalm whenever it was written the psalm we're told that was for the sons of
[41:42] Korah but whenever it was written the same problem was prevalent it's always been in the world it's not something new it's not something that belongs to a past generation it's not something that will disappear through the passage of time there is a spirit that is prevalent in the world that may overcome some certainly some more than others Warren Weersby in his own comments on the New Testament passages that speak of the problems of materialism he writes that instead of giving satisfaction it creates additional problems it creates additional desires you would think that if you achieved whatever it was that you achieved financially that security that you sought would be sufficient to make you take your ease rest but we have examples even from the teachings of
[42:59] Jesus that that was not the way it is it never is additional desires must be satisfied and instead says we of providing help and health an excess of material things hurts and wounds all you have to do is I've been reading a book written a number of years ago 10 15 years ago but it's a book written by a Westminster theologian compiling thoughts that he delivered in a podcast that he had over in America and the burning issue as far as he was concerned was the cult of personality the cult of personality where we see it so often in our own culture individuals who have achieved fame by whichever way they found fame whether it was as musicians or film actors or politicians even whatever way they achieved fame they became the focus of attention and people were drawn to them not because they were better than others or because they were wiser than others or because what they did was better than what others did you would think that would be essential but unfortunately whatever it was that gave these people the personality that became the focus of that individual it drew people to them and this person who's written this book says it doesn't just infect society it affects the church it affects the church so that congregations are irrelevant but individuals who pastor these congregations become the all important factor so that you have names that are associated with congregations and these names are important and you associate with these names and because you're associated then it becomes something that gives you credibility as far as what you believe is concerned it's strange how what the
[45:59] Bible teaches us is always relevant because in Paul's day the cult of personality was there as well people said they were followers of Paul people said that they were followers of other Christian leaders over and against the doctrines and the teachings that they had what does that got to do with this passage here well it has to do with the idea that possesses some people and infects all people that in some way that material possessions will be the cure all for all our worries and all our woes and the more that infects our thinking the more it drives out of our attention or our affection the only person who can truly resolve the issues of life you know the psalmist highlights one problem over and against another is that there is the potential in all our lives for our relationship to wealth and material gifts to be wrong and if our relationship with wealth is wrong it tends to affect the relationship that matters at a spiritual level what's important is that where the power of wealth is the all important power the only true power that is
[48:04] God is ignored or forgotten or sidetracked so that he has no relevance nothing to say to us it affects our relationship to God it affects the way that we live our life in this world because it distracts us from truly grasping the fact that our continuation in this world is something that we can be assured of that it has limits placed upon it we live until we die the point at which we begin to live our life and the point at which we die is not determined by any one of us it is determined by God what we do between these two points is all important if we exclude
[49:08] God from between our experience of living our life in this world and dying then what occurs at death will have the clearest implications for us so what we need to establish if we have not already done so I want you to think about this that there is a right relationship with wealth and material possessions and there is a wrong relationship I realize that when a minister speaks about this that the reaction is liable to be a negative one because you know you'll tell me what I need to tell you about is what affects your soul what
[50:11] I need to tell you about is how to live spiritual lives in this world what I need to tell you about is how to be good and how to be a good neighbor and how to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and that is true I should be telling you that but I should also be reminding you of some of the things that threaten how you live your life in this world that is a life spent for the glory of God and not for selfish ends a life that is inclusive of God rather than excluding God from your thinking and the reason God is excluded from our thinking at times is because we be sorted with the things that are of this world and matter in this world and only in this world you know at the moment in time we're more privileged
[51:18] I suppose than many others of our past generation we have access through the media of the kind of lives that men and women live in the world and our world is bigger it's wider it's much more extensive the knowledge that we have of how other people live is much more well informed and because of that we know that there are people today living completely different lives to the lives that we are leading here for some people and there are thousands upon thousands and millions upon millions of them for them to have a decent day they will have a penny or two by way of their wage that's their wage pennies not pounds not hundreds of pounds their wages you could comparatively speak of them as pence their substantial meal is a meal which will consist of a bowl of rice or bread made up of flour and water and if they have that to live by they're content because they have to be the alternative is to starve the alternative is to be without and there's hundreds upon hundreds of thousands in this world today that exist in that level of existence now you're saying you have no right to make me compare myself to them because that's not the world in which
[53:07] I live in that's not the life that I live you're right you're right and I'm not telling you this so that you feel bad about yourself but that you realize that your mindset is affected by the culture that you live in the way you think about what's relevant what's important what's necessary even is affected by the society that you're raised in that you're born in that you're growing up in and while those who are did I say content they're not content but they're reasonably satisfied as long as they have food that makes them survive allows them to survive as long as they have work that allows them to be free from death there's a level of contentment that's not to say that they don't want better and that they wouldn't want what you have and what
[54:20] I have but the danger for them just as surely as it is for us is that what they see as more to become the all abiding thing that focuses us that makes them live in this world and thinking that this will bring them satisfaction if instead of one bowl of rice they have two if instead of two pennies they will have four and if that is their abiding passion if that's all that sustains them is this what gives the desire to live something of an impetus you can see that that their existence is very very dire but then you translate that thinking into your own thinking and your passion your desire all that you want is a bit more a bigger wage slightly bigger you're not greedy you're not you're not somebody who wants to be a multimillionaire something that makes life a little bit more bearable a little bit easier a little bit so that you can eat more perhaps who knows what you want but focus on that is really for this reason that if this becomes all that we exist for in the world if this becomes all that matters if this is the preeminent preoccupation that we have what is excluded what is it that is not thought of what is it that we don't give our attention to the psalmist says that for the wealthy those that you may aspire to be one of those that you may aspire to be like those that you may wish to be numbered alongside with their contentment is not to be found what they want is to accumulate more of what they have what they want is that their need whatever that need may be is probably a need that is fed into by the the stimulus that materialism and its accompaniment brings into their heart if we live without
[57:14] God more often than not those who do will rely on something else other than God whether it's the power of reason the power of intellect the power of physical well-being or the power that comes with authority in this case it's wealth and to rely on wealth and prosperity is itself dangerous if for no reason that there is always the possibility that that person who possesses wealth will be deprived of it sometimes in this life certainly in the life to come that's what the psalmist is angling at if we live our life in this world as if wealth and prosperity is the be all and end all of all things then we're in for a rude awakening our health may fail and our accompanying wealth may go with it our businesses may fail and all the trappings that came with it may go and if we have nothing but these things if we have nothing outside of the contentment and I'm not saying that there isn't contentment with it if that is the only thing that brings contentment to us if it's taken away then there will be a deficit which we cannot meet because we lack the resources can I just say to those who are
[59:11] Christians that sometimes we need to emphasize the fact that there is a world in which we live that we are required to live out our lives we have the assurance that once we live our life in this world there is a world to come there is an eternity that is every bit as real as the world in which we live in and we have the assurance that whatever awaits us there is better than anything we've enjoyed in this world now that is true that is certainly a truth that needs to bolster our life here in this world but if our life in this world is always just hankering for the world to come if all we have in this world is a life that is empty of meaning because we're longing for something that's better than what we have then there's something lacking in the life that we have in this world and it's not to be substituted by the world's wealth or the world's material gifts or the world's enjoyments and the world's pleasures or whatever it is if the
[60:26] Lord Jesus Christ if the God of heaven and earth is not our portion in some meaningful way then there's something to matter with our Christianity without faith faith and sometimes this is what you see in the lives of some Christians who are professing Christians and when some drama or crisis comes along and deprives them of their creature comforts at that moment they don't know where to turn where the reality should be that they know exactly that whatever it is that has brought this about it has not taken place without their God knowing about it it hasn't come their way without God being in it for them and for them to know God in these things being a Christian does not exclude us from griefs or sorrows or sadnesses but being a
[61:31] Christian assures us of the contentment that comes from knowing that we have a God who is our God no matter what the psalmist says to us that if all we have is that which the world will provide for us then that alone will not sustain us in the day of trial however attractive it may appear to us just remember the words of the psalmist in psalm 73 we were singing these words we were singing the words of the psalm and the psalmist was a believer the psalmist was somebody who who allowed himself to be distracted by the way he saw others in the world and he saw those who were unbelievers in the world and he saw how they lived their lives and for a time he was taken in by what they were going through and what they had and he said as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipped for I was envious of the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked for there are no bands in their death but their strength is for them they are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men and so on so that was what he saw himself succumbing to looking at those that he misconstrued were so contented when he himself was having to endure all kinds of miseries and thinking because they were wealthy because they had possessions because they had big houses because they had all these things that they did not have the sorrows that he had but he got it wrong and he discovered that he had got it wrong the Lord opened his eyes and he saw that what he considered to be contentment was anything but he came across this quotation and it's taken from a tombstone from a churchyard in
[64:06] Melrose in the borders and it's an interesting quotation it was interesting to me and I'll read it to you earth buildeth on the earth palaces and towers earth saith to the earth all shall be ours earth walketh on the earth glittering like gold earth goeth to the earth sooner than it won't I was thinking that's poor poetry that last that phrase you know doesn't rhyme it's poor poetry but then I was thinking it's not poor poetry at all if the poet is putting anything across it is this the brevity of life the suddenness of death the inability that we have to prepare for it if we are not preparing for it in the way God tells us to but he's making this statement anyway concerning every single one of dust you are and dust you will return that's where you came from that's what you're going back to when you die this is where you will lay in the dust until the great day of the resurrection the psalmist says none of them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him is that not the case have you ever been in a situation where a loved one has been taken from you have you ever been in a situation where somebody that was part of the family circle was so bound up in your life and death has taken them from and you would do anything you would pay anything to restore them to life if it was in your power you would do it but you can't however strong the love ties are they cannot bring back those who have succumbed to death the point that the psalmist is making is wealth will not do it those who are powerful and those who have the ability to send others to death could not retrieve any who succumbed to it and bring them to themselves is that not the whole point when death comes as come it must it is not possible to stay its cold hand i was reading the sing sam's version of this psalm there is no one who is able to redeem my soul from death none can pay to god the ransom to prolong another's breath to redeem a life is costly none sufficient price can pay so that one should live immortal free forever from decay it's a nice ring to it but the truth is the same whether it's written in the metrical version or it's written in the prose version as we have it here we know the question jesus asks is that not the whole point it is no bad thing to create wealth but if that becomes your god or if it keeps you from god it will be the worst thing possible if the world and all it holds out to you become yours
[68:06] are you able to hold on to the world and all it possesses the answer is no you know that and he says the wise man knows that the rich man knows that too we leave the world and all that is in the world behind there's a story told I think it's a men of Rossshire it's about a minister who was a minister in in the north somewhere I think he was Mr Macphail and he was waiting to catch the ferry across to the black isle and as he was waiting for the ferry to come he was standing outside a butcher shop and this man came and he was a soldier and in those days those who were in the army were notoriously foul mouthed they were wild people who took the king's shilling and did so for no other reason but this man came into the shop that he was standing outside and he asked for a joint of mutton and the butcher gave him the price and his response to the butcher we are told was that may
[69:52] Satan take me if I give that price for it may Satan take me if I give that price for it and he swore his language was colourful but these words caught the attention of the minister and when he came out of the shop he had paid the price the butcher asked for it and he said what did you pay for the meat and he told him I paid that I said you paid more than that you paid more than that you've actually promised your soul to the devil you have promised your soul to Satan and that is something that you have left yourself open to you have given your soul over to him and what an awful eternity waits for you and the soldier laughed in his face and went off but whatever it was by the grace of
[71:01] God the soldier couldn't get this out of his mind he was so disturbed at the thought that he had bargained his soul to the devil just out of bravado and he came back to the shop and he said who was that man that spoke to me outside and he made a point of remember he was I think he was just outside Fort George and going the minister was going across to the other side of the channel there to the black aisle he made his way to the minister's man's at midnight or whatever and he insisted on seeing the minister because he wanted he wanted to make peace he wanted to put things right that were wrong and in the goodness of God that's what happened the minister sat him down and spoke to him about his soul and where his soul could be ransomed and how without that the soul would be lost without that like every other soul what the psalmist is saying who said that see if the wise men die like wise the fool and the brutish person perish leave their wealth to others their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever their dwelling places to all generations they call their lands after their own names and to some that's all important is it not all important that when you die your wealth will be recorded as for what it was your homes will be left to your families your pounds will be left to them too but where did you leave your soul who did you give charge of your soul to well if you're not a believer if you haven't given your soul to Christ to keep then your soul will perish there's only a lost eternity waiting for those who fail to give their soul to the keeping of Christ the word of God tells us the souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness they do immediately pass into glory and always emphasize that part at their death the souls of believers are in glory the moment they close their eyes in death the breath goes out of the body they are in Christ's presence but what about those who aren't what about those who die out of Christ does the
[74:10] Bible not say anything about them well it must it can't be silent in the story of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus we are told that the rich man was in hell not because he was rich but because he hadn't trusted his soul to God not because of his wealth that wasn't what sent him to hell nor his poverty to heaven it's nothing to do with it's how you relate to God and Christ and if you failed on that if you've been distracted by other things important things great things if these things become your passion if you want to be involved in politics so be it the more you spend yourself on these things then if it's to a good end so be it but if it is to the exclusion of God from your life and so many people you see that they give themselves over to so many things and they're of this world they are to do with this world there is no thought of the world to come there is no thought of their soul's destiny there is no thought of putting their affairs right before
[75:43] God but how can a person live their life like that without realizing that there are consequences nevertheless man being in honor abideth not he is like the beasts that perish this is their way this their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings the believer says God shall redeem my life from the grave and only the believer can say that well may God encourage you to think about this I'm not getting at anybody I don't know what's in your purse I don't know what's in your wallet I don't know what's in your bank balance it doesn't really bother me it's not my business but it is my business if there is anything in our lives that keeps us back from
[76:45] Christ then that should be challenged that should be questioned that should be highlighted that should be brought to the forefront of your imagination so that you know that these things are a danger to you mortal danger eternal danger and they need to be questioned when we God in his grace open your mind to whatever it is that's in your life that makes you think that what you are engaged in this world is all important to the exclusion of the God who should be the one sitting on the throne of your life let us pray O Lord O God we pray for your grace to impress itself upon us so that we would know the wisdom of looking to God and to look to you in Christ forgive our sins in Jesus name Amen we conclude by singing from this psalm we sing from verse 6 to verse 10 psalm 49 verse 6 whewer they be that in their wealth their confidence do pitch and boast themselves because they are become exceeding rich and yet none of them his brother can redeem by any way nor can he unto
[78:13] God for him sufficient ransom pay we'll sing to verse 10 whewer they be that in their wealth their confidence do pitch to hear they be that in their wealth their confidence peace they are countryor they are become guaranteed them yet Yet no justice, no other can redeem us in any way.
[79:21] Nor can we yield to God for him, salvation runs away.
[79:39] Their soul's redemption precious is, and yet a never-be.
[79:59] That still he should forever live, and no corruption is here.
[80:18] For why is he the God-wise the night?
[80:30] On a beautiful soul to perish, that was one day to our earthly soul.
[80:57] Amen. May grace, mercy, and peace be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit rest and abide with you all now and always. Amen.