WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.219 Jo and I are going to read the Bible, not together, but in different languages. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:10.960 So I'm going to read in Chinese, Mandarin Chinese. 00:00:11.240 --> 00:00:12.179 So Psalm 23. 00:00:17.379 --> 00:00:21.059 So in English Bible is page 458. 00:00:22.400 --> 00:00:23.500 Okay, Psalm 23. 00:00:23.500 --> 00:00:24.000 Psalm 23. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:01:00.000 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:13.340 The Lord is my shepherd. 00:01:13.859 --> 00:01:14.799 I shall not want. 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:17.920 He makes me lie down in green pastures. 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:20.079 He leads me beside still waters. 00:01:21.140 --> 00:01:22.740 He restores my soul. 00:01:24.140 --> 00:01:27.379 He leads me in paths of righteousness for the name's sake. 00:01:27.379 --> 00:01:33.439 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. 00:01:34.379 --> 00:01:35.819 For you are with me. 00:01:36.459 --> 00:01:39.579 Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 00:01:40.899 --> 00:01:44.439 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 00:01:45.479 --> 00:01:47.140 You anoint my head with oil. 00:01:47.799 --> 00:01:49.719 My cup overflows. 00:01:51.340 --> 00:01:55.859 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. 00:01:55.859 --> 00:01:59.819 And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 00:01:59.819 --> 00:02:12.799 All right. 00:02:12.840 --> 00:02:13.259 Good morning. 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:19.959 Today we finish our final three-part series on Psalm 23. 00:02:20.659 --> 00:02:22.719 So if you have your Bibles, then please open them to that. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:26.879 If you don't have a Bible, there's these black ones up the back there on the back table. 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:29.120 And it's page 458 on that. 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:31.840 Psalm 23. 00:02:34.900 --> 00:02:35.400 All right. 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:40.379 As David wrote this psalm, if you're new back from, fresh back from holidays, this is a psalm of David. 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:48.000 And as David wrote this psalm, he wrote it into a cultural context where there were a vast array of different gods to choose from. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:49.860 There was a lot. 00:02:50.699 --> 00:02:55.740 We're kind of conditioned as Christians to thinking of a context where there is only one true God. 00:02:56.379 --> 00:02:57.280 Everything else is idols. 00:02:57.379 --> 00:02:58.599 But they all believed. 00:02:58.939 --> 00:03:01.500 They all had their own idols, which they called gods. 00:03:01.539 --> 00:03:02.800 They believed were their god. 00:03:03.219 --> 00:03:08.979 And they determined which god was the most successful and most powerful by results in battle. 00:03:09.139 --> 00:03:13.219 They were the things that determined who really was God. 00:03:13.219 --> 00:03:22.500 So into this context of multiple gods, many of which were represented by countries which were incredibly successful in battle, 00:03:23.180 --> 00:03:32.120 David writes this psalm of a small country, Israel, in the ancient Near East, surrounded by world superpowers. 00:03:34.460 --> 00:03:37.979 That's kind of a little bit of a distance from where we are in Australia, isn't it? 00:03:37.979 --> 00:03:42.900 I think there are a number of different deities worshipped in our Australian culture. 00:03:43.219 --> 00:03:54.620 But it seems to be that the direction Australian culture is wanting to go is in the direction of God versus no gods, not which god out of the many. 00:03:55.759 --> 00:04:08.400 And so we have this situation where people like Daniel Dennett, an atheistic philosopher, are actually coming up with trying to understand the meaning of life, the universe and everything, 00:04:09.099 --> 00:04:12.159 without a god concept involved at all. 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:19.620 He wants us to believe that if it can't be explained by physics, then it doesn't really exist. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:27.699 Him and people like him, Stephen Hawking, for example, want us to believe that our brain is no more than a biological computer. 00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:35.399 Attached or enmeshed in what is basically a bag of chemicals. 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:38.319 A complex bag of chemicals. 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:39.899 A complex chemistry experiment. 00:04:40.139 --> 00:04:41.879 Kind of kept on track by our DNA. 00:04:42.779 --> 00:04:45.000 But a bag of chemicals nonetheless. 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:46.859 Nothing more than that. 00:04:47.099 --> 00:04:53.479 And in fact, then it goes further to say that our consciousness, our sense of self, is actually an illusion. 00:04:53.480 --> 00:05:09.800 It's something that our very complex biological brain, computer of a brain, actually projects from itself so that this bag of chemicals can navigate a very complex social life. 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:15.240 Our self is actually an illusion, he says. 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:22.660 So we have these two worldviews, one where there was actually a room for multiple gods. 00:05:23.220 --> 00:05:30.379 And our current one, which actually has no room for, is increasingly, certainly in the West, not the majority of the world, but certainly in Western thought, 00:05:30.579 --> 00:05:33.199 is actually moving towards there being no room for God at all. 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:37.139 And into this context, we have David's psalm. 00:05:37.420 --> 00:05:43.599 And it speaks so powerfully, and under God's sovereign hand, it speaks so powerfully to both of those different options. 00:05:44.719 --> 00:05:49.659 And it gives us a third one, which is that there is a God, but there's only one. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:51.819 And he is a personal God. 00:05:52.379 --> 00:05:57.860 The God who happened to create the universe and everything in it, happens to be personal. 00:05:58.599 --> 00:06:00.800 And is knowable, because he is personal. 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:03.879 And that's where David comes from when he writes this psalm. 00:06:03.960 --> 00:06:07.300 And so he starts off in Psalm chapter 23, verses 1 to 3. 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:09.040 He starts off with a shepherding imagery. 00:06:09.139 --> 00:06:12.060 This is a king who spent a fair chunk of his life as a shepherd. 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:14.240 And so he uses something that he knows well. 00:06:14.840 --> 00:06:17.360 The concept of a shepherd looking after his sheep. 00:06:17.860 --> 00:06:25.460 And in this shepherding imagery, he brings out the personal nature of this God by the kind of God who actually provides green pastures for us. 00:06:26.080 --> 00:06:27.240 Quiet waters. 00:06:28.019 --> 00:06:29.519 Guides us by quiet waters. 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:37.079 And then the significant statement that actually explains what David is talking about with his whole shepherding metaphor. 00:06:38.460 --> 00:06:40.720 David says the words in verse 3. 00:06:41.319 --> 00:06:43.300 He restores my soul. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:46.800 He restores my soul. 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:52.900 When you read the word soul there, don't imagine something detached from yourself. 00:06:53.100 --> 00:06:56.520 But actually, it is your very self that David is talking about. 00:06:56.840 --> 00:06:59.900 So this self that we're not really sure which direction to go in terms of worship. 00:07:00.220 --> 00:07:06.560 Or if you're more on the atheistic bent, then you're actually pretty sure there's only a projection anyway. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:15.000 And part of a biological experiment that's kind of roughly in control according to your DNA. 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:19.420 David says something totally different and totally transformed. 00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:22.459 If he says there is such thing as a self. 00:07:22.459 --> 00:07:28.099 And that self is something that is broken, that needs restoration. 00:07:28.919 --> 00:07:34.000 And that there is a personal God who is devoted to restoring you. 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:39.160 And he does that by leading us in paths of righteousness. 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:43.459 For his name's sake. 00:07:43.540 --> 00:07:46.040 Remember we discussed that in the first talk. 00:07:46.459 --> 00:07:47.600 For his name's sake. 00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:48.839 You can't have one or the other. 00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:50.959 He leads us in paths of righteousness. 00:07:51.220 --> 00:07:52.959 Those right paths. 00:07:53.639 --> 00:07:55.139 Correct where we've gone wrong. 00:07:55.139 --> 00:08:00.519 But it can't just be that our behavior is modified. 00:08:01.060 --> 00:08:04.939 It needs to be that our whole purpose for living is modified. 00:08:05.379 --> 00:08:06.800 Back toward God. 00:08:07.939 --> 00:08:09.379 For his name's sake. 00:08:11.099 --> 00:08:14.039 And then in verse 24, David started to get real. 00:08:14.139 --> 00:08:20.099 Because even as he expresses this, he recognizes that he is a small country in the midst of a bunch of world superpowers. 00:08:20.099 --> 00:08:24.560 Who believe that their gods are more powerful because their countries are actually doing better in the world. 00:08:25.139 --> 00:08:27.500 And so he says this sort of thing. 00:08:27.599 --> 00:08:36.240 He says, the reality is within relationship with this personal God, this all-powerful personal God, there will be valleys. 00:08:37.460 --> 00:08:39.120 There'll be valleys of shadow. 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:42.399 Ultimately, the valley of the shadow of death itself. 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:48.439 There are hardships living in this wilderness-shaped world. 00:08:49.899 --> 00:08:52.600 And David speaks into this context and he says, 00:08:53.220 --> 00:08:55.039 I will fear no evil. 00:08:55.139 --> 00:09:00.580 We need to understand here as well that evil is the opposite to restoration. 00:09:00.779 --> 00:09:05.659 So this restoring my soul in verse 3 and the concept of evil in verse 4. 00:09:06.539 --> 00:09:08.899 Evil is the sort of thing that actually undoes us. 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:10.460 It breaks us down. 00:09:10.460 --> 00:09:14.500 Restoration is the thing that restores us to what we should be. 00:09:16.620 --> 00:09:17.920 How does David say this? 00:09:17.980 --> 00:09:22.200 How can David say when he is in the midst of such turmoil as the world was back then? 00:09:23.500 --> 00:09:25.379 How can he say this with such confidence? 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:28.420 Remember we talked about this last week and we talked about the fact that 00:09:28.419 --> 00:09:35.860 in terms of applying our understanding of God to the world, 00:09:35.860 --> 00:09:38.079 this is the direction we need to go in. 00:09:38.479 --> 00:09:39.959 What is the truth about God? 00:09:39.960 --> 00:09:44.480 And then I need to trust in that. 00:09:44.540 --> 00:09:46.000 I need to take that truth and trust in it. 00:09:46.500 --> 00:09:47.540 What do I fear? 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:52.220 And how do I apply what I believe to that fear? 00:09:52.540 --> 00:09:54.000 Apply my faith to my fear. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:59.360 And for David, that is centered around the very person of God. 00:10:00.379 --> 00:10:03.879 In verse 4, the thing that really, really comforts me, 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:06.360 and I don't know if you found this yourselves, 00:10:06.679 --> 00:10:09.840 the thing that really comforts me is smack dab in the center of this verse 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:20.919 where David conquers the fear of evil with the truth that God is with him. 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:25.339 I will fear no evil for you are with me. 00:10:26.079 --> 00:10:30.299 This is the direction that David encourages us to sing, to praise, to pray. 00:10:32.199 --> 00:10:35.939 And now we finally get to these verses, verses 5 and 6. 00:10:36.659 --> 00:10:38.779 And this is a point at which the imagery changes. 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:42.519 The shepherding imagery kind of gets, it's almost broken, 00:10:42.740 --> 00:10:46.799 well, broken apart by an even bigger vision that David has, shall we say. 00:10:47.799 --> 00:10:50.439 And it's a vision of coming home. 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:53.579 The shepherding imagery is gone. 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:58.519 And it's replaced by this image of arriving home. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:02.360 And arriving home to God's extravagant welcome 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:04.779 and God's eternal provision. 00:11:06.919 --> 00:11:08.120 That's verse 5 and 6. 00:11:08.179 --> 00:11:09.539 Very simple structure to this talk. 00:11:09.599 --> 00:11:11.259 There's only two points. 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:15.139 Not very evangelical, but we'll have to get by, won't we, today? 00:11:15.579 --> 00:11:17.799 So let's start with God's extravagant welcome. 00:11:18.139 --> 00:11:19.679 And look at the extravagant welcome in verse 5. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:20.559 Let me read it out to you. 00:11:21.359 --> 00:11:24.299 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:26.079 You anoint my head with oil. 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:28.379 My cup overflows. 00:11:28.379 --> 00:11:41.259 Just think of the first one. 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:42.860 You prepare a table for me. 00:11:42.860 --> 00:11:46.940 Hands up if you actually came for pancakes for breakfast this morning. 00:11:48.060 --> 00:11:48.220 Yeah? 00:11:48.580 --> 00:11:49.399 Pancakes on Sunday. 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:49.700 Yeah. 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:52.100 Alyssa was here early. 00:11:52.820 --> 00:11:53.820 And I have it on... 00:11:53.820 --> 00:11:56.140 Yeah. 00:11:56.379 --> 00:11:59.860 I was informed that she had actually arrived early and started to bake a whole bunch of pancakes. 00:12:00.040 --> 00:12:00.540 What do you call it? 00:12:00.540 --> 00:12:00.840 Bake it? 00:12:01.060 --> 00:12:01.280 What? 00:12:01.340 --> 00:12:01.680 Fry them? 00:12:01.780 --> 00:12:01.920 Yeah. 00:12:01.940 --> 00:12:02.840 Cook a whole bunch of pancakes. 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:06.860 And she had plates of pancakes ready for when people arrived. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:10.440 A whole bunch of different things to go on those pancakes ready to go. 00:12:10.780 --> 00:12:11.140 Plates. 00:12:11.280 --> 00:12:12.060 Knives and forks. 00:12:12.059 --> 00:12:17.079 Alyssa organized a feast for us for breakfast. 00:12:17.219 --> 00:12:18.479 I don't normally eat that much. 00:12:19.099 --> 00:12:20.059 Particularly on a Sunday morning. 00:12:20.099 --> 00:12:21.379 But I don't normally eat that much in the morning. 00:12:22.359 --> 00:12:24.219 And this is the picture that's going on here. 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:26.779 When David says, you prepare a table for me. 00:12:26.779 --> 00:12:35.639 He's actually depicting a God who's so personally engaged with us that he's anticipating our arrival and planning and laying out a feast. 00:12:38.699 --> 00:12:41.600 A feast the likes of which we will have never seen before. 00:12:43.339 --> 00:12:52.000 When Joe and I lived in Sheffield, we used to do some English teaching and some evangelism amongst the international students there. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:57.299 A lot of the international students were from places like China, Southeast Asia. 00:12:57.559 --> 00:13:01.860 And they were really interested to hear about what Christianity was about because they thought that it shaped our culture. 00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:07.259 Surprised, isn't it, to us to think that people would think that. 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:08.320 But they did. 00:13:08.460 --> 00:13:14.500 And so one of the things that Joe would do was she would teach English to the wives of the PhD students. 00:13:14.840 --> 00:13:17.960 Because the PhD students, they were in Sheffield University all the time. 00:13:18.039 --> 00:13:18.940 They were learning the language. 00:13:18.940 --> 00:13:22.620 They were mixing with people who could speak English. 00:13:22.740 --> 00:13:24.300 They were picking up the language by necessity. 00:13:24.460 --> 00:13:29.620 But the wives stayed at home and mixed with the other wives from the same country and didn't really get exposed to the language. 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:30.580 So Joe would teach them. 00:13:30.860 --> 00:13:33.000 And she would use the Bible to teach them how to speak English. 00:13:34.620 --> 00:13:40.540 Well, one day it got to the point where this family, the man had finished his PhD and the couple were going to go back home to China. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:42.920 And they invited us over for a meal. 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:45.320 We thought this was lovely. 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:47.740 So we went across to their place. 00:13:47.740 --> 00:13:49.740 So I got invited to, I thought it was lovely because I got invited too. 00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:50.320 It wasn't just Joe. 00:13:50.659 --> 00:13:51.740 So I was a freeloader. 00:13:51.799 --> 00:13:52.560 But we turned up. 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:55.320 And they brought us into the lounge room. 00:13:55.379 --> 00:13:56.080 And they sat us down. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:01.519 And then the wife proceeded to go into the kitchen and prepare a meal for us. 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:06.759 When it finally came out, it was a beautiful Chinese dish. 00:14:06.820 --> 00:14:07.840 We thought, this is great. 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:08.399 Wow. 00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:11.259 Never have we seen such or eaten such quality. 00:14:11.259 --> 00:14:14.860 Certainly not at the local Chinese restaurant that we, in the takeaway place. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:16.539 This was far in excess of that. 00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:20.559 And so we troughed in and ate our fill and loved it. 00:14:23.559 --> 00:14:26.419 Little did we know that that was the first of many dishes. 00:14:26.419 --> 00:14:37.339 And the wife would only come out of the kitchen to give us the next dish or to watch us finish off the last one. 00:14:38.500 --> 00:14:46.919 And by the end of it, we were groaning with the effort it took us to partake of about 10 different dishes, 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:49.240 of which we thought the first one was the only one. 00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:56.159 And then they started to bring out the wine and the scotch and all the alcohol at the end for us to share a drink with them. 00:14:56.379 --> 00:14:58.799 We were just overwhelmed by their hospitality. 00:14:59.620 --> 00:15:00.799 It was unbelievable. 00:15:01.319 --> 00:15:03.559 Our taste buds wanted to eat the food. 00:15:03.939 --> 00:15:07.139 But there was just way too much for us even to take in. 00:15:07.139 --> 00:15:10.120 It was an overwhelming thing. 00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:15.139 And so when you read this simple sentence, you prepare a table before me. 00:15:16.059 --> 00:15:16.919 Read this. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:23.740 A God who delights in our presence and who delights in lavishing blessing upon us. 00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:29.139 So much so that our sides will groan as we try and take it all in. 00:15:29.139 --> 00:15:33.059 You prepare a table. 00:15:34.379 --> 00:15:36.460 He then goes on and says, you anoint my head with oil. 00:15:38.139 --> 00:15:41.279 As Andrew said, Alex said, sorry. 00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:44.799 You know, this anointing with oil, we don't generally do that. 00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:46.299 He mentioned the concept of cradle cap. 00:15:46.439 --> 00:15:48.259 And I think we put baby oil on that. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:54.620 But probably not a, it's not allowed, is it, to make baby oil anymore? 00:15:54.980 --> 00:15:55.379 I don't know. 00:15:55.379 --> 00:15:59.500 But, you know, we don't kind of use that concept. 00:15:59.559 --> 00:16:01.519 We don't use this whole anointing with oil thing. 00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:04.439 But it was a very hot, dry environment back then in that area. 00:16:05.100 --> 00:16:14.659 And so what they used to do is a refreshment after a long journey or a refreshment at the end of a day when someone, an honoured or an esteemed guest came, 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:17.939 you would actually offer them oil to anoint their heads with. 00:16:18.360 --> 00:16:20.600 They would rub it on their faces, in their hair. 00:16:21.059 --> 00:16:23.659 And it was usually a scented oil, a special oil. 00:16:23.659 --> 00:16:30.919 You did it for special visitors, not just anybody, but the people that you actually really, really valued. 00:16:31.299 --> 00:16:32.419 People that you really esteemed. 00:16:34.439 --> 00:16:35.919 And that's what's happening here. 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:44.419 David is saying that the welcome that we get from God is actually a welcome of someone who values, prizes us, esteems us. 00:16:46.500 --> 00:16:48.799 It just seems totally the wrong way around, doesn't it? 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:59.399 We're kind of thinking about the concept of a God who is all-powerful, through whom everything exists. 00:17:00.359 --> 00:17:03.439 And yet this is how he engages with us. 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:13.620 Not only that, but just if you haven't got the sense of the extravagance of what's going on here. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:17.539 David then goes on to say, my cup overflows. 00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:23.600 Are you a half cup full or a half empty kind of person? 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:27.079 This cup isn't just full. 00:17:28.099 --> 00:17:29.639 It's overflowing. 00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:32.899 Wine slopping everywhere. 00:17:34.779 --> 00:17:37.959 The neat freaks among us are probably getting nervous at this kind of imagery. 00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:41.219 But the focus here is on the extravagance of God. 00:17:41.659 --> 00:17:43.919 The prodigal nature of God. 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:46.799 If you think of Luke chapter 15, verses 20 to 24. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:51.500 The extravagant love of God for us. 00:17:53.539 --> 00:17:55.139 And think about how this works for us. 00:17:55.220 --> 00:17:59.419 You know, we know this sense of wanting to pour out love on each other. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:01.519 Hannah came home unexpectedly this week. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:07.039 She went to a funeral, which is of a friend's father, was north of Newcastle. 00:18:07.159 --> 00:18:11.299 And her and her friends on this road trip decided they'd drop in on us on a, when was it? 00:18:11.579 --> 00:18:12.339 Wednesday night. 00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:14.859 Wednesday night we'd normally be at Bible study. 00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:18.480 Or we'd be in our pajamas watching television when she dropped in. 00:18:19.339 --> 00:18:21.339 And thankfully, neither was the case. 00:18:22.139 --> 00:18:23.419 We were actually still dressed. 00:18:23.919 --> 00:18:25.899 And her and her friends just poured in. 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:28.399 And we were delighted that she was there. 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:30.000 Even unexpectedly we were delighted. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:32.359 And so we started getting stuff out of the cup. 00:18:32.379 --> 00:18:32.939 They haven't had dinner. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:35.059 So we started getting stuff out of the cupboards and the fridge. 00:18:35.139 --> 00:18:36.839 And started feeding Hannah and her friends. 00:18:37.059 --> 00:18:38.399 And really enjoying the company. 00:18:38.539 --> 00:18:40.099 And just so glad that she was with us again. 00:18:40.439 --> 00:18:42.039 Even if it was only for a couple of hours. 00:18:42.339 --> 00:18:46.299 It was a delight to us. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:55.720 And to think that you are loved in that kind of way by God. 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:59.200 You are loved. 00:19:00.500 --> 00:19:04.339 The message of the psalm is that you are anticipated. 00:19:05.620 --> 00:19:08.740 And you can read in Ephesians chapter 1 verses 3 to 5. 00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:15.059 Where you'll find that that anticipation started before God even created the earth. 00:19:15.059 --> 00:19:19.240 Your arrival is being prepared for even now. 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:21.440 John chapter 14 verses 1 to 3. 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:25.139 Where Jesus is preparing a room for you. 00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:30.579 Our carpenter saviour is building a room for you. 00:19:30.579 --> 00:19:34.799 You are the focus of God's generosity. 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:36.699 His outpouring of affection. 00:19:37.139 --> 00:19:37.939 His joy. 00:19:42.399 --> 00:19:46.460 This is the imagery that David's actually trying to... 00:19:46.460 --> 00:19:48.559 And the feeling that David's trying to create in us. 00:19:49.419 --> 00:19:53.220 The reality of God's attitude toward us. 00:19:53.220 --> 00:20:01.839 But even as we read these words and recognize the reality of them. 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:06.440 There are two perspectives here that we actually need to deal with. 00:20:06.500 --> 00:20:10.680 You notice that I've actually jumped over one particular part of this verse. 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:15.500 See there are two perspectives overlapped. 00:20:15.620 --> 00:20:20.920 And there are two perspectives that are mirrored in these particular verses. 00:20:21.560 --> 00:20:22.860 First is the overlapping. 00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:26.860 And that is the welcome home versus the presence of enemies. 00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:28.180 Have you noticed the clash there? 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:33.759 That there's this beautiful symbolism of what God is thinking about toward us. 00:20:33.779 --> 00:20:35.060 And his affection toward us. 00:20:35.500 --> 00:20:39.779 And yet there's a reality of the presence of enemies in our lives. 00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:43.740 Where in verse 4 it was the hardships of life. 00:20:44.080 --> 00:20:46.200 Now in verse 5 it's actually become personal. 00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:49.160 There are people who are against us. 00:20:50.980 --> 00:20:52.700 And these two perspectives. 00:20:53.740 --> 00:20:54.759 God's welcome home. 00:20:55.299 --> 00:20:56.580 God's welcoming embrace. 00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:59.220 Or the presence of my enemies. 00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:03.759 Which one will win in my thinking? 00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:07.480 Which perspective wins? 00:21:08.360 --> 00:21:10.000 When you think about your own life. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:15.619 Do you feel the presence of God as the primary thing? 00:21:16.279 --> 00:21:18.259 Or do you feel the presence of your enemies? 00:21:22.180 --> 00:21:23.220 Think about that. 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:25.640 When you think about your own life. 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:29.180 Which perspective wins? 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:31.799 The presence of your enemies? 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:32.779 The reality of that? 00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:35.339 Or God's joyful celebration. 00:21:35.460 --> 00:21:38.359 Does that drown out the presence of your enemies? 00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:43.240 Because that's what David is trying to show us in this psalm. 00:21:43.479 --> 00:21:47.619 He's trying to get us to celebrate the faithfulness of God. 00:21:47.679 --> 00:21:49.519 His joyful celebration over us. 00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:52.539 In a way that drowns out the reality of our enemies. 00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:54.099 They're there. 00:21:54.379 --> 00:21:54.679 Yes. 00:21:57.159 --> 00:22:00.839 But the reality is a far greater God is for us. 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:05.139 That's the two perspectives that overlap. 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:07.299 But then we also have two perspectives that are mirrored. 00:22:07.639 --> 00:22:11.799 You see we have the cup of blessing on the one hand versus the cup of wrath on the other. 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:19.919 I don't know about you but I don't like parties for myself. 00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:21.559 In particular I don't mind throwing parties for other people. 00:22:21.619 --> 00:22:22.500 I don't like parties for myself. 00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:25.240 I kind of feel uncomfortable when the focus is on me. 00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:31.460 And that's just in normal everyday life. 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:36.700 Let alone the kind of person that I am if you were actually to dig under the surface. 00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:43.920 I can give you a quick illustration of what that's like. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:47.960 If you just count the number of grey hairs on Joe's head versus the number of grey hairs on mine. 00:22:48.019 --> 00:22:51.220 You'll discover who has the hardest time of it in our relationship. 00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:54.120 That's down to me. 00:22:54.420 --> 00:22:55.220 I know that. 00:22:55.900 --> 00:22:58.000 I don't want you to find out all the details of that. 00:22:58.059 --> 00:22:58.920 But that's the reality of it. 00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:00.519 We know that if we look inside ourselves. 00:23:00.819 --> 00:23:05.559 There are all kinds of dark corners that we just don't want anybody else to see. 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:10.620 So when I look at this concept of the cup of wrath versus the cup of blessing. 00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:14.220 Which is the kind of two images that go throughout the Old Testament. 00:23:15.059 --> 00:23:19.420 The cup of wrath is where God's judgment is righteous anger. 00:23:19.420 --> 00:23:24.800 And his judgment that he's going to pour out on the people who have rejected him. 00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:28.500 Versus God's desire to bless his people. 00:23:28.920 --> 00:23:30.759 And to draw together a people of himself. 00:23:31.180 --> 00:23:32.720 Which cup do I deserve? 00:23:34.800 --> 00:23:36.259 Which cup do you deserve? 00:23:41.120 --> 00:23:44.640 Which cup does David say here is mine? 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:52.780 How is it that the cup that I deserved passed from me? 00:23:57.780 --> 00:24:05.000 Well, it happens because the cup of God's wrath was drained dry by my Savior. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:07.160 On my behalf. 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:10.440 And because he did that. 00:24:11.560 --> 00:24:14.240 Because Jesus died on the cross in my place. 00:24:15.019 --> 00:24:17.620 There is now only one cup destined for me. 00:24:18.300 --> 00:24:19.820 Friends, we are loved. 00:24:20.980 --> 00:24:22.800 And we experience that love. 00:24:23.140 --> 00:24:24.060 Every day. 00:24:24.540 --> 00:24:25.200 For eternity. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:29.900 That's the reality. 00:24:30.440 --> 00:24:32.060 Of what David is talking about here. 00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:35.440 When we talk about God's extravagant welcome. 00:24:39.079 --> 00:24:42.079 And move into starting to think about God's eternal provision. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:46.339 See, that's verse 5. 00:24:46.879 --> 00:24:48.819 Got another half of the talk to go yet. 00:24:49.419 --> 00:24:52.179 In verse 6, we read these words. 00:24:52.379 --> 00:24:54.119 David concludes his psalm by saying this. 00:24:54.119 --> 00:25:00.099 Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. 00:25:01.259 --> 00:25:04.500 And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 00:25:06.859 --> 00:25:10.619 God's eternal provision begins now. 00:25:11.659 --> 00:25:14.899 And it's experienced through God's character. 00:25:15.219 --> 00:25:16.339 We'll see in these verses. 00:25:16.739 --> 00:25:18.699 And God's very presence. 00:25:21.699 --> 00:25:23.119 Let's start with his character. 00:25:24.119 --> 00:25:26.479 Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me. 00:25:26.539 --> 00:25:27.379 If you look at these words. 00:25:27.459 --> 00:25:27.839 Like goodness. 00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:29.819 It means good, excellent, morally right. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:31.500 We kind of know what that word is. 00:25:32.119 --> 00:25:33.899 And I'll just point out that it means the same. 00:25:33.959 --> 00:25:37.159 It's the same word that God used to describe his creative work in Genesis 1. 00:25:38.299 --> 00:25:39.839 So you get a sense of what it's about. 00:25:40.639 --> 00:25:42.739 It has a sense of excellence. 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:46.319 And it has a moral element to it as well. 00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:47.319 Morally right. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.859 Goodness on the one hand. 00:25:49.139 --> 00:25:49.879 And then mercy. 00:25:50.659 --> 00:25:52.579 Which can be translated steadfast love. 00:25:52.579 --> 00:25:54.759 Or covenant faithfulness. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:58.179 Goodness and mercy. 00:25:58.179 --> 00:26:00.259 These attributes are relational. 00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:03.879 They can only be seen and experienced in the context of relationship. 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:07.480 As they're expressed by one person toward another. 00:26:07.799 --> 00:26:09.859 And only God expresses them perfectly. 00:26:09.859 --> 00:26:15.559 So goodness and mercy or steadfast love. 00:26:16.039 --> 00:26:18.579 Can only be fully experienced in their fullness. 00:26:19.219 --> 00:26:21.000 In relationship with God. 00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:25.059 The way God expresses goodness and mercy toward us. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:27.479 It actually changes us as well. 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:29.899 He restores them in us. 00:26:29.899 --> 00:26:30.899 Even as he loves us. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:33.159 And even as he shows his love toward us. 00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:36.759 We can say those who have been shown mercy will show mercy. 00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:38.540 And Jesus told parables about this. 00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:40.740 Those who are loved will love. 00:26:41.040 --> 00:26:45.500 And we can read John 3.16 to show the initiating love of God. 00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:48.259 For God so loved the world that he gave his son. 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:52.259 And then we can read in John chapter 13, 34 and 35. 00:26:52.259 --> 00:26:55.140 Where Jesus anticipates that that love. 00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:56.779 As I have loved you. 00:26:56.920 --> 00:26:58.759 So you must love one another. 00:27:01.140 --> 00:27:02.960 God's character is contagious. 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:04.480 And it's more than contagious. 00:27:04.619 --> 00:27:06.940 Because as we do catch it. 00:27:07.619 --> 00:27:10.019 We actually become signposts that point back to him. 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:14.420 God's character is contagious. 00:27:16.420 --> 00:27:19.799 And God's presence is home. 00:27:19.799 --> 00:27:25.759 David concludes this psalm by saying this. 00:27:27.079 --> 00:27:30.119 I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 00:27:33.659 --> 00:27:35.500 It's really interesting that he finishes this way. 00:27:35.619 --> 00:27:36.879 Because the word dwell. 00:27:37.539 --> 00:27:39.619 You can see there's probably a number on it in your Bibles. 00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:40.779 Which you can look down to a footnote. 00:27:40.879 --> 00:27:42.839 And see alternative translations. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:46.819 But that word dwell is the same as the restore word. 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:48.319 In verse 3. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:49.980 So when David writes, 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:52.220 He restores my soul. 00:27:55.419 --> 00:27:58.519 In the very end of the psalm. 00:27:58.639 --> 00:27:59.460 What we're reading is. 00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:02.980 A God who restores us to his presence. 00:28:06.599 --> 00:28:07.779 To return. 00:28:08.059 --> 00:28:11.700 Dwell or restore means to return to a previous better state. 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:18.539 I am being restored to who I should be. 00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:21.019 As I encounter God's character. 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:23.580 And to where I belong. 00:28:25.019 --> 00:28:26.440 As I return home. 00:28:27.160 --> 00:28:29.900 And to whom I belong with. 00:28:31.100 --> 00:28:32.759 As I enter into his presence. 00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:38.160 The promise of this psalm is this. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:40.339 That where I feel broken. 00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:41.940 I shall be made whole. 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:45.579 Where I feel guilty. 00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:47.119 I shall be forgiven. 00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:49.160 Where I feel ashamed. 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:50.960 I shall be lifted up. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.579 And where I feel lost. 00:28:54.579 --> 00:28:57.379 I'm heading home. 00:29:01.379 --> 00:29:02.539 In conclusion. 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:04.639 I'll just say this. 00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:07.819 This simple psalm of David. 00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:10.279 Six verses long. 00:29:10.279 --> 00:29:13.220 It promises. 00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:14.920 The reality. 00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:16.259 Of a God. 00:29:16.819 --> 00:29:18.440 Whose power. 00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:19.599 And plan. 00:29:19.899 --> 00:29:22.000 Encompasses the whole of human history. 00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.940 In fact the whole of existence. 00:29:25.940 --> 00:29:27.639 And that the purpose of that God. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:30.119 That faithful God. 00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:32.680 Is to welcome you home. 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:36.079 To remove every barrier. 00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:38.839 To you being in his presence. 00:29:38.839 --> 00:29:41.939 To accompany you through every hardship. 00:29:42.199 --> 00:29:42.839 And difficulty. 00:29:43.559 --> 00:29:45.319 An enemy you have to face in life. 00:29:45.399 --> 00:29:46.159 Between now. 00:29:46.439 --> 00:29:47.619 And when we are restored. 00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:49.179 To being with him face to face. 00:29:50.439 --> 00:29:51.720 And to finally. 00:29:52.199 --> 00:29:53.179 To finally. 00:29:53.959 --> 00:29:55.039 Welcome you home. 00:29:58.659 --> 00:29:59.879 Friends we are loved. 00:30:00.879 --> 00:30:02.720 And we are loved by a God. 00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:04.899 Who is drawing us home. 00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:06.799 Let me pray. 00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:10.099 Father God. 00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:19.099 Father God. 00:30:19.159 --> 00:30:20.059 These promises are. 00:30:22.279 --> 00:30:23.859 Almost too good to believe. 00:30:27.240 --> 00:30:28.799 But if I'm faced with the option. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:29.559 Of there being. 00:30:30.959 --> 00:30:32.659 A God amongst gods. 00:30:32.919 --> 00:30:33.000 Then. 00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:37.859 how more perfect and beautiful can you possibly be 00:30:37.859 --> 00:30:42.799 than any other option that my imagination could come up with. 00:30:46.980 --> 00:30:51.019 And if I'm faced with a concept of life without a God like you, 00:30:51.079 --> 00:30:52.579 I just don't see where the meaning is. 00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:54.599 So I pray, Lord, that you would help myself 00:30:54.599 --> 00:30:56.980 and all of us here 00:30:56.980 --> 00:31:03.319 to not only embrace the reality of what David is saying, 00:31:03.839 --> 00:31:05.500 but to take it to heart 00:31:05.500 --> 00:31:09.500 and to recognize that this God that David describes 00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:11.000 is you, our God. 00:31:13.019 --> 00:31:16.819 That you are more than following through dutifully on a promise, 00:31:16.819 --> 00:31:19.680 but you are a God who delights 00:31:19.680 --> 00:31:24.720 in showing extravagant love toward us. 00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:29.819 You are a God who is drawing us home 00:31:29.819 --> 00:31:31.680 and is anticipating our arrival 00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:33.940 far more than we could possibly realize. 00:31:35.140 --> 00:31:36.559 Lord, may these be the truths 00:31:36.559 --> 00:31:39.860 that our hearts sing each day. 00:31:40.779 --> 00:31:41.980 May these be the truths, Lord, 00:31:42.680 --> 00:31:44.759 that drive out our fears. 00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:47.259 In Jesus' name, amen.