WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.040 The following sermon is made available by Lakeside Bible Church in Cornelius, North Carolina. 00:00:15.040 --> 00:00:19.160 For more information about our church or to find more recorded sermons, 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:22.740 please visit us online at lakesidebible.church. 00:00:23.219 --> 00:00:25.719 We'd also love to connect with you on social media. 00:00:26.299 --> 00:00:30.660 You can find us by searching Lakeside Bible NC on Facebook and Instagram. 00:00:31.419 --> 00:00:37.879 For specific questions about the Bible or our church, please email us at info at lakesidebible.church. 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:41.560 Habakkuk chapter 3. 00:00:42.700 --> 00:00:46.239 We're only going to cover the first two verses, but I want to read the whole thing 00:00:46.239 --> 00:00:50.239 because that's going to give you the proper context of his response. 00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:51.519 Look with me at verse number 1. 00:00:52.519 --> 00:00:55.140 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigianoth. 00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:59.420 O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid. 00:01:00.119 --> 00:01:03.079 O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years. 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:05.539 In the midst of the years, make known. 00:01:05.939 --> 00:01:07.799 In wrath, remember mercy. 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:14.200 God came from Teman and the Holy One from Mount Paran, Selah. 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:19.219 His glory covered the heavens and the earth was full of his praise. 00:01:19.700 --> 00:01:21.799 And his brightness was as the light. 00:01:21.799 --> 00:01:26.679 He had horns coming out of his hand and there was the hiding of his power. 00:01:27.399 --> 00:01:32.219 Before him went the pestilence and burning coals went forth at his feet. 00:01:32.899 --> 00:01:35.019 He stood and measured the earth. 00:01:35.099 --> 00:01:37.379 He beheld and drove asunder the nations. 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:40.039 And the everlasting mountains were scattered. 00:01:40.780 --> 00:01:43.099 The perpetual hills did bow. 00:01:43.459 --> 00:01:45.459 His ways are everlasting. 00:01:45.459 --> 00:01:52.319 I saw the tents of Cushan and affliction and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 00:01:53.159 --> 00:01:55.379 Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? 00:01:55.919 --> 00:01:57.699 Was thine anger against the rivers? 00:01:58.219 --> 00:02:03.359 Was thy wrath against the sea that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? 00:02:04.479 --> 00:02:08.459 Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oaths of the tribes. 00:02:08.539 --> 00:02:10.419 Even thy word, Selah. 00:02:10.419 --> 00:02:14.479 Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. 00:02:15.119 --> 00:02:17.459 The mountains saw thee and they trembled. 00:02:18.079 --> 00:02:20.859 The overflowing of the water passed by. 00:02:21.239 --> 00:02:25.139 The deep uttered his voice and lifted up his hands on high. 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:28.459 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation. 00:02:28.799 --> 00:02:33.060 At the light of thine arrows they went and at the shining of thy glittering spear. 00:02:34.099 --> 00:02:36.560 Thou didst march through the land in indignation. 00:02:37.139 --> 00:02:39.019 Thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. 00:02:39.020 --> 00:02:43.000 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people. 00:02:43.580 --> 00:02:45.880 Even for salvation with thine anointed. 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:51.920 Thou woundest the head out of the house of the wicked by discovering the foundation unto the neck. 00:02:52.480 --> 00:02:52.960 Selah. 00:02:54.600 --> 00:02:57.780 Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages. 00:02:58.540 --> 00:03:00.840 They came out as a whirlwind to scatter me. 00:03:01.540 --> 00:03:04.400 Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:09.640 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses through the heap of great waters. 00:03:09.800 --> 00:03:12.599 Now hear how Habakkuk responds here at the very end. 00:03:12.659 --> 00:03:13.180 It's unbelievable. 00:03:13.180 --> 00:03:17.140 When I heard, that is I heard thy speech from verse 2. 00:03:17.540 --> 00:03:20.420 When I heard, my belly trembled. 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:24.099 My lips quivered at the voice. 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:26.960 Rottenness entered into my bones. 00:03:27.099 --> 00:03:30.300 And I trembled in myself that I might rest in the day of trouble. 00:03:31.300 --> 00:03:34.840 When he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. 00:03:34.840 --> 00:03:37.280 And then he praises the Lord and he says, 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:42.680 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:47.439 The labor of the olives shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat. 00:03:47.699 --> 00:03:52.039 The flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls. 00:03:52.480 --> 00:03:56.199 That's a description of the complete destruction of society. 00:03:57.240 --> 00:03:58.560 How will he respond? 00:03:58.699 --> 00:04:00.539 This is a resolve on Habakkuk's part. 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:03.560 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:06.960 I will joy in the God of my salvation. 00:04:07.460 --> 00:04:12.360 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds feet, 00:04:12.500 --> 00:04:15.319 and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:19.360 To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. 00:04:20.439 --> 00:04:23.540 There's quite a difference between the way that this book begins 00:04:23.540 --> 00:04:25.019 and the way that it ends, isn't there? 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:29.000 In the beginning, we see a frustrated prophet. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:32.319 We see a discouraged prophet, a perplexed prophet, 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:37.019 bringing his even accusations to an extent before the holy God. 00:04:37.379 --> 00:04:40.540 Then God speaks, and the way that we see him responding at the end is, 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:41.980 Lord, do whatever you've got to do. 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:46.659 If you have to destroy everything around me, I will trust in you. 00:04:46.839 --> 00:04:47.899 I will rejoice in you. 00:04:47.939 --> 00:04:48.879 It's quite a big difference. 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:53.019 In the beginning, we see a despairing heart. 00:04:53.420 --> 00:04:56.379 In the end, we see a trusting heart. 00:04:56.379 --> 00:05:04.259 This final chapter of Habakkuk is considered to be a classic poem of Hebrew poetry. 00:05:04.939 --> 00:05:11.019 And there's no mistaking, as we just read, the poetic and metaphoric elements of the text 00:05:11.019 --> 00:05:14.360 as Habakkuk responds to the message of God. 00:05:14.600 --> 00:05:17.439 But it is foremost a prayer. 00:05:18.740 --> 00:05:20.620 Look with me at verse number one. 00:05:20.620 --> 00:05:23.680 And very clearly, Habakkuk lays it out at the beginning. 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:27.079 This is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:33.959 Without a doubt, we're reminded here that Habakkuk was a praying man. 00:05:35.079 --> 00:05:40.240 In fact, this entire book is the dialogue between Habakkuk and his God. 00:05:40.899 --> 00:05:44.100 This isn't the dialogue between Habakkuk and one of his buddies 00:05:44.100 --> 00:05:46.120 or with another priest or another prophet, 00:05:46.259 --> 00:05:48.019 and they're just trying to work through and reason out 00:05:48.019 --> 00:05:49.459 and solve all the world's problems together. 00:05:49.459 --> 00:05:51.099 That is not what this book is. 00:05:51.359 --> 00:05:55.500 This is a man of God coming before the Lord himself, 00:05:55.739 --> 00:05:57.000 making his request to the Lord. 00:05:57.019 --> 00:05:58.120 He's a praying man. 00:05:58.859 --> 00:06:02.039 The questions that he begins with, he doesn't take to others, he takes to God. 00:06:02.159 --> 00:06:06.299 The more perplexing question that he develops, he doesn't take to others, he takes to God. 00:06:06.439 --> 00:06:08.779 And then when we get to the end, after he hears God answers, 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:10.879 what do we see Habakkuk doing once again? 00:06:11.139 --> 00:06:13.279 Coming once again to the Lord in prayer. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:16.639 And we see this communion, this relational God 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:19.779 that we've already talked about already this morning. 00:06:19.899 --> 00:06:27.560 We see this man of God enjoying, even in perplexity, communion with God. 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:30.159 So yes, this is a psalm. 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:33.860 It's a poem, but it's foremost a prayer. 00:06:34.860 --> 00:06:38.099 Before the nation ever proclaimed this psalm in worship, 00:06:39.019 --> 00:06:41.259 Habakkuk prayed it to God. 00:06:41.259 --> 00:06:46.360 This was not written foremost for the people. 00:06:46.699 --> 00:06:52.659 This was written foremost as Habakkuk praying to the sovereign Lord. 00:06:53.060 --> 00:06:56.279 And the Lord used it to speak to his people. 00:06:56.899 --> 00:07:02.879 And it's well worth our time to stop and take notice of the formal structure of this prayer. 00:07:04.019 --> 00:07:06.259 Have you ever prayed a prayer like chapter three? 00:07:06.259 --> 00:07:09.860 See, I can assure you, I have never prayed a prayer like this. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:14.579 I've never talked about, in my prayer to God, horns coming out of his hands. 00:07:15.139 --> 00:07:18.579 I've never talked about God riding on the horses on the sea. 00:07:18.659 --> 00:07:23.539 I've never even pictured that in my mind one time to pray to the Lord in such a poetic way. 00:07:23.740 --> 00:07:26.699 And I can tell you that Habakkuk didn't just think of this. 00:07:27.879 --> 00:07:29.319 This was formal. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:30.360 It was structured. 00:07:30.599 --> 00:07:31.719 He took time. 00:07:31.819 --> 00:07:32.920 It was premeditated. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:35.099 And there's a great lesson in this for us. 00:07:35.100 --> 00:07:40.900 Most of the time, we consider prayer to be an exclusively extemporaneous act. 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:45.680 That is, we don't have any kind of preparation or any kind of structure or any kind of plan. 00:07:46.080 --> 00:07:50.480 We enjoy the context of spontaneity when we pray, right? 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:55.780 And, of course, if we're going to follow Paul's command in the New Testament to pray without ceasing, 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:58.820 spontaneity is going to be the context of most of our prayers. 00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:02.820 We may come to church on a Sunday, and you go to Joseph. 00:08:02.900 --> 00:08:04.460 You say, Joseph, how's things going for you? 00:08:04.459 --> 00:08:06.359 And he may say, well, you know, it's been a tough week. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:08.759 And he tells you the reasons why it's been a tough week. 00:08:08.779 --> 00:08:14.279 And you may stop in that moment in spontaneity and pray with Joseph and pray over the needs of his heart. 00:08:14.439 --> 00:08:15.959 There's no premeditation to that. 00:08:16.039 --> 00:08:16.659 There's no plan. 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:17.339 There's no structure. 00:08:18.359 --> 00:08:21.939 Maybe a lot of times your private prayer at home is really structured that way too, 00:08:22.019 --> 00:08:24.039 where maybe you don't even really have a list. 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:29.300 Maybe you just kind of go to the Lord in prayer, and as you think up things to pray, you pray those things to the Lord. 00:08:29.420 --> 00:08:33.580 But I do think that there is space, not only in the scriptures but in the Christian life, 00:08:34.259 --> 00:08:46.139 for us to slow down in our private and even corporate worship for premeditated, structured, thought-through prayers to the Lord. 00:08:47.139 --> 00:08:48.039 Think about that. 00:08:48.039 --> 00:08:53.559 Habakkuk took time to think through what he's writing. 00:08:53.659 --> 00:08:56.919 Of course, we understand that to be through the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit. 00:08:57.199 --> 00:08:59.919 But he took time to think through each word. 00:09:00.139 --> 00:09:02.019 He took time to think through the structure. 00:09:02.419 --> 00:09:09.179 He has just been confronted by the God of creation, the sovereign God that is holy above all. 00:09:09.179 --> 00:09:13.120 And he has come to realize in this moment, my sin will be judged too. 00:09:13.319 --> 00:09:15.099 He's going to take time to respond. 00:09:15.839 --> 00:09:18.079 He's not going to respond frivolously in that moment. 00:09:18.219 --> 00:09:19.239 And he takes time to do that. 00:09:19.459 --> 00:09:22.239 And really, the scripture is full of prayers like this. 00:09:23.139 --> 00:09:25.659 You know when you read the book of the Psalms, you know what those are? 00:09:26.399 --> 00:09:31.299 They are formal, structured, premeditated prayers. 00:09:31.299 --> 00:09:42.299 And taking the Psalms and other prayers like Habakkuk's prayer in the scriptures and praying them to the Lord in your private worship will be a great start in this. 00:09:43.179 --> 00:09:46.699 Maybe consider sitting down and writing out prayers from time to time. 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:50.959 Not exclusively and maybe not even the majority of the time. 00:09:50.959 --> 00:09:57.039 But at least sometimes sitting down to focus your heart and give all of your attention and expression to writing out your prayers to the Lord. 00:09:57.179 --> 00:09:59.839 And then praying them to God in that moment. 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:02.019 But I think there's space for that in the Christian life. 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:05.840 Don't let anybody make you feel guilty for reading a prayer to God. 00:10:06.700 --> 00:10:08.100 We don't recite prayer. 00:10:08.360 --> 00:10:09.040 We pray. 00:10:09.860 --> 00:10:19.240 And there's a difference between praying in vain and actually praying through a thought through meditation of your words to your heavenly Father. 00:10:20.139 --> 00:10:21.540 But it's not just a prayer. 00:10:22.160 --> 00:10:26.080 We find out immediately that it's also a song. 00:10:26.780 --> 00:10:28.139 Look with me again at verse 1. 00:10:28.139 --> 00:10:33.220 He says, this is a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigianoth. 00:10:33.340 --> 00:10:35.299 Now look at verse 19 at the very end. 00:10:36.220 --> 00:10:37.039 The very last sentence. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:40.720 To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:45.159 Now Shigianoth is believed to be a specific melody or tune. 00:10:45.419 --> 00:10:48.600 Maybe you've heard of metrical tunes or metrical psalms. 00:10:48.600 --> 00:11:02.200 In fact, if you study church history at all and you maybe think back to people like Charles Spurgeon, C.H. Spurgeon, who pastored the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London in the 1800s. 00:11:02.440 --> 00:11:05.279 We understand how they did music, congregational singing. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:09.839 When they produced their hymn books, they didn't have notes in them. 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:11.259 There was no music to it. 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:11.919 It was just words. 00:11:12.039 --> 00:11:13.699 And so they would turn to a particular song. 00:11:13.899 --> 00:11:16.860 And then they would announce the tune that they were going to sing that song to. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:20.240 And then everybody would lift up their voices and they would sing this song. 00:11:20.620 --> 00:11:22.179 Shigianoth is one of those tunes. 00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:23.279 That's what we believe at least. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:25.039 We believe that it's one of those melodies. 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:32.839 So when Habakkuk writes this prayer, he not only prays it to the Lord, but then he writes it and he says, whenever you sing this, I want you to sing it to this tune. 00:11:33.539 --> 00:11:34.719 But why would he do this? 00:11:35.599 --> 00:11:38.980 Well, God's people have always been a singing people. 00:11:39.740 --> 00:11:46.719 Some believe that Habakkuk was a musician that might have even served in the musical ministry of temple worship. 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:53.159 But what's clear is that Habakkuk did not intend for this prayer to be merely read or recited. 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:59.639 He fully intended for it to be sung by the faithful remnant in Israel. 00:12:00.219 --> 00:12:02.919 And you guys know how much I love music. 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:06.579 And you know how much I love congregational music especially. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:08.899 So this is just a by the way. 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:12.439 Why is it that God's people are a singing people? 00:12:13.299 --> 00:12:19.759 And what is it that causes music to play such a vital role in the church and in the Christian life? 00:12:20.059 --> 00:12:21.360 Let me just mention a few things too. 00:12:21.419 --> 00:12:22.259 You may want to write them down. 00:12:22.259 --> 00:12:23.120 The first thing is this. 00:12:23.439 --> 00:12:27.639 Music is the best medium for committing truth to memory. 00:12:28.259 --> 00:12:30.559 It's the best medium for committing truth to memory. 00:12:31.179 --> 00:12:40.720 You may remember on one hand, even vaguely, how many sermons that you've listened to over the years of your Christian life. 00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:42.740 Some of you have been saved a long time. 00:12:43.019 --> 00:12:48.179 And you probably still, you may not even remember the sermon that we heard last Sunday or a couple weeks ago. 00:12:48.299 --> 00:12:50.240 And can I just make a confession for just a moment? 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:57.399 But whenever we come back to Philippians here in a couple weeks, I'm going to have to review myself a little bit of what I preached up to this point in Philippians. 00:12:57.399 --> 00:12:58.279 Because it's been a while. 00:12:59.080 --> 00:12:59.580 You know why? 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:02.019 Because we don't retain knowledge. 00:13:02.100 --> 00:13:06.700 We don't retain truth the same way in lecture that we do through music. 00:13:06.700 --> 00:13:09.980 There's a significance to the power of music in this way. 00:13:10.060 --> 00:13:15.700 So when Habakkuk writes this and he says, I want you to set this to Shigianoth and I want you to play it on my stringed instruments. 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:17.580 He's saying, I want this to be remembered. 00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:19.860 And I want you to commit this to your memory. 00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:22.440 I want you to commit these things about God to your memory. 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:28.300 This is why music in our church, and we take great care in the selection of the songs that we sing. 00:13:29.160 --> 00:13:33.100 The songs that we sing on a Sunday morning are not chosen randomly. 00:13:33.280 --> 00:13:37.940 They're not chosen based on exclusively their melody or the way that they make us feel. 00:13:38.020 --> 00:13:42.080 They're chosen primarily on the doctrine that they preach and that they teach. 00:13:42.180 --> 00:13:46.000 Because what we need to carry through life is not songs that make us feel good. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:51.720 We need to carry through life songs that remind us of who God is and who we are in relation to him. 00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:58.000 And we need to carry songs through life that commit the scriptures to our memory and commit the scriptures to our hearts. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:59.720 So God's people are a singing people. 00:13:59.779 --> 00:14:05.580 And one of the reasons is, is because it's the greatest medium for committing truth to memory. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:07.980 Habakkuk understood the advantages of this. 00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:13.299 Secondly, I think music provides a beautiful expression of soul in worship. 00:14:13.299 --> 00:14:19.279 One of the gifts of music is the gift of good songwriters. 00:14:20.379 --> 00:14:23.620 Now, as you can tell, I'm not a very poetic person. 00:14:23.719 --> 00:14:25.679 We've established that already in this sermon today. 00:14:26.179 --> 00:14:35.079 And I just, I don't have the ability to express my thoughts and my heart and my worship the way that God has gifted other people to express it. 00:14:36.139 --> 00:14:40.439 Last week, we introduced that song during our communion time, The King in All His Beauty, 00:14:40.440 --> 00:14:47.320 which is just such a beautiful song and it's such a great expression of who God is and what Christ has done for us in the gospel. 00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:48.540 I could never write that. 00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:59.019 But when I sing that and when I listen to that song, it gives me personally an expression of worship that I can't write on my own. 00:14:59.099 --> 00:15:00.199 And music does that for us. 00:15:00.259 --> 00:15:05.399 It brings us an expression of worship that we otherwise cannot attain to in our lives. 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:10.519 Thirdly, music heightens the emotional experience of worship in ways that are otherwise impossible. 00:15:10.519 --> 00:15:17.299 I know this is abused and it's exploited in modern Christianity really to a great extent. 00:15:17.579 --> 00:15:19.699 And that's not what I mean by this. 00:15:20.199 --> 00:15:25.579 But I do mean that God has created us and created music to affect us in this way. 00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:31.220 There's a reason music stirs us and moves us because God created it to stir us and move us. 00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:41.460 And we're not to prioritize feeling, but we are to lean in to what God has created us to be in emotional and relational beings. 00:15:41.680 --> 00:15:42.279 Now think about this. 00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:46.779 I can read Psalm 23 and be impacted by it. 00:15:47.460 --> 00:15:57.680 I can sing Psalm 23 and experience a unique expression and emotion of worship that I don't necessarily experience when I just read it. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:06.299 And depending on the emphasis of that tune and depending on the emphasis of that melody, it will help me focus on a different attribute of that song in a different way. 00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:11.000 I may sing solemnly at the beginning of that psalm, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 00:16:11.179 --> 00:16:19.159 But I may explode in praise at the end of that psalm when I say, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. 00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:22.259 And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:24.939 It's one thing to recite that and read it. 00:16:24.940 --> 00:16:30.380 It's another thing to express that in worship and beautiful expression to the Lord also. 00:16:30.540 --> 00:16:33.280 And then fourthly, it encourages focused contemplation. 00:16:33.820 --> 00:16:38.280 Three different times in this song, Habakkuk says, Selah. 00:16:38.420 --> 00:16:40.320 It means stop and think about it. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.680 It's a musical notation. 00:16:42.820 --> 00:16:50.980 And in the music, perhaps they would have even stopped completely and just paused for a moment to reflect on what they had just sung, what they had just heard. 00:16:50.980 --> 00:16:56.519 And then the music would pick back up and maybe even change its tempo or change its mood in one way or another. 00:16:56.659 --> 00:16:58.899 And they would begin to sing the remainder of the song. 00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:00.000 Music does that. 00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:09.779 The prayer song of chapter three provides a structure for how we should respond to God in troubling seasons of life. 00:17:09.779 --> 00:17:13.460 And how we should approach him with our perplexities. 00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:18.639 In this chapter, we see Habakkuk react to the word of God. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:22.740 We see him rehearse the mighty acts of God. 00:17:23.139 --> 00:17:27.819 And then we see him resolve to rejoice in the person of God. 00:17:28.059 --> 00:17:29.379 You need to worry about the last two. 00:17:29.460 --> 00:17:30.399 We won't get to them today. 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:33.220 We're just going to talk about his reaction to the word of God. 00:17:33.259 --> 00:17:33.899 And let's do that now. 00:17:33.980 --> 00:17:35.160 Look with me at verse number two. 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:41.360 Habakkuk prays, O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid. 00:17:42.220 --> 00:17:45.259 O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years. 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:48.279 In the midst of the years, make known. 00:17:48.800 --> 00:17:51.320 In wrath, remember mercy. 00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:57.080 If we were to compare the various prayers that Habakkuk prayed throughout this book, 00:17:57.080 --> 00:18:02.900 we would quickly see a shift in the attitude and tone of this final prayer song. 00:18:02.900 --> 00:18:09.220 His first prayer, as we mentioned, was a question of what seemed to be God's inaction. 00:18:09.340 --> 00:18:12.740 And his second prayer was a question of God's methods. 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:16.000 And while it's not necessary for us to condemn him in that, 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:23.840 there is without a doubt a positive change that takes place when we get to his prayer in chapter three. 00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:31.440 James Boyce says something happened in the interval between the prayers of the first chapter and the prayer of the third. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:33.440 And it changed Habakkuk. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:41.380 Quite simply, Boyce says, Habakkuk had taken his mind off of himself, the Israelites and the Babylonians, 00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:44.120 and had focused on God. 00:18:44.820 --> 00:18:46.380 Well, what's really the difference in these prayers? 00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:49.700 In chapter one, we see his perplexing prayers. 00:18:49.820 --> 00:18:51.100 We see his questioning God. 00:18:51.180 --> 00:18:53.019 We see him questioning God's methods. 00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:55.420 And then in chapter three, we see him praising God. 00:18:55.460 --> 00:18:58.180 And we see him rejoicing in the Lord despite his circumstances. 00:18:58.500 --> 00:18:59.360 What's the difference? 00:18:59.500 --> 00:19:00.279 Where is the interval? 00:19:00.639 --> 00:19:01.599 It's chapter two. 00:19:02.220 --> 00:19:03.619 And what's in chapter two? 00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:05.619 Nothing from Habakkuk. 00:19:06.639 --> 00:19:09.180 When we get to the end of his second question, what's he doing? 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:11.059 He says, I will sit upon my high tower. 00:19:11.259 --> 00:19:12.279 I'm going to be quiet. 00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:13.319 And I'm going to watch. 00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:16.660 And I'm going to wait to see how the Lord will answer me in this moment. 00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:18.879 And then all of chapter two is God's answer. 00:19:18.879 --> 00:19:24.859 What made the difference between Habakkuk's prayers in chapter one and Habakkuk's prayer in chapter three? 00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:27.460 It was the word of God that made the difference. 00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:30.940 In chapter one, he wasn't considering the words of God. 00:19:31.019 --> 00:19:34.539 In chapter one, he was only considering his own perspective and his own circumstance. 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:38.700 But when he gets to chapter three, he's been confronted by the very words of God. 00:19:38.700 --> 00:19:43.319 And once being confronted by the very words of God, it has completely changed his tone. 00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:44.519 It's changed his attitude. 00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:47.380 It's changed his perspective of everything that he's doing. 00:19:48.340 --> 00:19:49.779 Look with me at that first phrase. 00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:55.639 Oh, Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid, he says. 00:19:56.079 --> 00:20:00.139 The root of the change is seen in this opening phrase. 00:20:00.420 --> 00:20:02.000 I have heard thy speech. 00:20:03.019 --> 00:20:08.660 A dramatic shift has taken place in which the eyes of the prophet have been lifted off of his circumstance 00:20:08.660 --> 00:20:12.720 and have instead been focused on his God. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:21.240 And the cause of this shift is the Bible, the word of God, the scriptures, what God had delivered him in this message. 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:32.339 And once again, we are confronted by the fact that it is the Bible that God uses to affect our heart and our will. 00:20:32.339 --> 00:20:39.919 It wasn't some kind of epiphany that Habakkuk had finally come to and things had just clicked and made sense in his mind. 00:20:39.939 --> 00:20:40.819 It wasn't that at all. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:50.579 It wasn't this psychological evaluation where he just decided to pull himself up by his bootstraps and just press forward despite his confusion. 00:20:50.639 --> 00:20:51.399 It wasn't that at all. 00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:54.319 It was the very words of God that impacted his heart. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:21:01.659 It was the very spirit of God that affected and energized his will and energized his thoughts in this moment. 00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:04.839 The Bible is God's speech. 00:21:05.720 --> 00:21:11.699 Everything that we have in the scriptures that you hold in your hand today, this is verbally spoken by God. 00:21:11.779 --> 00:21:12.639 That's what we believe. 00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:18.480 Paul wrote to Timothy that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and it's profitable for us. 00:21:18.679 --> 00:21:20.779 That word inspiration means breathed out. 00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:21.899 God breathed out. 00:21:21.899 --> 00:21:27.119 We believe in the verbal speaking of God in delivering his word. 00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:31.579 When we see these words, we trust them because we believe them to be the very words of God. 00:21:31.579 --> 00:21:35.799 What impacted Habakkuk in that moment was the very words of God. 00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:47.379 What will impact you and impact you and your perplexities and what will change your tone and attitude despite your misunderstandings and your incomplete understanding will only be the word of God. 00:21:47.639 --> 00:21:49.480 So dive into the word of God. 00:21:49.480 --> 00:21:55.279 So already we've seen that what made the difference for Habakkuk was prayer and scripture. 00:21:56.019 --> 00:21:57.640 Prayer and scripture. 00:21:58.339 --> 00:22:00.519 Prayer is our way of communing with God. 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:03.039 Scripture is God's way of communing with us. 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:05.480 And the problem with many Christians is they don't pray. 00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:10.180 So when they don't pray, there's already half of this relationship that's being ignored. 00:22:10.380 --> 00:22:13.200 And the other problem is many Christians don't read their Bible either. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:20.700 So if you're not praying and you're not reading your Bible, there is literally nothing there to substantiate your communion with God. 00:22:20.819 --> 00:22:22.420 There's no way for him to speak to you. 00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:24.460 There's no way for you to speak to him. 00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:28.860 And of course, if we neglect prayer and scripture, we will live in perplexity. 00:22:29.339 --> 00:22:30.700 We will live in confusion. 00:22:30.700 --> 00:22:41.759 Our minds always focused on us, always focused on our circumstance, never with our eyes lifted up to the holy God, never in worship, always on us. 00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:44.880 And it was the word of God that made this difference. 00:22:45.100 --> 00:22:49.660 It's why we're called Lakeside Bible Church because it's the Bible that will make the difference. 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:52.960 It's why we read scripture through our services. 00:22:53.380 --> 00:22:58.559 It's why we put a focus on the preaching of the word in our services and not on other things. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:09.839 It's why we care that our music is infused with scripture because it is the word of God that is used by the spirit of God to affect our wills and our behavior and our minds and our thoughts. 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:15.519 What was the specific work that God did in Habakkuk's heart? 00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:20.639 The prophet tells us at the end of that phrase, he says, I was afraid. 00:23:20.879 --> 00:23:22.019 I fear. 00:23:22.339 --> 00:23:23.919 I do fear. 00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:26.019 Why did he fear? 00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:35.259 At the beginning of this chapter or at the beginning of this book, Habakkuk's eyes are focused solely on himself and on the nation and on the Chaldeans. 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:38.039 He's looking at everything from his own perspective. 00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:49.839 And the reason he's confused about the way God was judging Israel is because he kept comparing Israel's wickedness or what he perceived to be Israel's righteousness with the wickedness of the Chaldeans. 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:56.500 So long as he was only looking at it from man's perspective, it would never make sense to him that God was judging Israel in this way. 00:23:57.699 --> 00:24:04.059 And so long as we're living our lives in comparison with everybody else, it's never going to make sense why God works in the way that he does. 00:24:04.220 --> 00:24:08.639 It's never going to make sense why the wicked prosper and why the righteous are reproved. 00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:11.980 It will never make sense so long as our eyes are focused on ourselves. 00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:14.460 But when we get to chapter 2, what happens? 00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:16.880 The focus is taken off of Israel. 00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:18.640 The focus is taken off of Habakkuk. 00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:20.500 The focus is taken off of the Chaldeans. 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:22.620 And it's focused solely on the holiness of God. 00:24:22.860 --> 00:24:25.200 And God says, everyone will be judged, Habakkuk. 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:27.920 At the end of this, it doesn't matter how it turns out right now. 00:24:27.960 --> 00:24:30.759 At the end of this, every sin will be judged. 00:24:31.240 --> 00:24:33.519 Every sin will be judged. 00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:35.980 And you will be no exception. 00:24:36.460 --> 00:24:37.759 I am the holy God. 00:24:38.360 --> 00:24:40.259 Stand in silence before me. 00:24:40.259 --> 00:24:42.980 And that's exactly what Habakkuk does. 00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:44.279 He's humbled. 00:24:45.740 --> 00:24:47.379 He sees God. 00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:51.359 And when he sees God, he sees himself in relation to God. 00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:52.140 And it humbles him. 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:57.799 And he begins to fear this reverential fear that believers are to live in light of. 00:24:58.940 --> 00:24:59.579 Why? 00:25:00.819 --> 00:25:02.700 Because he saw God. 00:25:04.640 --> 00:25:07.299 When we lose sight of who God is, 00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:11.599 we inevitably lose sight of who we are in relation to him. 00:25:12.659 --> 00:25:17.279 And what we end up doing then is playing the comparison game. 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:20.759 We say, well, I deserve more than this. 00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:23.000 Why does this person get that when they do this? 00:25:24.059 --> 00:25:27.480 If you remember back in chapter 1 during this second question in verse 13, 00:25:27.639 --> 00:25:28.399 Habakkuk says, 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:29.400 Habakkuk says, 00:25:29.400 --> 00:25:31.780 Why do you look treacherously upon us? 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:35.560 Why do you hold your tongue when the wicked devours the man more righteous than he? 00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:38.820 Habakkuk's still looking at Israel as righteous. 00:25:39.400 --> 00:25:40.740 But he's got the wrong perspective. 00:25:42.019 --> 00:25:47.420 It wasn't that God was using a more wicked people to judge a righteous people. 00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:50.400 He was using a more wicked people to judge a less wicked people. 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:53.320 And they were all ultimately going to be judged. 00:25:54.019 --> 00:25:56.600 Which is what makes verse 4 of chapter 2 so important. 00:25:57.759 --> 00:25:58.820 All sin will be judged. 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:03.200 Only those who live by faith will be justified. 00:26:04.360 --> 00:26:05.900 Then we say, look at the next phrase. 00:26:07.780 --> 00:26:09.980 Revive thy work in the midst of the years. 00:26:11.040 --> 00:26:12.780 In the midst of the years, make it known. 00:26:13.800 --> 00:26:14.700 Habakkuk prays. 00:26:14.700 --> 00:26:24.539 The entire chapter of 3, this is the only petition in this whole prayer that Habakkuk makes. 00:26:25.080 --> 00:26:26.120 That's pretty amazing. 00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:31.500 19 verses we read that make up this prayer and this psalm and this song. 00:26:31.660 --> 00:26:36.380 And there's only half of one verse that actually includes Habakkuk asking for something. 00:26:36.860 --> 00:26:41.180 But what's significant about this petition is what he didn't ask for. 00:26:41.600 --> 00:26:43.340 Notice with me again in verse 2. 00:26:43.339 --> 00:26:48.859 What do you notice missing from that petition? 00:26:50.259 --> 00:26:52.179 Habakkuk didn't ask for God to change his mind. 00:26:53.699 --> 00:26:57.220 He didn't ask for God to not judge Israel. 00:26:58.039 --> 00:27:03.000 He didn't ask for God to prevent the Babylonians from sacking the city of Jerusalem. 00:27:03.259 --> 00:27:05.019 He didn't ask God to do anything. 00:27:05.240 --> 00:27:07.459 He didn't ask God to change his mind. 00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:08.819 He didn't ask him to change his judgment. 00:27:08.819 --> 00:27:13.720 He understood that God's judgment must be poured out on sin. 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:16.359 God had spoken and he was submissive to that. 00:27:16.919 --> 00:27:18.299 So what did he ask for? 00:27:19.779 --> 00:27:22.099 He asked that God's work would be accomplished. 00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:26.059 That God's glory would be known. 00:27:27.179 --> 00:27:29.539 He took the focus off of what he wanted. 00:27:29.659 --> 00:27:31.519 He took the focus off of his own comforts. 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:34.500 He took the focus off of his own desires for the nation. 00:27:34.700 --> 00:27:43.200 And he essentially says, Lord, if this is what you've got to do to accomplish your work, if this is what you've got to do to accomplish your purposes, then do it. 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:50.200 And I wonder how many times we have gone through difficulties in life and we've observed the chaos of the world around us. 00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:58.680 And how many of our prayers, in addition to asking for God to do something about the wickedness, how much of that has come from a heart of, Lord, I just want your glory to be known. 00:27:58.819 --> 00:28:00.819 And I just want your power to be demonstrated. 00:28:01.080 --> 00:28:03.559 And I just want your purposes to be accomplished. 00:28:03.819 --> 00:28:07.819 Even if it costs me everything, Lord, I want your work to be done. 00:28:07.819 --> 00:28:11.179 I can tell you very few times I've prayed a prayer like that. 00:28:12.299 --> 00:28:12.679 Why? 00:28:12.759 --> 00:28:14.339 Because my prayer is consumed with me. 00:28:15.779 --> 00:28:16.980 What I want and what I desire. 00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:21.659 And of course, the Lord wants us to cast our care upon him for he cares for us and we can't forget that either. 00:28:21.819 --> 00:28:26.539 But the focus of Habakkuk's prayer is, Lord, revive your work. 00:28:26.759 --> 00:28:29.279 Whatever you've got to do, Lord, do it. 00:28:29.899 --> 00:28:36.639 His one desire was that things would be right according to God's plan, not comfortable according to his desires. 00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:43.179 And we have to ask ourselves the question, what's the preeminent focus of our life? 00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:47.679 What is it truly that concerns you the most? 00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:55.819 What have you taken on as the crusade of your life, the thing that you're fighting for, the thing that you are most passionate about in your life? 00:28:57.099 --> 00:29:00.039 Some of us, the greatest passion that we have is a political passion. 00:29:01.179 --> 00:29:05.700 Maybe we're concerned about the socialism that seems to be creeping its way into America. 00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:12.200 And how many of us in that moment realize that you can take the socialism out of a man and all you have is a man without socialism? 00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:18.279 But you give a man Jesus and you change his eternity through the power of God. 00:29:18.600 --> 00:29:20.380 Everything in his life has been changed. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:22.140 Everything in his eternity has changed. 00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:25.700 Sure, let's make statements for right and let's make statements for justice. 00:29:25.700 --> 00:29:31.420 And let's do whatever we've got to do to make sure that righteousness prevails, at least according to our lives. 00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:35.900 But let's do that secondary to whatever it is that God desires to do. 00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:38.500 Let's focus on the kingdom of God first. 00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:41.180 What's your biggest concern in life? 00:29:43.080 --> 00:29:44.840 Some of us are concerned about this virus. 00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:46.880 Everybody seems to have forgotten about it this week. 00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:50.000 But it's real. 00:29:51.780 --> 00:29:52.620 And it's legitimate. 00:29:52.760 --> 00:29:56.160 And some people are getting, I've got a pastor friend in Georgia that the Cheeks know. 00:29:56.320 --> 00:29:57.820 He's been in the hospital for like two weeks now. 00:29:58.140 --> 00:30:00.280 Like he's very close to dying. 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:09.640 A man who otherwise before this was in perfect health, had no health issues, no underlying conditions as far as I think that they understood up to that point. 00:30:09.760 --> 00:30:13.200 And he's been on a ventilator for two weeks fighting for it. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:16.620 This is a real virus that's really affecting people in real ways. 00:30:17.080 --> 00:30:19.680 And some of us are really concerned about that. 00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:20.180 And that's fine. 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:20.600 You need to be. 00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:22.680 Pray for God's protection. 00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:24.600 Pray for God to do this. 00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:26.360 But pray first for God's will to be done. 00:30:27.120 --> 00:30:28.160 For his glory to be known. 00:30:29.340 --> 00:30:32.660 We're concerned about these riots and the destruction. 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:34.340 Pray about that. 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:35.220 But pray first that. 00:30:35.220 --> 00:30:40.680 Have you ever considered that everything that's happening around us is being orchestrated by God to accomplish his purpose? 00:30:40.920 --> 00:30:43.039 And you know one of the things I think is his purpose right now? 00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:45.720 I think he is waking up his church right now. 00:30:47.360 --> 00:30:53.019 That we will understand that our motivation in this life is not to build a great life for us. 00:30:53.120 --> 00:30:56.539 Our motivation in this life is to preach the gospel of Christ. 00:30:56.819 --> 00:31:04.039 And if God's church would just wake up and focus on that truth, we would be able to approach our society a completely different viewpoint. 00:31:04.039 --> 00:31:08.220 Instead of fighting with people on Facebook, we'll be fighting with people about the gospel. 00:31:08.700 --> 00:31:10.299 Preaching the gospel truth. 00:31:10.360 --> 00:31:12.519 The only thing that can actually change people's lives. 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:14.500 What's your focus? 00:31:14.620 --> 00:31:16.240 Habakkuk's focus changed here. 00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:20.400 And he said, revive your work, Lord. 00:31:21.259 --> 00:31:23.980 It takes loss to understand the value of gain. 00:31:24.620 --> 00:31:29.740 And it is hardship that so often helps us to see the blessing of everyday graces. 00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:34.400 Revivals often come in the midst of terrible times. 00:31:34.920 --> 00:31:42.759 And they're often sparked by a few faithful Christians that are willing to lay everything on the line for the work and glory of God. 00:31:43.799 --> 00:31:48.140 Think about what Habakkuk was saying when he prayed, revive your work, Lord. 00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:49.180 Here's what he was saying. 00:31:49.180 --> 00:31:53.640 He was submitting to losing his home. 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:57.640 He was submitting to losing his freedom. 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:03.299 He was submitting to losing his family and his friends. 00:32:03.840 --> 00:32:07.340 He was submitting to losing his free right to worship. 00:32:08.100 --> 00:32:09.880 He was losing his country. 00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:13.000 He was losing even his own life. 00:32:13.000 --> 00:32:18.360 But he still prayed, Lord, whatever you've got to do, do it. 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:24.320 God's work in this earth is not the American dream. 00:32:25.020 --> 00:32:27.620 It's the salvation of souls. 00:32:27.980 --> 00:32:30.660 So pray for the kingdom of God. 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:31.880 And then finally, and we'll finish. 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:33.520 Look at this last phrase. 00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:37.000 In wrath, remember mercy. 00:32:37.740 --> 00:32:39.440 In wrath, remember mercy. 00:32:41.240 --> 00:32:43.160 This is the theme of all the Bible. 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:53.259 God must judge sin, but he has provided a savior that has taken our judgment. 00:32:53.839 --> 00:32:57.639 Truly in justice, he has provided mercy. 00:32:58.259 --> 00:33:03.099 And this is the great work that Habakkuk is praying for God to revive. 00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:06.440 Consistent throughout this book is this truth. 00:33:06.539 --> 00:33:11.000 There's the covenant of God, the eternal covenant, that God's wrath will be poured out against sin, 00:33:11.180 --> 00:33:15.519 but that he has made a provision for mercy to all that love and follow him. 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:18.879 Not on the basis of who they are or on the basis of what they do, 00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:23.039 but on the basis of their faith in his finished work at Calvary as we understand it now. 00:33:25.299 --> 00:33:27.980 So he's acknowledging the fact here. 00:33:28.519 --> 00:33:32.099 He's not asking God to remember mercy as if he's forgotten it. 00:33:32.099 --> 00:33:38.139 He's acknowledging that equal to God's attribute of justice is God's attribute of mercy and salvation and forgiveness. 00:33:38.140 --> 00:33:43.580 In fact, justice and mercy, they never work in isolation. 00:33:44.580 --> 00:33:46.040 They always work together. 00:33:46.920 --> 00:33:49.940 Anytime you see justice, what will you see with it? 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:50.960 God's mercy. 00:33:51.600 --> 00:33:56.160 Anytime you see God's wrath, you will also see the salvation of God. 00:33:57.060 --> 00:33:59.580 And God certainly did show mercy in this situation. 00:33:59.579 --> 00:34:07.439 Yes, the wicked were destroyed in Israel, but God saved a remnant of the people that became his witnesses in Babylon, 00:34:07.859 --> 00:34:14.099 that he brought back 70 years later, that he preserved the Davidic bloodline in order that he might fulfill the prophecy, 00:34:14.440 --> 00:34:20.619 that through the throne of David, there would be a seat of David that would sit eternally on the throne, the person of Jesus Christ. 00:34:20.779 --> 00:34:22.400 Yes, he did show mercy. 00:34:23.059 --> 00:34:26.460 They had difficulty, but God showed his mercy. 00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:29.420 Can I tell you what the whole Bible is about? 00:34:29.500 --> 00:34:31.079 Can I sum it up for you just in one phrase? 00:34:32.699 --> 00:34:35.460 God's salvation of his people. 00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:37.880 God's salvation of his people. 00:34:39.099 --> 00:34:40.059 Julie and I were talking yesterday. 00:34:40.059 --> 00:34:42.659 I know I got to finish, but Julie and I were talking yesterday 00:34:42.659 --> 00:34:50.940 about how often we lose sight of that fact when we study various portions of scripture. 00:34:51.300 --> 00:34:53.079 Think about the story of David and Goliath. 00:34:53.079 --> 00:35:00.279 How many times have we heard a sermon on David and Goliath that has focused on applying our life to David? 00:35:01.340 --> 00:35:02.000 You remember the story. 00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:04.360 You know what's happening in 1 Samuel there. 00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:08.500 That Israel is encamped on the hillside of the valley of Elah and they're trembling. 00:35:09.299 --> 00:35:12.659 They're at war with the armies of Philistia and they're trembling. 00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:14.279 The battle has stopped. 00:35:14.280 --> 00:35:20.920 And every day the Philistines are sending out a champion, a 10-foot tall giant named Goliath who was mocking God and mocking Israel. 00:35:21.120 --> 00:35:26.340 And he said, if you'll send one champion out to fight me, whoever loses will have to serve the other country. 00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:28.960 That was basically what he was saying and he was mocking God in the process. 00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:30.960 Well, Israel didn't have a champion. 00:35:31.640 --> 00:35:33.660 They didn't have anybody to fight for them, anybody willing. 00:35:34.280 --> 00:35:40.760 And here comes David, teenage boy, there on a humanitarian effort to bring some food to his brothers. 00:35:40.760 --> 00:35:45.120 He sees Goliath, he hears what's going on, he goes, and you know the story, you know how it goes. 00:35:45.180 --> 00:35:46.480 He ends up going and fighting Goliath. 00:35:47.520 --> 00:35:48.820 He can't wear any armor. 00:35:49.320 --> 00:35:50.200 He has no sword. 00:35:50.800 --> 00:35:51.960 He certainly didn't have a pistol. 00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:54.860 All he has is a sling and a handful of stones. 00:35:55.880 --> 00:35:59.240 And he puts one in the sling and he slings it around, hits Goliath right in the head. 00:35:59.340 --> 00:36:00.100 Goliath is killed. 00:36:00.460 --> 00:36:01.140 Philistia runs. 00:36:01.540 --> 00:36:02.500 We understand the story. 00:36:02.500 --> 00:36:12.559 How many times have we heard a sermon that says, these giants in your life, these giants of sin and these giants of depression and these giants of poverty and these giants of all of these things. 00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:17.539 If you will just be like David and you'll just be faithful, you'll be able to get victory over these giants. 00:36:18.199 --> 00:36:19.719 But that's not what that story is about at all. 00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:22.360 You are not David. 00:36:23.380 --> 00:36:24.059 Neither am I. 00:36:24.360 --> 00:36:25.480 You know who we are in that story? 00:36:25.780 --> 00:36:26.420 We're Israel. 00:36:26.420 --> 00:36:35.680 We're the ones on the hill, shaking in our boots because we see the Goliath coming out day by day, fighting against us. 00:36:35.720 --> 00:36:38.220 And we know we're incapable of fighting that giant. 00:36:38.420 --> 00:36:40.760 There is nothing in us that can fight that giant. 00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:44.159 There is no way that we can champion our own cause in this moment. 00:36:44.240 --> 00:36:48.099 So we stay on the hillside of the Valley of Elah and we shake in our boots. 00:36:48.220 --> 00:36:51.400 But God sends a champion on our behalf. 00:36:51.680 --> 00:36:53.159 David is Jesus. 00:36:53.159 --> 00:37:02.920 And Jesus comes and he fights that giant of death and that giant of sin and that giant of depression and all the other giants of our life that we can't fight against. 00:37:03.219 --> 00:37:09.539 Christ fights for us as the perfect fulfillment of what David represented in 1 Samuel. 00:37:09.639 --> 00:37:10.219 You're not David. 00:37:10.739 --> 00:37:11.819 Jesus is David. 00:37:12.799 --> 00:37:20.599 In everything that we read in the Bible, the whole story is about God's salvation of his people from his own wrath. 00:37:20.599 --> 00:37:24.079 And he has ultimately poured out that wrath on his own son. 00:37:24.179 --> 00:37:25.860 That's where it finds its ultimate fulfillment. 00:37:27.139 --> 00:37:30.500 Mercy and justice meet together once again on Calvary. 00:37:31.199 --> 00:37:34.639 Except this time God's wrath isn't being poured out on wicked men. 00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:38.400 God's wrath is being poured out on his perfectly sinless son. 00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:48.500 And justice is served on the son of God in order that we who actually deserve that justice can actually obtain God's mercy. 00:37:48.500 --> 00:37:48.619 Mercy. 00:37:49.820 --> 00:37:58.500 And we read in 1 Corinthians, God hath made him to be sin who knew no sin that in him we might have the righteousness of Christ. 00:37:59.500 --> 00:38:01.039 That's the story of the Bible. 00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:04.300 God will judge sin and he will judge every sin. 00:38:04.420 --> 00:38:06.880 But he has made a provision for mercy. 00:38:07.039 --> 00:38:13.960 And just as much as he will pour out wrath against sin, he has poured it out on Christ for all that will come to him in faith. 00:38:14.099 --> 00:38:16.139 And for all that will believe in him. 00:38:16.139 --> 00:38:24.279 That's why every Sunday when we come to this place to worship, wherever we worship, this message of the gospel will be preached. 00:38:25.019 --> 00:38:26.440 And that's my commitment to you. 00:38:26.500 --> 00:38:31.440 And if there's ever a day that I stop doing it, Marty, you remove me out of the way and you put somebody else here in my place. 00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:42.800 When you invite somebody to come to church as a friend on Sunday and you've been praying for them to get saved and they come and all they hear is 10 tips on how you can be a better mother, that's not going to help them. 00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:52.619 I want you to know that when you bring somebody to church with you on Sunday that they're going to in some way, shape, or form hear the gospel preached from whatever passage that we're studying in the Bible. 00:38:52.619 --> 00:38:57.079 Because the Bible is about just that, God's redemptive plan of mankind. 00:38:58.559 --> 00:39:00.199 And so we have to ask every Sunday. 00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:03.500 And even if there's no guest, I'll ask you every Sunday. 00:39:04.699 --> 00:39:06.539 Have you truly trusted him? 00:39:08.219 --> 00:39:13.599 Have you truly been confronted by the holy God that Habakkuk was confronted by? 00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:22.239 Or are you still hoping that because your sin isn't as bad as everybody else's sin that God's going to give you a pass? 00:39:23.059 --> 00:39:24.440 But it won't work that way. 00:39:26.599 --> 00:39:30.299 God was going to judge Habakkuk's sin just like he was going to judge Nebuchadnezzar's sin. 00:39:31.259 --> 00:39:35.819 The only thing that would cause him to be justified before God was his faith. 00:39:35.820 --> 00:39:44.080 And the only thing that will cause us to stand justified before God at the end of this life will be our faith in Christ Jesus. 00:39:45.880 --> 00:39:52.900 For those of us that have trusted him, the desire of our heart now should be the desire of Habakkuk's heart. 00:39:53.980 --> 00:39:57.740 Lord, whatever you got to do, I just want you, I want your work to be done in my life. 00:39:57.920 --> 00:39:59.720 I want your work to be done in this world. 00:39:59.719 --> 00:40:06.579 I want my life to be consumed with gospel purposes just like Habakkuk's life was consumed at this point with gospel purposes. 00:40:07.259 --> 00:40:08.559 I want to pray like Jesus. 00:40:09.639 --> 00:40:11.259 Lord, not my will, your will be done. 00:40:12.539 --> 00:40:14.539 Jesus is the ultimate example of that. 00:40:15.819 --> 00:40:24.379 He cared more about the will of the Father and the salvation of mankind than he did his own comfort and his own desires as a man, as a human in that place. 00:40:25.779 --> 00:40:27.659 Can you say that that's your one desire? 00:40:27.659 --> 00:40:32.839 I want him to be glorified in my life. 00:40:34.440 --> 00:40:36.440 I want him to be glorified in my church. 00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:41.599 I want him to be glorified in my family, whatever he's got to do to make that happen. 00:40:41.659 --> 00:40:45.059 I want the Lord to do his work because I care more about his work than my comfort. 00:40:45.359 --> 00:40:47.539 I care more about his work than I care about my freedoms. 00:40:47.779 --> 00:40:51.460 And I care more about his work than I care about anything else that I've got going on in my life. 00:40:51.460 --> 00:41:01.240 I love him first because as we said earlier, that's the greatest commandment in the scriptures that we would love God with our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength. 00:41:01.300 --> 00:41:03.559 And the problem with a lot of Christians is that they don't love God. 00:41:03.559 --> 00:41:06.099 At least not enough. 00:41:07.960 --> 00:41:10.019 We've idolized all the things that we want. 00:41:10.779 --> 00:41:12.900 But Habakkuk prays, Lord, I've heard your speech. 00:41:13.920 --> 00:41:16.119 I've seen you because he spent time in the word. 00:41:16.380 --> 00:41:23.340 And as he spent time in the word, as he heard the message of God delivered to him, he said, I fear before you and I just want your work to be done. 00:41:23.340 --> 00:41:33.039 And as you're accomplishing that work of justice, Lord, remember mercy and show your salvation on man. 00:41:34.260 --> 00:41:35.260 Let's bow for prayer. 00:41:36.220 --> 00:41:39.660 Thank you for listening to this sermon made available by Lakeside Bible Church. 00:41:40.100 --> 00:41:41.760 Feel free to share it wherever you'd like. 00:41:42.280 --> 00:41:48.039 Please do not charge for it or alter it in any way without express written consent from Lakeside Bible Church. 00:41:48.039 --> 00:41:56.360 Don't forget to visit us online at lakesidebible.church or find us on Facebook and Instagram by searching for Lakeside Bible NC. 00:41:57.059 --> 00:42:01.460 If you live in the Charlotte or Lake Norman area, we'd love for you to attend one of our worship services. 00:42:01.880 --> 00:42:03.860 We meet every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. 00:42:03.860 --> 00:42:05.199 We'd love to meet you.