WEBVTT

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 An expression of unfairness, I think, then, if you flip the coin, is an expression of our deep longing for justice, for rightness in our world, for truth, for, as we're going to see the word today, for righteousness, for purity in our world and in our dealings with others.

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 Now, why have we a deep longing for that? Because we daily experience ourselves or we observe others experiencing the very opposite. We see people experiencing injustice, unrighteousness, impurity, lies, distortion of truth, and full-blown criminal acts.

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 But at the same time, I think we fear the justice and the righteousness and the purity we long for. We crave for it, but we fear it. Why would that be the case?

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 Because I think, inherently, we know that we ourselves are unrighteous, impure, unjust in our dealings with others, and in even how we present ourselves sometimes.

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 And so, I think we actually get ourselves trapped in something of a vicious cycle, craving that which ultimately we fear, because we suspect we can't bear the experience of true justice, true righteousness, true purity.

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 And that dilemma, I think, then gets worse once we introduce the notion of God into our living.

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 So, people commonly blame God for perceived unfairness in life's circumstances.

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 We see that all the time. People can ignore God for weeks and weeks at an end, but something comes up.

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 Oh, what sort of God would allow that to happen?

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 Why do people do that?

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 Well, because people believe that if there is a God, people believe and expect and demand that God would deliver righteousness and truth and justice.

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 That he would be the dispenser of those things in his world.

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 But then again, we get caught in that cycle I mentioned a moment ago, because we crave God's justice applied to our world.

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 But then, I think, at the same time, we fear God's justice.

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 We fear God's truth.

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 We fear God's righteousness.

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 We fear God's purity.

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 Because we fear that we'll get swept up with it and swept away by God's judgment.

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 And so, it is a dilemma for us.

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 And Psalm 7 just jumps into this dilemma, portraying both God's fierce righteousness and, on the other hand, God's severe judgment as inseparable.

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 In Psalm 7, it's just been read to us by Gareth, the righteous God, the Lord, the Most High, as he's described within the psalm, is pictured here.

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 The picture language is that of a fierce warrior, armed to the teeth, able to dispatch his enemies just with ease, with multiple weapons of destruction.

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 And this warrior is not only armed to the teeth, but he's ready to dispense severe judgment to all who deserve it.

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 This is a God who's portrayed in righteousness and justice, whose righteousness and justice has real teeth.

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 This God doesn't make idle threats in respect to judgment.

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 Now, I think that's probably why we're discussing this at staff meeting this week, as we always do, a preview, looking at trying to help each other prepare for sermons.

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 And the consensus was that in our younger years, and even now, lots of Christians would just jump over a psalm like this.

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 Because a mention of fierce righteousness and severe judgment, as we have here in this psalm, is just confronting.

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 It's uncomfortable.

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 Perhaps even threatening.

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 And that's also why, as we jump into Psalm 7, we need to be thinking theologically.

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 We need to be thinking theologically about God and the world in which we live, God's world.

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 Now, what is the word theology?

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 Well, theology is the science or study of God.

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 Theos, God, logos, words, study of.

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 Theology is the science or study of God and his nature.

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 So, you might be thinking already, well, why is he speaking to predominantly Christians here?

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 Why is he telling us we need to think theologically?

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 Isn't that a given that Christians think theologically about God?

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 Well, I have to tell you, no, it's not a given.

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 It's not a given at all.

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 So many people, and sadly, I have to say, that includes so many Christians, shape their thinking about God, not from what God has revealed about himself in his written word, the Bible, but from other sources.

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 Perhaps it's from circumstances and what feels right.

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 So, it's very common, and I know those who would call themselves Christians that would say this.

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 So, they think about God from the circumstances.

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 So, they'll say to me, God is in the good things of life, but he can't be in the bad things of life.

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 That's a God who's shaped by circumstances and feelings.

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 Or it could be from our culture that people get their view of God.

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 The culture always divides life into sacred and secular.

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 That is, there's some points of life, some aspects of life, that are clearly God's domain,

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 but then there's lots of other parts of life that are ours to shape and form and do with as we please.

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 And the two don't really overlap.

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 Or, more recently, people get their view of God from what's called expressive individualism.

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 That is, people say, well, my starting point is that I believe I'm entitled to be happy.

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 And if there is a God, then his job is to deliver that happiness.

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 That's what he's about.

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 But, you know, I don't know.

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 Or, again, so many so-called Christians these days would call themselves, and proudly call themselves, New Testament Christians.

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 That is, they reject the violence of the Old Testament.

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 Why do they reject the violence of the Old Testament?

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 I think it's because they first rejected the notion of the fierceness of God's righteous character.

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 And, therefore, the severity of his righteous judgment against sin.

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 And so, it's just downright uncomfortable for them.

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 They don't want a God like that.

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 They won't engage with a God like that.

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 So, that tells me that they have in mind a God who's more like an indulgent grandfather.

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 You know, the grandfather type who's, and I hope I'm not like this.

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 I don't think I am.

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 But, anyway, the grandfather type who always approves his grandchildren's behavior, regardless of how offensive it is.

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 But, neighbor calls out wrong against the grandchildren, but rewards wrong with lollies.

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 Just ignores bad behavior in the name of love.

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 That's my job as a grandfather.

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 So, people like that reject God if he's described in these terms as a fearsome warrior.

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 Judge.

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 Someone who's deeply offended and full of wrath against sin.

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 And who gives sin or rebellion precisely what it deserves.

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 Condemnation and death.

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 Condemnation.

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 So, there's big themes in this Psalm 7 that are confronting.

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 And the hope and confidence of King David expressed in verse 11.

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 God is a righteous judge and a God who feels indignation every day.

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 Just let that rush over you for a minute.

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 Rush over you for a minute.

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 God is a righteous God.

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 And a God who feels indignation.

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 That is, he's constantly offended by sin.

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 And as David tries to navigate difficult and painful circumstances of slander and injustice in his own life daily.

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 His hope and confidence is that God's fierce righteousness and severe judgment are inseparable.

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 That is his hope.

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 That is his confidence.

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 That is his confidence that those two must be together.

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 If God is fiercely righteous, then he must be severe in judgment against sin.

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 And we'll see how that plays out in David's own handling of his experience of injustice.

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 So, what we have here is two sides of one coin.

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 God's severe judgment is simply one expression of his fierce righteousness.

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 God's severe judgment.

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 God's severe judgment.

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 God's severe judgment.

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 That is doing theology according to scripture.

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 That is how God reveals himself.

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 Confronting and challenging as it may well be to us.

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 So, verse 12 through to 16.

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 We see it play out.

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 Very clearly, the person who persists in rebellion, those who persist in rebellion,

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 that is, despising God's authority or even daring to attack God,

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 which is, of course, the ultimate injustice against God,

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 the ultimate evil against God.

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 Those people, says the psalm, will experience God's severe judgment

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 in their condemnation and ultimate destruction.

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 Now, of course, I need to stop there just for a moment

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 because in our daily experience of life, it won't always feel like that.

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 We look around our world and it looks as if injustice and unrighteousness

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 is a thriving business.

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 But, you see, that wouldn't be to assess it theologically.

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 That would be to assess it circumstantially.

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 Ultimately, we're told here that however successful it appears to our eyes

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 in the short term, evil, rebellion, sin, and injustice, evil,

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 will be brought undone because it is self-defeating

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 and because God is the righteous judge.

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 Rebels will experience, in the picture language,

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 rebels will experience the full force of God's attacking weaponry,

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 his sword, his sharp arrows, his strong bow to launch those arrows at great speed

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 and with great skill and accuracy.

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 Now, at times, God will cut people down suddenly and without warning.

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 But, in the verse here, there's picture language here of them digging holes

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 and the idea of evil being described like a pregnancy

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 that's actually staged and progressive.

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 So, at times, God will cut people down suddenly.

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 But, at times, if I can use a common phrase,

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 he'll give people enough rope to hang themselves.

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 He'll let them loose into their own evil schemes

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 and because evil is self-defeating, he will orchestrate it to that end

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 and they will actually come undone

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 in their moment of thinking they've achieved something.

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 But, on the other hand,

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 the person who seeks to live under God's authority,

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 who seeks to serve God wholeheartedly,

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 who sees God as beautiful and desirable

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 as a place of peace and a place of refuge

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 and as a shield,

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 a place of contentment,

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 those people have nothing to fear

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 from God's judgment.

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 They will experience

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 the other side of the coin

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 the richness and blessing

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 of God's righteousness,

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 God's justice,

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 God's goodness,

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 God's mercy,

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 God's grace.

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 Blessing and the good life.

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 And here's the point, you see.

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 The two are inseparable

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 and here's how it works.

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 God's judgment on sin,

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 David realized this

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 and we'll tease this out a little bit more in a minute,

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 God's judgment and sin

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 will simultaneously be

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 deliverance for God's people

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 because the two are inseparable.

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 So when God judges injustice,

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 then his people

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 are delivered from that injustice

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 into justice and righteousness.

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 Those who make God their refuge

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 will experience the great warrior,

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 as you see in those earlier verses there,

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 the great warrior,

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 they'll experience his defensive weaponry.

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 That is, he will be a shield to them

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 to protect them,

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 to keep them safe.

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 in the midst of the awfulness of life.

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 So friends,

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 it's a very, very long sort of introduction here.

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 It's a little bit more than an introduction,

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 but we need to take this thinking with us

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 into the second part of the psalm.

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 Thinking theologically about God

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 is to understand

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 that his fierce righteousness and justice

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 will be experienced

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 in radically different ways

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 according to a person's relationship with God.

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 I would even go further,

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 and this one is questionable,

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 so by all means question me on it

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 if you think I'm taking a step too far here.

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 I would actually argue

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 from lots of the Psalms

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 and from lots of the Scripture

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 that God's character

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 can only be most clearly seen

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 against evil, injustice,

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 rebellion, and sin of this world.

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 It's only when we appreciate one

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 that we can appreciate the other.

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 It's only when we've experienced injustice

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 that we can luxuriate

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 knowing that God will deliver justice.

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 Colm Buchanan has a song about it.

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 You know,

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 what the sinner needs most,

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 if he's going to understand

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 the light of Jesus,

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 he needs to have been lost

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 in the darkness,

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 the blackness of night.

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 If he wants to understand

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 what Jesus means

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 when he says,

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 you've been found,

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 then the sinner needs to understand

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 what is to be lost.

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 If we want to understand

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 God's character,

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 righteousness,

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 goodness,

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 purity,

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 then we see it

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 most clearly against

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 the realities of our world

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 that we rub against every day.

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 And only in this huge contrast

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 am I suggesting to you this morning

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 that we will see truly

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 God's beauty,

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 God's desirability,

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 God's reliability

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 in a world where nothing else

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 is stable or certain

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 or beautiful

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 or reliable

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 or desirable.

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 Put it,

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 in other words,

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 going back to where I started,

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 I would say to you that

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 God

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 and his righteousness

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 is what our hearts crave.

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 Even though we might not

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 even realize that.

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 We might think we crave justice,

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 but we're actually craving

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 something bigger than justice.

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 We're craving

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 the God of justice,

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 the righteousness of God.

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 And so my friends,

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 rather than be embarrassed

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 by psalms like this

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 that speak of God's

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 fierce righteousness

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 and severe judgment,

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 rather than be embarrassed,

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 we should be glad

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 that this is what our God is like.

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 Because

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 that means our lives

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 as we

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 tuck in behind the Lord,

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 if I can use that language,

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 and trust ourselves to him,

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 that means our lives are safe.

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 Ultimately safe.

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 Our lives are in the hands

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 of a safe,

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 powerful,

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 good,

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 merciful,

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 ever vigilant,

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 truthful God.

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 And that,

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 my friend,

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 is a place of contentment.

00:19:07.600 --> 00:19:08.840
 And as David himself

00:19:08.840 --> 00:19:10.180
 gets to in verse 17,

00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:11.740
 that is a place

00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:12.440
 where we just

00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:14.440
 overflow in praise

00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:15.620
 and thankfulness

00:19:15.620 --> 00:19:17.320
 in the midst of

00:19:17.320 --> 00:19:18.500
 the mess of life.

00:19:23.900 --> 00:19:24.380
 So,

00:19:24.580 --> 00:19:25.640
 moving on to the second point then.

00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:26.600
 Because King David

00:19:26.600 --> 00:19:27.820
 is thinking theologically

00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:28.579
 about God,

00:19:29.099 --> 00:19:30.779
 then it means

00:19:30.779 --> 00:19:31.740
 that he's also

00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:32.980
 thinking theologically

00:19:32.980 --> 00:19:34.819
 about experiencing

00:19:34.819 --> 00:19:35.700
 injustice

00:19:35.700 --> 00:19:37.299
 through slander.

00:19:37.659 --> 00:19:38.019
 And that's the

00:19:38.019 --> 00:19:38.460
 particular

00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:40.259
 crime that he's,

00:19:40.980 --> 00:19:41.259
 well,

00:19:41.399 --> 00:19:42.639
 not crime,

00:19:42.899 --> 00:19:43.980
 particular allegation

00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:44.519
 he's facing

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:45.299
 in Psalm 7.

00:19:47.659 --> 00:19:48.259
 So,

00:19:48.439 --> 00:19:49.159
 he may be

00:19:49.159 --> 00:19:50.639
 God's appointed king,

00:19:51.179 --> 00:19:52.679
 but he has

00:19:52.679 --> 00:19:53.500
 many enemies

00:19:53.500 --> 00:19:55.119
 who are seeking

00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:55.919
 his downfall.

00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:58.140
 Psalm 7,

00:19:59.019 --> 00:20:00.320
 David reflects

00:20:00.320 --> 00:20:00.820
 on himself

00:20:00.820 --> 00:20:01.720
 as God's

00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:02.980
 slandered king.

00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:06.220
 As he wrestles

00:20:06.220 --> 00:20:07.240
 with a particular

00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:09.160
 smear campaign

00:20:09.160 --> 00:20:10.259
 launched apparently

00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:11.000
 by this man

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:11.640
 called Cush,

00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:12.240
 of whom we know

00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:12.860
 nothing else,

00:20:13.060 --> 00:20:13.660
 except that he's

00:20:13.660 --> 00:20:14.500
 a Benjaminite,

00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:16.039
 which means he comes

00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:16.840
 probably from

00:20:16.840 --> 00:20:18.039
 the lineage of Saul,

00:20:18.140 --> 00:20:18.539
 not probably,

00:20:18.600 --> 00:20:19.039
 he comes from

00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:19.960
 the lineage of Saul,

00:20:20.360 --> 00:20:21.240
 so may well

00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:22.240
 have some sort of

00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:23.660
 hatred of King David

00:20:23.660 --> 00:20:25.380
 as the successor

00:20:25.380 --> 00:20:26.860
 to King Saul.

00:20:27.060 --> 00:20:27.740
 But we don't really

00:20:27.740 --> 00:20:28.500
 know any of that

00:20:28.500 --> 00:20:29.000
 sort of stuff.

00:20:29.820 --> 00:20:30.440
 Either way,

00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:31.240
 it seems like he's

00:20:31.240 --> 00:20:32.100
 orchestrated a

00:20:32.100 --> 00:20:33.000
 smear campaign,

00:20:33.340 --> 00:20:33.800
 and we see

00:20:33.800 --> 00:20:34.460
 something of the

00:20:34.460 --> 00:20:35.240
 details there

00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:36.779
 of verse 2

00:20:36.779 --> 00:20:37.460
 and 3.

00:20:39.460 --> 00:20:40.220
 David feels

00:20:40.220 --> 00:20:40.779
 pursued,

00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:42.380
 he feels as if

00:20:42.380 --> 00:20:43.500
 his life's

00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:44.440
 hanging in the

00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:44.880
 bowels.

00:20:45.620 --> 00:20:46.180
 There are people

00:20:46.180 --> 00:20:46.920
 out there that are

00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:48.320
 so savagely

00:20:48.320 --> 00:20:49.080
 opposed to him

00:20:49.080 --> 00:20:49.779
 that he describes

00:20:49.779 --> 00:20:50.420
 them as just being

00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:50.860
 like lions.

00:20:50.859 --> 00:20:51.299
 If they can get

00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:52.179
 their claws into

00:20:52.179 --> 00:20:52.359
 them,

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.059
 they will have

00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:53.979
 no hesitation

00:20:53.979 --> 00:20:54.599
 in ripping

00:20:54.599 --> 00:20:55.559
 him to shreds.

00:20:59.439 --> 00:21:00.019
 David's under

00:21:00.019 --> 00:21:00.379
 pressure.

00:21:02.199 --> 00:21:03.139
 In verse 4,

00:21:04.139 --> 00:21:05.259
 it seems like,

00:21:05.399 --> 00:21:05.740
 and again,

00:21:05.819 --> 00:21:06.319
 this is only

00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:07.079
 surmising,

00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:07.879
 but it seems

00:21:07.879 --> 00:21:09.000
 like from verse 4,

00:21:09.719 --> 00:21:10.819
 the rumor circulating

00:21:10.819 --> 00:21:11.759
 is that King David

00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:12.479
 is just out of

00:21:12.479 --> 00:21:12.859
 control.

00:21:14.379 --> 00:21:15.459
 He's a totally

00:21:15.459 --> 00:21:16.099
 self-interested

00:21:16.099 --> 00:21:17.959
 person with no

00:21:17.959 --> 00:21:18.319
 loyalty,

00:21:18.539 --> 00:21:19.319
 even to those

00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:19.819
 who are his

00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:20.539
 friends or those

00:21:20.539 --> 00:21:21.740
 who would come

00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.539
 to him declaring

00:21:22.539 --> 00:21:23.240
 peace towards

00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:23.440
 him.

00:21:23.639 --> 00:21:24.220
 Even there,

00:21:24.420 --> 00:21:25.000
 the suggestion

00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:25.500
 is that David

00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:26.019
 doesn't have any

00:21:26.019 --> 00:21:26.319
 loyalty.

00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:27.519
 And maybe that's

00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:28.200
 a reference to

00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:28.839
 how people

00:21:28.839 --> 00:21:29.779
 perceived his

00:21:29.779 --> 00:21:31.339
 move to

00:21:31.339 --> 00:21:32.460
 succeed from

00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:33.039
 King Saul.

00:21:34.159 --> 00:21:34.879
 Don't know.

00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:36.659
 But that seems

00:21:36.659 --> 00:21:37.399
 to be something

00:21:37.399 --> 00:21:38.000
 of the nature

00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:38.639
 of the rumor.

00:21:40.399 --> 00:21:41.059
 But worse than

00:21:41.059 --> 00:21:42.039
 that, not only

00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:42.700
 that he's

00:21:42.700 --> 00:21:43.319
 self-interested,

00:21:43.399 --> 00:21:43.839
 but he actually

00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:44.559
 uses his

00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:46.579
 power corruptly

00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:48.259
 to totally

00:21:48.259 --> 00:21:49.460
 exploit anybody

00:21:49.460 --> 00:21:50.039
 who might

00:21:50.039 --> 00:21:50.660
 oppose him.

00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:54.519
 And it's

00:21:54.519 --> 00:21:54.960
 very clear

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.319
 from these

00:21:55.319 --> 00:21:55.960
 opening words

00:21:55.960 --> 00:21:56.799
 that David

00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:57.640
 feels the

00:21:57.640 --> 00:21:58.299
 pain of that

00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:59.059
 very, very

00:21:59.059 --> 00:21:59.420
 deeply.

00:22:05.059 --> 00:22:05.500
 It's

00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:05.960
 character

00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:06.480
 assassination.

00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:07.779
 And perhaps,

00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:08.759
 and again,

00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:09.319
 it doesn't say,

00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:09.920
 we're just reading

00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:10.559
 between the lines

00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:11.100
 here in a sense,

00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:12.200
 perhaps David's

00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:13.059
 just so

00:22:13.059 --> 00:22:14.480
 disheartened

00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:15.440
 and upset

00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.980
 that people

00:22:16.980 --> 00:22:17.779
 would be so

00:22:17.779 --> 00:22:18.420
 quick to

00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:18.880
 believe the

00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:19.539
 worst about

00:22:19.539 --> 00:22:20.920
 him based

00:22:20.920 --> 00:22:21.420
 on a rumor

00:22:21.420 --> 00:22:23.200
 when they

00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:23.559
 hadn't even

00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:24.240
 tried to

00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:24.559
 check if

00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:24.700
 it was

00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:25.000
 true.

00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:29.059
 And in

00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:29.539
 verse 3,

00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.039
 3-6,

00:22:30.360 --> 00:22:30.720
 David goes

00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:31.000
 on to

00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:31.579
 protest and

00:22:31.579 --> 00:22:31.740
 he said,

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:32.039
 well, look,

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:32.620
 in this

00:22:32.620 --> 00:22:33.059
 particular

00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:33.660
 instance,

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:34.539
 I have to

00:22:34.539 --> 00:22:35.180
 say with a

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:35.740
 clear conscience

00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:36.079
 for the

00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:36.440
 Lord, I

00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:36.960
 am innocent

00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:37.460
 of these

00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:38.019
 allegations.

00:22:38.460 --> 00:22:38.880
 Now, David's

00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:39.440
 not claiming

00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:40.220
 sinlessness.

00:22:40.700 --> 00:22:41.039
 He's just

00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:41.779
 saying in this

00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:42.880
 respect, I

00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:43.599
 am without

00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:44.199
 fault.

00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:45.119
 I'm not

00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:45.740
 guilty as

00:22:45.740 --> 00:22:46.199
 charged.

00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:47.939
 In fact, he

00:22:47.939 --> 00:22:48.740
 says, if I

00:22:48.740 --> 00:22:49.339
 had been, then

00:22:49.339 --> 00:22:50.000
 I recognize

00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:50.480
 that I would

00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:51.779
 deserve to

00:22:51.779 --> 00:22:52.299
 lose my

00:22:52.299 --> 00:22:52.619
 glory.

00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:53.039
 I would

00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:54.240
 deserve, and

00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:54.939
 by the way, I

00:22:54.939 --> 00:22:55.240
 think his

00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:55.899
 glory is that

00:22:55.899 --> 00:22:56.599
 his position

00:22:56.599 --> 00:22:57.159
 and authority

00:22:57.159 --> 00:22:57.639
 is God's

00:22:57.639 --> 00:22:57.899
 an undone

00:22:57.899 --> 00:22:58.199
 king.

00:22:58.919 --> 00:22:59.159
 So I

00:22:59.159 --> 00:22:59.659
 think David's

00:22:59.659 --> 00:22:59.939
 saying, look,

00:23:00.439 --> 00:23:00.919
 I tell you

00:23:00.919 --> 00:23:01.319
 now I'm

00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:01.779
 innocent of

00:23:01.779 --> 00:23:02.399
 these charges

00:23:02.399 --> 00:23:03.519
 because if I

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.000
 was guilty,

00:23:04.139 --> 00:23:05.339
 then I would

00:23:05.339 --> 00:23:05.939
 deserve everything

00:23:05.939 --> 00:23:06.119
 that was

00:23:06.119 --> 00:23:06.559
 coming my

00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:06.859
 way.

00:23:11.919 --> 00:23:12.519
 So where

00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:12.819
 does that

00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:13.559
 leave King

00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:13.859
 David?

00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:15.740
 Well, verses

00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:16.339
 6 through

00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:18.359
 16, he

00:23:18.359 --> 00:23:19.139
 turned in

00:23:19.139 --> 00:23:19.779
 appeal to

00:23:19.779 --> 00:23:20.179
 the Lord.

00:23:20.679 --> 00:23:21.399
 Arise, O

00:23:21.399 --> 00:23:21.859
 Lord, in

00:23:21.859 --> 00:23:22.399
 your anger.

00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:24.740
 It's a

00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:25.299
 strange way to

00:23:25.299 --> 00:23:26.599
 address God,

00:23:26.659 --> 00:23:26.839
 isn't it?

00:23:26.919 --> 00:23:27.619
 Arise in

00:23:27.619 --> 00:23:28.179
 your anger.

00:23:32.059 --> 00:23:32.539
 Lift

00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:33.139
 yourself up

00:23:33.139 --> 00:23:33.559
 against the

00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:34.299
 fury of my

00:23:34.299 --> 00:23:34.659
 enemies.

00:23:35.500 --> 00:23:36.139
 Awake for

00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:36.419
 me.

00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:37.960
 You have

00:23:37.960 --> 00:23:38.919
 appointed a

00:23:38.919 --> 00:23:39.279
 judgment.

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:39.379
 judgment.

00:23:42.579 --> 00:23:43.299
 What's David

00:23:43.299 --> 00:23:43.839
 saying here

00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:44.539
 in the

00:23:44.539 --> 00:23:45.079
 poetry of

00:23:45.079 --> 00:23:46.000
 this psalm?

00:23:47.500 --> 00:23:49.059
 Well, I

00:23:49.059 --> 00:23:49.399
 think he's

00:23:49.399 --> 00:23:50.399
 recognizing and

00:23:50.399 --> 00:23:52.980
 accepting that

00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:54.559
 attacks on

00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:55.599
 him as God's

00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:56.879
 anointed king

00:23:56.879 --> 00:23:58.420
 are actually,

00:23:58.879 --> 00:23:59.379
 just as a

00:23:59.379 --> 00:24:00.420
 way, a

00:24:00.420 --> 00:24:01.599
 representation of

00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:02.440
 people's desire

00:24:02.440 --> 00:24:03.180
 to attack

00:24:03.180 --> 00:24:03.799
 God.

00:24:03.799 --> 00:24:03.839
 God.

00:24:06.460 --> 00:24:07.700
 He was God's

00:24:07.700 --> 00:24:08.940
 king, appointed

00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:09.740
 to rule God's

00:24:09.740 --> 00:24:10.680
 people in God's

00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:11.460
 righteousness and

00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:12.039
 truth and

00:24:12.039 --> 00:24:12.519
 justice.

00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:13.839
 That was his

00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:15.039
 brief as God's

00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:15.259
 king.

00:24:18.059 --> 00:24:18.919
 And so as

00:24:18.919 --> 00:24:20.099
 people want to

00:24:20.099 --> 00:24:20.859
 express their

00:24:20.859 --> 00:24:21.759
 sinful autonomy

00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:22.579
 from God,

00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:24.159
 then David

00:24:24.159 --> 00:24:24.919
 recognizes he

00:24:24.919 --> 00:24:25.460
 becomes the

00:24:25.460 --> 00:24:26.220
 target for that.

00:24:28.180 --> 00:24:29.339
 They can't get to

00:24:29.339 --> 00:24:30.059
 God up there, as

00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:30.799
 it were, but they

00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:31.960
 can get to God's

00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:32.779
 appointed king.

00:24:39.019 --> 00:24:39.980
 And so David

00:24:39.980 --> 00:24:41.059
 longs for the

00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:42.279
 Lord to act, to

00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:43.079
 deal with sin,

00:24:43.840 --> 00:24:44.319
 rebellion,

00:24:44.579 --> 00:24:45.840
 injustice, lies,

00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:47.120
 and evil, and

00:24:47.120 --> 00:24:48.079
 establish truth and

00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:48.340
 rightness.

00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:49.019
 Because David

00:24:49.019 --> 00:24:50.279
 sees that the

00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:52.240
 attack on him is

00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:53.279
 much, much more

00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:53.720
 serious.

00:24:53.840 --> 00:24:54.579
 It's an attack on

00:24:54.579 --> 00:24:54.960
 God.

00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:57.360
 And David hates

00:24:57.360 --> 00:24:57.720
 that.

00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:01.059
 His concern is

00:25:01.059 --> 00:25:01.799
 much bigger than

00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:02.460
 himself in his

00:25:02.460 --> 00:25:03.319
 own circumstances.

00:25:03.639 --> 00:25:04.299
 His concern,

00:25:04.440 --> 00:25:04.940
 therefore, is for

00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:05.680
 God's honor.

00:25:07.879 --> 00:25:08.919
 And David knows

00:25:08.919 --> 00:25:10.200
 that God will

00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:11.419
 always be true to

00:25:11.419 --> 00:25:11.680
 himself.

00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:12.659
 He will always be

00:25:12.659 --> 00:25:13.159
 true to his

00:25:13.159 --> 00:25:13.960
 righteous character.

00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:15.039
 He knows, as I've

00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:15.500
 already looked at

00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:16.559
 that verse, that

00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:18.200
 God feels the

00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:18.859
 offense and

00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:19.599
 injustice and

00:25:19.599 --> 00:25:20.639
 rebellion deeply

00:25:20.639 --> 00:25:21.740
 every single day.

00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:23.319
 God, in his

00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:24.119
 righteousness, cannot

00:25:24.119 --> 00:25:24.899
 ignore it.

00:25:24.900 --> 00:25:29.080
 God will and

00:25:29.080 --> 00:25:30.940
 has established the

00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:31.700
 day of judgment

00:25:31.700 --> 00:25:34.120
 whereby truth and

00:25:34.120 --> 00:25:35.040
 righteousness and

00:25:35.040 --> 00:25:35.860
 justice and

00:25:35.860 --> 00:25:37.620
 uprightness will be

00:25:37.620 --> 00:25:40.560
 demonstrated and

00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:41.200
 established.

00:25:42.280 --> 00:25:42.940
 And by definition,

00:25:43.100 --> 00:25:43.940
 then, sin and

00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:45.300
 rebellion will be

00:25:45.300 --> 00:25:46.180
 destroyed.

00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:55.539
 equally true for

00:25:55.539 --> 00:25:58.460
 David, as he looks

00:25:58.460 --> 00:25:59.160
 into this bigger

00:25:59.160 --> 00:26:01.000
 picture, equally true

00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:02.759
 is that those who

00:26:02.759 --> 00:26:04.700
 fear the Lord, who

00:26:04.700 --> 00:26:06.019
 seek to obey his

00:26:06.019 --> 00:26:06.779
 word and serve him

00:26:06.779 --> 00:26:07.960
 faithfully, those who

00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:08.880
 are in relationship

00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:11.080
 with him have nothing

00:26:11.080 --> 00:26:11.980
 to fear in judgment.

00:26:12.440 --> 00:26:13.840
 That appointed time of

00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:14.779
 judgment will mean, as

00:26:14.779 --> 00:26:15.339
 it says in these

00:26:15.339 --> 00:26:16.379
 verses here, will

00:26:16.379 --> 00:26:17.419
 also be the time when

00:26:17.419 --> 00:26:19.139
 righteousness and the

00:26:19.139 --> 00:26:19.740
 righteous are

00:26:19.740 --> 00:26:20.379
 established.

00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.279
 Rebellion will be

00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:24.059
 exposed and dealt

00:26:24.059 --> 00:26:26.059
 with and righteousness

00:26:26.059 --> 00:26:28.279
 will be exposed and

00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:28.720
 commended.

00:26:32.779 --> 00:26:33.619
 And as I've said

00:26:33.619 --> 00:26:34.419
 before, look at verse

00:26:34.419 --> 00:26:34.659
 8.

00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:36.379
 The Lord judges the

00:26:36.379 --> 00:26:36.679
 people.

00:26:37.339 --> 00:26:38.199
 Judge me, O Lord,

00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:38.899
 according to my

00:26:38.899 --> 00:26:39.579
 righteousness and

00:26:39.579 --> 00:26:40.139
 according to the

00:26:40.139 --> 00:26:40.980
 integrity that is in

00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:41.220
 me.

00:26:42.639 --> 00:26:43.759
 O, let the evil of

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:44.480
 the wicked come to

00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:45.559
 an end and may you

00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:47.079
 establish the

00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:48.700
 righteous, you who

00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:49.819
 test the minds and

00:26:49.819 --> 00:26:51.319
 the hearts, O

00:26:51.319 --> 00:26:52.079
 righteous God.

00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:57.359
 David's confidence

00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:58.160
 is, as I've said

00:26:58.160 --> 00:26:59.839
 before, the day in

00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:01.079
 which God acts to

00:27:01.079 --> 00:27:02.759
 judge sin severely

00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:04.940
 will also be the day

00:27:04.940 --> 00:27:05.960
 of his deliverance

00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:08.019
 into the enjoyment of

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:08.879
 God's righteousness.

00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:09.000
 righteousness.

00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:13.040
 And in the meanwhile,

00:27:14.620 --> 00:27:17.020
 David can find

00:27:17.020 --> 00:27:19.800
 refuge in the Lord

00:27:19.800 --> 00:27:21.180
 and in the Lord's

00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:21.540
 character.

00:27:23.820 --> 00:27:25.860
 He can find refuge in

00:27:25.860 --> 00:27:26.840
 his acceptance and

00:27:26.840 --> 00:27:28.240
 relationship with God.

00:27:29.280 --> 00:27:30.520
 He can be confident in

00:27:30.520 --> 00:27:31.320
 God's protection.

00:27:32.340 --> 00:27:33.320
 God will be a shield to

00:27:33.320 --> 00:27:34.200
 him as he seeks to live

00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:36.620
 faithfully before God in

00:27:36.619 --> 00:27:38.619
 spite of the injustices he

00:27:38.619 --> 00:27:38.979
 suffers.

00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:43.359
 And so in that picture,

00:27:43.959 --> 00:27:45.139
 we have what I always

00:27:45.139 --> 00:27:45.899
 like to call when I'm

00:27:45.899 --> 00:27:46.819
 preaching from the Psalms,

00:27:46.919 --> 00:27:48.259
 a whisper of Jesus.

00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:53.500
 Because Jesus, King David,

00:27:53.739 --> 00:27:55.759
 foreshadowed, therefore, as

00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:57.919
 the slandered king, he

00:27:57.919 --> 00:27:59.899
 foreshadowed the slandered

00:27:59.899 --> 00:28:01.419
 Messiah who would come.

00:28:01.420 --> 00:28:07.200
 King David was God's

00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:08.080
 anointed king and

00:28:08.080 --> 00:28:11.200
 savior figure whose role

00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:12.640
 was to establish God's

00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:14.740
 kingdom, that is God's

00:28:14.740 --> 00:28:15.880
 people in God's place and

00:28:15.880 --> 00:28:17.460
 under God's rule of

00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:18.680
 righteousness and justice

00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:19.180
 and truth.

00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:20.779
 But you see, King David

00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:21.920
 was never able to deliver.

00:28:23.600 --> 00:28:24.600
 King David was part of the

00:28:24.600 --> 00:28:26.100
 problem of sin and

00:28:26.100 --> 00:28:26.860
 injustice and

00:28:26.860 --> 00:28:27.640
 unrighteousness.

00:28:28.100 --> 00:28:29.180
 He needed to be saved.

00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:31.140
 He was not able to save.

00:28:31.420 --> 00:28:33.940
 In the way that was

00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:34.400
 required.

00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:36.620
 He could not rule God's

00:28:36.620 --> 00:28:37.980
 unruly, sinful people.

00:28:40.800 --> 00:28:42.960
 So ultimately, King David

00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:46.320
 only pointed forward to

00:28:46.320 --> 00:28:49.060
 the one that the Lord had

00:28:49.060 --> 00:28:49.960
 spoken about through his

00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:51.360
 prophets, the true king,

00:28:51.820 --> 00:28:53.100
 the true savior, Messiah,

00:28:53.880 --> 00:28:56.120
 who would establish God's

00:28:56.120 --> 00:28:57.800
 kingdom of rule of

00:28:57.800 --> 00:28:58.900
 righteousness and justice

00:28:58.900 --> 00:28:59.820
 and truth and purity.

00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:02.800
 And when we jump forward

00:29:02.800 --> 00:29:05.240
 to the time of Jesus, we

00:29:05.240 --> 00:29:06.100
 see the same pattern.

00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:10.940
 Jesus came to his own, but

00:29:10.940 --> 00:29:11.900
 his own would not receive

00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:12.019
 him.

00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:14.240
 He was the slandered

00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:14.820
 Messiah.

00:29:16.420 --> 00:29:18.180
 He came to save those who

00:29:18.180 --> 00:29:19.279
 were desperate in need of

00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:19.779
 salvation.

00:29:22.180 --> 00:29:24.140
 But they chose the path of

00:29:24.140 --> 00:29:25.840
 continuing persistent

00:29:25.840 --> 00:29:26.539
 autonomy.

00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:30.119
 Jesus came to offer them

00:29:30.119 --> 00:29:31.599
 righteousness as a gift of

00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:33.920
 grace and mercy, something

00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:35.019
 they couldn't do for

00:29:35.019 --> 00:29:35.799
 themselves, but no.

00:29:36.839 --> 00:29:38.000
 People around them wanted

00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:39.839
 to persist in pursuing

00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:42.039
 self-righteousness through

00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:44.000
 their own acts of goodness,

00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:44.960
 perceived goodness.

00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:51.039
 And to do that, they had to

00:29:51.039 --> 00:29:53.600
 knock Jesus down, verbally

00:29:53.600 --> 00:29:55.539
 and finally physically.

00:30:03.340 --> 00:30:05.180
 And in the death of Jesus,

00:30:05.180 --> 00:30:08.480
 we see two great things.

00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:12.480
 In the death of Jesus, God, the

00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:14.339
 great warrior for righteousness,

00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:18.420
 truth, justice, purity, acted

00:30:18.420 --> 00:30:19.180
 decisively.

00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:21.400
 That moment in time that David

00:30:21.400 --> 00:30:23.539
 had anticipated had arrived.

00:30:24.579 --> 00:30:27.720
 God acted to deal with sin.

00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:31.000
 And his judgment was ever so

00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:31.339
 severe.

00:30:31.339 --> 00:30:36.299
 God acted true to his character

00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:37.419
 as he had promised.

00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:40.240
 Both punishing sin to its full

00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:43.240
 extent, but also showing grace

00:30:43.240 --> 00:30:44.559
 and mercy to his people.

00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:49.059
 All of that is demonstrated to

00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:51.699
 us in the death of Christ on the

00:30:51.699 --> 00:30:52.059
 cross.

00:30:54.039 --> 00:30:57.839
 The amazing thing is, well, the

00:30:57.839 --> 00:30:59.919
 non-amazing thing is that God was

00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:00.519
 true to his word.

00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:03.279
 The day of judgment arrived, as

00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:03.740
 he said it would.

00:31:04.660 --> 00:31:05.420
 That's not amazing.

00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:07.340
 That's just what God does.

00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:10.460
 The amazing thing is that God's

00:31:10.460 --> 00:31:11.980
 day of judgment was focused on

00:31:11.980 --> 00:31:12.680
 his own son.

00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:17.060
 So guilty rebels didn't have to

00:31:17.060 --> 00:31:17.860
 face his wrath.

00:31:19.140 --> 00:31:20.700
 Didn't have to face the

00:31:20.700 --> 00:31:22.060
 consequences of their own sin.

00:31:24.300 --> 00:31:25.720
 Just let me pause there and step

00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:26.580
 sideways for a minute.

00:31:26.900 --> 00:31:28.019
 I couldn't go past this moment,

00:31:28.100 --> 00:31:29.820
 even though it's not in the flow of

00:31:29.819 --> 00:31:30.379
 what I want to do.

00:31:32.819 --> 00:31:34.679
 It's very, very common to hear

00:31:34.679 --> 00:31:36.419
 people say today about wanting to

00:31:36.419 --> 00:31:37.879
 be on the right side of history.

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:39.799
 Now, that's usually in terms of the

00:31:39.799 --> 00:31:41.619
 gender debate that we're hearing

00:31:41.619 --> 00:31:42.139
 these days.

00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:43.720
 But it's a good phrase.

00:31:45.179 --> 00:31:46.700
 If you want to be on the right side

00:31:46.700 --> 00:31:48.460
 of history this morning, whatever

00:31:48.460 --> 00:31:49.839
 age you are here this morning, from

00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:52.519
 the oldest to the youngest, then you

00:31:52.519 --> 00:31:53.779
 can be on the right side of history

00:31:53.779 --> 00:31:57.720
 this morning, which is, I take it,

00:31:57.720 --> 00:31:59.440
 escaping God's judgment,

00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:02.720
 which is condemnation and death,

00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:07.500
 and enjoying the full experience of

00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:08.880
 God's righteousness, which is the

00:32:08.880 --> 00:32:10.039
 good life of blessing.

00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:14.980
 Now, it makes sense to me to be on

00:32:14.980 --> 00:32:16.460
 the right side of history, is to be

00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:18.880
 experiencing God's righteousness as

00:32:18.880 --> 00:32:21.480
 blessing and salvation and refuge and

00:32:21.480 --> 00:32:23.660
 defense and protection, not as

00:32:23.660 --> 00:32:23.960
 judgment.

00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:24.019
 judgment.

00:32:27.259 --> 00:32:28.900
 Which side of history will you be on?

00:32:29.620 --> 00:32:30.840
 Well, that determines, that's

00:32:30.840 --> 00:32:32.000
 determined very, very simply.

00:32:32.519 --> 00:32:35.019
 It is determined this morning by how

00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:37.380
 you respond to Jesus.

00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:41.079
 Continue to ignore him.

00:32:41.860 --> 00:32:44.480
 Continue to pursue self-salvation,

00:32:44.840 --> 00:32:45.819
 self-righteousness.

00:32:48.019 --> 00:32:49.880
 And you will experience God's judgment.

00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:53.299
 May not happen this week or next week

00:32:53.299 --> 00:32:54.720
 or next year, but you will experience

00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:55.259
 God's judgment.

00:32:56.079 --> 00:32:57.579
 Because God is true to his character.

00:32:59.500 --> 00:33:02.500
 But if you come to Jesus, as it says

00:33:02.500 --> 00:33:06.359
 here, repent, come to Jesus, admit your

00:33:06.359 --> 00:33:09.240
 desire for autonomy, admit your sin,

00:33:10.119 --> 00:33:13.159
 plead for grace and mercy, then you

00:33:13.159 --> 00:33:16.859
 will find that the ferocious God becomes

00:33:16.859 --> 00:33:19.819
 the place of great refuge and comfort and

00:33:19.819 --> 00:33:20.879
 security in life.

00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:26.000
 So I just say to you this morning, get on

00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:27.340
 the right side of history.

00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:30.360
 Because in your life, you don't know how

00:33:30.360 --> 00:33:32.080
 long your history is going to have or be.

00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:38.720
 You might have 20 years, or you might not

00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:39.460
 make it home today.

00:33:42.500 --> 00:33:43.740
 Get on the right side of history.

00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:46.200
 Anyway, let me carry on with where I was

00:33:46.200 --> 00:33:46.400
 going.

00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:49.340
 The pattern from the slandered Messiah.

00:33:49.800 --> 00:33:52.720
 The pattern continues for us as the slandered,

00:33:54.120 --> 00:33:56.340
 as Christ's slandered ambassadors.

00:33:58.240 --> 00:34:01.340
 In 2 Corinthians 5.20, Paul describes Christians

00:34:01.340 --> 00:34:02.460
 as Christ's ambassadors.

00:34:03.580 --> 00:34:05.759
 That is, we've been appointed, as it were,

00:34:05.860 --> 00:34:10.019
 to continue to be agents of the warrior,

00:34:10.820 --> 00:34:13.760
 the God of justice and righteousness and truth

00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:14.940
 and integrity and purity.

00:34:17.820 --> 00:34:19.820
 The work of building God's kingdom of

00:34:19.820 --> 00:34:20.900
 righteousness on earth.

00:34:21.620 --> 00:34:23.160
 The baton has passed to you and me,

00:34:23.540 --> 00:34:26.040
 as it was for King David, as it was for the

00:34:26.040 --> 00:34:28.320
 slandered Messiah, so it is for us as Christ's

00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:28.720
 ambassadors.

00:34:28.719 --> 00:34:36.159
 And so we can expect also to be slandered and

00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:40.379
 attacked as those who are our great models

00:34:40.379 --> 00:34:41.139
 before us were.

00:34:42.759 --> 00:34:46.299
 In Matthew chapter 10, verse 25, Jesus has just

00:34:46.299 --> 00:34:48.359
 sent his disciples out into the world.

00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:52.659
 And he says up front to them, it's going to be

00:34:52.659 --> 00:34:53.679
 nasty out there.

00:34:53.679 --> 00:34:57.739
 And he says, you can't expect it to be any different

00:34:57.739 --> 00:35:01.659
 as for the master, so for the servant.

00:35:02.619 --> 00:35:05.099
 You guys have seen and observed how they've treated me.

00:35:05.739 --> 00:35:10.699
 So you can expect the same treatment as you go forth.

00:35:10.699 --> 00:35:15.599
 We will be called self-righteous.

00:35:15.899 --> 00:35:17.419
 We will be slandered as hypocrites.

00:35:17.919 --> 00:35:20.219
 We will be deemed to be judgmental hate speakers.

00:35:21.299 --> 00:35:24.519
 We will be subjected to mocking and derision.

00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:27.879
 We will feel the full force of our cancel culture.

00:35:32.119 --> 00:35:37.059
 In short, we also will experience as a norm of life

00:35:37.059 --> 00:35:38.719
 injustice.

00:35:38.719 --> 00:35:47.000
 Because we identify with the king of righteousness.

00:35:47.919 --> 00:35:50.359
 And we seek to make people aware of the rebellion

00:35:50.359 --> 00:35:51.959
 and unrighteous state.

00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:53.239
 And that puts people in the corner.

00:35:53.399 --> 00:35:54.759
 Either they can admit to that,

00:35:55.339 --> 00:35:56.759
 or they can come out swinging

00:35:56.759 --> 00:35:59.119
 and take us out of the action.

00:35:59.419 --> 00:35:59.959
 Take us down.

00:36:03.159 --> 00:36:04.359
 So, last,

00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:07.779
 in the last borrowed minutes,

00:36:07.780 --> 00:36:09.160
 I was going to say in the last few minutes,

00:36:09.240 --> 00:36:10.240
 but in the last borrowed minutes,

00:36:10.740 --> 00:36:12.480
 how should we respond theologically

00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:14.440
 to experiencing injustice?

00:36:15.820 --> 00:36:16.740
 Well, very simply,

00:36:16.900 --> 00:36:18.560
 as per the pattern of King David

00:36:18.560 --> 00:36:21.680
 and as per the pattern of King Jesus.

00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:24.900
 First thing is this.

00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:26.560
 We've got to know

00:36:26.560 --> 00:36:30.140
 the Lord and his righteous character.

00:36:30.139 --> 00:36:33.059
 We really have to teach ourselves

00:36:33.059 --> 00:36:34.579
 to think theologically

00:36:34.579 --> 00:36:37.579
 in the midst of the attacks

00:36:37.579 --> 00:36:39.279
 that will come to us in our culture

00:36:39.279 --> 00:36:40.599
 because we're Christians

00:36:40.599 --> 00:36:41.480
 for no other reason.

00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:46.319
 We need to understand that God feels

00:36:46.319 --> 00:36:48.119
 in a way that not even we feel

00:36:48.119 --> 00:36:51.059
 the pain and the indignation of evil

00:36:51.059 --> 00:36:52.819
 and rebellion and autonomy

00:36:52.820 --> 00:36:54.900
 every moment of the day.

00:36:55.580 --> 00:36:56.460
 The Lord feels it

00:36:56.460 --> 00:36:57.580
 much, much more deeply

00:36:57.580 --> 00:36:58.140
 than we do.

00:37:01.380 --> 00:37:02.860
 And we've got to know the Lord

00:37:02.860 --> 00:37:03.780
 and be able to trust

00:37:03.780 --> 00:37:04.720
 that he will act

00:37:04.720 --> 00:37:06.320
 to make things right.

00:37:08.660 --> 00:37:09.780
 But not necessarily

00:37:09.780 --> 00:37:10.980
 in our time frame

00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:12.940
 and not necessarily

00:37:12.940 --> 00:37:14.700
 as we might expect him to act

00:37:14.700 --> 00:37:16.039
 to make things right

00:37:16.039 --> 00:37:17.640
 in our particular situation

00:37:17.640 --> 00:37:19.019
 of injustice.

00:37:19.019 --> 00:37:24.980
 Second thing,

00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:26.679
 and it picks up

00:37:26.679 --> 00:37:27.320
 and I didn't have time

00:37:27.320 --> 00:37:28.960
 to look at it deeply

00:37:28.960 --> 00:37:30.280
 in verses 4, 5, and 6.

00:37:31.239 --> 00:37:32.940
 We've got to strive

00:37:32.940 --> 00:37:34.840
 to ensure that all allegations

00:37:34.840 --> 00:37:37.420
 or accusations

00:37:37.420 --> 00:37:39.099
 or slander against us

00:37:39.099 --> 00:37:40.420
 are in fact baseless.

00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:42.119
 Now I throw this in

00:37:42.119 --> 00:37:43.460
 because sometimes

00:37:43.460 --> 00:37:45.019
 I hear Christians

00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:46.199
 claiming persecution

00:37:46.199 --> 00:37:48.340
 when I know jolly well

00:37:48.340 --> 00:37:49.260
 and have to say to them

00:37:49.260 --> 00:37:50.740
 you've just been obnoxious.

00:37:54.100 --> 00:37:55.360
 Why wouldn't your workmates

00:37:55.360 --> 00:37:56.120
 have a go at you

00:37:56.120 --> 00:37:57.019
 when this is how you

00:37:57.019 --> 00:37:59.600
 carry on like a...

00:37:59.600 --> 00:37:59.880
 Anyway.

00:38:00.220 --> 00:38:00.660
 Yeah, okay.

00:38:00.780 --> 00:38:01.579
 I won't get too much

00:38:01.579 --> 00:38:01.960
 into that.

00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:03.460
 We've got to make sure

00:38:03.460 --> 00:38:05.360
 that when the community

00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:05.980
 out there say,

00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:06.660
 you know,

00:38:06.720 --> 00:38:07.840
 accusers of being man-loving

00:38:07.840 --> 00:38:08.960
 that we can actually say

00:38:08.960 --> 00:38:09.680
 with a clear conscience

00:38:09.680 --> 00:38:10.640
 that's baseless.

00:38:11.400 --> 00:38:12.019
 When they say

00:38:12.019 --> 00:38:12.820
 we're hypocritical

00:38:12.820 --> 00:38:13.420
 we can say

00:38:13.420 --> 00:38:14.300
 that's baseless.

00:38:18.340 --> 00:38:19.600
 Thirdly,

00:38:20.120 --> 00:38:21.019
 we've got to turn

00:38:21.019 --> 00:38:21.600
 to the Lord

00:38:21.600 --> 00:38:22.700
 as David did

00:38:22.700 --> 00:38:23.800
 and entrust

00:38:23.800 --> 00:38:26.079
 ourselves to him

00:38:26.079 --> 00:38:26.800
 with confidence

00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:29.480
 and suck in

00:38:29.480 --> 00:38:30.700
 that beautiful picture

00:38:30.700 --> 00:38:31.840
 of both a refuge

00:38:31.840 --> 00:38:32.920
 and a shield.

00:38:36.220 --> 00:38:38.320
 You have a secure place

00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:39.360
 to hide.

00:38:39.920 --> 00:38:41.400
 You have a secure place

00:38:41.400 --> 00:38:43.140
 of safety.

00:38:43.700 --> 00:38:45.000
 You have a secure place

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:46.200
 not just to hide

00:38:46.199 --> 00:38:46.819
 and be safe

00:38:46.819 --> 00:38:48.139
 but to thrive

00:38:48.139 --> 00:38:50.119
 in the righteousness

00:38:50.119 --> 00:38:51.199
 and the goodness

00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:51.799
 of God

00:38:51.799 --> 00:38:53.399
 in the midst

00:38:53.399 --> 00:38:55.299
 of the unrighteousness

00:38:55.299 --> 00:38:55.879
 and evil

00:38:55.879 --> 00:38:56.480
 of our world.

00:38:58.619 --> 00:38:59.480
 King David

00:38:59.480 --> 00:39:01.699
 entrusted himself

00:39:01.699 --> 00:39:02.139
 to the Lord

00:39:02.139 --> 00:39:02.559
 in the face

00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:03.159
 of injustice.

00:39:04.460 --> 00:39:05.139
 The Lord Jesus

00:39:05.139 --> 00:39:06.239
 entrusted himself

00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:06.980
 to the Lord

00:39:06.980 --> 00:39:07.559
 in the face

00:39:07.559 --> 00:39:08.139
 of injustice.

00:39:08.419 --> 00:39:09.739
 Read the second part

00:39:09.739 --> 00:39:10.819
 of 1 Peter chapter 2

00:39:10.819 --> 00:39:12.319
 verse 23

00:39:12.319 --> 00:39:12.819
 in particular.

00:39:13.759 --> 00:39:14.559
 And we're encouraged

00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:15.099
 to follow

00:39:15.099 --> 00:39:16.079
 their model

00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:17.759
 in every circumstance

00:39:17.759 --> 00:39:18.340
 of life.

00:39:18.639 --> 00:39:19.099
 So my friends

00:39:19.099 --> 00:39:20.980
 don't be anxious

00:39:20.980 --> 00:39:22.400
 in the face

00:39:22.400 --> 00:39:22.980
 of injustice.

00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:25.360
 Don't focus

00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:25.900
 on getting

00:39:25.900 --> 00:39:26.759
 your circumstances

00:39:26.759 --> 00:39:27.460
 changed

00:39:27.460 --> 00:39:28.159
 in the face

00:39:28.159 --> 00:39:28.779
 of injustice.

00:39:30.779 --> 00:39:31.539
 Seek first

00:39:31.539 --> 00:39:33.219
 God's kingdom

00:39:33.219 --> 00:39:34.619
 and his righteousness

00:39:34.619 --> 00:39:37.039
 and everything else

00:39:37.039 --> 00:39:37.759
 flows from there.

00:39:39.079 --> 00:39:40.420
 Long for purity.

00:39:40.420 --> 00:39:43.680
 make sure

00:39:43.680 --> 00:39:44.619
 your actions

00:39:44.619 --> 00:39:45.240
 are righteous

00:39:45.240 --> 00:39:46.400
 and truthful

00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:47.760
 and loving.

00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:51.000
 Focus on growing

00:39:51.000 --> 00:39:52.139
 in trust

00:39:52.139 --> 00:39:52.900
 and dependence

00:39:52.900 --> 00:39:54.079
 of the Lord

00:39:54.079 --> 00:39:55.760
 and in appreciation

00:39:55.760 --> 00:39:56.680
 of his beauty

00:39:56.680 --> 00:39:59.800
 rather than focusing

00:39:59.800 --> 00:40:00.320
 on getting

00:40:00.320 --> 00:40:02.039
 a hassle-free life.

00:40:02.039 --> 00:40:02.099
 life.

00:40:03.420 --> 00:40:04.199
 And I have to say

00:40:04.199 --> 00:40:04.500
 to you

00:40:04.500 --> 00:40:05.400
 with a great

00:40:05.400 --> 00:40:06.019
 sense of shame

00:40:06.019 --> 00:40:06.340
 because I'm

00:40:06.340 --> 00:40:06.820
 your pastor

00:40:06.820 --> 00:40:07.739
 I've spent

00:40:07.739 --> 00:40:08.500
 way too many

00:40:08.500 --> 00:40:09.500
 of my years

00:40:09.500 --> 00:40:10.980
 as a pastor

00:40:10.980 --> 00:40:14.159
 subtly chasing

00:40:14.159 --> 00:40:15.000
 a hassle-free

00:40:15.000 --> 00:40:15.460
 life.

00:40:17.320 --> 00:40:18.460
 It's just awful

00:40:18.460 --> 00:40:19.279
 when I now

00:40:19.279 --> 00:40:19.860
 realize it.

00:40:20.679 --> 00:40:21.179
 And I didn't

00:40:21.179 --> 00:40:21.860
 spend those years

00:40:21.860 --> 00:40:22.440
 chasing

00:40:22.440 --> 00:40:23.619
 the beauty

00:40:23.619 --> 00:40:25.639
 and the

00:40:25.639 --> 00:40:26.259
 desirability

00:40:26.259 --> 00:40:26.779
 of God.

00:40:26.780 --> 00:40:30.260
 If we can

00:40:30.260 --> 00:40:30.820
 do the latter

00:40:30.820 --> 00:40:31.840
 then like

00:40:31.840 --> 00:40:32.320
 King David

00:40:32.320 --> 00:40:32.680
 I've said it

00:40:32.680 --> 00:40:33.000
 before

00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:35.580
 the beauty

00:40:35.580 --> 00:40:36.019
 and the

00:40:36.019 --> 00:40:36.660
 desirability

00:40:36.660 --> 00:40:36.980
 and the

00:40:36.980 --> 00:40:37.320
 reliability

00:40:37.320 --> 00:40:37.820
 of God

00:40:37.820 --> 00:40:38.380
 will push

00:40:38.380 --> 00:40:39.260
 us to

00:40:39.260 --> 00:40:39.840
 praise and

00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:40.440
 thankfulness

00:40:40.440 --> 00:40:40.660
 in the

00:40:40.660 --> 00:40:41.320
 mess of life

00:40:41.320 --> 00:40:43.740
 and in

00:40:43.740 --> 00:40:44.240
 the pain

00:40:44.240 --> 00:40:45.060
 of experiencing

00:40:45.060 --> 00:40:45.960
 more and

00:40:45.960 --> 00:40:47.360
 more injustices

00:40:47.360 --> 00:40:49.480
 which I fear

00:40:49.480 --> 00:40:50.100
 I need to say

00:40:50.100 --> 00:40:50.420
 to you

00:40:50.420 --> 00:40:50.860
 as your

00:40:50.860 --> 00:40:51.280
 pastor

00:40:51.280 --> 00:40:52.340
 is

00:40:52.340 --> 00:40:53.980
 the lot

00:40:53.980 --> 00:40:54.440
 we are now

00:40:54.440 --> 00:40:54.880
 facing

00:40:54.880 --> 00:40:55.820
 as our

00:40:55.820 --> 00:40:56.120
 culture

00:40:56.120 --> 00:40:56.640
 changes

00:40:56.639 --> 00:40:57.139
 rapidly.

00:41:00.059 --> 00:41:00.699
 Pray with

00:41:00.699 --> 00:41:01.139
 me please.

00:41:06.400 --> 00:41:07.099
 Lord help

00:41:07.099 --> 00:41:07.920
 us not to

00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:08.440
 be frightened

00:41:08.440 --> 00:41:09.179
 of your

00:41:09.179 --> 00:41:09.920
 righteous

00:41:09.920 --> 00:41:11.119
 character

00:41:11.119 --> 00:41:12.639
 your fierce

00:41:12.639 --> 00:41:13.400
 righteousness

00:41:13.400 --> 00:41:16.199
 and inseparably

00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:16.859
 tied to that

00:41:16.859 --> 00:41:17.539
 as an expression

00:41:17.539 --> 00:41:17.960
 of it

00:41:17.960 --> 00:41:18.940
 your severe

00:41:18.940 --> 00:41:19.379
 judgment.

00:41:21.279 --> 00:41:21.859
 Rather

00:41:21.859 --> 00:41:22.219
 Lord

00:41:22.219 --> 00:41:22.960
 let us

00:41:22.960 --> 00:41:23.619
 find in

00:41:23.619 --> 00:41:23.960
 that

00:41:23.960 --> 00:41:24.599
 a place

00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:25.359
 of refuge

00:41:25.359 --> 00:41:26.579
 and comfort

00:41:26.579 --> 00:41:27.480
 and confidence

00:41:27.480 --> 00:41:29.960
 in our

00:41:29.960 --> 00:41:30.599
 experiences

00:41:30.599 --> 00:41:31.400
 of injustice

00:41:31.400 --> 00:41:33.519
 in daily

00:41:33.519 --> 00:41:33.860
 living.

00:41:35.420 --> 00:41:35.860
 Help us

00:41:35.860 --> 00:41:36.039
 Lord

00:41:36.039 --> 00:41:36.539
 therefore to

00:41:36.539 --> 00:41:36.860
 think

00:41:36.860 --> 00:41:37.519
 theologically

00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:38.299
 about you

00:41:38.299 --> 00:41:40.000
 think with

00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:40.860
 the Bible

00:41:40.860 --> 00:41:41.400
 in mind

00:41:41.400 --> 00:41:43.279
 and think

00:41:43.279 --> 00:41:43.900
 with the Bible

00:41:43.900 --> 00:41:44.400
 in mind

00:41:44.400 --> 00:41:45.579
 about our

00:41:45.579 --> 00:41:46.159
 experience of

00:41:46.159 --> 00:41:46.559
 injustice

00:41:46.559 --> 00:41:48.380
 and lead us

00:41:48.380 --> 00:41:48.659
 Lord

00:41:48.659 --> 00:41:49.960
 as you would

00:41:49.960 --> 00:41:50.539
 encourage us

00:41:50.539 --> 00:41:51.300
 in every

00:41:51.300 --> 00:41:51.820
 opportunity

00:41:51.820 --> 00:41:52.259
 of life

00:41:52.259 --> 00:41:53.019
 into praise

00:41:53.019 --> 00:41:54.019
 and thankfulness

00:41:54.019 --> 00:41:57.300
 in Jesus

00:41:57.300 --> 00:41:57.739
 name I

00:41:57.739 --> 00:41:57.960
 pray.

00:41:58.219 --> 00:41:58.460
 Amen.

00:41:58.460 --> 00:41:59.800
 and

00:41:59.800 --> 00:42:00.980
 breathe