We're going to do the Bible reading now, so if you'd like to open your Bibles or your devices or Don's favourite app to Psalm 32.
That's right, Don, I pay attention to those talks.
Psalm 32, reading the whole chapter.
A mascal of David.
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in his spirit there is no deceit.
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me.
My strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Salah.
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity.
I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Salah.
Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found.
Surely in the rush of great waters they shall not reach him.
You are a hiding place for me.
You preserve me from trouble.
You surround me with shouts of deliverance.
Salah.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Be not like a horse or a mule without understanding,
which must be curbed with bitten bridle, or it will not stay near you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
I play bowls.
I've just brought these two bowls along to grade that.
The bowls have a big, big round side and a little side.
The little side is the one that's biased.
In other words, if you bowl it, you want it so the little ring is going towards the jack, the kitty.
Okay?
But if you happen to not think what you're doing,
and you're holding it the same way, and you forget the check,
you'll roll a wrong bias.
When you roll a wrong bias at bowls, everybody knows about it.
They all give a big shout and name and shame you,
and you have to put a dollar in the box that goes to charity.
So it's a name and shame situation,
and I lead on a Friday with a couple of brothers,
and here I try to get as close as I can to that jack.
And if I can get my three bowls really close to the jack,
I think it's great.
The only trouble is it becomes a target then for everybody else,
and they want to knock me off.
My opponents want to get rid of it.
Okay.
Why am I telling you this?
Well, I think it's a good example for a Christian to keep their eyes on the goal,
to always have your bias towards Christ,
and to get close to him, as close as possible.
But there are times, and there will be times,
when we forget to check our bias.
We move our eyes onto something that's tempting us,
and before long we know we've moved away with the temptation.
We enter into the temptation.
We turn away from Christ
to satisfy our own desires.
But it's never pleasant when you're found out,
and everyone seems to notice it,
and especially the Lord himself.
Let's pray.
Father,
sometimes silly examples,
everyday life examples,
can give us a lesson
of where we should be aiming
in this life.
and I pray today
that by your spirit
you might open our eyes
to see the truth
as it is in Jesus,
the truth as it is in his word.
We thank you
that his word lives
and abides forever,
and it will be effectual today
in each of our hearts.
And I pray this in Christ's name.
Amen.
One day,
when I was playing against this fellow,
I played against him a number of times,
but hadn't for a long time.
He happened to pick up my bowl,
and on all bowls I have a symbol.
Everybody has their own symbol.
I identify them as theirs in particular.
And this fellow this day,
he picked up mine.
It's pretty hard to read mine.
And he said,
what's this PS 116?
I said,
oh,
it's my favourite psalm.
I said,
I love the Lord because...
He said,
oh.
The conversation finished.
So,
my message today
is just based on these five words.
I love the Lord because...
Three headings.
You've got them there on your sheet.
I love...
King David loved the Lord because...
I love the Lord because...
But the question is,
do you love the Lord because...
King David loved the Lord.
But what does the word love mean?
Love's always been on the agenda,
countless songs have been written about love.
One of the songs I used to love singing was,
love is a many splendid thing.
And one of the lines says,
out of the morning mist two lovers kissed
and the world stood still.
Wow.
That's some kiss.
I remember the first date I had with my wife June,
who was to be my wife.
When I kissed a good night,
I knew that was the girl I was going to marry.
And I did.
I'd kissed plenty of girls before,
but this one.
Wow.
It was a kiss to drill the dream on.
However, that's not
the sort of love that God
inspired King David to write about.
Vines, one of the word commentators says,
love can only be known from the action it prompts.
Actions towards the object of our love.
King David says,
I love the Lord because...
But King David didn't always love the Lord.
It was only because the Lord first loved him
at a young age.
God inspired him to write many songs.
You remember, if you remember the children's dress
I did here some weeks ago in Psalm 14,
when it talked about,
that the Lord looks down from heaven
upon the children and men
to see if there are any who understand,
who seek God.
They've all turned aside.
They have together become corrupt.
There's none who does good.
No, not one.
Not even David.
And yet he said he loves God.
He loves the Lord.
And that was David.
But he was one of those none.
He was not righteous before the living God.
He was a sinner just like you and I.
But now,
as a saved sinner,
he loves the Lord.
You here this morning,
remember,
he was inspired to write Psalm 23.
Another five word.
The Lord is my shepherd.
Now,
here in our text,
it's not from Psalm 23,
or 32 I should say,
but from my bowls.
I love the Lord
because.
It's very revealing when you think about it.
Because why
does he love the Lord?
Well,
if you've got Psalm 32
open in your Bibles,
you'll see
he loves the Lord
for who he is.
That's the first thing.
Not for what he's done first,
but for who he is.
David knows him
as the creator
of the heavens
and the earth,
the sea
and the skies
and every living soul
that breathes.
Every living creature.
He's the sustainer.
He's the controller.
He has everything
under his sovereign hand.
He's the one
who makes the sun to rise
and the moon to rise
and set.
The rain to fall,
the dust to rise.
He keeps the great oceans
within its bounds
that he has set.
Yes,
he's the creator.
He's the sustainer.
Psalm 24,
if you have a look at that,
it says here
in this verse
one and two,
the earth is the Lord's
and all its fullness,
the world
and those
who dwell therein,
for he has founded it
upon the seas
and established it
upon the waters.
Down in verse seven,
lift up your heads,
O your gates,
and be lifted up,
your everlasting doors,
and the king of glory
shall come in.
Who is this king of glory?
The Lord strong
and mighty,
the Lord mighty
in battle.
Lift up your heads,
O your gates.
Lift up your
everlasting doors,
and the king of glory
shall come in.
Who is this king of glory?
The Lord of hosts.
He is the king of glory.
David knew him
as he is
the king of glory.
He knows the Lord
and the Lord knows him.
He knows every word
and thought and deed
that King David
ever committed.
David loves the Lord
for who he is
and he loves the Lord
for what he has done.
You remember
about that
wrong bias?
You can be
balding the same ball.
You can look
as though you're
approaching the bat
the same way.
You can get down
and you balde smoothly off
and you forget to check
and the ball goes
away from
where it's designed
to go.
You remember
the occasion
of David's wrong bias,
particularly wrong bias.
in 2 Samuel 11,
there was David.
He should have been
out on the battlefield
but he wasn't
and he's just
walking around
his parapet
and he happened
to glance over
the side
and what happened?
He sees this beautiful
married woman
down there
naked,
Bathsheba.
Instead of walking away,
he gets his servants
to go and get that woman.
And he commits adultery
with that woman
and sends her back
to her house.
And a few months later
she tells him,
sends a message
and says,
I'm pregnant.
I'm carrying your child.
And so what's he going
to do?
He calls her husband
out of the army.
He's fighting the battles.
He's fighting
King David's battles
and he calls him
to come home
and David gives him
a feast,
asks him about the battle
and then says,
well, you go back
to your own house now
and then go back
to the battle
but he wouldn't do it.
He said, no.
He said, all the armies
are in tents.
He said, I'm not going to go.
He just slept there
with the servants.
David tried to get him
to do it a couple of times
but he wouldn't do it
and eventually
David writes a note.
He sends it off
to Joab,
his commander,
and he says,
put this man,
Uriah,
in the forefront
of the battle
and leave him
and of course
Uriah gets killed.
David not only
committed adultery,
tried to cover it up,
commits murder
and after this lady
has mourned
for his loss
for husband,
he takes this lady
for his own wife.
He thinks he can
get away with it
but everybody knows.
His servants
knew what he had done.
No doubt
his other wives knew.
Women seemed
to know these things.
His children
must have known.
God knew
and he sent Nathan
the prophet along
and this child
is born to David
and Bathsheba
and Nathan
comes along
and he tells him
this story
about this rich man
had all his sheep
and the poor man
had one little
ewe lamb
and the rich man
wanted to put on
a feast for somebody
so he took
the one little
ewe lamb
and killed it
and David
as the king
was incensed
he said
he should die
and Nathan said
you are the man.
You are the man.
It cost David,
it cost Bathsheba
the death
of their child.
But you know
God in his mercy
reinstated
this child
of his.
David was a believer
he had a wrong bias
and he committed
a great sin
and a great crime
and so David
writes
a psalm
psalm.
Some believe
that this
psalm
comes after
Psalm 51
not chronological order
in the scriptures
here
but it comes
after Psalm 51
you remember
Psalm 51
where David
confesses his sin
he says
Lord
I was born in sin
and shapen
and iniquity
and in sin
did my mother
conceive me
he said
against you
and you only
have I sinned
and done this
evil in your sight
he didn't say
against Uriah
he didn't say
against Bathsheba
he didn't say
against his family
and friends
and against the
nation
but his first
thought was
against God
he'd sinned
and done this
evil in his sight
and then David
later on
writes this
psalm
he loves
the Lord
because
blessed is he
whose transgression
is forgiven
whose sin
is covered
blessed is the man
to whom the Lord
does not impute
iniquity
and in whose spirit
there is no guile
or no deceit
so David
loves the Lord
because he
has been
forgiven
but he also
loves the Lord
for what he
is
he is
doing
now look at
psalm 32
and verse 6
for this cause
everyone who
is godly
shall pray
to you
in the time
when you
may be found
surely in a
flood of great
waters
they shall not
come near him
you are my
hiding place
you shall preserve
me from trouble
you shall surround
me with songs
of deliverance
David knows
this great
work
that's going
that God
is doing
in him
and for him
he prays
to the Lord
he's not
worried about
all the attacks
that are going
to come upon
him
because he
knows he
has a hiding
place in his
God
and he loves
the Lord
for where
he will be
for all
eternity
in psalm 23
we all know
it ends up
with
and I shall
be in the
house of the
Lord
forever
so David
had great
cause to
say
I love
the Lord
because
but myself
I love
the Lord
because
one of the
reasons I put
it on my
bowels
because it
has so much
meaning for
me
I love
the Lord
because he
heard my
cry and my
supplication
because he
inclined his
ear unto me
therefore I'll
call upon him
all the days
of my life
what a blessing
that has been
to me
Vine says
love
can only
be known
by the
action it
prompts
I was like
David
a sinner
against the
holy God
but now
I am saved
by his
grace
and I too
thank him
for who he is
for what he's
done on the
cross
and going to
Calvary
and bearing my
sins and
iniquities
in his body
on that tree
by going to
the grave
and rising
again
and ascending
on high
and forgiving
my sins
I thank him
and I love
him for what
he is doing
interceding
in my life
providing all
my needs
according to
his riches
in glory
and he's
working in me
to will
and to do
of his good
pleasure
I thank him
and praise him
and love him
for the assurance
that I will be
with him
and all his
people in
heaven forever
you remember
Romans 8
1 says
there is therefore
now no condemnation
to those that are
in Christ Jesus
for the law
of the spirit
of life
in Christ Jesus
made me free
from the law
of sin and death
in verses 28
through 30
all things
work together
for good
to those
who love God
to those
who are called
according to his
purpose
and you know
that's
that's the reason
why
I love
the Lord
but I do
put down
some wrong
biases
I must tell
you
people at
Bowles
when I do
it at Bowles
they all
give a big
shout
they all
name and
shame me
but in
real life
I do put
down
wrong
biases
and I
have to
pay the
price
when I
sin
true love
for the
Lord
shows
itself
in
heartfelt
repentance
and a
renewed
love
for
Christ
you remember
in 1 John
it says
if we
confess
our sins
he's
faithful
and just
to forgive
us our
sins
and cleanse
us from
all
unrighteousness
Gareth
reminded the
children about
that this
morning
I love
the Lord
for his
word
his word
is a lamp
under my
feet and
a light
under my
path
I love
the assembly
of his
people
you here
today
as we
come to
worship him
in spirit
and in
truth
I love
telling other
people
about the
mercies
of the
Lord
when that
man picked
up my
bold
and asked
me what
that
PS116
was
I said
I love
the Lord
because that
was the
end of the
conversation
with him
but there
will be
other
opportunities
and I
hope I'll
be able to
tell him
about the
love of
Christ
I was
no king
but now
I am a
king and
priest
and God
and I
love the
Lord
because
of all
this
but the
big question
this morning
is
King David
is not
here
I'm here
but I'm
on my
way out
but what
about you
do you
love the
Lord
because
I mean
it's a
very personal
question
isn't it
one day
we're all
going to
have to
stand before
the living
God
and we
are going
to have
to give
an account
of our
lives
the only
ones that
are going
to heaven
are those
who love
the Lord
Jesus
who are
first loved
by him
and then
love him
for all
eternity
the only
ones going
to heaven
are those
who have
been shown
their sins
and their
need of
repentance
and faith
and they've
got down
on their
knees
and they've
said
Lord
forgive me
my sin
is against
you
and you
only have
a sin
and done
this evil
in your
sight
and let
me tell
you
until God
convicts
you that
your sin
your lies
your deceit
and all
those other
things that
you do
that are
contrary to
God's will
unless you
see that
they're against
the holy
God
you'll never
see your
sin
whilst ever
we compare
ourselves with
other people
and try to
say well I'm
not as bad
as they are
you'll have
a wrong
bias all
the time
you'll never
come to
Christ
but we
really need
to see that
this sin
is against
the holy
God
before whom
we will
stand
and when
he asked
you why
should I
let you
into my
kingdom
what are
you going
to say
oh I
wasn't as bad
as the other
blokes
I never
committed
adultery
I never
murdered
anybody
I must
told a
few
lies
stretched
the truth
a bit
and may
have been
a bit
deceitful
and probably
didn't honour
my father
and my mother
I ought to
have done
and I
didn't worry
about you
know meeting
on Sundays
with the people
he said
you know
the kids
were playing
sport
it was more
important
for me
to take
to the
sport
more
important
to have
the family
barbecue
more
important
to meet
with the
family
than to
come to
church
but I'm
not a
bad
bloke
well let
me tell
you it
won't cut
the mustard
I think
that was
the saying
I don't
know what
the saying
is today
but it
won't pass
the pub
test
it won't
pass
the Lord
love can
only be
known by
the action
it prompts
so
unbeliever
do you
love the
Lord for
the simple
reason
you don't
love the
Lord for
the simple
reason that
you don't
know him
now
you don't
have a
personal
relationship
with him
you're still
in your
sin and
without God
and without
hope in
this world
or that
to come
you're
alienated
from the
household of
God
your only
hope is
escaping
God's
wrath
is
eternity
in hell
and eternity
in hell
is to be
found in
the love
and mercy
of God
himself
so fall
on your
knees
turn your
heart
towards
him
have
your
bias
towards
him
who
loved
the world
so much
that he
gave
himself
and you'll
know
the joy
of having
sins
forgiven
past
present
and future
and then
and only
then will
you be
able to
say
with
King
David
and me
and all
other
sinners
here today
I love
the Lord
because
let's
pray
father we're
grateful to
be here
to know
that there
is a
God
who reigns
over all
things
the creator
of all
things
the sustainer
of all
things
the one
who
gives us
every breath
that we
breathe
the one
who knows
our thoughts
and the
intents of
our hearts
and yet
you
send a
word like
this today
to encourage
the believer
to continue
to love
the Lord
to have a
bias towards
him continually
and to
stay as
close as
possible
to the
Lord
Jesus
to love
his word
and to
love his
people
but Lord
you've also
given hope
to those
who today
even in
this very
room
who don't
know you
that today
is the day
of salvation
today if
they hear
his voice
as they
have done
let them
not harden
their hearts
but turn
to you
to bow
the knee
to you
and to
acknowledge
their sin
before you
and to
say
Lord
forgive me
and Father
to hear
your voice
and to hear
the voice
of the Lord
Jesus on
the cross
saying Father
forgive them
for they
know not
what they
do
and oh
Lord
may each
of these
who have
come here
unsaved
know the
joy of
your
salvation
and they
may rejoice
forever
with the
saints in
glory
for Christ's
sake
Amen