This morning, we're taking a one week break from our exposition of the book of Hebrews to begin what we purpose to make a periodically presented series on the gospel and counseling.
!
We have much opportunity as a church of the living God to make him known in the world through the careful application of the gospel to the daily struggles of this life.
Beloved, we have chance to walk through the world differently than others, that we might be able to speak to them of the hope that we have.
This, of course, does not preclude gospel proclamation, but it should accompany it.
It should give us a platform from which to speak the gospel truth.
So today's sermon, as I very rarely do, but is entitled The Gospel and Your Sorrow.
Each of us have and will experience sorrow in some measure in this life.
Some of us have a greater propensity toward it than others, but it is inevitable that fallen people living in a fallen world will, from time to time,
feel the weightiness of the reality in which we live.
I hope two things for our time together this morning.
First, that you will have a clear understanding of your personal sorrow and be better equipped to battle for your joy.
I recognize that some of you might be feeling sorrowful even this morning.
Some of you may not.
If you are feeling sorrowful this morning, I hope this will be an aid to you.
If you're not, I hope it will be a future aid to you.
Secondly, that you will have a clear understanding of another's sorrow and be better equipped to battle for their joy.
This is why the title of the gospel and your sorrow is applicable in either case, whether you're experiencing sorrow or someone else is experiencing sorrow.
Beloved, we are instructed to love one another.
And Paul tells us in Galatians chapter six and verse two, that if we love one another, we will bear one another's burdens.
And in Romans chapter 12 and verse 15, we're instructed to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
Now, I know that I could fake rejoicing.
I think it's possible that I could put on the outward expression of rejoicing, although I don't think this is what Paul is instructing us to.
But I can tell you this, that for me to weep with someone who is weeping means that I am going to experience their sorrow.
I'm going to make their sorrow my sorrow because we are members of one another.
We are to take on the joy of others and we are to take on the sorrow of others.
If you are in relationship with other people and you are in any way modeling Christ likeness, you are going to be asked to give advice.
People are going to ask you for help.
They're asking you for counsel.
You should aim to give biblical answers to spiritual problems.
As a culture, we are a psychologized culture.
We have lots of influence around us telling us the way that we should go.
And too often when confronted with spiritual problems, we are quick to give the world's answers.
Out of a genuine desire to be helpful, we are quick to give answers that are not ultimately and finally helpful at all.
So we need to know how to give good counsel.
Whether you consider yourself a counselor or not, you will give counsel in your life.
So we are going to look this morning at Psalm 77.
This is a psalm of Asaph, a songwriter.
Some of my favorite psalms are psalms of Asaph.
You will find within this psalm the Hebrew phrase, Salah.
And we don't know exactly what this means.
It's widely understood to be some kind of musical direction.
Most agree it's probably meant to be a pause, an interlude.
So imagine the lyre and the harp playing for a bit in that gap.
And I'm telling you this simply to say I'm going to pause for a moment when you see that word.
Before I begin reading in verse 1, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.
It was written for his glory and our good.
We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble, I seek the Lord.
In the night, my hand is stretched out without wearying.
My soul refuses to be comforted.
When I remember God, I moan.
When I meditate, my spirit faints.
You hold my eyelids open.
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old, the years long ago.
I said, let me remember my song in the night.
Let me meditate in my heart.
Then my spirit made a diligent search.
Will the Lord spurn forever and never again be favorable?
Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?
Then I said, I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.
I will remember the deeds of the Lord.
Yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
What God is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders.
You have made known your might among the peoples.
You, with your arm, redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.
When the waters saw you, O God.
When the waters saw you, they were afraid.
Indeed, the deep trembled.
The clouds poured out water.
The skies gave forth thunder.
Your arrows flashed on every side.
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind.
Your lightnings lighted up the world.
The earth trembled and shook.
Your way was through the sea.
Your path through the great waters.
Yet your footprints were unseen.
You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
I would like to begin our study this morning
by helping you see the commonality of sorrow
in the life of our culture and of our church.
I will tell you this morning,
I personally struggle most with sorrow.
This is the emotion I struggle most with.
For some, they may be inclined to struggles with anxiety
or struggles with anger.
But for me, my greatest emotional struggle
is with sorrow or depression.
I emotionally find myself very often fighting for joy.
Sorrow just seems to creep up on me.
And I suddenly find myself feeling bummed out
for no particular reason whatsoever.
And I have to fight for joy.
I think because of my great desire
to see the proverbial glass filled to the very brim.
I think I have a glass.
Yep, I do have a glass.
Unplanned illustration, right?
I so want to see the glass filled to the brim,
overflowing,
that I focus far too much on the empty space.
This glass is not half empty,
but you get the point.
And I neglect altogether
all of the liquid in the glass.
Just ignore the filled portion altogether.
I'm very concerned about the space
that exists in that spot.
I think as I desire to see the kingdom of God
come to pass in the world,
I particularly feel the tensions
of why we're not in that place.
The weight of sin bears on me heavy.
I am not alone in this.
Depression is the single topic
I give the most counsel for.
Sometimes people don't know
that's what they're coming to me for counsel for,
but we find that they're finding themselves
in a particular place of sorrow.
Antidepressants, as a category of medication,
are the number one prescribed medication in America.
And I'm not currently commenting on the medication itself.
I may not have time to this morning,
but merely the rampancy of sorrow in our country.
So many people who are seeking help
because they are sad.
Many of our church heroes struggled
with what they most often called melancholy.
As you read around,
it's a deep sorrow.
It's a besetting sorrow.
It's what we would commonly call depression in our day.
From Luther to Calvin to Spurgeon.
Spurgeon once wrote,
the mind can descend far lower than the body,
for in it there are bottomless pits.
The flesh can bear only a certain number of wounds
and no more.
But the soul can bleed in 10,000 ways
and die over and over again each hour.
And he was a man that experienced great anguish
for reasons explained and for unexplained reasons.
Sorrow is more common than I think
that we would like to admit.
We've become very accustomed
to put on our Sunday best
and deal with each other
in a way that I like to call plastic.
Fake.
Because we feel a pressure to do so.
I'm really grateful that many of you now
on a Sunday morning,
when I say,
how are you doing?
You'll say,
not that great.
And of course my impulse
is that I want to help you.
And so in the past,
I haven't felt convenienced by that
because I don't have time
in that moment to help you.
But I'm so glad for the honesty.
And now if you ever say that to me,
I'll say,
well I am really glad you're here.
Good place for you to be
when you're not doing that great.
And I'll be sure to follow up with you
later.
As a church maturing,
right,
growing up as a church,
we noticed across time
that our gatherings
did not leave much space
for sorrow.
I particularly noted this
when some members of our church
lost an in utero baby,
still born.
And I preached the funeral
of that baby.
And I thought,
how do I give comfort
the following day?
That Sunday morning.
Will they come
and will they join us?
And will everything
just be cheery and happy?
Or will they feel like
they've got a spot
that we could grieve together
through that process?
And I think in many ways
we've been working
to rectify that.
Some of that is expressed
in the way we pray.
Much of it is expressed
in the songs
that we sing.
We should be very thankful
for old saints
who wrote
five verse hymns.
If you only ever sing
the first,
the second,
and the fifth,
you miss the couple of verses
that are about this life.
And the trouble
of this life.
You begin to pay attention
to many of the songs
we sing.
I know they begin
to feel long,
but it's expressing
the totality
of the Christian experience.
Right?
Being both called
and justified
and then sanctified
growing up in Christ-likeness
in this world
and then finally
fully glorified.
But we still have work
to do
in this area.
We will not be able
to answer
all of the possible
questions
that will arise
this morning.
There's just not enough
time for it.
But as we consider
how to love each other
well through sorrow,
I hope
that our study
will at least
get us started.
We'll skip a stone
off the surface
that we might continue
to study
and learn
together
about what it means
for us as a church
to weep
with those who weep.
So my outline
this morning
is simple.
It has three points.
I'm going to give them
to you before I begin
speaking about the first one.
Number one,
the Bible
affirms
sorrow
as normative.
The Bible
affirms
sorrow
as normative.
Second,
the Bible
gives us
language
for our sorrow.
The Bible
gives us
language
for our sorrow.
The glass
is less full
now.
number three,
the Bible
gives us
relief
from our sorrow.
Number one,
the Bible
affirms
sorrow
as normative.
This morning
we have
opened before us
a song
of
lament.
In fact,
over a third
of the Bible's
inspired songbook
is made up
of such psalms.
Over a third
of the psalms
are psalms
of
lament.
And,
there's an entire book
called the book
of
lamentations.
In a new book
I will come in to you
by Mark
Vrogop,
I think I'm pronouncing
that correct,
entitled
Dark Clouds
Deep Mercy.
He defines
lament
this way.
Lament
is the
honest cry
of a hurting
heart
wrestling
with the
paradox
of pain
and the
promise
of God's
goodness.
Lament
is what
we do
with
this gap
that's
experienced
between
what's going
on in our
lives when
we're hurting
and in the
full and
final promises
of God
to be good
to his
people.
It's that
stretching,
it's that
pulling
in between.
The
biblical
authors
felt
that
gap
between
the
way
things
were
for
them
and
the
way
they
thought
they
ought
to
be.
Our
Lord
and
Savior
is said
to be
a man
of
suffering
and
acquainted
with
grief,
sorrow.
In
Isaiah
chapter 53
in verse
3.
When
Jesus
sees
the sorrow
of
Lazarus'
sister
at his
passing,
John
11
35
tells us
Jesus
wept.
He was
not
disconnected
from
that
gap.
If there
was ever
a man
who could
realize
the good
promises
of God
as he
was the
fulfillment
of God's
promises,
it was
Jesus.
In the
case of
Lazarus,
he knew
full well
that he
was about
to raise
him
from
the
dead,
but he
felt
the pain
of a
world
that is
not
as it
should
be.
A world
being
restored,
but not
yet
restored.
Now we
must be
careful at
this point
because just
because sorrow
is shown
as normative
in the
scripture
does not
make all
sorrow
okay.
Some
sorrow
is
sinful
sorrow.
Not all
sorrow is
sin,
but it
can be
caused
by sin,
it can
produce
sin,
and it
itself
can be
sinful.
It can
be entirely
devoid
of faith.
Sorrow
can be
caused
by
physical
ailment.
You may
be
hurt,
being
hurt
is
painful,
and pain
typically
causes
people to
be sad.
I don't
know a lot
of people
with serious
injury that
are joyful
over the
injury
itself.
Some
of you
may deal
with chronic
and ongoing
physical
pain.
You
hurt in
really deep
ways,
and it
causes
a sadness
as a
result.
Sorrow
can be
caused
by
physical
ailment
of
the
mind.
It would
be silly
for us
to think
that while
our bodies
are affected
by
the fall,
that sin
runs rampant
in our
flesh,
I have
type 1
diabetes
because
of the
fall
of man,
but that
the gray
matter
encased
in bone
in our
head
wouldn't
also be
affected
in some
way
by the
fall.
It's
very
difficult
to
understand
these
things
because
the mind
is encased
in bone.
It's
difficult
to study
the way
other
organs
have been
studied.
But it's
very possible
for someone,
probably this
is over
diagnosed,
but to
experience
a physical
ailment
that
tends
them
toward
sadness.
Sorrow
can also
be
circumstantial.
The loss
of a
loved
one,
diagnosis,
the loss
of a
job,
relationships
that are
severed,
all kinds
of reasons
that in
this world
we will
look out
and feel
sorrowful,
look out
at injustices
in the
world.
Some of
the psalms
of lament,
many of
them are
about that.
Look at
how others
are doing.
Psalm 73
Asaph
writes,
how well
the wicked
are doing
and look
how poorly
I'm doing.
This seems
unfair.
And it
causes him
grief until
he goes
to the
Lord.
Sorrow
can be
circumstantial.
Sorrow
can be
spiritual.
Have that
emotional
root
within us.
Sadness
that we
can't quite
put our
finger
on.
And sorrow
can and
likely is
a mixture
of all
three.
And so as
you're trying
to sort
out your
own sadness
or trying
to help
somebody else
sort out
theirs,
it is one
of the
most
complicated
works
to do.
And if
you've
ever sat
with somebody
who is
sorrowful,
they don't
tend to
want to
talk very
much.
It's a
great
challenge to
help sort
through the
complexities
of besetting
sadness.
Now because
we tend
to use
the word
depression
and we
use it
fairly often
in our
day,
I want to
define
depression
and this
is my
definition
of
depression.
I like to
speak of
depression in
this way
as
disproportionate
sorrow.
So if
you were
to lose
a loved
one,
it is
good for
you to
grieve that
loss.
It's
proper for
you to
go through
a process
of being
sad about
someone you
cared about
being taken
out of
your life.
But there's
a point at
which it's
reasonable to
be recovering
from that
sadness,
to be moving
on from
that sadness.
We enter
into a
depression when
it becomes
disproportionate.
It's not
in proper
measure to
the thing
that has
happened.
It's
irrational
sorrow.
And this
is another
great challenge
of helping
yourself and
helping others.
You don't
really quite
know why.
It's hard
to put my
finger on
why.
Sam has
learned how
to very
graciously love
me as I'm
sad at
times.
And more
than I like
to admit,
I'll come
home and
I'm just
sad.
I have no
real reason
to be.
I like
coming home.
I really
enjoy my
family.
The weight
of the day
carries with
me.
I just
say,
are you
okay?
And I
go,
no,
but I
don't know
why.
And she's
learned to
give me a
little bit
of space
because
typically I
can reason
myself to
why.
Oh,
I know
why.
I know
why.
And I
know the
promises of
God that
combat this
sadness in
me.
And I
can turn
that sadness
then by
God's grace
into joy.
So,
but again,
not all
sorrow is
sin,
but it
can be
caused by
it,
it can
produce it,
and it
can be
itself
sinful,
faithless,
unwilling to
think about
the promises
and believe
the promises
of God
for us.
Let me
show you
an example
of what I
mean by
sinful sorrow
before we
proceed.
So turn
with me
to Mark
Psalm 77,
turn with
me to
Genesis
chapter 4.
This is a
story you're
probably familiar
with,
Cain and
Abel,
but likely
have not
seen it
in this
light.
Beginning
number 1,
now Adam
knew Eve
his wife,
and she
conceived
and bore
Cain,
saying,
I have
gotten a
man with
the help
of the
Lord.
And again
she bore
his brother
Abel.
Now Abel
was a
keeper of
sheep,
and Cain
a worker
of the
ground.
In the
course of
time,
Cain
brought to
the Lord
an offering
of the
fruit of
the ground.
And Abel
also brought
of the
firstborn
of his
flock,
and of
their fat
portions.
And the
Lord had
regard for
Abel and
his offering,
but for
Cain and
his offering,
he had
no regard.
Now listen,
this is not
just an
unfair judgment
on God's
part.
Notice the
text gives
us some
very specifics
about what
Abel did.
He brought
the firstborn
and he brought
the fat
portions.
It was a
sacrificial
sacrifice.
He understood
the way
in which
he was
meant to
devote
his
trade
to
the
worship
of
God.
Notice
that Cain
just brought
to the
Lord
an offering
of the
fruit of
the ground.
It's just
an offering.
It's not
the firstborn
and the
fat
portions
as Abel's
won.
And we
know God
is good
and righteous
in his
judgment.
He has
no regard
for Cain's
offering.
It was
an
unacceptable
offering.
It wasn't
an appropriate
offering.
Cain had
not done
well in
regard to
his worship
to God.
And then
it says
what was
his response?
God not
regarding it,
not Lord,
how then
will you
regard my
offering?
I would
like to
please you
with my
offering.
Can you
help me?
Correct me
that I might
please you.
Instead,
what does
Cain do?
He was
very angry.
And his
face fell.
Which is a
common Hebrew
expression for
he was
deeply
saddened.
His face
fell.
So all of
that was
an unacceptable
emotional
response.
He did
not respond
righteously.
He responded
in sin.
Verse 6,
the Lord
said to
Cain,
God's
great kindness
to Cain,
Cain
angrily
shook his
fist at
the Lord
for not
accepting his
unacceptable
sacrifice.
The Lord
says to
Cain,
why are
you angry?
And why
has your
face
fallen?
If you
do well,
will you
not be
accepted?
If you
do well,
will you
not be
accepted?
And if
you do
not do
well,
sin is
crouching at
the door.
Its desire
is contrary
to you,
but you
must rule
over it.
So it
gives him
correction,
loving
correction.
What does
Cain do?
Cain spoke
to Abel,
his brother,
and when
they were
in the
field,
Cain rose
up against
his brother
Abel and
killed him.
An
unacceptable
physical
response.
You see
the downward
spiral that's
happening in
Cain's
life,
right?
Presents an
unacceptable
offering.
He has
an
unacceptable
emotional
response to
God not
receiving it.
God corrects
him,
and what
does he
do?
He goes
and commits
an unacceptable
physical
crime against
his brother.
Then the
Lord said
to Cain,
where is
Abel,
your brother?
And Cain
said,
I do not
know.
Am I
my brother's
keeper?
And the
spiral goes
deeper,
as now
he
unacceptably
responds to
God verbally
with a
lie.
And if you
read on in
the text,
he's judged
for this.
So this is
an example
of sorrow.
His face
falls.
Things didn't
go the way
he wanted
them to
go.
His face
falls,
and it
leads him
into
furthering
and furthering
sin.
sorrow.
Now in
our text,
we can
see
faithful
sorrow.
And catch
this very
carefully.
There is a
complaint.
I get
uncomfortable
when I
read Psalms
of Lament.
I think
you should
go,
whoa,
you're asking
these kinds
of questions?
But it's
really important
for us to
note that
Asaph
goes to
God.
He has a
complaint against
God.
He feels
as if
God is
not there,
but he
goes to
God in
faith.
That's what
he's going
to say.
I cry
aloud to
God,
aloud to
God,
and he
will hear
me.
He has
faith in
the fact
that God
will in
fact hear
his
complaint
against
him.
In the
day of
my trouble,
I seek
the Lord.
In the
night,
my hand
is stretched
out without
wearying.
What he's
saying is I'm
constantly,
I'm constantly
reaching out.
I'm constantly
trying to have
my complaint
heard by
God,
but my
soul
refuses
to be
comforted.
When I
remember God,
I moan.
When I
meditate,
he's talking
about on the
truth of
God,
my spirit
faints.
We do
not know
the circumstance
of Asaph's
sorrow,
but we
do know
that it
goes to
God.
It takes
faith to
turn to
God in
our anguish.
It's the
place we
most need
to be
when we
feel this
gap in
which we
live in
the world.
So the
Bible
affirms
sorrow
as normative.
We're going
to experience
this in
our life.
There is
an unhealthy
way to
deal with
it,
and there
is a
healthy
way to
deal with
it.
And that
starts with
language.
So secondly,
the Bible
gives us
language for
our sorrow.
The Bible
teaches us
how to
properly
issue a
faithful
complaint
to God.
We do
not have
to learn
how to
complain.
We're all
pretty naturally
good at
complaining.
Again,
some of us
better than
others.
It's
hardwired
into us.
We know
how to
complain.
Babies
know how
to cry.
It doesn't
take them
long.
If all
is well
in the
delivery
room,
they start
complaining
right away.
They say,
what have
you done
to me?
And they're
right to
do so.
It's
traumatic.
They don't
have to
learn how
to cry.
Toddlers
do not
have to
learn how
to be
whiny.
Later in
the book
I mentioned
earlier,
Dark Clouds,
Deep Mercy,
Mark Rogop
writes,
to cry
is human,
to lament
is Christian.
God
teaches us
how to
faithfully
complain in
the midst
of our
sorrow.
He gives
us a
language
for it.
He
models it
out for
us
through the
inspired
word of
God.
Various
circumstances,
various
writers
issuing
faithful
complaints
to him.
Have these
psalms ever
made you
uncomfortable?
Have you ever
wondered,
like,
what in the
world do I
do with
this?
This
seems so
against,
so set
against
God.
What we
need to do
with them
is learn
from them.
We need
to recognize
that God
is capable
of handling
your hard
questions.
If you
ask me
these kinds
of questions,
I might
crumble
into a
ball.
God
can handle
difficult
questions.
And Asaph
asks some
difficult
questions.
I don't
think he's
being rhetorical.
I try
to read
it in
that way.
You
might be
going,
wait a
second.
These
are all
rhetorical
questions.
I don't
think so
because in
verse 10
he says,
then I
said,
right?
If we
understand the
Hebrew word
salah,
right,
there's this
break there
and then
there's a
turn in
verse 10
when he
says,
then I
said,
right?
And this
is the
pattern
throughout
these
psalms of
lament,
right?
Difficult
questions asked,
complaints
issued,
and then
remembering
then
responses
to
those
complaints.
So listen
again to
what he
says,
verse 4
and following.
You hold
my eyelids
open.
I am so
troubled that
I cannot
speak,
right?
He cannot
sleep and
he cannot
speak.
I consider
the days
of old,
the years
long ago.
I said,
let me
remember my
song in
the night.
Let me
meditate in
my heart.
Then my
spirit made
a diligent
search,
right?
Read this,
he's troubled,
right?
He wants
the restored
song,
right?
And so
he's searching
for it.
He's trying
to sort
out this
emotion that
he's feeling
so deeply.
And he
asked the
questions,
will the
Lord spurn
forever and
never again
be favorable?
That's how he
feels in that
moment.
God has
just left
him,
he has
abandoned
him,
is the
emotion he's
expressing.
Has his
steadfast
love
forever
ceased?
This would
be your
strongest
argument that
he's being
rhetorical,
right?
The language
steadfast
love
ceased.
Has his
steadfast
love
ceased?
Are his
promises at
an end
for all
time?
Has God
forgotten
to be
gracious?
Has he
in anger
shut up
his
compassion?
Beloved,
it's okay
to ask
hard
questions.
It's okay
in faith
to cry
out to
God,
where are
you?
What is
going on?
This isn't
how things
are supposed
to be.
The Bible
affirms
sorrow
is normative.
The Bible
gives us
language
for our
sorrow.
It invites
us
to hurt,
but to
hurt in
God's
presence.
And thirdly,
the Bible
gives us
relief
from our
sorrow.
The Bible
gives us
relief
from our
sorrow.
There's
some sub
points here.
Number one,
through
remembering
what God
has done.
The Bible
gives us
relief from
our sorrow
through
remembering
what God
has done.
There's a
turn now,
right?
Verse 10,
Asaph says,
then I
said,
I will
appeal to
this,
to the
years of
the right
hand of
the Most
High.
He's going
to remember
God's
powerful
work.
His right
hand represents
his sovereignty.
He says,
verse 11,
I will
remember
the deeds
of the
Lord.
Yes,
I will
remember
your
wonders
of
old.
He's
speaking
very
generally
and
generically.
He's
remembering
all of
the
things
that
God
has
done
for
his
people
and
for
him.
Verse 12,
I will
ponder
all your
work
and
meditate
on
your
mighty
deeds.
Right?
Not
just have
them told
to me,
but I'm
going to
roll
them
around.
Right?
I'm
going to
let them
sink
deep
within
me.
And
your
way,
O
God,
is
holy,
perfect,
set
apart.
What
God
is
great
like
our
God?
You
are the
God
who
works
wonders.
You
have
made
known
your
might
among
the
peoples.
You
with
your
arm
redeemed
your
people,
the
children
of
Jacob
and
Joseph.
He
turns
now
to
praise
for
who
God
is
because
of
what
God
has
done.
And
I
don't
think
when we
read
these
Psalms
of
lament
that
we
should
be
reading
them
in
real
time.
I
don't
think
that
we
should
read
them
and
feel
like
Asaph
went
through
an
emotional
process
that
took
all
of
40
seconds.
These
are
songs
written
in
retrospect
of a
time
in
his
life.
Was
it
days?
Was
it
weeks?
I
don't
know.
But
there
seems
to be
a
deep
anguish
when we
read
the
Psalms
of
lament.
Not
a
I'm
feeling
bummed
about
that.
Well,
God's
promises
are
good.
There are
nights
spent
awake.
there
there is
a
pouring
out
that
seems
to be
expressed
in
these
psalms
of
lament.
Sometimes
finding
yourself
turning in
faith to
God and
coming
through
times of
sorrow
takes
great
patience
and it
takes
repetition
meditating
on
and being
reminded of
over and
over again
of God's
goodness
to you.
The
surety of
his
promises.
Beloved,
this is at
least a
reason you
should come
and fellowship
with the
church each
and every
Lord's
day.
You're
slow
learners
and quick
to forget
to be
reminded
again
and again
and again.
An
expression
of this
is Psalm
88.
And I
don't really
like Psalm
88.
I'll be
honest.
I think
I like
the lesson
it teaches
me.
It makes
me so
uncomfortable.
The other
Psalms of
lament end
on a
positive
note.
This one
does not.
I'm going
to read
the first
six verses
and then
I'll jump
down and
I'll tell
you where
it would
go if
you'd like
to follow
along.
The
psalmist
here writes,
I think it's
the son of
Korah if I
remember
correctly.
Oh Lord
God of my
salvation,
I cry
out day
and night
before you.
So here we
are.
There's
days going
by.
Let my
prayer come
before you
incline your
ear to my
cry for my
soul is full
of troubles
and my life
draws near
to shield.
I am counted
among those
who go down
to the pit.
I am a
man who
has no
strength like
one set
loose among
the dead,
like the
slain that
lie in the
grave,
like those
whom you
remember no
more for
they are cut
off from
your hand.
You have
put me in
the depths
of the pit
in the
regions dark
and deep.
Oh, what an
expression of
anguish this
man is
feeling.
And if this
was following
the normal
pattern, at
some place in
here he would
say, but
you, oh
Lord, then
I recalled.
But he never
does that in
this psalm.
And you'll
see how it
ends beginning
in verse 14
to the end.
Oh, Lord,
why do you
cast my
soul away?
Why do you
hide your
face from
me?
Afflicted
and close to
death from
my youth up,
I suffer your
tears.
I am helpless.
Your wrath
has swept over
me.
Your dreadful
assaults destroy
me.
They surround
me like a
flood all day
long.
They close in
on me together.
You have
caused my
beloved and
my friend to
shun me.
My companion
have become
darkness or
darkness is
my only
companion.
And it
ends.
And I
want the
textual critics
to find the
text that
goes, we
found the
last three
verses of
Psalm 88.
But it
ends at
that point.
And that
does not
mean that
there's not
relief for
our sorrow,
but it
does mean
this is the
lesson that
I hope
to learn
that we
need to be
patient and
we need to
rely upon
the Lord
that he
will deliver
us from
sorrow.
Second, the
Bible gives us
relief from our
sorrow through
being reminded of
what God has
done.
So we're
meant to
remember, but
sometimes we
need to be
reminded.
The great
preacher, Dr.
Martin Lloyd-Jones
once said, we
need to stop
listening to
ourselves and
start talking
to ourselves,
reminding ourselves
of great truths.
And I would
like to add to
that, and we
need others to
talk to us,
to tell us
important truths
that will draw
us from a
place of sorrow
to a place of
hope.
We often, and I
would say more
often than not,
need others'
help in the
work of
remembering.
So come
to church.
We are
working this
into the
fabric of
what we
do together.
The pattern
of being with
God's people
and participating
in God's
graces to
you in being
with God's
people will
help you in
these times,
and it will
prepare you
for them.
Look for
wise counsel
within the
church.
Look for
people who
have walked
through sorrow
and can show
you how the
scripture speaks
to that
sorrow.
And be
willing to
listen.
Be willing to
take up and
hear good
truth.
And sometimes
that is so
difficult to
do, particularly
when you're
experiencing an
irrational,
disproportionate
sorrow.
Everything is
gray when
you're feeling
sad like that.
Let other
people try to
paint the
picture for
you.
Try to
hear the
good truths
they're speaking
into your
life.
Proverbs
chapter 18
and verse
1 says,
whoever isolates
himself,
seeks his
own desire.
He breaks
out against
all sound
judgment.
It's so
often that
when we're
feeling sad,
we don't want
to be around
other people
because we
don't want
to show
people that
we're not
doing well.
We feel a
pressure to
be doing
well all
the time.
We may
not want
to repeat
the reason
for our
sorrow again
and again,
but it's the
thing most
needful for
us, that we
would come
together, that
we would press
at one
another.
Proverbs 18
verse 1 says
that we would
not break out
against, but
that we
would seek
sound judgment.
And if you
are in the
process of
helping someone
else, reminding
someone else of
what God has
done, this
also often
takes great
patience and
repetition.
It takes time
to sit with
somebody and
to hear what
they're experiencing
and help them
to sort through
the complexity
of it.
you may
speak truth
to someone
and they
say they
get it and
they go live
in absolute
contradiction
to it.
In counseling
people who
are experiencing
depression, I
so desperately
want at the
end of that
counseling session
the person to
go, I feel
great now.
Thank you so
much.
And very
rarely they
do.
It takes
time for
truth to
settle into
our hearts,
right?
To take root
and to
bring forth
fruit.
And especially
when people are
dealing with an
irrational sorrow,
it's just so
difficult for them
to pick them
up and to
carry them
around as
they should.
So be patient
with your church
members, your
friends and your
family that are
experiencing this
kind of sadness.
Continue to sit
alongside them.
Sometimes they need
you to be quiet
and just let
them speak.
Proverbs 25
and verse 20
says, whoever
sings songs to
a heavy heart
is like one
who takes off
a garment on
a cold day.
They're saying
you're foolish.
Don't sing
songs to a
heavy heart.
This is not
what they need
right now.
And then the
verse goes on
to say, and
like vinegar
on soda.
Because of all
major volcano
erupt at some
point.
It's agitating.
Come around a
person who's sad
and just be
cheery and think
that's the
resolution for
their sadness.
So often it's
a listening ear,
a kind word,
a prayer,
and a hug.
And that's what
you can do for
the person in
that moment.
Proverbs 20
verse 5 says,
the purpose in
a man's heart
is like deep
water.
But a man of
understanding,
will draw it
out.
It's a patient
work.
It takes time
to help
somebody work
through that.
I know I'm
running a bit
short on time,
but I'm going
to read a
children's book
to you.
And I hope
you'll forgive
me the time.
That's why I've
done a foolish
thing with a
shirt this
morning, and
now I'm
going to read
a book,
a children's
book, on
Sunday
morning.
This book
is phenomenal.
As a person
who deals
with sadness,
I cried the
first time I
read it.
my mother-in-law
got it for
Silas, because
Silas is
sometimes grumpy,
and the book
is entitled
Grumpy Monkey.
And I don't
think she
realized that
it's a book
about depression.
So I said,
hey buddy,
let's read
your new
book.
And it
brought me
to tears.
Now, this
is not a
complete prescription
for how to help
somebody with
sorrow.
That's not the
point I'm
trying to make.
But I think
you'll appreciate it,
and I'll try to
show you the
pictures as best
I can.
Sorry if I
don't pan
them around
for the sake
of time.
Okay.
One wonderful
day,
Jim Pansy
woke to
discover that
nothing was
right.
The sun was
too bright,
the sky was
too blue,
and the
bananas were
too sweet.
Disproportionate,
right?
None of that
makes any
sense.
Jim was
confused.
Jim was
the gorilla.
What's going
on?
Maybe you're
grumpy,
suggested
Norman from
next door.
I'm not
grumpy,
Jim insisted.
On his
walk, he
met
Marabou.
Jim's
grumpy,
Norman told
Marabou.
Why are you
grumpy,
Jim, asked
Marabou.
It's such a
wonderful day.
They're singing
songs to the
person who's
heavy-hearted.
What's wrong
with you?
It's such a
wonderful day.
Grumpy?
Me?
I'm not
grumpy,
said Jim.
But look at
how you're
standing,
Marabou said.
It's true,
said Norman.
You're all
hunched.
So Jim
loosened up.
I don't know if
you can see that
picture, but he
goes like this.
Then he ran
into the
lemur.
Jim's
grumpy,
Norman told
the lemur.
Why are you
grumpy,
Jim, asked
lemur.
It's such a
wonderful day.
Grumpy?
Me?
I'm not
grumpy,
said Jim.
Your eyebrows
look grumpy,
said lemur.
It's true,
said Norman.
They're all
bunched up.
So Jim
raised his
brow.
He's going
like this,
pulling his
eyelids up.
Then he
tripped over
snake.
Oh no,
said Norman.
That's the last
thing you need
when you're
feeling so
grumpy.
Grumpy?
Me?
I'm not
grumpy,
said Jim.
Then why
that frown,
said snake.
I think it's
because he
tripped over
you, Norman
whispered snake.
So Jim
put on a
smile.
Finally,
Jim looked
happy.
I hope you
can see
this.
But people
who are
dealing with
deep sorrow,
with depression,
this is how
they feel like
they have to
act.
This is why
sometimes they
don't come
together.
Because they
just can't
do it.
They're just
exhausted.
They can't
put this
face on.
I really
hope one
of you
comes in
doing that
some Sunday
morning.
I'll know
how you
feel.
But he
didn't feel
happy inside.
Everyone
wanted Jim
to enjoy
this wonderful
day.
You should
sing with
us,
said the
birds.
Jim
didn't feel
like singing.
You should
swing with
us,
said the
monkeys.
Jim
didn't feel
like swinging.
You should
roll with
us,
said the
zebras.
Jim
didn't feel
like rolling.
You should
stroll with
us,
said the
peacocks.
Jim
didn't feel
like strolling.
You should
lie in the
grass.
You should
stomp
your feet.
You should
take a bath
and make a
splash.
You should
hug someone.
You should
laugh.
You should
take a nap.
You should
eat old
meat or
some honey.
You should
jump up and
down.
You should
sit in the
sun.
I love
all these
animals are
doing things
that are
characteristic of
their animal.
And then the
porcupine says,
you should
dance.
So everyone's
got a solution.
Everyone's got
an offering,
some piece of
advice for
Jim and his
grumpiness.
But Jim didn't
feel like doing
any of that.
Why are you
grumpy,
Jim?
Asked the
others.
It's such a
wonderful day.
Jim yells,
I'm not
grumpy,
shouted Jim
as he beat
his chest.
And he
stormed off.
Jim felt
sorry.
A little
sorry for
shouting at
everyone,
but mostly
sorry for
himself.
I guess I
am grumpy,
Jim sighed.
And just as
he was starting
to feel really
sad,
he came
upon Norman.
Norman was
slumped,
his eyebrows
were bunched
up,
and he was
frowning.
What's the
matter?
Are you
grumpy?
Asked Jim.
No,
I dance with
porcupine,
said Norman.
Circumstantial
sorrow,
right?
Something
happened,
he's feeling
pain,
a little grumpy
about that.
Are you
okay?
Asked Jim.
It hurts,
but I'll
probably feel
better soon
enough,
said Norman.
Are you
still grumpy?
Yes,
said Jim,
but I'll
probably feel
better soon
enough too.
For now,
I need to
be grumpy.
It's a
wonderful day
to be grumpy,
said Norman.
Jim agreed.
And he
already felt
a little bit
better.
So,
I've read
this to a
lot of
people in
my study.
People who
are feeling
sorrowful
need
fewer
porcupines
and more
Normans.
Someone who's
willing to
sit and
willing to
listen and
be patient
through the
process.
Now,
the book
falls apart
because,
of course,
Norman
doesn't offer
him any
biblical
wisdom.
I would
like to
write
Grumpy
Monkey 2
where Norman
helps
Jim see
that his
countenance
should be
lifted because
of what the
Lord has
done
for a
monkey.
Okay.
Finally,
the Bible
gives us
release from
our sorrow
lastly,
through
remembering
and being
reminded of
what God
is doing
and what
he has
promised
to do.
what he
is doing
and what
he's
promised
to do.
What he's
done
roots for
us what
he is
doing and
what he's
promised
to do.
He's
done good
things.
Meditating
on that
helps us
to believe
that he's
doing good
things and
will finally
do good
things.
Verse 16,
Psalm 77,
verse 16,
where does
Asaph's mind
specifically
go to
relieve his
sorrow?
In the
previous
stanza,
it was
general,
but now
specifically,
it goes to
the Exodus
story.
Asaph
remembers
that God
delivered his
people from
the shackles
of slavery.
We know
that this
Exodus was
a shadow
of a
greater
delivery.
It was
with this
in mind,
as Paul
writes in
Romans 8,
about living
in the
spirit that
he says,
in verse
15,
for you
do not
receive the
spirit of
slavery to
fall back
into fear,
but you
have received
the spirit
of adoption
as sons,
by whom
we cry,
Abba,
Father.
The spirit
himself bears
witness with
our spirit
that we are
children of
God,
and if
children,
then heirs,
heirs of
God and
fellow heirs
with Christ,
provided we
suffer with
him in
order that
we may
also be
glorified with
him.
So in the
midst of this
train of
thought,
life by
the spirit,
a spirit
not for
slavery,
but a spirit
for sonship,
freedom as
children and
heirs,
Paul recognized
that we will
suffer,
we'll share
and experience
the suffering
of Christ.
we're united
to the man
of sorrows.
Then he
says,
verse 18,
for I
consider that
the sufferings
of this
present time
are not
worth comparing
with the
glory that
is to be
revealed to
us.
Because of
who we
are in
Jesus,
we have
this greater
hope,
right?
It pulls
us through
the gap.
And then
down into
Romans
chapter 8.
used so
tritely,
like beloved,
don't miss
what Paul is
saying in
Romans chapter
8 and
verse 28.
And we
know that
for those
who love
God,
all things
work together
for good
for those
who are
called
according to
his purpose.
And what's
the foundation
of that?
Right?
He goes on
to say,
for those
he foreknew,
he also
predestined
to be
conformed
to the
image
of his
son.
The good
he's working
in us is
that we
would be
like
Jesus
in order
that he
might be
the first
born among
many
brothers.
And those
whom he
predestined,
he also
called.
And those
whom he
called,
he also
justified.
And those
whom he
justifies,
he also
glorified.
Justification
by faith
alone is
the foundation
on which
to build
sorrow
into joy.
For the
fact,
beloved,
that we
could do
nothing
to save
ourselves.
We were
set in
every way
against
God
as his
enemy.
But because
of Christ's
sacrificial
death,
he takes
on our
sin,
his great
exchange as
Luther calls
it,
he takes
on our
sin,
he suffers
the wrath
of God
on our
behalf,
and he
grants to
us his
righteousness,
his
perfect
living.
And God
in the
great
courtroom
declares
us
righteous,
justified,
right?
Not only
having our
sin forgiven,
but being
found perfect
in Jesus.
Justification
by faith
alone in
Christ alone
is this
foundation on
which we
can build
sorrow
into joy.
We can
do that
in this
life,
and we
are promised
final relief
from sorrow
forevermore.
John
chapter 16,
verse 20
and following,
Jesus says,
truly,
I say to
you,
you will
weep
and lament,
but the
world will
rejoice.
You will
be sorrowful,
but your
sorrow will
turn into
joy.
Your sorrow,
he's saying,
is going to
become
joy.
Not that it's
going to just
simply go
away and
be replaced
with joy.
It's going
to become
joy,
turned into
joy,
and catch
his explanation.
He says,
verse 21,
when a woman
is giving
birth,
she has
sorrow because
her hour
has come.
Pain,
I'm told.
But when
she has
delivered the
baby,
she no
longer
remembers
the anguish
for joy
that a
human being
has been
born into
the world.
All of that
suffering
suddenly becomes,
it's transformed
into joy.
It was so
worth it.
Men,
have you heard
your wives
say this?
The day that
Cade was born,
Sam said she
wanted to be
pregnant again,
and I went,
what?
Do you
remember
anything that
just happened?
All the
sorrow had
been turned
into joy
for her.
She suffered.
It hurt,
I'm told.
But she
was rapturous
to now hold
our firstborn
in her arms.
Incredible
reality that
God's going to
make everything
we experience,
all the sadness
we experience
in this world,
work for our
good,
Christlikeness
which is to
his praise.
Charles Spurgeon
once said,
this is on your
bulletin if you
care to look at
it,
your sorrow
itself shall be
turned into
joy.
Speaking of
this text in
John,
not the sorrow
to be taken
away and joy
to be put in
its place,
but the very
sorrow which
now grieves
you shall be
turned into
joy.
God not only
takes away the
bitterness and
gives sweetness
in its place,
but turns the
bitterness into
sweetness itself.
So the Bible
affirms sorrow
as normative.
The Bible gives
us language for
our sorrow,
and the Bible
gives us relief
from our sorrow
in Christ.
May we be
helped by the
grace of God
as we struggle
with sorrow in
this world and
set our eager
hope on the
world to come,
and may we
help each
other in that
struggle.
Let's pray
together.