Well, good morning, folks. Let me add my welcome to ours. My name's Archie. I'm actually the pastor in training here.
I haven't had a promotion, in case you were wondering. Graham will be back next week.
But we are taking a break this week from our series in Haggai. Graham will conclude that next week.
Instead, we're going to be looking through this Psalm, Psalm 115.
And we're going to get into the world of those, I think, returning exiles, like we've been reading about in the book of Haggai.
And we're going to see some of the things that they might have been experiencing, and in particular, the spiritual battle that they faced.
But before we do that, shall I pray? Let's pray.
Lord, I pray that this morning we would trust in you with all our hearts.
That as we come to your word together, we would lean not on our own understanding,
but that your spirit would be ministering to us and helping us see truth in your word.
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
It was about five years ago that I met Katie, my wife.
We met just down the M8 in Glasgow, where we were both at university.
And it was our second date.
We went to a nice Italian place. It's called Eusebio's Deli.
If you're ever in Glasgow, you should check it out. It's really, really nice.
And it was all going really very well. I was charming, as ever.
I really liked her. Even the food was delicious.
And we were sat there, one of those brilliant seats in the window,
where when the conversation gets a bit awkward, you can just sort of watch as people walk by.
It was delightful.
But we were sitting at one of those tall tables.
I don't know if you know the sort of table I'm talking about,
where you have to sit on a stool rather than a seat.
That's so uncomfortable.
And all of a sudden, the bar that I was resting my feet on on that stool snapped.
And the stool just collapsed from underneath me.
And I was left in a pretty embarrassed heap on the floor.
I trusted that stool. It completely failed me.
It's a silly story, that really, isn't it?
But trust is important to us.
You'll know this, especially if you've ever trusted someone and they've let you down.
That sort of betrayal, it can be horrible, can't it?
And on the other side of that coin, how wonderful it is when we're able to trust our friends and our family.
Trust is right at the heart, isn't it, of a healthy relationship.
It's just so important to us.
And that psalm that we read this morning gets us asking this question, I think.
What do we trust?
And not just what sort of seat might we trust to support a slightly overweight student,
but what or who do we trust when our lives are collapsing around us?
When things begin to get overwhelming, in the storms of life,
when we're no longer able to steer the ship, who do we trust with the wheelhouse?
And what do we think happens when we die?
Who do we trust with the answer to that question?
Who do we trust with our eternities?
It's the questions that we're asking this morning.
We're in a section here of the psalms that are often known as the Egyptian Hallel.
Hallel is a familiar word to you, though you might not think that it is,
but it is a familiar word, Hallel.
Hallelujah means praise Yahweh, praise God.
And so these psalms that we're in from 113 to 118, we're in the middle of 115,
they are praising Hallel, praising God for rescuing Israel out of Egypt.
And so they're often known as the Egyptian Hallel, the Egyptian praise.
And it's hard to say when or who this psalm was written for exactly,
but I think verse 2 might give us a clue.
So have a look at verse 2 with me in Psalm 115.
Why do the nations say, where is their God?
So if nothing else, we can imagine that this psalm was probably written at a time
where the nations surrounding Israel are questioning the existence
and the potency and the goodness of their God.
Now, if we're honest, that might have been almost any time in Israel's history,
a time where Israel are struggling.
It does not look as though their God is with them,
a time, I think, probably of national crisis.
I suppose it could have been in the aftermath of the Assyrian or Babylonian invasions
as Israel and Judah are carried into exile.
I wonder if it could even be as in Haggai,
as we've been learning about over the last few weeks,
as they return from that exile and are struggling to build this unimpressive second temple.
Whatever the context, the nations around them are asking,
where is their God?
He doesn't look so powerful now, they say.
And maybe that attitude sounds familiar.
It's true, isn't it?
That the secular world around us is constantly calling into question
the potency and existence and goodness of our God.
I mean, just over the last couple of years,
how little has God been in the conversation?
If you watch BBC Breakfast in the morning
or you flick through the Scotsman or the Times or the Week,
nowhere will you find the suggestion
that God has anything to do with what's been going on.
We've just been praying about all sorts of things,
crisis in Ukraine, COVID.
Nowhere is there a suggestion that God has anything to do with any of that,
much less would you see any claims that he might be the solution.
And I think that really reflects how people think about God in Scotland today.
In other words, that the world around us just does not think about God at all.
That he probably doesn't exist.
And that even if he does, he must surely be impotent, evil, or both.
Just recently, I was with some friends from school.
We were at a wedding together,
and we had some brilliant conversations about the gospel,
about Jesus, about God's word.
And in many ways, that was a massive encouragement to me.
I mean, these friends, they're genuinely interested.
They see that the gospel makes logical sense.
They know that they're sinful.
They long for eternal life.
But in some ways, it was also super discouraging,
because for them, what their unbelief boils down to,
simply, in their minds, God does not exist,
and therefore has no power.
For some of them, they may have convinced themselves that that's true,
to justify their sinful lifestyle,
to avoid confronting their sin,
though they seem, I think, to know that it is there.
But however they've reached that position in their thinking,
like the nations in this psalm,
they see this messy world that we live in.
And they see the faith of Christians,
they see my faith,
and they're asking,
where is your God in all of this mess?
Maybe you're here this morning,
and maybe you're there too.
Maybe you have similar questions
about where God is in all of this mess.
If that's you, stay tuned this morning,
because let me tell you,
this God is incredible.
He is utterly amazing
and totally trustworthy.
And it would be folly to put your trust anywhere else.
But where is this God?
Well, the psalmist answers that question right off the bat, doesn't he?
Have a look at verse 3.
Our God is in heaven.
He does whatever pleases him.
This God, Israel's God,
the God of the universe,
is absolutely in control.
He's in heaven,
not some spiritual other world,
but literally here in the heavens,
the skies.
Where is he?
Our God fills the galaxies.
He inhabits the universe.
And notice that he does all that he pleases.
Not some of what he pleases.
Not what he pleases for some people
and in some circumstances.
No, he does whatever he pleases.
Our God is absolutely in control.
He was in control when he rescued his people from slavery in Egypt.
When he spared them from the wrath,
from his wrath at the Passover.
He was in control in whatever the context of this psalm is.
Whatever they faced as they were mocked.
Israel's God was in control.
And he is in control today.
And all of the mess out there,
in the midst of this global pandemic,
with everything going on in the news,
political scandals,
looming wars,
and in all of the mess in here,
in my sinful heart,
though the world around us does not recognize him,
our God has got this entire thing under control.
Would we trust him?
It is absolutely essential that we do.
Because,
and this is really our first point this morning.
Sorry, it's taken a while for us to get there.
But this is our first point.
If we trust in man-made idols,
the psalm says we will become dead like them.
If we trust in man-made idols,
we will become dead like them.
Let me read from verse four.
Their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
They have mouths,
but cannot speak.
Eyes,
but cannot hear.
See,
they have ears,
but cannot hear.
Noses,
but cannot smell.
They have hands,
but cannot feel.
Feet,
but cannot walk.
Nor can they utter a sound
with their throats.
Friends,
do you see the irony here?
The Israelites,
God has rescued them
out of slavery.
He's spoken to them,
given them commandments,
his perfect commandments,
helping them to live wisely
in this world.
And yet the nations around them,
those nations that mock their God,
they worship these idols,
created trinkets.
They're preciously made,
yes,
from silver and gold.
But of course,
as these verses,
yes,
these idols,
they're silent.
They cannot speak.
They're blind.
They're deaf.
They cannot smell
or feel
or walk.
Picture with me
Andy's bedroom.
Andy from Toy Story,
if you know the scene.
What happens
when Andy leaves the room?
The toys come to life,
don't they?
They talk to one another.
They even plot together.
Those toys,
they are literally alive.
They're precisely the opposite
of what this psalmist
is describing.
Because what's the psalmist saying?
These idols,
they are utterly inanimate.
They are not alive.
These idols,
they are dead.
And to our modern sensibilities,
of course they are.
Right?
We know that Toy Story
is fantastical.
And perhaps the world around us,
I think,
would probably agree.
Maybe if you're here this morning
and even if you don't believe
in the God of this psalm,
you'd probably still say,
wouldn't you,
that inanimate objects
can't actually be gods.
They have no real agency
in our world.
And that's true here,
but of course there are millions
across the world today
who worship idols
exactly like these.
Virtually every world,
major world religion,
takes man-made things,
puts them in a temple,
or even a church,
and calls them holy.
But there's more to it
than that, I think,
because increasingly
the secular worldview
around us
isn't simply atheistic,
but spiritualistic
and superstitious.
Let me give you
some examples of that.
I know a lady who,
with all the well-meaning
in the world,
whenever she sees a robin
in her back garden,
she is convinced
that it is her dead mother
come back to visit.
Maybe that sort of
vaguely supernatural belief
is familiar to you.
If you could have been
a fly on the wall
in our rugby changing room
yesterday afternoon,
you'd have been amazed
at how many of the lads
are completely obsessed
with which sock
they put on first,
with which seat
they're sitting in,
and with what sort of music
we listen to
as we get ready.
Maybe if you're honest,
you're a bit like that too.
Even just in subtle ways,
superstitious,
trusting in our own
man-made rituals
and idols
to get us
through the storms of life.
People do trust
in all sorts of
vaguely spiritual
and superstitious things
today, don't they?
And these things
can be comforting.
That's why we trust in them.
And yet,
perhaps like the comfort
of a bubble bath,
if we spend too long
immersed in them,
gazing at them,
they do eventually
grow cold
and their bubbles
of hope
begin to burst.
But more than that,
and I think outside
of the explicitly
supernatural,
perhaps more normal
for us today,
is to place our trust
in the material.
Perhaps most obviously
we do this
just bluntly
with our money.
I know I sometimes
do this.
very often think,
don't we,
that if we just
had enough money,
then all our worries
and problems
would disappear.
And maybe if we do
have full wallets,
how easy it is
to trust our wealth
in place of our God.
Friends,
whatever our idols
and superstitions,
whatever we are trusting
other than God
to see us
through this life,
will we see
what this psalmist
says?
We have got to see
that those things
are not alive,
that they have
no real
eternal agency,
they do not speak
today,
and ultimately
they cannot save us
because they are
dead themselves.
And did you see
in verse 8
where the psalmist
is going here?
Have a look at verse 8.
Those who make them
will be like them,
and so will all
who trust in them.
In other words,
those who make
and trust in idols
will die.
Do you see that?
These idols,
they're totally
inanimate,
impotent,
they're dead.
But here I think
is comfort actually
for the Israelites
because the psalmist
is saying
those nations
around you,
they may well
look powerful,
and you might be
facing troubling times.
Maybe your temple
project is just
so unimpressive.
times that cause
people to mock
God,
but ultimately
those people,
they're going to
become just like
their idols,
dead.
And us too,
if we trust in
man-made idols,
we'll become dead
like them.
And yet,
of course,
we will all die,
won't we?
I hope that's not
news to you,
but you will one day
die.
And so whatever it is
that we're trusting in,
maybe as we think
about the pandemic
again,
or as we've been
trusting in
vaccinations
and continued
restrictions,
or maybe you're
one of those
who trust in
those who tell
us that the
pandemic is over,
whatever it is
that we face
in life,
whether you're
unwell,
or you're trying
to buy a new
home maybe,
or looking for
a new job,
navigating a
tricky relationship,
whether we're
at work,
or at school,
or in the
lecture theater,
wherever we are,
and those around
us are calling
our God
into question.
Whatever it is
we trust through
that,
well,
we've got to say
that it's really
just putting off
the inevitable,
isn't it?
Because though it
may help us
steer the course,
at the end of it
all,
we will all die.
We will all
become like the
idols that we've
worshipped.
And yet,
in all of this,
there is the
glorious hope
of the Christian
gospel,
that if we
trust in the
living God,
we will live
forever.
That's our second
point this morning,
really.
If we trust in
the living God,
we will live
forever.
Do you notice
the repeated
refrains in
verses 9 to
11?
See what the
psalmist says?
Trust in the
Lord.
He is their
help and
shield.
All of Israel,
he says,
the house of
Aaron,
the priestly
family,
you who fear
the Lord,
that's the
outsiders welcomed
in.
The psalmist
says,
trust him.
Trust him,
for as we've
been singing,
he has proved
faithful and
he will be
faithful forever.
For the
readers of
this psalm and
the other
psalms around
it,
singing them
and remembering
the exodus
out of Egypt,
that rescue
from slavery,
from the
Passover,
the deliverance
from God's
wrath and
justice.
These are
reminders that
he has
proved
faithful and
that he will
be faithful
forever into
eternity.
Have a look
at verse 12.
The Lord
remembers us
and will
bless us.
Again,
this is for
Israel,
Aaron's house
and all who
fear the Lord,
small and
great alike.
mock.
This God
who is in
total control,
he wants
to bless
his people,
the least
as well as
the great,
the poor
as well as
the rich,
the servant
and the king.
He has
remembered them
all,
he will bless
them all,
but just
imagine how
difficult that
must have
been to see
for these
people.
Incredibly
difficult to
see in the
context as
the nations
look at
God's people
and mock
as the
glory may
be of the
Jerusalem
temple,
once a
genuine
wonder,
now nothing
compared to
the temples
of those
idols in
the empires
around them.
Even as
it's being
rebuilt,
unimpressive,
they may
not look
much blessed.
But God's
promises are
sure and he
promises here
that he will
bless those
who trust
in him.
I love that
about our
God,
don't you love
this,
that this is
both the
small and
the great,
that his
blessings are
not measured
according to
our worldly
greatness.
Now if
you're here
this morning
then and
for whatever
reason you
feel or
you've been
made to
feel insignificant,
for whatever
reason,
whether that's
in the world
around you,
at school
or at work
or maybe
even here
at church,
maybe it
feels like
everyone else
is getting
all the good
opportunities,
like you're
constantly
overlooked,
as though
your gifts
aren't
recognized
or utilized
or celebrated.
Firstly,
let me say
how sorry
I am,
because our
God does not
see you like
that and
we're a
church who
wants to
see people
flourish and
use their
gifts.
And our
God wants
to bless
you,
so would
you trust
in him,
from the
smallest to
the greatest,
the least
to the
most,
whoever you
are,
however you
have been
made to
feel,
would you
trust this
God and
receive his
blessing on
your life?
But what
exactly does
that mean,
to trust
him and he
will bless
us?
What are we
saying?
Are we saying
that we are
blessed according
to a measure
of our trust?
And is that a
material blessing
that we're talking
about?
There are
lots of
people who
would speak
this way
today,
aren't there?
Claiming that
with enough
trust in God
we can claim
any blessing
as our own.
What blessing
would you like
today?
If you're
single,
would you like
a husband
or a wife?
Money for
that building
project?
Some physical
healing?
And look,
of course,
God does
give good
things to
his people.
He blesses
us,
but not
because we
trust him
more than
someone else
does.
That's not
how blessing
works here.
Instead,
I think God's
people are to
recognize that
every good
gift comes
from above,
to trust that
any prosperity
his people do
receive comes
from him and
not from the
dead idols that
we read about
in this psalm.
But probably
more in view
here,
to trust that
God's blessing
his people is
not going to
look like
worldly blessing.
it won't
always look
impressive.
The people
around will
still be able
to say,
where is
your God?
In fact,
it might look
very unimpressive.
But ultimately,
God wants us
to trust him
in the final
and perfect
blessing of
eternal life.
Have a look
at verses
14 and 15
for an example
of how God's
blessing works
in this psalm.
May the
Lord cause
you to
flourish,
both you
and your
children.
May you
be blessed
by the
Lord,
the maker
of heaven
and earth.
The idols
of the
surrounding
nations
at the
time,
they were
very often
attributed
with fertility
and prosperity.
That's what
the people
were foolishly
trusting in
them for.
But one
of the great
promises of
Israel's
scripture was
that God's
people would
be fruitful
and that they
would multiply.
It's a blessing
from God.
It comes right
at the beginning
of the Bible
with Adam
as a global
promise.
And it is
repeated at
various points
of God's
word to the
leaders of
God's people
as a particular
promise.
It's a promise
then that had
been partially
fulfilled by
this time in
the nation
of Israel as
the Israelite
nation grew
and occupied
the land.
But of
course here
in the context
of this psalm
as it seems
as though they
face a national
crisis and
they do in
their history
they face a
number of
national crises
and God
says to them
you may be
decimated now.
It may look
as though your
God has deserted
you.
The nations
may mock
but still
I am your
God
and my promise
to you
that those
who are left
will once again
be fruitful
and multiply
is still
true.
And of
course for
us today
through Jesus
that promise
has once again
become global
and his
kingdom it
has grown
and it is
growing.
In Matthew
chapter 28
this is a
key verse
for us as a
church.
Jesus commands
the disciples
to go and
make disciples
of all
nations.
go and
tell the
good news
Jesus says
to them
that they
might follow
me too
for that is
where true
blessing
lies.
Entrusting
this God
who blesses
us now
not least
with the
presence
of his
Holy Spirit
blessing us
as a church
with gifts
to build
and encourage
one another
and ultimately
he blesses
us wonderfully
with adoption
into his
family
and eternally
with life
eternal
life
because if
we trust
in the
living God
we will
live
forever.
For us
today it's
through that
command
through the
commands of
Matthew
chapter 28
as it's
come down
through history
that we
have become
part of
his kingdom
and now we
can lay hold
of that promise
and take part
in that command
ourselves.
We can be
disciple making
disciples.
As the
nations around
us continue
to mock
as they
call our
God into
question
it means
that we
can respond
to them
we can
hold out
to them
this offer
of eternal
life in
the gospel.
We saw
back in
verses 4
to 7
that idols
are dead
that they
have no
life in
them
and in
verse 8
that those
who trust
in them
will go
to the
grave
with them.
I take
it that
that is
the eternal
grave
because
an idol
who is
not alive
cannot die
to save.
You see
our human
proclivity
to trust
anything
other than
this living
God
in other
words our
rebellion
against him
our sin
it demands
a price
it demands
death
it's why
those who
turn away
from this
God
this psalm
says face
eternal
death
but we
can point
to a
victorious
savior
the God
who became
man
who joined
us in
our suffering
who really
encountered
that crisis
that all
of humanity
faces
who witnessed
and was
tempted by
humanity's
rebellion
against God
but who
having lived
a perfect
life
took the
punishment
for that
rebellion
in our
place
who unlike
the already
dead
idols
he could
really die
for us
and he
did
he really
did die
and rise
again
we read
that wonderful
story
of Thomas's
encounter
with the
risen Jesus
where Thomas
felt the
nail marks
in his
hand
where he
put his
hand in
the wound
in Jesus
side
and friends
this is no
ghost story
he's alive
and now he
sits at the
right hand
of the father
reigning from
heaven
and he's
with us
by his
spirit
today
our God
is alive
would we
trust him
and as we
point people
to him
to Jesus
would we
know that
under his
sovereignty
and his
control
some
will respond
in trusting
him too
for he
promises that
his kingdom
will continue
to grow
the Lord
will give
increase
and if anyone
trusts in him
in the living
God
they will
live
forever
just notice
then finally
as we
finish
how God's
people are
called to
respond
to him
in verses
16 to
18
how do
God's people
respond
they respond
with halal
in praise
do you notice
that these
verses contain
a bit of a
summary of
the psalm
don't know if
you noticed
that
where is
God
in the
heavens
which are
his
where is
man
on earth
which is
his
but those
who trust
in the
things of
the earth
will die
and in
their death
they will
not praise
him
but we
God's
people
we will
bless him
we will
praise him
surely
the implication
there is
that if
we trust
in him
we will
praise him
forever
because we
will live
forever
and so we
can we
can praise
him from
this time
and forever
more
if you're
here this
morning and
you do
not trust
in this
God
maybe you're
one of those
who mocks
who laughs
at us
where is
your God
I suspect
if you're
here this
morning you
might be a
bit more
respectful than
that but
if you're
honest you
can't help
but agree
God doesn't
seem all that
powerful in
the mess
that is
this world
you might
not be so
sure either
way and
if that's
you let
me ask you
a question
who or
what do
you trust
who do
you trust
to steer
the ship
in the storm
of this
mess
and who
do you
trust to
see you
through the
other side
can the
things that
you trust
really make
a difference
in this
world
and ultimately
though to
your eternal
fate
to your
eternal position
before God
do the things
that you trust
do they
really speak
can they
really save
do they
really live
and for the
Christian here
this morning
how will you
respond to
this God
to this
God who
is in
absolute
control
to this
God who
is alive
who is
nothing like
the toys
in Andy's
bedroom
this living
God who
has promised
to rescue
you
this living
God who
has rescued
you in
Christ
he is far
more trustworthy
than any
man-made
idol
he's certainly
more trustworthy
than a flimsy
stool in a
cheap Italian
restaurant
and so
will you put
your trust
in him
and will we
praise him
together
will we say
with the
psalmist
if you're
here today
and you
want to
declare your
trust
for this
God
back in
verse 1
why don't we
read this
verse out
loud together
it's going
to come up
on the
screen
can we
say this
together
not to
us
Lord
not to
us
but to
your name
be the
glory
because of
your love
and faithfulness
let me
pray
heavenly
father we
thank you
that you
speak today
Lord we
thank you
that in
Jesus you
really are
alive
today
that you
came to
this earth
and you
were able
to die
in our
place
but that
you are
alive again
having walked
through that
resurrection
path
for us
Lord I
pray that we
would trust
you this
morning
in Jesus
name
Amen
beast
dad
so
uh