WEBVTT

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 Father God, as we come to your word, we want you, the living God, to speak to us.

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 We want to know what you have to say about life and about who you are.

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 We want to discover you and encounter you in your word.

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 So Spirit of God, we pray, won't you speak to us through your word today?

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 In your gracious and wonderful name I pray.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Michelle, will you come and read to us, please?

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 Today's scripture reading is taken from Psalm 103.

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 Please follow along in your Bible.

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 And if you don't have a Bible, please grab one from the front of the stage or at the back near the hall.

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 The passage is on page 470.

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 470.

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 Let us hear God's word today.

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 Psalm 103 of David.

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 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.

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 Bless his holy name.

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 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

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 Who forgives all your iniquity.

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 Who heals all your diseases.

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 Who redeems your life from the pit.

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 Who crowns you with a steadfast love and mercy.

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 Who satisfies you with good, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.

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 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.

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 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.

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 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

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 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.

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 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

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 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.

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 As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

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 As the father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

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 For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust.

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 As for men, his days are like grass.

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 He flourishes like a flower of the field, for the wind passes over it, and it is gone.

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 And its place knows it no more.

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 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him.

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 And his righteousness to children's children.

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 To those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

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 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word.

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 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will.

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 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion.

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 Bless the Lord, O my soul.

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 Let us believe and respond to God's true and living word.

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 Great, thank you, Michelle.

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 One of the great challenges of our generation, and I suspect it's going to increasingly become a problem,

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 is that we don't really know how to think anymore.

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 We don't know how to think deeply.

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 With shorter and shorter attention spans, news coming to us in kind of bit-sized or bite-sized headlines,

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 more and more reliance on AI to do deep work or deep thinking for us.

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 We are becoming a generation or a civilization that don't really know how to think deeply.

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 How to engage with critical reasoning.

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 How to engage with various voices.

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 And we don't have the mental framework or the architecture to know how to slow down and reflect and meditate.

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 And to ponder deeply the most important things in life.

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 How many of us friends like me open up an online article on our news feed,

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 and you see how long the article is, and you just skim the first few paragraphs and then move on.

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 Am I the only one that does that?

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 I suspect not.

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 I don't know about you, but I found that I'm someone that's a little bit skeptical about technology

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 and what it's doing to us as people and as civilizations.

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 And yet still, I find my attention span has been reduced to about that of an ant or maybe a goldfish.

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 I find it so hard to give myself to 30 or 40 or 50 minutes of sustained thinking, writing, without getting distracted.

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 I hate distraction, what it does.

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 And so I've tried to build all these systems in my life.

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 I locked my cell phone in my drawer and I can't open it for a while.

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 I turned off every notification you could possibly have on your phone.

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 I've deleted all my social media accounts.

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 I've set up times in the day when I can't check my emails and can't check my emails.

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 And still, five minutes goes by and I'm thinking, I'm sure I've got to send that message.

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 I'm sure the new email has come and that's vital that I respond right now.

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 I don't know how to think deeply.

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 I suspect I'm not the only one.

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 We are a generation that is struggling to know how to reflect and meditate and think about the important things of life.

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 And I think AI has only contributed to this.

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 I was talking to a professor recently at a university here in Hong Kong who said he had a student that handed in an essay that was obviously written entirely by AI.

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 And so the professor says, listen, bad news.

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 We can't accept this essay.

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 But I want to help you out.

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 So this is what I want you to do.

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 I want you to write a letter explaining why you did this, mitigating circumstances.

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 What have you learned from this experience?

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 And if you do that, we'll be lenient on you.

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 So what does the student do?

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 He gets AI to write a letter for him.

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 And he hands in the AI written letter.

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 But that's the problem, isn't it?

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 We're becoming a generation that doesn't know how to think for ourselves, how to think deeply,

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 how to think critically about the most important things in life.

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 The Merriam-Webster Dictionary Word of the Year for 2025, anybody know what it was?

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 Slop.

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 The Word of the Year, Slop.

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 Do you know what Slop is?

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 Slop is mushy mud.

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 It's the thing that pigs love to wallow in.

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 But these days, Slop means the pervasive, bad digital content produced by AI that dominates our screens, our social media, our schools, our workplaces.

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 And add to that the reality of digital echo chambers, where we only hear what the algorithms think we want to hear,

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 telling us the stuff we already know and reintroducing our prejudices, reinforcing our prejudices.

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 Selop engaging with opposing ideas, thoughtful dialogue, contrasting worldviewpoints.

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 The future of critical reasoning, deep thinking, deep the ability to meditate on the most important things in life does not bode well.

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 And one of the consequences for this is that not only do we live in a more polarized, more fractured world, a more shallow world,

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 our inability to think about the most important things in life leaves us with a void, a vacuum.

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 Who am I?

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 What does it mean to be a human being?

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 Where is, what is wisdom?

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 Where is wisdom found?

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 What does it mean to be a created being in a created world?

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 Who is God?

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 How do I relate to Him?

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 How do I find Him?

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 Friends, we don't even have the mental architecture, the framework to think about these things,

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 never mind the capacity to think about them.

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 Who is God and how do I relate to Him?

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 A.W. Tozer famously said,

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 What comes to mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

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 Because we tend, by a secret law of the soul, to move towards our mental image of God.

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 And this is where the Psalms are immensely helpful.

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 Because in a world of slop and shallow thinking,

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 the Psalms invite us onto a pathway of knowing God,

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 of thinking deeply,

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 of meditating about ourselves,

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 and who God is,

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 and how life is meant to work in God's universe.

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 And over the last couple of weeks,

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 we've been looking at various types of Psalms.

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 We've been looking at Psalms of lament,

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 Psalms of confession,

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 Psalms of praise,

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 Psalms of trust.

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 And today we're looking at Psalm 103.

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 And Psalm 103 is a Psalm of meditation.

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 It's a Psalm that's designed to just get us to slow down and think deeply about God.

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 It's a Psalm that's designed to help us in a world where we don't like to think deeply to help us do so.

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 And you'll notice in the Psalm,

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 this is not a Psalm of lament.

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 There's no tears.

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 It's not a Psalm of confession.

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 David doesn't confess anything.

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 There's no requests made of God.

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 He doesn't ask God for a single thing.

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 He just slows down and thinks about who God is.

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 The goal of the Psalm is to help us meditate on God.

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 Now, obviously, living in Asia,

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 we know about meditation.

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 And maybe some of you here,

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 maybe you're not a Christian.

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 Maybe you've engaged in meditation over the years.

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 You maybe do yoga,

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 or some other kind of meditation.

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 In Asia,

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 we are very familiar with meditation.

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 But Christian meditation is very different from Eastern meditation,

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 or transcendental meditation.

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 Eastern meditation,

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 the goal is to empty your mind of thoughts and ideas,

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 to clear your mind,

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 so that you can find a place of peace and nirvana,

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 having your mind clear of any ideas and thoughts.

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 But Christian meditation is the opposite.

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 In Christian meditation,

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 the goal is to fill our minds with what is true and real and good and permanent and worthwhile,

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 to fill our minds with who God is,

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 until it becomes visceral and real to us,

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 until it shapes our hearts and we know how to live.

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 Psalm 103 is a Psalm of meditation,

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 a multifaceted,

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 sustained meditation,

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 on what is most fundamentally true and real about God,

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 and how He acts towards His people.

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 And the goal of this Psalm,

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 at the end of this meditation,

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 is to lead us to joy-filled praise and adoration and wonder.

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 That's what David wants us to do.

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 A sustained meditation on who God is,

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 and how He acts towards His people,

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 that leads to joy-filled wonder,

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 praise and adoration.

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 So let's look at it together.

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 So I hope you have a Bible open with you,

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 or a scripture in front of you,

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 and let's look at it together.

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 You'll notice,

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 the first verse,

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 or the first line,

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 and the last line are identical.

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 Bless the Lord,

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 O my soul.

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 Or the NLT says,

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 Let all that I am,

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 my entire being,

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 praise the Lord.

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 That's what David wants us to leave with.

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 By the end of the Psalm,

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 he wants us to say,

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 God,

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 you are awesome.

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 Praise you,

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 O my soul.

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 And in between the first line,

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 and the bottom line,

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 he's going to give us a whole bunch of reasons,

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 why that should be the case.

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 He's going to give us four reasons in particular.

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 So,

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 let's dive in and look at them.

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 First reason is this.

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 God's lavish grace.

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 God's abundantly generous,

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 lavish grace.

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 Look at verse 3 to 5 with me.

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 So,

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 the way the Psalm works is,

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 there's all these,

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 this language that is repeated.

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 There's four different sections.

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 Look at the first section,

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 3 to 5.

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 He says,

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 Bless the Lord,

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 O my soul,

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 forget not all his benefits.

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 And now he lists some of these benefits.

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 He says,

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 this God,

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 he forgives our iniquity.

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 But he doesn't just do that.

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 He heals all our diseases.

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 Or maybe another translation would be,

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 he heals our brokenness.

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 But he doesn't just do that.

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 He also redeems your life from the pits.

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 But he doesn't just do that.

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 He crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.

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 Oh,

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 but more than that,

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 he satisfies your soul with the good.

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 So that rather than lumbering through life like an elephant,

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 that's just trying to,

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 or like last week we said like eeyore,

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 right?

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 He,

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 you,

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 you get to soar on the thermals of God's grace.

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 And it's like the psalmist here,

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 he's,

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 he's trying to find language to describe that God is not just this moral policeman.

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 He's not just an upholder of the law and a punisher of the slightest misgivings.

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 This is the language of a generous and compassionate Lord,

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 one who loves to see those under his rule flourishing.

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 God is not a moral policeman who is checking every line that you just put your foot outside the line

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 by half a millimeter.

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 He's calling the empire.

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 You're out.

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 Get out of here.

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 This is a lavish and generous God who loves to see his people flourish.

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 He doesn't just forgive the small transgressions that we really sorry about.

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 He forgives all of them.

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 He doesn't just come to help some of our brokenness.

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 He heals all of our diseases.

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 And there's a progression here,

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 isn't there?

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 Of this,

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 this generosity of God's kindness.

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 Here is a man whose life was in a bit of a mess.

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 He,

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 he was in the pits.

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 He was elderly lost.

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 He was going nowhere.

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 And how does it end?

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 With a crown.

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 It's a symbol of dignity and honor and royalty.

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 A crown being placed on his head.

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 I think of the picture of the prodigal,

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 of the,

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 the parable of the prodigal son.

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 Remember,

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 here's this,

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 the son that says to his dad,

00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:19.799
 Hey,

00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:20.559
 you know,

00:14:20.580 --> 00:14:21.759
 I don't really need you in my life.

00:14:21.819 --> 00:14:22.519
 Just give me your money.

00:14:22.779 --> 00:14:23.779
 I'm going to go live my life,

00:14:24.139 --> 00:14:25.500
 live life my way.

00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:27.200
 And he goes off and he does,

00:14:27.259 --> 00:14:28.299
 and he squanders it.

00:14:28.439 --> 00:14:32.419
 And he ends up in the pits with the pigs eating their food.

00:14:33.159 --> 00:14:33.580
 And he says,

00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:33.759
 Oh,

00:14:33.860 --> 00:14:35.460
 my servants had it better than me.

00:14:35.539 --> 00:14:37.799
 So he humbles himself and he goes back.

00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:39.000
 And what does his dad do?

00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:42.220
 His dad throws his arms around him.

00:14:42.220 --> 00:14:42.799
 He says,

00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:43.120
 quick,

00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:44.220
 bring the ring,

00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:45.379
 bring the crown,

00:14:45.539 --> 00:14:46.539
 bring the best robe,

00:14:46.539 --> 00:14:47.860
 kill the fattened calf.

00:14:47.959 --> 00:14:49.299
 My son is back.

00:14:50.319 --> 00:14:50.899
 And that's what,

00:14:50.899 --> 00:14:52.219
 what David is talking about here.

00:14:52.539 --> 00:14:56.779
 Here is a God who is so lavish and generous in his praise and his,

00:14:56.860 --> 00:14:57.839
 his love.

00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:01.459
 And the biblical word for this is grace.

00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:06.620
 Grace means getting what you don't deserve.

00:15:07.319 --> 00:15:07.719
 Get it.

00:15:08.360 --> 00:15:09.259
 We deserve.

00:15:09.659 --> 00:15:10.399
 Here the guy,

00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:12.519
 instead of just getting the pit and judgment,

00:15:12.959 --> 00:15:14.980
 he gets God's lavish kindness.

00:15:14.980 --> 00:15:17.560
 David is reflecting on life.

00:15:17.620 --> 00:15:18.000
 And he's saying,

00:15:18.100 --> 00:15:18.320
 God,

00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:19.379
 you have been so,

00:15:19.620 --> 00:15:20.399
 so good to me.

00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:22.840
 You haven't just given me what I've deserved.

00:15:23.300 --> 00:15:25.019
 You've given me more than I've deserved.

00:15:25.580 --> 00:15:26.980
 You've satisfied my soul.

00:15:27.100 --> 00:15:28.159
 You filled my soul.

00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:29.379
 So friends,

00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:31.560
 we want to be a church that is praying the Psalm.

00:15:31.659 --> 00:15:33.220
 So how might you pray this section?

00:15:33.420 --> 00:15:35.659
 If you this week were to pray Psalm 103,

00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:36.399
 well,

00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:37.560
 you might say something like this,

00:15:37.800 --> 00:15:38.560
 Lord Jesus,

00:15:38.680 --> 00:15:40.440
 when I stop and think about my life,

00:15:40.440 --> 00:15:42.460
 you have been so kind,

00:15:42.980 --> 00:15:44.060
 so generous to me.

00:15:44.560 --> 00:15:46.360
 You've given me way more than I deserve.

00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:48.680
 You've not only rescued me and saved me,

00:15:48.980 --> 00:15:50.100
 you've given me life.

00:15:50.540 --> 00:15:51.400
 You've given me a family.

00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:52.960
 You've given me a career.

00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:54.140
 You've given me a community.

00:15:54.900 --> 00:15:57.260
 You renew and fill me with hope and joy.

00:15:57.940 --> 00:15:59.280
 You have been so good.

00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.300
 Thank you for your lavish grace and kindness to me.

00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:05.220
 God's lavish grace.

00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:07.320
 But look what else.

00:16:07.420 --> 00:16:08.700
 David wants us to see something else.

00:16:08.779 --> 00:16:10.779
 He wants us to see not only God's lavish grace,

00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.580
 but also God's immense mercy.

00:16:13.100 --> 00:16:13.639
 His immense mercy.

00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:15.360
 Look at verse 7 to 10.

00:16:15.800 --> 00:16:16.360
 Next section.

00:16:17.100 --> 00:16:17.480
 He says,

00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:18.600
 The Lord,

00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:20.580
 He made known His ways to Moses,

00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:22.040
 His acts to the people of Israel.

00:16:22.540 --> 00:16:24.500
 The Lord is merciful and gracious,

00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:27.660
 slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

00:16:28.160 --> 00:16:29.220
 He will not always chide.

00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:31.639
 Chide means to reprimand

00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:33.399
 or to make known your displeasure.

00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.500
 He doesn't always chide,

00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:36.539
 nor will He keep His anger forever.

00:16:37.139 --> 00:16:39.559
 He does not deal with us according to our sins,

00:16:39.659 --> 00:16:42.220
 nor repay us according to our iniquities.

00:16:42.919 --> 00:16:44.700
 David's reflecting on his own life

00:16:44.700 --> 00:16:48.039
 and he's remembering God's amazing mercy.

00:16:50.139 --> 00:16:51.820
 David remembers that

00:16:51.820 --> 00:16:53.840
 there are times when God disciplines us.

00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:57.039
 The Bible says that God disciplines the ones that He loves.

00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:01.100
 But God's discipline is not His natural posture.

00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:04.759
 It's not God's natural disposition towards us.

00:17:04.839 --> 00:17:06.319
 We sometimes think God is like that.

00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:09.299
 That His natural posture is He's always pointing the finger.

00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:11.220
 He's always showing us where we're wrong

00:17:11.220 --> 00:17:12.579
 and where we've stepped out of bounds.

00:17:13.120 --> 00:17:15.220
 He's always telling us what we've done wrong this time.

00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:17.360
 Maybe like some of our own parents.

00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:19.640
 We think that God is hard to please.

00:17:20.299 --> 00:17:23.440
 But David reminds us that that is not His natural disposition.

00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:24.860
 Who is He?

00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:27.779
 What is His most natural posture?

00:17:28.340 --> 00:17:30.059
 It's not the pointed finger.

00:17:30.620 --> 00:17:32.240
 It's the arms of embrace.

00:17:32.920 --> 00:17:35.500
 It's God's immense mercy.

00:17:36.340 --> 00:17:38.420
 And remember in Exodus 34,

00:17:38.420 --> 00:17:41.779
 God reveals Himself to Moses and the people of Israel.

00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:44.480
 And He gives Himself like a signature.

00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:46.140
 His sign-off name.

00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:49.200
 And for all of His communications in the rest of the Old Testament,

00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:52.900
 God ends all His communications kind of like with a sign-off name, a signature.

00:17:53.320 --> 00:17:54.660
 And what is God's signature?

00:17:55.539 --> 00:17:56.660
 The Lord, the Lord.

00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:58.220
 Gracious and compassionate.

00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:02.340
 Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

00:18:02.660 --> 00:18:04.360
 That's like God's personal name.

00:18:04.360 --> 00:18:06.340
 It's how God speaks about Himself.

00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:08.299
 And David remembers that.

00:18:08.619 --> 00:18:10.079
 And here he writes about God.

00:18:10.159 --> 00:18:10.419
 And he says,

00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:11.279
 Who is God?

00:18:11.699 --> 00:18:13.279
 He is merciful and gracious.

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:14.359
 Slow to anger.

00:18:14.819 --> 00:18:16.679
 Abounding in steadfast love.

00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:18.279
 He is not angry forever.

00:18:18.439 --> 00:18:20.919
 He does not deal with us according to our sins.

00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:23.399
 Nor repay us according to our iniquities.

00:18:24.179 --> 00:18:27.759
 If grace is getting what we don't deserve.

00:18:27.899 --> 00:18:31.639
 Being lavishly God's generosity and giving us what we don't deserve.

00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:35.220
 Mercy is not getting what we do deserve.

00:18:36.339 --> 00:18:37.939
 And you see how those two go together.

00:18:38.579 --> 00:18:39.779
 We deserve the pit.

00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:40.679
 Judgment.

00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:41.159
 Hell.

00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:42.399
 And what do we get?

00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:44.319
 Amazing grace instead.

00:18:45.339 --> 00:18:46.259
 And David here is saying,

00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:49.259
 God, your grace is lavish and generous.

00:18:49.459 --> 00:18:52.240
 And your mercy is immense and unending.

00:18:53.299 --> 00:18:59.359
 Friends, I wonder if you see yourself or feel yourself to be under God's constant frown.

00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:02.240
 Like God is always unhappy with you.

00:19:03.179 --> 00:19:05.879
 That God is somehow always disappointed with you.

00:19:06.419 --> 00:19:07.599
 You think of God like that?

00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:11.019
 If so, you've created a God in your own image.

00:19:11.719 --> 00:19:14.019
 That is not God's natural disposition.

00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:14.939
 Who is He?

00:19:15.419 --> 00:19:16.740
 Who is God most fundamentally?

00:19:17.339 --> 00:19:18.619
 The Lord, the Lord.

00:19:18.859 --> 00:19:20.019
 Gracious and compassionate.

00:19:20.279 --> 00:19:21.339
 Slow to anger.

00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:25.399
 And abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:29.019
 So how might we pray Psalm 103 this week?

00:19:29.580 --> 00:19:33.380
 Well, you may want to just prayerfully revel in His mercy and His forgiveness.

00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:37.840
 Lord Jesus, when I think of my many, many faults and how you deal with me,

00:19:38.280 --> 00:19:41.380
 I am astounded by your unceasing patience.

00:19:42.100 --> 00:19:44.280
 Your amazing forbearance.

00:19:44.860 --> 00:19:47.420
 Your unceasing mercy.

00:19:47.420 --> 00:19:51.080
 I am astounded by your permanence and your grace.

00:19:51.779 --> 00:19:53.960
 God, you do not treat me like I deserve.

00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:56.519
 You are so kind and merciful.

00:19:56.900 --> 00:19:57.660
 God, it is true.

00:19:57.740 --> 00:19:58.920
 My sins, they are many.

00:19:59.380 --> 00:20:01.519
 But your mercy, it is more.

00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:04.360
 God, where sin has abounded,

00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:07.640
 your unceasing mercy has superabounded.

00:20:07.860 --> 00:20:12.500
 Jesus, thank you for your immense mercy to someone like me.

00:20:14.660 --> 00:20:16.220
 God's immense mercy.

00:20:16.220 --> 00:20:19.900
 But David wants us to see there is something else about God.

00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:21.380
 David is not done.

00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:25.500
 And so he gives us another angle to meditate on God's character.

00:20:26.180 --> 00:20:28.079
 And he comes around a third time to God.

00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:34.660
 And here he wants us to think about God's immeasurable or limitless or inexhaustible goodness.

00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:37.039
 Look at verse 11 to 13.

00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:38.180
 I love these verses.

00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:39.799
 So he has a third angle.

00:20:39.900 --> 00:20:40.279
 He says,

00:20:40.279 --> 00:21:01.639
 Friends, you see what David is doing here?

00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:05.859
 David is using what I guess is called a parallelism.

00:21:05.859 --> 00:21:09.740
 He is using these three sentences where he is paralleling two things.

00:21:09.799 --> 00:21:10.139
 He is saying,

00:21:10.379 --> 00:21:12.219
 As this, so this.

00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:13.519
 You see he does that three times.

00:21:14.119 --> 00:21:15.079
 And each one of those,

00:21:15.139 --> 00:21:18.279
 the first sentence is something inexhaustible,

00:21:18.379 --> 00:21:19.399
 something immeasurable,

00:21:19.579 --> 00:21:20.740
 something limitless.

00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:24.839
 As high as the stars or the heavens are above the earth,

00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:26.859
 so great is his love for us.

00:21:27.099 --> 00:21:29.859
 As far as the east is from the west,

00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:32.920
 so far does he remove our sins from us.

00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:35.259
 And just think about that for a moment.

00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:40.379
 Just ask those NASA astronauts who went into space recently, right?

00:21:40.740 --> 00:21:43.099
 Ten days into space, past the moon.

00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:45.740
 How high are the heavens above the earth?

00:21:46.740 --> 00:21:48.339
 Well, you could keep on going forever.

00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:52.599
 A hundred billion light years and you haven't reached the ends of the heavens.

00:21:53.619 --> 00:21:56.180
 So great is his steadfast love for us.

00:21:56.759 --> 00:22:00.400
 Well, just think about how far is the east from the west?

00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:02.599
 You know, this is not like the MTR line, right?

00:22:02.599 --> 00:22:04.019
 You go to Cheyenne and he says,

00:22:04.159 --> 00:22:05.699
 you've reached the end of the island line.

00:22:06.740 --> 00:22:09.259
 But if you were to keep on going east,

00:22:09.799 --> 00:22:11.859
 when would you get to the end of east?

00:22:12.439 --> 00:22:14.679
 You could just go for a hundred million light years,

00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:15.779
 just keep on going around the earth.

00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:18.359
 Or if you go to outer space, you never reach the end.

00:22:18.679 --> 00:22:21.299
 And then think a hundred billion light years west.

00:22:21.699 --> 00:22:24.279
 As far as the one is from the other,

00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:28.599
 so far does God remove our sins, our transgressions.

00:22:29.459 --> 00:22:32.579
 You know, God is not keeping a notebook in his back pocket.

00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:35.779
 Oh, Oscar, just once again, you know,

00:22:36.619 --> 00:22:41.079
 as far, as far, friends, as the farthest galaxy we can imagine,

00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:44.359
 so far does God remove our sins from us.

00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:48.299
 And David here is, he's wanting us to see the inexhaustibleness,

00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:53.980
 the limitlessness of God's immense kindness and goodness.

00:22:53.980 --> 00:22:55.419
 You know, when I was growing up,

00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:58.819
 we had this phrase in our culture,

00:22:58.819 --> 00:23:01.220
 and sometimes teachers would say to their students,

00:23:01.379 --> 00:23:03.019
 okay, teachers, Iris and Zoe,

00:23:03.419 --> 00:23:06.059
 that if you're testing someone's patience,

00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:08.500
 they would say, I've had it up to here with you.

00:23:08.619 --> 00:23:09.359
 You know that phrase?

00:23:09.439 --> 00:23:10.099
 Anybody heard that?

00:23:10.579 --> 00:23:11.539
 What it means is,

00:23:12.579 --> 00:23:14.879
 my impatience is running out.

00:23:14.939 --> 00:23:17.240
 It's like building, building, building, building, building, building.

00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:19.519
 And when it gets to the top, I'm about to explode.

00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:22.019
 And when someone's really testing your patience,

00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:24.880
 you say, listen, I've had it up to here.

00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:26.460
 It's like you're right on the end.

00:23:26.500 --> 00:23:29.740
 If you test me anymore, I'm going to let loose, right?

00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:31.779
 I've had it up to here with you.

00:23:32.380 --> 00:23:34.019
 Friends, God never says that.

00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:36.319
 God never looks at you and says,

00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:39.160
 one strike to many, I've had it up to here.

00:23:39.240 --> 00:23:40.559
 Next time you're done.

00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:41.740
 I'm done with you.

00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:45.839
 His immense goodness is inexhaustible.

00:23:46.619 --> 00:23:48.599
 As far as the heavens are above the earth,

00:23:48.659 --> 00:23:50.399
 as far as the east is from the west.

00:23:50.919 --> 00:23:53.460
 As a father shows compassion to his children,

00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:54.720
 maybe not your father,

00:23:55.220 --> 00:23:57.619
 but the very best father that you could ever imagine.

00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:03.059
 So does the Lord show love and compassion towards us.

00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:06.460
 So how would we pray the Psalms this week?

00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:10.200
 Maybe you want to express what David is saying here in your own words.

00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:12.420
 Lord Jesus, when I stop and think about it,

00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:15.480
 you are so unlike everyone else in my life.

00:24:16.200 --> 00:24:20.019
 Your love, your mercy, your grace is limitless.

00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:23.340
 Thank you, Lord Jesus, that I can never exhaust,

00:24:23.700 --> 00:24:28.080
 never deplete, never drain your love and compassion.

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:31.500
 Sometimes I feel like my sin must surely drive you away.

00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:35.160
 But this scripture tells me that in a hundred billion years from now,

00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:36.799
 you will be no less interested,

00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:38.360
 no less loving,

00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:40.199
 no less merciful than you are today.

00:24:40.939 --> 00:24:42.519
 Jesus, help me to see that,

00:24:42.619 --> 00:24:43.459
 to know that,

00:24:43.959 --> 00:24:44.699
 the immensity,

00:24:44.899 --> 00:24:46.539
 the inexhaustibleness of your love,

00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:49.159
 God's inexhaustible goodness.

00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:51.479
 Well, David's almost done,

00:24:51.539 --> 00:24:53.399
 but he comes around one last time.

00:24:53.459 --> 00:24:56.199
 And here he wants us to see God's enduring faithfulness.

00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:56.479
 And so,

00:24:56.819 --> 00:24:58.359
 look at verse 15 to 19.

00:24:59.500 --> 00:24:59.879
 Here,

00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:02.179
 he wants us to compare and contrast

00:25:02.180 --> 00:25:04.799
 man's love and faithfulness

00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:06.740
 with God's love and faithfulness.

00:25:06.740 --> 00:25:06.920
 And so,

00:25:06.980 --> 00:25:07.440
 look what he says,

00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:08.160
 as for man,

00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:08.820
 verse 15,

00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:10.580
 his days are like grass.

00:25:11.100 --> 00:25:13.160
 He flourishes like a flower of the field,

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:15.299
 for the wind passes over it,

00:25:15.340 --> 00:25:16.120
 and it is gone,

00:25:16.519 --> 00:25:18.180
 and its place knows it no more.

00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:20.660
 But the steadfast love of the Lord

00:25:20.660 --> 00:25:22.860
 is from everlasting to everlasting

00:25:22.860 --> 00:25:23.980
 on those who fear him.

00:25:24.360 --> 00:25:26.560
 His righteousness to children's children,

00:25:26.560 --> 00:25:29.360
 or generation after generation after generation,

00:25:29.359 --> 00:25:31.299
 to those who keep his covenant

00:25:31.299 --> 00:25:32.579
 and remember his commandments.

00:25:32.959 --> 00:25:34.879
 The Lord has established his throne,

00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:36.719
 and his kingdom rules over all.

00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:37.599
 Friends,

00:25:37.639 --> 00:25:38.779
 you see the comparison here?

00:25:39.179 --> 00:25:40.240
 Between the fleeting,

00:25:40.699 --> 00:25:41.279
 flimsy,

00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:43.539
 fragile nature of human love

00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:45.259
 and commitment and faithfulness,

00:25:45.639 --> 00:25:47.519
 and God's rock-solid,

00:25:47.659 --> 00:25:49.519
 granite love and faithfulness.

00:25:49.959 --> 00:25:52.259
 The steadfast love of the Lord.

00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:53.599
 Friends,

00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:55.919
 maybe you've experienced that.

00:25:56.959 --> 00:25:57.599
 Human love,

00:25:58.379 --> 00:25:59.299
 human relationships,

00:25:59.459 --> 00:26:01.179
 or human covenant commitments.

00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:03.719
 Maybe you find a partner,

00:26:03.899 --> 00:26:04.419
 a spouse,

00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:06.979
 and they're the stuff that dreams are made of.

00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:08.740
 They're the very best spouse

00:26:08.740 --> 00:26:09.599
 that you can imagine,

00:26:09.740 --> 00:26:10.559
 and they are faithful,

00:26:10.699 --> 00:26:11.500
 and they're wonderful,

00:26:12.179 --> 00:26:12.500
 but friends,

00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:13.199
 they're still human.

00:26:14.219 --> 00:26:14.919
 They're still fallible.

00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:16.139
 They're still going to make mistakes.

00:26:16.379 --> 00:26:17.399
 They're still going to get tired

00:26:17.399 --> 00:26:17.979
 and grumpy

00:26:17.979 --> 00:26:19.039
 and lose their temper.

00:26:19.979 --> 00:26:20.279
 And friends,

00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:21.740
 even if they are as close

00:26:21.740 --> 00:26:22.899
 as perfect gets,

00:26:23.539 --> 00:26:24.939
 they're still one day going to die.

00:26:25.639 --> 00:26:26.799
 They're going to pass away.

00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:28.680
 But God,

00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:30.419
 His love is,

00:26:31.019 --> 00:26:32.359
 it's not like that.

00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:33.759
 It's never going to pass.

00:26:33.819 --> 00:26:34.899
 He's never going to fail you.

00:26:35.460 --> 00:26:36.480
 He's never going to get tired

00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.399
 and grumpy with you.

00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:39.419
 He's never going to pass away.

00:26:39.859 --> 00:26:41.200
 Or think about the perfect job.

00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:42.440
 Maybe you put all your hope

00:26:42.440 --> 00:26:42.940
 in your job,

00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:44.259
 and you find the perfect job

00:26:44.259 --> 00:26:45.240
 with the perfect boss

00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:46.279
 and the perfect industry,

00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:48.400
 and you think life couldn't get better,

00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:50.279
 and the economy turns,

00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:52.160
 and you're staring a trenchant in the eye.

00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:53.940
 Or maybe your boss retires,

00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:55.100
 and you get a new boss,

00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:56.900
 and it all goes downhill.

00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:57.960
 Friends,

00:26:58.059 --> 00:26:58.740
 our world,

00:26:58.860 --> 00:26:59.460
 our hopes,

00:26:59.580 --> 00:27:00.340
 our dreams,

00:27:00.440 --> 00:27:02.680
 the things that we put our stock in

00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:03.600
 are so temporary

00:27:03.600 --> 00:27:04.519
 and so flimsy

00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:05.220
 and fragile.

00:27:06.440 --> 00:27:07.080
 But God,

00:27:07.160 --> 00:27:07.799
 it's not like that.

00:27:07.840 --> 00:27:09.400
 He's enduring from everlasting

00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:10.240
 to everlasting,

00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:11.840
 from generation to generation.

00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:13.119
 Friends,

00:27:13.199 --> 00:27:14.419
 the things that we put our hope

00:27:14.419 --> 00:27:15.139
 and confidence in,

00:27:15.439 --> 00:27:16.039
 it's like somebody,

00:27:16.139 --> 00:27:17.159
 you give somebody flowers.

00:27:17.339 --> 00:27:18.159
 From time to time,

00:27:18.199 --> 00:27:19.059
 I give my wife flowers.

00:27:19.179 --> 00:27:20.179
 Not as often as I should.

00:27:20.899 --> 00:27:22.419
 And I give flowers,

00:27:22.539 --> 00:27:23.279
 but a week later,

00:27:23.379 --> 00:27:24.179
 where are those flowers?

00:27:24.379 --> 00:27:25.859
 They are in the bin, right?

00:27:26.019 --> 00:27:27.419
 They don't last very long.

00:27:28.119 --> 00:27:29.559
 But God is not like that.

00:27:30.199 --> 00:27:32.419
 God's love is like the granite

00:27:32.419 --> 00:27:33.339
 of the Dolomites

00:27:33.339 --> 00:27:34.279
 or the Alps, right?

00:27:34.539 --> 00:27:35.779
 It's going to endure earthquakes

00:27:35.779 --> 00:27:37.220
 and famines

00:27:37.220 --> 00:27:38.699
 and heat waves.

00:27:39.259 --> 00:27:40.220
 In a hundred billion years,

00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:41.819
 those rocks are still going to be standing.

00:27:42.779 --> 00:27:44.619
 God's love is so steadfast

00:27:44.619 --> 00:27:46.559
 like the great big mountain peaks.

00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:48.839
 Unshakable, unbreakable.

00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:51.000
 And God wants to drive

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:52.699
 the stake of confidence

00:27:52.699 --> 00:27:53.639
 and assurance

00:27:53.639 --> 00:27:55.859
 deep into the rock.

00:27:56.639 --> 00:27:58.279
 And so He gives us Psalm 103.

00:28:00.879 --> 00:28:01.399
 Friends,

00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:02.720
 God's steadfast love,

00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:04.799
 the steadfast love of the Lord

00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:05.679
 is from everlasting

00:28:05.679 --> 00:28:06.619
 to everlasting

00:28:06.619 --> 00:28:08.259
 to those who fear Him.

00:28:09.180 --> 00:28:10.140
 Now that phrase,

00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:11.660
 the steadfast love of the Lord,

00:28:11.740 --> 00:28:13.160
 I'd never noticed this before

00:28:13.160 --> 00:28:13.920
 until this week.

00:28:14.299 --> 00:28:15.039
 That phrase,

00:28:15.140 --> 00:28:16.279
 the steadfast love of the Lord,

00:28:16.359 --> 00:28:17.220
 actually appears

00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:18.799
 in all four of those categories.

00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:19.839
 In,

00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:21.339
 look at verse 4,

00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:21.660
 it says,

00:28:21.859 --> 00:28:23.519
 He crowns you with steadfast love

00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:23.960
 and mercy.

00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:24.920
 Verse 8,

00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:26.380
 the Lord is slow to anger,

00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:28.140
 abounding in steadfast love.

00:28:28.580 --> 00:28:29.120
 Verse 11,

00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:30.140
 as high as the heavens

00:28:30.140 --> 00:28:30.880
 or above the earth,

00:28:31.180 --> 00:28:33.140
 so great is His steadfast love

00:28:33.140 --> 00:28:34.340
 towards those who fear Him.

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:35.180
 Verse 17,

00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:37.460
 the steadfast love of the Lord

00:28:37.460 --> 00:28:38.340
 is from everlasting

00:28:38.340 --> 00:28:39.039
 to everlasting.

00:28:39.700 --> 00:28:40.980
 All four sections

00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:42.519
 actually speak about

00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:43.700
 God's steadfast love.

00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:45.140
 So what's happening here?

00:28:45.740 --> 00:28:46.340
 This is like,

00:28:46.380 --> 00:28:47.540
 you know in the soccer world cup,

00:28:47.620 --> 00:28:47.820
 right?

00:28:48.100 --> 00:28:49.500
 Someone scores a great goal

00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:50.320
 and what happens?

00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:52.300
 They replay the action

00:28:52.300 --> 00:28:53.140
 from different angles.

00:28:53.240 --> 00:28:54.360
 So you get one from the right

00:28:54.360 --> 00:28:55.300
 and the one from the left

00:28:55.300 --> 00:28:56.540
 and the one from behind the goal

00:28:56.540 --> 00:28:57.780
 and the one from the camera

00:28:57.780 --> 00:28:58.340
 up on top.

00:28:58.540 --> 00:28:59.960
 It's the same action

00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:00.960
 from different angles.

00:29:02.040 --> 00:29:02.980
 David here

00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:04.960
 is taking four meditations

00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:07.220
 on God's unceasing

00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:08.800
 steadfast love

00:29:08.800 --> 00:29:09.700
 and looking at it

00:29:09.700 --> 00:29:10.660
 and he comes around

00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:10.880
 and says,

00:29:10.940 --> 00:29:11.500
 let's look at it

00:29:11.500 --> 00:29:12.340
 from a different angle.

00:29:12.840 --> 00:29:14.000
 God's steadfast love

00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:15.299
 is so generous

00:29:15.299 --> 00:29:15.980
 and lavish.

00:29:16.420 --> 00:29:17.640
 God's steadfast love

00:29:17.640 --> 00:29:19.240
 is immense.

00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:20.619
 God's steadfast love

00:29:20.619 --> 00:29:21.859
 is inexhaustible.

00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.579
 God's steadfast love

00:29:23.579 --> 00:29:24.339
 is enduring

00:29:24.339 --> 00:29:26.059
 and faithful forever.

00:29:26.900 --> 00:29:27.119
 Friends,

00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:28.960
 the word steadfast love

00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:29.460
 in the Bible

00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:30.859
 is actually a technical word.

00:29:31.019 --> 00:29:32.380
 The Hebrew word is chesed.

00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:34.059
 It's not just any word.

00:29:34.359 --> 00:29:35.599
 It's a technical word

00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.700
 and what it means is

00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:39.460
 God's loyal covenant,

00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:40.339
 commitment,

00:29:40.839 --> 00:29:41.579
 faithfulness.

00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:43.440
 God's loyal,

00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:44.779
 covenant,

00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:45.539
 faithfulness.

00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:47.460
 And what it means

00:29:47.460 --> 00:29:48.640
 is that God's love

00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:49.480
 is not based on

00:29:49.480 --> 00:29:50.299
 His feelings

00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:51.279
 or His emotions.

00:29:51.620 --> 00:29:53.100
 It's based on His nature,

00:29:53.600 --> 00:29:54.580
 on who He is.

00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:56.019
 It's based on

00:29:56.019 --> 00:29:56.700
 the relationships

00:29:56.700 --> 00:29:58.019
 between God the Father,

00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:58.799
 God the Son,

00:29:58.860 --> 00:29:59.680
 and God the Spirit.

00:30:00.100 --> 00:30:01.220
 That if for God to be,

00:30:01.640 --> 00:30:02.640
 for God to break

00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:03.980
 His covenant faithfulness

00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:04.559
 and His commitment,

00:30:04.779 --> 00:30:05.820
 He would have to break

00:30:05.820 --> 00:30:06.539
 the relationships

00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:07.360
 within the Trinity.

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.680
 God would have to

00:30:08.680 --> 00:30:10.279
 stop being God Himself.

00:30:10.279 --> 00:30:13.279
 God's steadfast love

00:30:13.279 --> 00:30:15.319
 is who He is.

00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:17.059
 For God to break

00:30:17.059 --> 00:30:18.379
 that love and faithfulness,

00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:18.879
 He would have to

00:30:18.879 --> 00:30:20.180
 deny His very nature,

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:21.519
 disown Himself,

00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:23.639
 tear the Trinity apart.

00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:25.799
 And so David here

00:30:25.799 --> 00:30:26.700
 wants us to

00:30:26.700 --> 00:30:29.379
 take a sustained meditation

00:30:29.379 --> 00:30:32.599
 to reflect on the vastness,

00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:33.619
 the depth,

00:30:34.119 --> 00:30:34.759
 the height,

00:30:34.759 --> 00:30:36.519
 the inexhaustibleness,

00:30:37.059 --> 00:30:38.039
 the enduring nature

00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:39.980
 of God's steadfast love.

00:30:41.019 --> 00:30:42.359
 David reflects on that

00:30:42.359 --> 00:30:43.819
 from the Old Testament perspective.

00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:44.539
 But friends,

00:30:45.220 --> 00:30:46.059
 don't we have we

00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:47.500
 much more reason to do so?

00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:50.099
 David, writing a thousand years

00:30:50.099 --> 00:30:51.500
 before Jesus came,

00:30:51.940 --> 00:30:52.539
 could think about

00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:53.900
 God's faithfulness to Israel,

00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:55.299
 His covenant faithfulness,

00:30:55.660 --> 00:30:56.519
 the fact that God

00:30:56.519 --> 00:30:58.299
 was faithful to His Word

00:30:58.299 --> 00:30:59.879
 and He loved His people

00:30:59.879 --> 00:31:01.160
 and He was lavish

00:31:01.160 --> 00:31:01.680
 and generous

00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:02.339
 and gracious

00:31:02.339 --> 00:31:04.119
 and immensely merciful.

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:05.559
 But friends,

00:31:05.619 --> 00:31:06.119
 what about us

00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:06.900
 who look back

00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:08.140
 upon Christ's coming

00:31:08.140 --> 00:31:09.819
 and we look upon

00:31:09.819 --> 00:31:10.519
 the cross

00:31:10.519 --> 00:31:11.940
 where Jesus demonstrated

00:31:11.940 --> 00:31:13.379
 His lavish,

00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:13.920
 immense,

00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:14.519
 infinite,

00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:15.980
 steadfast love for us?

00:31:16.640 --> 00:31:17.480
 And when we look

00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:18.500
 at these verses

00:31:18.500 --> 00:31:19.799
 in light of the cross,

00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:20.879
 it gives a new sense

00:31:20.879 --> 00:31:21.319
 of color,

00:31:21.400 --> 00:31:21.940
 doesn't it?

00:31:22.660 --> 00:31:24.460
 Just look at verse 4.

00:31:25.160 --> 00:31:26.000
 Jesus is the one

00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:27.240
 who redeems our life

00:31:27.240 --> 00:31:27.920
 from the pit.

00:31:28.140 --> 00:31:28.400
 Why?

00:31:29.079 --> 00:31:29.900
 Well, because Jesus

00:31:29.900 --> 00:31:31.140
 went to the pit Himself.

00:31:32.180 --> 00:31:32.440
 Friends,

00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:33.640
 Jesus was laid

00:31:33.640 --> 00:31:34.299
 in the grave

00:31:34.299 --> 00:31:35.279
 and went to hell

00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:36.799
 and endured all the worst

00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:38.000
 of the pits of hell

00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:40.299
 to rescue and redeem us.

00:31:40.700 --> 00:31:41.759
 Well, look at verse 14.

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:43.339
 He knows our frame

00:31:43.339 --> 00:31:44.579
 that we are but dust.

00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:45.440
 Why?

00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:47.460
 Well, Jesus took on our frame.

00:31:48.220 --> 00:31:49.399
 Jesus took on humanity.

00:31:49.700 --> 00:31:50.579
 Jesus suffered

00:31:50.579 --> 00:31:51.559
 all the horror

00:31:51.559 --> 00:31:52.480
 and the sadness

00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.700
 and the pain

00:31:53.700 --> 00:31:54.359
 and the agony

00:31:54.359 --> 00:31:55.519
 of being a human being.

00:31:56.099 --> 00:31:56.839
 Fully man.

00:31:57.019 --> 00:31:57.819
 Yes, fully God,

00:31:57.899 --> 00:31:58.740
 but also fully man.

00:31:59.259 --> 00:31:59.899
 Jesus knows

00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:00.600
 what it feels like

00:32:00.600 --> 00:32:01.440
 to feel pain

00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:02.800
 and shame

00:32:02.800 --> 00:32:04.540
 and abandonment

00:32:04.540 --> 00:32:05.880
 and loneliness.

00:32:06.560 --> 00:32:07.960
 To hang on the cross

00:32:07.960 --> 00:32:09.480
 and feel asphyxiation

00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:10.759
 where you cannot breathe

00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:11.420
 and you suffer

00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:13.220
 until you cannot breathe anymore

00:32:13.220 --> 00:32:14.019
 and you die

00:32:14.019 --> 00:32:14.980
 for lack of oxygen.

00:32:15.980 --> 00:32:16.660
 Jesus knows

00:32:16.660 --> 00:32:17.160
 what it's like

00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:18.480
 to have a frame

00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:19.180
 like ours.

00:32:19.580 --> 00:32:20.800
 And why did He do it?

00:32:20.840 --> 00:32:22.320
 Because of His steadfast love

00:32:22.320 --> 00:32:23.320
 for you and me.

00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:24.940
 But surely

00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:26.220
 the greatest of these

00:32:26.220 --> 00:32:26.940
 is verse 10.

00:32:26.940 --> 00:32:27.759
 Look at verse 10.

00:32:28.360 --> 00:32:29.680
 He does not deal with us

00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:30.960
 according to our sins

00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:32.360
 nor repay us

00:32:32.360 --> 00:32:33.460
 according to our iniquities.

00:32:33.620 --> 00:32:33.840
 Why?

00:32:34.539 --> 00:32:35.720
 Because God the Father

00:32:35.720 --> 00:32:36.779
 repaid Jesus

00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:38.759
 for our iniquities.

00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:40.580
 Jesus Christ

00:32:40.580 --> 00:32:42.220
 paid our iniquities

00:32:42.220 --> 00:32:43.480
 for us

00:32:43.480 --> 00:32:44.720
 on the cross.

00:32:45.299 --> 00:32:46.100
 So friends,

00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:46.980
 how could we pray

00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:48.920
 Psalm 103 this week?

00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:50.660
 Well, maybe you want to pray

00:32:50.660 --> 00:32:51.460
 something like this.

00:32:51.539 --> 00:32:52.059
 Lord Jesus,

00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:53.000
 how awesome is

00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:54.019
 your steadfast love?

00:32:54.600 --> 00:32:55.360
 More awesome

00:32:55.360 --> 00:32:56.299
 than I could comprehend.

00:32:56.940 --> 00:32:58.279
 Thank you that your love

00:32:58.279 --> 00:32:59.460
 for me is so unlike

00:32:59.460 --> 00:33:00.539
 my love for you.

00:33:01.259 --> 00:33:02.539
 My love is up and down,

00:33:03.120 --> 00:33:03.779
 inconsistent,

00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:05.440
 fickle and flimsy,

00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:07.539
 like the grass of the field,

00:33:07.640 --> 00:33:08.360
 like the flowers

00:33:08.360 --> 00:33:09.740
 of the field.

00:33:09.860 --> 00:33:10.660
 But your love

00:33:10.660 --> 00:33:11.519
 is as enduring

00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:12.320
 as the mountains,

00:33:12.900 --> 00:33:13.600
 from everlasting

00:33:13.600 --> 00:33:14.400
 to everlasting.

00:33:15.580 --> 00:33:16.039
 Jesus,

00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:16.960
 help me comprehend

00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:17.940
 the permanence,

00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:19.140
 the entrancience

00:33:19.140 --> 00:33:19.820
 of your love.

00:33:20.519 --> 00:33:22.000
 May I rest secure,

00:33:22.860 --> 00:33:23.360
 confident,

00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:24.559
 assured,

00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:25.779
 not fretful

00:33:25.779 --> 00:33:26.420
 and anxious

00:33:26.420 --> 00:33:27.720
 because your

00:33:27.720 --> 00:33:28.879
 steadfast love

00:33:28.879 --> 00:33:30.379
 and may it result

00:33:30.379 --> 00:33:31.399
 in joy-filled

00:33:31.399 --> 00:33:32.420
 praise and wonder.

00:33:33.099 --> 00:33:34.019
 In your wonderful name

00:33:34.019 --> 00:33:34.619
 I pray.

00:33:35.299 --> 00:33:35.639
 Amen.

00:33:36.700 --> 00:33:36.980
 Friends,

00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:37.899
 our generation

00:33:37.899 --> 00:33:38.819
 is one that is

00:33:38.819 --> 00:33:39.859
 losing the ability

00:33:39.859 --> 00:33:41.079
 to think deeply,

00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:42.639
 to slow down

00:33:42.639 --> 00:33:43.240
 and meditate

00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:44.399
 on the most important,

00:33:44.599 --> 00:33:45.339
 the most beautiful,

00:33:45.559 --> 00:33:46.240
 the most wonderful

00:33:46.240 --> 00:33:47.399
 things about life.

00:33:47.400 --> 00:33:49.220
 what we need

00:33:49.220 --> 00:33:49.759
 and what David

00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:50.640
 wants us to do

00:33:50.640 --> 00:33:52.140
 is to think carefully,

00:33:52.660 --> 00:33:54.000
 to meditate slowly

00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:55.180
 on who God is

00:33:55.180 --> 00:33:56.660
 and how He acts

00:33:56.660 --> 00:33:57.740
 towards His people,

00:33:58.300 --> 00:33:59.240
 to those who love

00:33:59.240 --> 00:33:59.920
 and trust Him,

00:34:00.580 --> 00:34:01.320
 to those who have

00:34:01.320 --> 00:34:02.500
 repented of their sins,

00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:03.940
 to those who have

00:34:03.940 --> 00:34:05.000
 put their hope in Him.

00:34:06.200 --> 00:34:06.640
 Friends,

00:34:06.680 --> 00:34:07.480
 have you done that?

00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:09.579
 Have you trusted

00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:10.059
 in Jesus?

00:34:10.059 --> 00:34:12.559
 have you come to know

00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:14.019
 the steadfast love

00:34:14.019 --> 00:34:14.639
 of the Lord

00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:16.599
 which endures forever,

00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:18.340
 the immensity

00:34:18.340 --> 00:34:19.239
 of His mercy,

00:34:19.980 --> 00:34:21.119
 the inexhaustibleness

00:34:21.119 --> 00:34:21.940
 of His goodness,

00:34:22.619 --> 00:34:23.519
 the lavishness

00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:24.259
 of His grace?

00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:25.440
 Friends,

00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:26.059
 have you turned

00:34:26.059 --> 00:34:27.219
 from other fickle loves,

00:34:27.900 --> 00:34:29.019
 transient and flimsy,

00:34:30.539 --> 00:34:31.139
 and rested

00:34:31.139 --> 00:34:32.199
 in the steadfast love

00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:32.719
 of Christ?

00:34:32.719 --> 00:34:34.399
 David wants you

00:34:34.399 --> 00:34:35.019
 to know the love

00:34:35.019 --> 00:34:35.500
 of Christ.

00:34:36.119 --> 00:34:37.000
 God wants you

00:34:37.000 --> 00:34:37.579
 to know the love

00:34:37.579 --> 00:34:38.059
 of Christ.

00:34:38.539 --> 00:34:39.439
 We want you

00:34:39.439 --> 00:34:39.839
 to know

00:34:39.839 --> 00:34:41.199
 the love of Christ.

00:34:41.959 --> 00:34:42.399
 And for that

00:34:42.399 --> 00:34:42.939
 to result

00:34:42.939 --> 00:34:44.199
 in joyful praise

00:34:44.199 --> 00:34:45.239
 and wonder.

00:34:46.099 --> 00:34:46.819
 Bless the Lord,

00:34:46.939 --> 00:34:47.679
 O my soul,

00:34:47.759 --> 00:34:48.519
 and all that is

00:34:48.519 --> 00:34:49.119
 within me,

00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:50.719
 bless His holy name,

00:34:51.279 --> 00:34:52.179
 forget not all

00:34:52.179 --> 00:34:52.959
 His benefits.

00:34:53.399 --> 00:34:54.259
 Let's pray together.

00:34:55.639 --> 00:34:56.419
 Lord Jesus,

00:34:56.799 --> 00:34:57.839
 as we think about

00:34:57.839 --> 00:34:59.279
 Your insane love

00:34:59.279 --> 00:34:59.639
 for us,

00:34:59.719 --> 00:34:59.899
 God,

00:34:59.959 --> 00:35:00.559
 we are humbled

00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:01.899
 and yet built up

00:35:01.899 --> 00:35:02.539
 to the stars.

00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:03.500
 All at the same time.

00:35:03.579 --> 00:35:04.460
 Humble to the dust

00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:06.199
 and yet built up

00:35:06.199 --> 00:35:06.679
 to the stars.

00:35:06.779 --> 00:35:06.960
 God,

00:35:07.019 --> 00:35:07.320
 thank You

00:35:07.320 --> 00:35:08.860
 for Your incredible love.

00:35:08.980 --> 00:35:09.239
 Thank You

00:35:09.239 --> 00:35:10.300
 for Your steadfast love

00:35:10.300 --> 00:35:11.159
 that is so unlike

00:35:11.159 --> 00:35:11.679
 our love.

00:35:12.340 --> 00:35:12.559
 God,

00:35:12.619 --> 00:35:13.759
 our love is limited,

00:35:14.440 --> 00:35:15.340
 it's exhaustible,

00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:16.679
 it's flimsy,

00:35:17.279 --> 00:35:18.639
 it is fickle,

00:35:19.300 --> 00:35:22.059
 it is not generous.

00:35:22.779 --> 00:35:23.300
 Your love,

00:35:23.300 --> 00:35:23.599
 God,

00:35:23.699 --> 00:35:24.800
 is everything

00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:25.519
 that we are not.

00:35:26.179 --> 00:35:27.159
 And so we end today

00:35:27.159 --> 00:35:27.500
 saying,

00:35:27.659 --> 00:35:28.539
 praise the Lord,

00:35:28.579 --> 00:35:29.159
 O my soul,

00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:30.840
 all that is within me.

00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:32.340
 Praise the Lord.

00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:32.860
 God,

00:35:32.920 --> 00:35:33.199
 thank You

00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:33.980
 for Your amazing love.

00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:35.000
 Write that in our hearts.

00:35:35.300 --> 00:35:35.440
 God,

00:35:35.500 --> 00:35:36.239
 I pray that we will be

00:35:36.239 --> 00:35:37.460
 secure and confident,

00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:39.139
 not anxious or worried,

00:35:39.559 --> 00:35:40.300
 because we know

00:35:40.300 --> 00:35:41.219
 where our hope lies.

00:35:41.880 --> 00:35:42.460
 In Your great name

00:35:42.460 --> 00:35:42.880
 I pray.

00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:43.960
 Amen.

00:35:43.960 --> 00:35:44.780
 Amen.

00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:44.860
 Amen.

00:35:44.860 --> 00:35:44.940
 Amen.

00:35:44.940 --> 00:35:45.019
 Amen.

00:35:45.019 --> 00:35:46.039
 Amen.

00:35:46.039 --> 00:35:46.039


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