Morning, church.
Let's pray.
Lord, you know the deep places
through which our life must go.
Help us when we enter them
to lift our hearts to you.
Help us to be patient when we are afflicted,
to be humble when we are in distress,
and grant that the hope of your mercy
may never fail us,
and the consciousness of your loving kindness
may never be crowded or hidden from our sight.
Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
Greetings, and I'm glad that you can join us today,
especially if you're joining us online.
If this is your first time tuning in to our live stream
or gathering with us here,
we have been studying over the last few weeks
the topic of lament
from the book of Lamentation
and Psalms in the Old Testament of the Bible.
So have you heard of the term lament?
When someone says he or she is lamenting,
what exactly are they doing?
If today is not your first time with us,
and you have journeyed with us
and with the writer of Psalms and Lamentation,
have you practiced any laments in the last few weeks?
James, the brother of Jesus,
wrote us in his letter in the New Testament
from chapter 1, verse 22.
James 1, verse 22 says,
Do not merely listen to the word
and so deceive yourself.
Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word
but does not do what it says
is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror
and after looking at himself,
goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law
that gives freedom and continues in it,
not forgetting what they have heard,
but doing it,
they will be blessed in what they do.
James warn us that
if we listen to God's word
but take no action
in practicing what we hurt,
we are deceiving ourselves.
We are deceiving ourselves
into thinking that we are right with God
when we are not.
If we take no action,
our faith is a shame
and will have devastating consequences
for our life now
and our eternal destiny.
If we merely listen to God's word
but do not do what it says,
it's like someone who looks into a mirror.
The mirror that James referred to
is not the same that we use now,
but the one that make with polished copper or bronze,
which does not give a good impression
to someone who only take a glance of it.
It will take a considerable amount of time
to work out what you look like with them.
What we see in a mirror
is meant to lead us into action.
For someone who might be a bit more confident
with their image,
looking in the mirror
will lead them to more admiration of themselves.
They will stop at every mirror
and not just making sure they look okay,
but they will admire themselves
and say,
oh, why do I look so handsome?
Oh, I look so perfect.
But for general people,
the action is usually corrective,
such as a dirty face that needs to be washed.
The only reason that you can walk away
and immediately forget what you look like
would be because you utterly regret
the fault you saw or discovered
and instantly forget what you have seen.
It's ludicrous to have checked your face in the mirror
or hear God's words
and rapidly ignore and forget what you have heard.
It's absurd for someone who belongs to God
or call themselves a Christian,
a follower of Christ,
to be so cavalier towards God's word.
So let's repent together
and turn towards God
like how the book of Lamentation finished
at chapter 5, verse 21 and 22
by praying,
restore us to yourself, Lord,
that we might return.
Renew our days as of old
unless you have utterly rejected us
and are angry with us beyond measure.
Suppose you are not yet a believer
or follower of Christ
or follower of the biblical God
who created this world
and you and me.
Lamenting is part and partial of the Bible,
the word of God.
It is also part and partial of a Christian life.
God encourages us, his follower,
to join him in lamenting
over the fallen situation
of his created world.
To lament is to know God.
So let's together,
online, in person,
believe it or not yet,
look at what, why,
and how to lament today.
So what is lament?
Lament is a declaration
of the struggles and sufferings
you are experiencing
directly to God
with honesty
and in a God-honoring way.
I've been reading
a book by Gordon Wynham
named
The Soldiers Reclaimed,
Praying and Praising with the Psalms.
He commented that
lament is a prayer to God
for delivery
from Christ
regarding enemies,
defeats in battle,
and a life-threatening illness.
These prayers of lament
are written and collected
in the Psalms and lamentation
of the Bible.
In this crisis situation,
the person lamenting
often seems to think
that God has deserted them.
almost half of the 150 Psalms
are lament Psalms.
Usually,
the most common format
is complaint,
with a cry for help
and description of distress.
Petition,
with an appeal to God
and reason for divine intervention.
And praise,
that ends on a note of certainty
that prayer has been heard
and a vow
to praise God
for deliveries.
So the usual pattern
for lament
is complain,
petition,
and praise.
Like the Psalm
we just read out
by Vivian,
Psalm 13,
it goes like this,
How long, Lord,
will you forget me forever?
How long
will you hide your face from me?
How long
must I wrestle
with my thoughts
and day after day
have sorrow in my heart?
How long
will my enemy
triumph over me?
Look on me
and answer,
Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes
or I will sleep in death.
And my enemy
will say,
I have overcome him.
And my foes rejoice
when I fall.
The Psalmist
was in real trouble.
His enemy
were attacking him
and he doubt
whether God
still cared
for him.
He worried
that his enemy
will realize
how shaky
his faith is
and will go
over the loss
of faith.
But like most men,
Psalm 13
suddenly changed key,
ending on a note
of confidence
and praise
in verse 5.
But I trust
in your unfailing love.
My heart
rejoiced
in your salvation.
I will sing
the Lord's praise
for he has been
good to me.
Though the man
usually ends
on a note of hope,
several do not.
Though at some point
they may express hope,
the Psalmist
sometimes referred
to a despair
at the end.
His glamour
of hope
seems extinguished.
and it is
at this point,
at those dark
points,
that God's
steadfast love
will shine
through
to prove
his faithfulness
to us.
So some of you
might question
whether it's
appropriate
for Christians
to lament
and some of us
did ask that.
Can Christians
use such sound?
Shall we not
be giving thanks
in all circumstances?
Are such songs
appropriate
to people of faith,
particularly for use
in public worship?
So why do we lament?
Lament lines up
our thoughts
about our situation
with God's plans
for us
and this world.
Lament
turns and
tunes
our heart
to the hurt
and anger
of God
towards
our
mentality
towards
him
and his
word.
Lament
drives us
to action
which often
involves
confession
and repentance.
So lament
brings our
heart,
our heart,
our head
and our hands
together
to glorify God.
Christians
should be
lamenting
together
or quote
psalms
that is
written
for lament
because
lament
are most
quoted
in the
New Testament.
Psalm 22
and 69
are the two
most quoted
psalms
by all the
writers
of the
New Testament.
Psalm 69
was quoted
in the book
of John,
in the book
of Acts
and Romans.
Christians,
a follower
of Christ
should lament
because of
Christ
we follow
Jesus,
pray
Psalm 22
on the cross
and Psalm 31
just before
he died.
On the night
before he
rests,
he would have
been singing
a few
lament psalms
with his
disciples.
So,
we should
lament
or use
the psalms
of lament
because
our
Christ
was
the one
that using
it.
Christians
in today's
society
get nervous
when we
come across
a sentence
like,
how long
Lord
will you
forget me
forever?
How long
will you
hide your
face from
me?
Because
this kind
of sentence
counters
our culture
of positivity.
Our religious
culture
identifies
strong faith
with
ambitions,
ambitious,
joyful,
and strong.
Our society
emphasizes
and pursue
comfortable
self-made
life and
prides itself
on being
better than
the rest
of the world.
Many
Christians
are influenced
by our
society
and have
difficulty
emphasizing
with the
reality of
suffering
and the
seemingly
absence of
God.
We think
it's not
appropriate
to lament
to or
about God
is too
negative
to make
God look
bad.
another
reason we
must lament
in today's
society
by using
or praying
these
psalms
is those
who think
they have
no problem
and difficulties
in their
life can
learn to
sympathize
with those
in trouble
and pray
for those
suffering
or persecuted.
Our
reality is
no one
is immune
to suffering
and challenges
in life.
And maybe
the reality
for you
right now
is you
are under
significant
burden.
Both
physical
and spiritual
sickness,
marital
problems,
financial
difficulties,
pressure at
work,
even harassment
and persecution.
The
advancing of
your age
bring all
sorts of
problems
with you.
you find
it very
hard to
come
full of
joy
or
happiness.
When you
can see
no way
out
and in
your
distress,
lamenting
and crying
out,
how long
Lord,
is a sure
and only
way
of getting
to our
saying
the Lord's
praise
for his
has been
good to
me.
So what
is the
most significant
experience of
suffering that
you have
gone through
that you
are going
through
now?
What
injustice
and social
issues
disturb you
most?
God is
inviting you
to put
your trust
in him
and lament
with him
over your
significant
sufferings
and to
cry out
to him.
Bring your
lamentation
to God,
especially if
you are now
in the middle
of your
hardship.
Let's
practice
lamentation,
lamenting
together,
bring your
suffering
to God.
We'll
practice
lamenting
together
today by
reading out
aloud Psalm
13,
42,
and 43
to each
other.
We'll
divide this
church into
four groups,
including you
online.
So group
one,
session one
will be
over there
in front
of the
Stingas
window.
Session
two will
be to
my left
here.
Session
three is
this group,
including you
online,
and session
four is
those under
the mezzanine.
So what
we're going
to do is
we're going
to read
out loud
on the
screen as
the scripture
comes up.
So session
one, we'll
start reading
out Lamentation
5, 21 to 22,
and then Psalm
13.
And while the
session is
reading, the
rest of us
can listen.
And then
the next
session, we'll
read the
next session
of text, and
the rest can
listen as
well.
So as we
read out
these verses,
let's bring
to your mind
the suffering
that you might
be going
through, and
also the
suffering of
this world.
And let's
bring this
word to
God, and
let God's
word lead
you through
a journey
of lament.
Amen.
So session
one, please
join me to
read out.
Restore us
to yourself,
Lord, that
we might
return, renew
our days as
of old, unless
you have
utterly reject
us and are
angry with us
beyond
measure.
How long,
Lord, will
you forget
me forever?
How long
will you hide
your face
from me?
how long
must I
wrestle with
my thoughts
and day
after day
have sorrow
in my heart?
How long
will my
enemy triumph
over me?
Look on
me and
answer,
Lord, my
God, give
light to
my eyes
or I will
sleep in
death.
And my
enemy will
say, I
have overcome
him, and
my foes
will rejoice
when I
fall.
But I
trust in
your unfailing
love.
my heart
rejoice in
your salvation.
And I
will sing
praise, sing
the Lord's
praise, for
he has been
good to
me.
Session
two.
Ready?
As the
deer pants
for streams
of water,
so my
soul pants
for you,
my God.
My soul
thirsts for
God, for
the living
God, when
can I go
and meet
with God?
My teeth
have been
my food
day and
night, while
people say
to me all
day long,
where is
your God?
These things
I remember
as I
pour out my
soul, how
I used to
go to the
house of
God.
Under the
protection of
mighty one,
we shout of
joy and
praise among
the
fisted
throne.
Why, my
soul, are
you
downcast?
Why so
disturbed
within me?
Put your
hope in
God, for
I will yet
praise him,
my
savior and
my God.
Session
three, and
those of you
online, please
join me.
My soul
is
downcast
within me,
therefore I
will remember
you from
the land of
the Jordan,
the height of
Hermon,
from Mount
Missa.
Deep
course to
deep in
the roar of
your waterfalls,
all your
waves and
breakers have
swept over
me.
I
day the
Lord
dearest
his love,
and light
the song
is with
me.
I
pray to
the God
of my
life.
I
say to
my God,
my rock,
why have
you forgotten
me?
why must
I go
about
mourning,
oppressed
by the
enemy?
My bones
suffer mortal
agony,
as my
foes
taunt me,
saying to
me all
day long,
where is
your God?
Why,
my soul,
are you
downcast?
Why so
disturbed
within me?
Put your
hope in
the
God,
for I
will yet
praise
him,
my
savior
and my
God.
And
section
four
over
there.
Vindicate
me,
my
God,
and
plead
the
rescue
me from
those who
are
deceitful
and wicked.
You
are God,
my
stronghold.
Why
have you
rejected
me?
Why
must I
go about
mourning,
oppressed
by the
enemy?
Send
me your
light and
your
faithful
care.
Let
them
bring me
to your
holy
mountain,
to the
place where
you
dwell.
Then I
will go
to the
altar of
God,
to God
my joy
and my
delight.
I
will praise
you with
the
lead.
O
God,
my
God,
why my
soul are
you
downcast?
Why so
disturbed
within me?
Put your
hope in
God,
for I
will yet
praise him,
my
savior and
my
God.
And let's
read together
this next
session.
Together,
we
store us
to
yourself,
Lord,
that we
might
return.
Renew
our
days as
of
old.
Unless
you
have
utterly
rejected
us and
are angry
with us
beyond
measure.
How
long,
Lord,
will you
forget me
forever?
How
long will
you hide
your face
from me?
how long
must I
wrestle with
my thoughts
and day
after day
have sorrow
in my
heart?
How
long will
my enemy
triumph
over me?
Look
on me
and answer,
Lord my
God.
Give light
to my eyes
or I
will sleep
in death.
And my
enemy
will say
I have
overcome
him and
my foes
rejoice
when I
fall.
But I
trust in
your unfailing
love.
my heart
rejoice
in your
salvation.
I will
sing the
Lord's
praise for
he has
been good
to me.
Many
haunting
questions
will
surface
and often
surface in
the middle
of a
difficult
circumstance.
While we're
reading through
those section
of Psalms,
what comes
up to
your mind?
while we
wait for
God to
deliver us,
we cannot
help but
question
sometimes,
have we
missed the
way by
mistake?
Have we
done something
wrong?
So we are
facing what
we're facing
now.
Does God
care?
Is God
there after
all or have
we been
mistaken all
along?
Waiting
does something
to us.
I don't
know,
have you
ever been
to an
emergency
ward when
you are
so urgently
needed some
help?
So you
got in
there,
you
waited,
you got
a number,
and every
time a
nurse will
pass,
you're
like,
is that
me?
Or
someone
that I
want to
help?
But the
longer you
sit in
there,
the reaction
of your
heart
is slow.
The
longest the
people
that sit
in the
emergency
ward often
is the
waiting
part
actually
changed
them.
Waiting
does
something
to us,
and it
also tells
us something.
It shows
what our
relationship
is to
the person
and to
the event
that we
are waiting
for.
The way
a man
will wait
for his
fiancee
and the
wedding,
the way
they're
expecting
parents
wait for
their
babies
during
their
pregnancy.
The
excitement
of the
waiting
because
the
person
that
they're
waiting
for,
the
event
they're
waiting
for,
is worth
waiting
for.
Waiting
shows us
what we
think of
the person
who keeps
us
waiting,
and we
have to
wait no
more,
because the
Lord has
come.
Our
Savior,
our God,
has
disamounted us.
Jesus is
not a
means to
an end
or mechanism
through which
we can
change our
circumstance.
He is
the end.
Our
circumstance
means to
drive us
to him.
It's not
that our
suffering
doesn't
matter.
It matters
enough to
bring tears
to the eyes
of the
Son of
God,
Jesus.
when he
saw
someone
die,
when he
saw
Jerusalem,
and people
are not
worshipping
God as
the way
they should.
Our
suffering,
our
circumstance
means to
drive us
to Jesus,
to God.
Our
suffering
matters
to our
God.
it
matters
like a
first
meeting,
matters
to a
marriage,
or like
a birth,
matters
to
motherhood.
It's
the entry
point to
a
relationship
formed
through
suffering
as much
as through
joy.
As if
Jesus
claimed
the goal
of our
existence
is a
relationship
with him,
finding
him in
our
suffering
is a
main
point
of
lamenting.
Let's
pray.
Lord,
you know
the deep
places
through which
our life
must go.
Help us
when we
enter them.
To
leave our
hearts to
you,
help us
to be
patient
when we
are
affected,
to be
humble
when we
are in
distress,
and grant
that the
hope of
your mercy
may never
fail us,
and the
consciousness
of your
loving kindness
may never
be crowded
or hidden
from our
eyes.
Through
Jesus Christ,
your Son,
our Lord.
Amen.