WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.320 Chris, Lou is going to be bringing God's Word to us this morning. 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:07.860 And just, you know, we tend to think that singing is worship, 00:00:08.060 --> 00:00:10.099 and then the rest of the service is something different. 00:00:10.279 --> 00:00:14.240 Actually, we're going to continue worshiping God by listening and responding to His Word. 00:00:14.740 --> 00:00:18.400 This is one of the ways that we worship, is we listen and we respond to God's Word. 00:00:18.500 --> 00:00:22.960 So our worship continues, just because there's not music involved doesn't mean we're not worshiping. 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:25.379 So we're going to continue to worship by listening to God's Word. 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:27.879 Chris is going to bring God's Word to us this morning. 00:00:27.879 --> 00:00:32.179 And in many ways, I don't need to introduce Chris, because he serves in so many ways. 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:36.799 And Leo leads the production team, so the sound, they lead that team. 00:00:37.299 --> 00:00:38.739 Chris also helps lead a CG. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:41.920 He also serves in the worship team from time to time. 00:00:42.019 --> 00:00:45.560 Some of the songs that we sing at church, Chris wrote those songs himself. 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:47.320 He's a great musician and a songwriter. 00:00:48.060 --> 00:00:51.060 But Chris, you've also got a great grasp of God's Word. 00:00:51.179 --> 00:00:55.539 And we've got a preaching cohort that meets once a month, and we go through texts. 00:00:55.539 --> 00:00:57.239 And Chris has preached a few times there. 00:00:57.880 --> 00:00:59.920 And Chris, you've got a great grasp of God's Word. 00:01:00.020 --> 00:01:04.700 But you're also somebody who, as Isaiah 66 says, you've got a humility before God's Word. 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:06.180 You bow down before God's Word. 00:01:06.260 --> 00:01:08.019 And you don't sit over in judgment. 00:01:08.180 --> 00:01:09.439 You let God's Word speak to you. 00:01:09.460 --> 00:01:13.040 And I really respect you for that, your humility before God and His Word. 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:16.700 So it's great to have you share Psalm 11 with us this morning. 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:19.079 Just one thing before Margo comes up. 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:28.819 So at Watermark, one of the things you'll notice is we quite often have a wide variety of people leading things, leading the service, leading communion, preaching. 00:01:28.819 --> 00:01:36.839 And one of the reasons is we don't want to be a church that's so excellent, have such a high standard that we never give people opportunities. 00:01:36.839 --> 00:01:41.419 We want to be a church that's constantly raising and developing people, giving people chances to minister. 00:01:41.780 --> 00:01:44.699 The only way you grow is by getting a chance. 00:01:44.700 --> 00:01:49.219 And so we want to be a church that part of our culture is to say, let's give people chances. 00:01:49.340 --> 00:01:52.280 We don't need to have such a high standard. 00:01:52.460 --> 00:01:55.740 We actually want to be raising people up and giving people chances. 00:01:55.820 --> 00:01:56.760 So it's part of our culture. 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:00.760 So on that note, Margo, will you come and read Psalm 11 to us? 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:02.439 And let's listen to the reading of God's Word. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:05.800 Hello. 00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:07.879 We're reading from Psalm 11 today. 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:10.460 Starting in verse 1, we read, 00:02:10.460 --> 00:02:40.439 In the Lord I take refuge. 00:02:40.460 --> 00:03:04.120 This is the word of God. 00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:06.120 Check. 00:03:10.200 --> 00:03:10.780 Can you guys hear me? 00:03:14.280 --> 00:03:17.500 But, yep, so as Kevin introduced me, my name is Chris. 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:23.599 And I don't actually work at Watermark, but I am preaching today by Kevin's invitation. 00:03:24.379 --> 00:03:26.879 And, yeah, I work as an accountant. 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:30.780 I don't actually normally talk this much. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:33.139 I normally sing a lot on stage. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:36.240 And I think some people in my CG probably haven't even heard my voice before. 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:38.039 But, yeah, here I am. 00:03:38.079 --> 00:03:39.539 I'm going to be trying to talk for 30 minutes. 00:03:39.939 --> 00:03:42.539 So that's a challenge. 00:03:43.539 --> 00:03:44.500 But, anyway, enough chit-chat. 00:03:44.500 --> 00:03:50.400 For those who know me, you may know that I go bouldering quite a bit, which involves climbing up walls. 00:03:51.139 --> 00:03:52.740 It's around, like, five meters tall or so. 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:59.300 And I grab onto a hose of various shapes and sizes, all without the assistance of a harness or a rope. 00:03:59.300 --> 00:04:05.300 And on a good day, I can probably attempt a new climb and get it done in one go. 00:04:05.719 --> 00:04:15.620 But on a bad day, usually trying a new route takes time and time of trial and error and trying to figure out where my hands go and where my feet go. 00:04:15.620 --> 00:04:22.360 So sometimes it's putting all my weight, all my trust on a hold that's probably not that much bigger than a golf ball. 00:04:23.420 --> 00:04:33.699 And sometimes it involves taking a bit of a leap of faith, jumping from one hold to another hold, hoping that my feet will land right where it needs to be. 00:04:35.379 --> 00:04:38.160 And climbing can be representative of our daily lives, too. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:42.819 Sometimes factors within our control can affect the outcome of our lives. 00:04:42.819 --> 00:04:49.000 But sometimes factors outside of control, like the Typhoon 3, can affect them. 00:04:50.159 --> 00:04:55.540 Sometimes we succeed in climbing the corporate ladder, but sometimes others beat us to the top. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:01.959 Sometimes our high-risk, high-reward investments, like GameStop stock, makes us a lot of money. 00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:06.199 But other times we lose money even on low-risk investments like bonds. 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:13.159 And while it's easy for us to praise God when we feel like we're at the top of the world and are doing well, 00:05:13.939 --> 00:05:15.979 what happens when the hard times kick in? 00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:21.120 Where do you place your faith in then in the midst of your hard times? 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:29.040 The chance to remain faithful in the midst of adversity isn't something that is much different from what David, 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:31.560 who was the author of Psalm 11, experienced. 00:05:32.740 --> 00:05:35.579 And to give some background, David is the second king of Israel, 00:05:36.139 --> 00:05:41.480 and he's most famous for, out of all the people of Israel, he was the one that beat Goliath, 00:05:42.300 --> 00:05:45.019 who was a 10-foot-tall, formidable warrior. 00:05:45.019 --> 00:05:47.859 But his life took a hard turn, though. 00:05:49.039 --> 00:05:55.479 Not by his fault, but the previous king, Saul, disobeyed God and lost favor in God's sight. 00:05:57.039 --> 00:05:58.620 And Saul became jealous of David. 00:05:59.699 --> 00:06:06.819 In 1 Samuel 18, we read that as David and the men of Israel were returning home from battle after beating Goliath, 00:06:07.779 --> 00:06:08.740 the Israelites were chanting, 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:12.519 Saul has struck his thousands and David his 10-thousands. 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:19.639 And now, I'm sure that the Israelites meant this as a chance to celebrate how the Israelites won the war over the Philistines. 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:24.240 But hearing Saul being compared like this obviously made him very jealous. 00:06:25.180 --> 00:06:26.620 And Saul even wanted to kill him, 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:31.699 which forced David to flee from Saul and his army as they went after him. 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:36.560 And it was during these times of trials when David probably wrote this psalm. 00:06:37.719 --> 00:06:39.500 So let's dive into this psalm together. 00:06:39.500 --> 00:06:45.459 In verse 1, David starts with his main point by declaring that God is his refuge. 00:06:45.980 --> 00:06:46.319 He writes, 00:06:47.319 --> 00:06:48.639 In the Lord I take refuge. 00:06:49.139 --> 00:06:50.639 How can you say to my soul, 00:06:51.300 --> 00:06:52.819 Flee like a bird to your mountain. 00:06:52.819 --> 00:07:00.060 So in light of David's security in God, the idea to flee or to run away is out of the question. 00:07:01.139 --> 00:07:05.079 David doesn't ask others to validate his opinion by asking them what they think, 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:10.920 as if David needed someone else to tell him that finding his refuge in God is the right thing. 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:16.959 But he instead asks this rhetorical question to challenge the advice that he's receiving from his advisors. 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:25.219 So through the psalm, David wants to show us that we can place our trust in God during our trials 00:07:25.219 --> 00:07:28.079 because he is our holy and righteous judge. 00:07:28.579 --> 00:07:29.639 Let me repeat that again. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:35.399 Trust in God during our trials because he is the holy and righteous judge. 00:07:35.399 --> 00:07:39.919 And when bad things happen or when evil comes upon us, 00:07:40.279 --> 00:07:43.959 we can still trust in God even if the world says otherwise. 00:07:45.779 --> 00:07:48.319 And we'll take a look at the psalm in the following sections. 00:07:48.939 --> 00:07:51.039 First section, the insufficient advice. 00:07:51.479 --> 00:07:53.939 And second section, the holy and righteous judge. 00:07:55.479 --> 00:07:57.699 So let's look at the first point, the insufficient advice. 00:07:58.679 --> 00:08:01.019 Verses 1 to 3 reads, 00:08:01.019 --> 00:08:28.000 So in these verses, David's advisors are essentially telling him to run away 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:32.159 so that David can preserve all that he's built his life upon. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:37.840 Now, from David's perspective, this might not seem like a bad or unwise thing to do. 00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:41.000 As mentioned earlier, at this point in history, 00:08:41.159 --> 00:08:44.980 David already established himself as a valiant warrior, 00:08:45.159 --> 00:08:48.080 and he was already in line to be the next king. 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:53.299 He was also anointed by the prophet Saul and has the favor of God upon him. 00:08:53.299 --> 00:08:59.519 So if David doesn't flee, he might lose his popularity contest to Saul. 00:09:00.179 --> 00:09:06.299 But also, if Saul wins, then Saul might continue ruling over Israel 00:09:06.299 --> 00:09:09.740 and leading the Israelites down a path of moral destruction. 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:15.659 But David here isn't necessarily trying to prove that fleeing is bad or wrong. 00:09:16.740 --> 00:09:20.199 In fact, as mentioned earlier, David actually physically fled from Saul. 00:09:20.200 --> 00:09:25.660 But rather, David is highlighting how his advisors' advice to flee 00:09:25.660 --> 00:09:29.440 is based on their limited view of who God is. 00:09:30.440 --> 00:09:33.920 His advisors think that God isn't strong enough for David to place his foundation in. 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:37.140 And his advisors want to ensure that David, 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:40.360 especially when Saul or others are against him, 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:44.120 has some sort of backup plan just in case God fails. 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:47.120 And if we look at our own lives, 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:50.639 do we have our own backup plans in case God fails? 00:09:51.259 --> 00:09:54.419 And what does that say about our view of God? 00:09:55.799 --> 00:09:59.299 Do we believe that God is the sure and steadfast anchor 00:09:59.299 --> 00:10:01.340 who is worthy of our faith and trust? 00:10:04.419 --> 00:10:07.399 In verse 2, then reveals the immediate dangers that David was facing. 00:10:07.659 --> 00:10:08.680 Let's look at verse 2 together. 00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:22.120 So David's advisors are using the imagery of archery 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:26.379 to show us that the wicked, which refers here to Saul and his army, 00:10:26.959 --> 00:10:30.000 are attacking the righteous, which refers to David and his men. 00:10:30.899 --> 00:10:34.659 And on one hand, there's a sense of secrecy and surprise 00:10:34.659 --> 00:10:36.359 when wicked are shooting in the dark. 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:41.159 Being in the darkness reduces our ability to understand our surroundings 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:43.480 and it gives the wicked an upper hand. 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:45.480 But on the other hand, 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:47.919 the image of the wicked shooting in the dark 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:51.500 also shows us how we often feel defenseless when we're being attacked. 00:10:53.159 --> 00:10:54.980 Unlike someone standing right in front of you, 00:10:55.560 --> 00:10:57.539 wielding a sword and slashing you or stabbing you, 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:01.860 archers are not only able to attack you from a distance, 00:11:01.860 --> 00:11:07.080 but at the same time, it's also harder for you to retaliate and attack them back. 00:11:08.740 --> 00:11:11.419 And before we move on to the next section of this psalm, 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:16.940 let us reflect on what this psalm means for us in our world today. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:22.200 The Bible often portrays mountains as a picture of strength, 00:11:22.500 --> 00:11:23.879 of stability, of security, 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:28.600 and that's how our countries would want our governments to be too. 00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:32.480 But in a time when tensions are escalating between nations 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:36.059 and the stability of the global economy is at risk, 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:38.100 where do we run to? 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:42.080 Or if we look specifically more into our own lives, 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:44.700 in the midst of our own struggles, 00:11:45.460 --> 00:11:47.399 what are the mountains that we flee to? 00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:50.579 And where do we turn to to find security? 00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:55.879 For many of us, we always find ways to distract ourselves, 00:11:56.379 --> 00:11:58.220 to escape from our present realities, 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:01.559 whether it's through alcohol, through Netflix, through Tinder. 00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:05.740 And while these things are not necessarily inherently bad, 00:12:06.679 --> 00:12:11.579 they only take our focus off of the situation temporarily 00:12:11.580 --> 00:12:17.740 and ultimately fail to provide the long-lasting security or peace that God gives us. 00:12:19.139 --> 00:12:21.000 Once you've sobered up after a long night out, 00:12:21.680 --> 00:12:23.660 you still have to wake up and go to work the next day. 00:12:24.460 --> 00:12:26.300 And once you've finished binge-watching Netflix, 00:12:26.460 --> 00:12:29.400 you might have to finish your homework that's due tomorrow, 00:12:30.160 --> 00:12:31.400 assuming that chat GPT is not allowed, 00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:33.660 but that's a different conversation. 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:37.200 But instead of finding our refuge in these things, 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:41.600 this psalm calls us to find our true refuge in God, 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:42.940 just as David did, 00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:45.259 trusting that God hasn't failed, 00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:49.000 as God showed David when he beat Goliath, 00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:51.940 and never will fail us through eternity. 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:57.000 And so we've looked at the insufficient advice 00:12:57.000 --> 00:12:59.480 that David has been receiving from his advisors, 00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:02.600 but then what is it about God 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:05.600 that makes David cling to him as his refuge? 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.519 And what is it about God 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:11.700 that draws David to him 00:13:11.700 --> 00:13:13.399 instead of causing David to flee? 00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:17.259 And why should we, if we look at the psalm, 00:13:17.399 --> 00:13:18.580 why should we cling to God 00:13:18.580 --> 00:13:20.580 when struggles come our way? 00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:24.980 And David proceeds to describe who God is 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:26.680 in verses 4 to 7, 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:28.460 which leads to our next point, 00:13:29.180 --> 00:13:30.500 the holy and righteous judge. 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:33.639 And first, let's look at God, the holy judge, 00:13:33.639 --> 00:13:35.279 as David establishes in verse 4. 00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:36.820 In which he writes, 00:13:38.040 --> 00:13:39.639 the Lord is in his holy temple. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:42.060 The Lord's throne is in heaven. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:46.920 His eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:49.980 So as Kevin talked about earlier, 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:52.060 the word holy means to be set apart. 00:13:52.659 --> 00:13:55.259 It's to be made distinct by God from what is ordinary. 00:13:56.279 --> 00:13:57.279 And in this verse, 00:13:57.560 --> 00:14:00.700 David uses the word holy to describe God's temple. 00:14:00.700 --> 00:14:04.040 And if you think about back in David's time, 00:14:04.740 --> 00:14:06.440 the Israelites gathered to worship God, 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:07.879 not in a church building, 00:14:08.100 --> 00:14:08.980 not in Ebenezer school, 00:14:09.180 --> 00:14:11.420 but in a place that's known as a tabernacle. 00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:14.320 And the innermost part of the tabernacle 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:16.140 is known as the holy of holies. 00:14:16.800 --> 00:14:18.440 It's where the presence of God dwelled, 00:14:18.440 --> 00:14:20.620 and is so holy and sacred that, 00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:23.500 as Leviticus 16 shows us, 00:14:23.920 --> 00:14:27.460 only one person is allowed to enter the room each year. 00:14:28.540 --> 00:14:30.600 And this one person is the high priest 00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:33.160 who entered into the holy of holies 00:14:33.160 --> 00:14:35.560 to atone for the sins of all of Israel. 00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:37.959 And he was only able to do so 00:14:37.959 --> 00:14:41.419 after following a series of procedures 00:14:41.419 --> 00:14:44.079 to ensure that he met God's standard of cleanliness. 00:14:45.219 --> 00:14:47.479 And in fact, some accounts also mention 00:14:47.479 --> 00:14:50.379 that they would tie a rope to the leg of the high priest 00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:53.359 just in case the high priest might have missed a step 00:14:53.359 --> 00:14:56.119 in cleaning himself and died in the holy of holies 00:14:56.119 --> 00:14:57.239 so that they could track him out. 00:14:58.159 --> 00:14:59.139 But as we see here, 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:03.259 God's holiness means that no one can be in his presence 00:15:03.259 --> 00:15:05.339 without first being made clean. 00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:10.079 And therefore, only God himself in his holiness 00:15:10.079 --> 00:15:13.259 qualifies to live in his holy temple. 00:15:15.539 --> 00:15:16.939 And coming back to Psalm 11, 00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:19.059 David also shows us God's holiness 00:15:19.059 --> 00:15:21.419 by reminding us that his throne is in heaven. 00:15:22.419 --> 00:15:23.399 In verse four, he writes, 00:15:24.019 --> 00:15:25.599 the Lord is in his holy temple. 00:15:26.219 --> 00:15:27.819 The Lord's throne is in heaven. 00:15:30.079 --> 00:15:32.319 And if you recall in the very beginning of the Bible 00:15:32.319 --> 00:15:33.239 in Genesis 1, 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:36.340 we understand that on the second day of creation, 00:15:36.899 --> 00:15:38.820 God separated the heavens from the earth. 00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:41.919 And this is not just a physical separation 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:43.919 that makes it impossible for us to get there. 00:15:44.440 --> 00:15:47.879 But it's also a reflection of how sinful our own hearts are 00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:50.919 and how infinitely far away we are from God. 00:15:52.539 --> 00:15:55.799 Our hearts are so full of sin that no amount of good deeds we do 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:58.320 outweighs the penalty of our own sin 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:00.139 and buys us a ticket into heaven. 00:16:00.139 --> 00:16:05.000 And just as how we in our unholiness cannot be in the presence of God, 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:07.139 we can't enter heaven either. 00:16:09.460 --> 00:16:10.860 In the last line of verse four, 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:13.220 David reminds us of God's vantage point. 00:16:14.179 --> 00:16:14.500 He writes, 00:16:14.500 --> 00:16:23.980 So David uses the imagery of God's eyes and eyelids 00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:27.139 to remind us that God knows all things and sees all things. 00:16:28.179 --> 00:16:30.139 Although God lives and reigns from heaven, 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:32.299 which, as I talked about earlier, 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:35.220 is separated from earth by much more than a physical barrier, 00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:39.480 his knowledge and understanding of the world 00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:41.379 transcends that barrier. 00:16:41.379 --> 00:16:44.720 He sees beyond this barrier between us 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:49.139 and hears and knows every spoken and unspoken thought that we have. 00:16:50.659 --> 00:16:52.240 And since God knows everything, 00:16:53.379 --> 00:16:56.799 we can trust in him knowing that he knows what's best for us. 00:16:57.779 --> 00:17:01.799 And this isn't meant to sound like God is creepy or intrusive or a stalker, 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:06.680 but that because God knows and sees everything, 00:17:07.579 --> 00:17:10.940 he's able to judge us righteously because he has all the facts. 00:17:11.380 --> 00:17:12.960 To give a fair and just judgment. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:16.060 And this leads us to our next point. 00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:18.420 God, the righteous judge, 00:17:19.040 --> 00:17:20.700 which we see in verses five to seven. 00:17:22.040 --> 00:17:23.920 David writes in verse five that, 00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:26.420 The Lord tests the righteous, 00:17:26.860 --> 00:17:30.300 but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves the violence. 00:17:30.299 --> 00:17:33.019 So on one hand, 00:17:33.139 --> 00:17:35.539 David describes God as hating the wicked, 00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:37.740 but on the other hand, 00:17:39.299 --> 00:17:40.919 David describes God as testing the righteous. 00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:44.819 And now this might seem confusing 00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:48.059 as we would expect God's reaction to the righteous 00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:50.500 to be the opposite of hate, 00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:51.440 which is love. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:55.799 But David's choice of words here 00:17:55.799 --> 00:18:01.059 give clarity and insight as to how God demonstrates his love toward the righteous, 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:03.279 which is by testing them. 00:18:04.740 --> 00:18:05.700 And in the same way, 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.559 despite how Saul is trying to kill David, 00:18:09.900 --> 00:18:12.640 David so firmly believes that God loves him 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.340 and is using this opportunity 00:18:15.340 --> 00:18:17.160 as a way to test him. 00:18:19.820 --> 00:18:21.360 And if you look at verse six, 00:18:21.660 --> 00:18:22.340 verse six further, 00:18:22.660 --> 00:18:24.780 David further elaborates what God does to the wicked. 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:26.620 David writes, 00:18:27.580 --> 00:18:29.259 Let him rain coals on the wicked. 00:18:30.320 --> 00:18:32.320 Fire and sulfur and a scorching wind 00:18:32.320 --> 00:18:34.300 shall be the portion of their cup. 00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:38.779 So David shows us that God himself, 00:18:39.579 --> 00:18:40.339 and not David, 00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:43.399 is the one who will enact vengeance against the wicked. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:48.639 David also reminds us that the wicked deserve God's punishment, 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:51.480 which isn't meant to be a light warning, 00:18:52.539 --> 00:18:55.119 but it's so severe even to the point of death. 00:18:57.740 --> 00:19:01.359 And in the same way that God is just in punishing the wicked for what they deserve, 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:07.259 he is equally just in rewarding the righteous for what they deserve, 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:08.259 which is by testing them. 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:10.359 Let's look at verse seven together. 00:19:12.379 --> 00:19:13.479 For the Lord is righteous. 00:19:14.479 --> 00:19:15.879 He loves righteous deeds. 00:19:16.619 --> 00:19:18.619 The upright shall behold his face. 00:19:21.859 --> 00:19:25.439 The word righteous is normally used to describe someone or something 00:19:25.439 --> 00:19:27.619 who is morally right or justifiable. 00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:32.559 For instance, if you refer to someone as a righteous man, 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:36.179 that someone would be someone who stays on the right side of the law, 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:41.599 even when he's tempted to disobey it or pressure to break it. 00:19:42.719 --> 00:19:44.259 But here in verse seven, 00:19:44.679 --> 00:19:46.819 David reminds us that God is righteous, 00:19:47.719 --> 00:19:49.879 that he is the ultimate standard of righteousness. 00:19:51.719 --> 00:19:53.359 And the fact that God is righteous 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:56.299 is not different from how he is holy. 00:19:56.299 --> 00:20:00.899 In fact, God's righteousness works hand in hand with how God is holy. 00:20:02.359 --> 00:20:04.940 God's perfect righteousness shows us 00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:07.700 what his perfect standard of holiness is. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:12.519 It shows us that we fall infinitely short of his standard 00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:15.299 and how much we are in desperate need 00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:17.960 of his all-sufficient grace to save us. 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:23.319 And David doesn't end by describing God as righteous, 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:25.359 but he also adds another sentence 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:28.279 by saying that God loves righteous deeds. 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:32.200 And does it sound like David is unnecessarily repeating himself? 00:20:33.619 --> 00:20:35.759 By placing these two ideas together, 00:20:36.359 --> 00:20:40.740 David reminds us that a righteous God must love righteous deeds. 00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:45.559 And it would go against God's character for him to love unrighteousness 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:47.460 or be in the presence of any unholiness. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:51.799 And this is exactly what gives David the confidence 00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:53.900 to place his trust in God, 00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:56.579 that God in his holiness 00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:58.960 will be able to see that David is in the right 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:00.279 and that Saul is in the wrong. 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:02.700 That God in his righteousness 00:21:02.700 --> 00:21:06.420 will help David, the righteous one, 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:09.960 win the battle while judging Saul, the wicked one, 00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:13.720 by punishing him according to what he did to David. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:20.119 But what does David finding his refuge in God mean for us? 00:21:21.639 --> 00:21:23.559 Like David, we too might feel like 00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:25.759 we are often unjustly persecuted 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:27.200 for doing the right thing. 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:30.480 If you're in school, maybe you feel like your teacher 00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:31.860 should have given you the A 00:21:31.860 --> 00:21:33.600 instead of giving it to your lazy classmate 00:21:33.600 --> 00:21:34.819 who slacked off during a group project. 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:37.360 And if you're in the workplace, 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:39.519 maybe you feel like your clients are always 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.799 blaming you for sticking too closely to the rules, 00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:44.720 especially when bending the rules just a tiny bit 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:45.940 can help them save money, 00:21:46.580 --> 00:21:48.680 which really appeals to me because I'm a tax accountant. 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:49.660 So yeah. 00:21:49.880 --> 00:21:51.940 But regardless of how others are treating you, 00:21:52.860 --> 00:21:54.080 we can rest assured 00:21:54.080 --> 00:21:57.059 knowing that God is the holy and righteous judge 00:21:57.059 --> 00:21:59.220 who notices these things, 00:21:59.899 --> 00:22:00.720 whether big or small. 00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:04.019 His knowledge of everything in our lives 00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:06.859 makes him worthy of our full trust and devotion. 00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:10.639 And just as David finds his refuge in God 00:22:10.639 --> 00:22:11.419 during hard times, 00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:15.740 we too can find our refuge in our holy and righteous God, 00:22:16.339 --> 00:22:18.819 even when our struggles seem too big 00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:20.859 and when God seems small. 00:22:20.859 --> 00:22:25.419 So from reading the psalm, 00:22:25.539 --> 00:22:27.979 maybe you think that you don't need God 00:22:27.979 --> 00:22:30.839 or maybe you think that you're the righteous one 00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:32.419 in a story just like David is. 00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:34.359 And because of that, 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:35.899 you don't deserve God's punishment. 00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:39.599 But we fast forward a few chapters to Psalm 14. 00:22:40.699 --> 00:22:41.339 David writes, 00:22:41.339 --> 00:22:43.439 there is none who does good, 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.740 not even one. 00:22:45.919 --> 00:22:47.039 And even David himself, 00:22:47.159 --> 00:22:48.379 the seemingly righteous man 00:22:48.379 --> 00:22:49.199 who is being attacked 00:22:49.199 --> 00:22:51.359 and pursued by the wicked Saul, 00:22:52.099 --> 00:22:53.099 comes to this conclusion 00:22:53.099 --> 00:22:55.679 that he himself is not good. 00:22:55.680 --> 00:23:00.160 And Paul also writes something similar 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:01.720 in Romans as well. 00:23:01.820 --> 00:23:02.400 He says that, 00:23:02.600 --> 00:23:04.340 for all have sinned 00:23:04.340 --> 00:23:05.660 and fallen short of the glory of God. 00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:08.100 Even the great apostle Paul himself 00:23:08.100 --> 00:23:12.120 knows that he is inwardly a sinner. 00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:15.940 The Bible shows us that all of us 00:23:15.940 --> 00:23:18.060 are unable to meet God's standard of righteousness 00:23:18.060 --> 00:23:19.940 by our own efforts. 00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:22.440 And it's due to our own sin 00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:24.299 that makes it impossible for us 00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:25.460 to save ourselves. 00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:28.640 We are inherently wicked 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:30.380 and we rightfully deserve 00:23:30.380 --> 00:23:31.920 the fire, the sulfur, 00:23:32.080 --> 00:23:32.860 and the scorching wind 00:23:32.860 --> 00:23:34.019 to come upon us, 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:36.200 just as David shows us in this Psalm. 00:23:37.259 --> 00:23:38.400 And even after we die, 00:23:39.539 --> 00:23:40.519 we are destined to live 00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:41.480 and burn in hell 00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:42.940 for all eternity. 00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:47.140 But the story doesn't end here. 00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:49.360 God doesn't just leave us 00:23:49.360 --> 00:23:51.640 in our place of sin and despair 00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:53.100 to fend for ourselves. 00:23:54.320 --> 00:23:54.640 In fact, 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:56.400 he provides a way out 00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:57.600 of our hellbound trajectory 00:23:57.600 --> 00:23:59.400 by sending his own son, 00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:00.560 Jesus Christ, 00:24:00.820 --> 00:24:02.940 who is both fully God 00:24:02.940 --> 00:24:03.740 and fully human 00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:04.840 to this world 00:24:04.840 --> 00:24:07.960 to show us how he wants us to live. 00:24:09.820 --> 00:24:11.500 Which sounds like good news, right? 00:24:12.360 --> 00:24:12.680 Except, 00:24:13.140 --> 00:24:14.620 because of our sin, 00:24:15.320 --> 00:24:16.120 we didn't want Jesus. 00:24:17.120 --> 00:24:18.900 Instead of making Jesus our king, 00:24:18.900 --> 00:24:20.519 we rejected him 00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:21.420 and made ourselves 00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:22.340 our own kings, 00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:23.660 just as Kevin talked about last week. 00:24:24.660 --> 00:24:26.400 And we hated Jesus so much 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:27.800 that we gave him 00:24:27.800 --> 00:24:28.980 his death sentence 00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:30.759 by sending him 00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:31.380 to the cross 00:24:31.380 --> 00:24:31.940 where he died. 00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:36.320 But when Jesus died, 00:24:36.539 --> 00:24:37.779 something amazing happened. 00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:40.059 The Bible tells us 00:24:40.059 --> 00:24:41.340 that at that moment, 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:43.299 there was a big earthquake 00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:45.420 and the curtain 00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:46.299 that once separated 00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:47.180 the Holy of Holies 00:24:47.180 --> 00:24:48.140 that I talked about earlier 00:24:48.140 --> 00:24:49.960 from the rest of the temple 00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:51.240 was torn in two. 00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:54.559 And this means that 00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:55.700 from that moment onward, 00:24:55.819 --> 00:24:57.099 we no longer needed 00:24:57.099 --> 00:24:58.299 a high priest 00:24:58.299 --> 00:24:59.500 or a sacrificial offering 00:24:59.500 --> 00:25:02.019 because Jesus himself 00:25:02.019 --> 00:25:03.200 is the great high priest 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:05.039 and the sacrificial lamb 00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:06.120 who paid for all of our sins. 00:25:07.339 --> 00:25:08.579 Those who turn to him 00:25:08.579 --> 00:25:09.079 and trust him. 00:25:10.380 --> 00:25:11.599 And he bore the death penalty 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:12.880 that we, 00:25:13.500 --> 00:25:13.960 wicked sinners, 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:14.559 deserved. 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:16.200 And in doing so, 00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:16.759 he spared us 00:25:16.759 --> 00:25:17.339 from the punishment 00:25:17.339 --> 00:25:18.700 of God's judgment. 00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:22.240 But then Jesus' death 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.240 was not the end though. 00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:25.500 Three days later, 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:26.960 he rose from the grave. 00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:29.140 And Romans 6, 9 00:25:29.140 --> 00:25:29.839 tells us that 00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:31.160 death no longer 00:25:31.160 --> 00:25:32.039 has dominion 00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:32.960 over Christ. 00:25:34.420 --> 00:25:35.380 So we too, 00:25:35.579 --> 00:25:36.559 if we place 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:37.740 our full faith in Jesus 00:25:37.740 --> 00:25:38.980 and trust that 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:40.339 the blood he shed 00:25:40.339 --> 00:25:41.019 on the cross 00:25:41.019 --> 00:25:42.779 is more than sufficient 00:25:42.779 --> 00:25:44.240 to cover our sins, 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:46.140 then we too 00:25:46.140 --> 00:25:46.819 will be resurrected 00:25:46.819 --> 00:25:47.819 in heaven 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:48.460 after we die. 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:53.140 So what does Psalm 11 00:25:53.140 --> 00:25:54.740 mean for us? 00:25:56.380 --> 00:25:57.519 As David shows us, 00:25:57.660 --> 00:25:58.579 when it seems like 00:25:58.579 --> 00:25:59.839 evil and chaos 00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:01.240 are surrounding you 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:01.839 and your life 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:02.519 is crashing down, 00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:04.539 we should still 00:26:04.539 --> 00:26:05.160 find our refuge 00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:05.759 in God 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:07.120 because he is 00:26:07.120 --> 00:26:07.620 our holy 00:26:07.620 --> 00:26:08.539 and righteous judge. 00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:10.660 And like David, 00:26:10.779 --> 00:26:11.400 we don't have to look 00:26:11.400 --> 00:26:12.480 to anything else 00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:13.319 or anyone else 00:26:13.319 --> 00:26:14.099 to find our refuge. 00:26:14.660 --> 00:26:15.500 But we can instead 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:16.519 remind ourselves 00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:18.019 of who God is 00:26:18.019 --> 00:26:19.440 and let the truth 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:20.460 of who God is 00:26:20.460 --> 00:26:21.980 draw us to him. 00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:24.259 He resides 00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:25.059 in his holy temple 00:26:25.059 --> 00:26:25.460 in heaven 00:26:25.460 --> 00:26:26.639 and righteously 00:26:26.639 --> 00:26:27.519 judges us 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:28.720 for his own glory. 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:30.900 And the refuge 00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:31.980 we find in God 00:26:31.980 --> 00:26:32.799 is exactly 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.980 what we need 00:26:33.980 --> 00:26:34.599 to survive 00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:35.660 the enemy's attacks 00:26:35.660 --> 00:26:36.519 on us. 00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:39.220 But the Christian life 00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:39.920 isn't just 00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:41.259 about surviving though. 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:42.099 It isn't just 00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:43.079 about the here 00:26:43.079 --> 00:26:43.519 and now. 00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:45.400 If you look 00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:46.000 at verse 7, 00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:46.920 David writes 00:26:46.920 --> 00:26:48.380 that the upright 00:26:48.380 --> 00:26:49.440 shall behold 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:50.120 his face. 00:26:51.560 --> 00:26:51.940 And what does 00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:52.779 David try to say here? 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:55.620 To behold something 00:26:55.620 --> 00:26:56.279 is more than 00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.160 just looking at something. 00:26:58.019 --> 00:26:59.680 It also has 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:00.720 an aspect of gaze, 00:27:00.900 --> 00:27:01.600 of contemplation, 00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:02.740 of looking at 00:27:02.740 --> 00:27:03.460 something intently. 00:27:05.300 --> 00:27:06.100 The first song 00:27:06.100 --> 00:27:06.660 we sung today 00:27:06.660 --> 00:27:07.820 was Behold Our God 00:27:07.820 --> 00:27:08.759 in which the chorus 00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:09.039 says, 00:27:09.300 --> 00:27:09.920 Behold Our God 00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:11.420 seated on his throne, 00:27:11.840 --> 00:27:12.100 come, 00:27:12.560 --> 00:27:13.279 let us adore him. 00:27:14.560 --> 00:27:15.200 And we aren't 00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:16.120 here just trying 00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:16.739 necessarily say, 00:27:17.939 --> 00:27:18.099 hey, 00:27:18.179 --> 00:27:18.619 there's God, 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:19.819 let's look at him 00:27:19.819 --> 00:27:20.359 and sing to him. 00:27:20.819 --> 00:27:22.059 But we are instead 00:27:22.059 --> 00:27:23.259 fixing the eyes 00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:24.179 of our hearts 00:27:24.179 --> 00:27:24.719 on God 00:27:24.719 --> 00:27:26.159 who sits on the throne 00:27:26.159 --> 00:27:27.839 and using all 00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:28.500 that we have 00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:29.899 with all enthusiasm 00:27:29.899 --> 00:27:31.539 to ascribe to God 00:27:31.539 --> 00:27:32.419 the praise 00:27:32.419 --> 00:27:33.279 and the glory 00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:34.500 that he alone 00:27:34.500 --> 00:27:34.959 deserves. 00:27:36.639 --> 00:27:37.559 So now we know 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:38.179 what the word 00:27:38.179 --> 00:27:39.339 behold means, 00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:39.719 but 00:27:39.719 --> 00:27:42.059 what does David 00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:42.899 mean when he says 00:27:42.899 --> 00:27:43.519 that the upright 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:44.579 shall behold 00:27:44.579 --> 00:27:45.099 his face? 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:47.579 Can we even see 00:27:47.579 --> 00:27:48.279 the face of God? 00:27:51.899 --> 00:27:52.859 God tells Moses 00:27:52.859 --> 00:27:53.759 in Exodus 33 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:55.740 that you cannot 00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:56.439 see my face 00:27:56.439 --> 00:27:58.480 for man shall not 00:27:58.480 --> 00:27:59.359 see me and live. 00:28:01.419 --> 00:28:02.240 And as we looked 00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:02.779 at just now, 00:28:03.439 --> 00:28:04.619 because of our sin 00:28:04.619 --> 00:28:05.299 and unholiness, 00:28:05.939 --> 00:28:06.960 we cannot even be 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:07.919 in the mere presence 00:28:07.919 --> 00:28:08.779 of our holy God. 00:28:09.879 --> 00:28:10.399 And much less 00:28:10.399 --> 00:28:11.259 are we physically 00:28:11.259 --> 00:28:12.319 able to see 00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:13.279 God's face. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:15.640 So David here 00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:16.180 is instead 00:28:16.180 --> 00:28:17.019 showing us 00:28:17.019 --> 00:28:18.000 that the ultimate 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:18.799 end goal 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.779 of the Christian life, 00:28:20.379 --> 00:28:21.500 beyond all the trials, 00:28:21.660 --> 00:28:22.299 the tribulations, 00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:22.900 the suffering 00:28:22.900 --> 00:28:24.359 in your life 00:28:24.359 --> 00:28:26.660 that God puts us 00:28:26.660 --> 00:28:26.940 through 00:28:26.940 --> 00:28:28.099 is to see 00:28:28.099 --> 00:28:28.940 the face of God. 00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:31.680 To be able to see 00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:32.279 not a God 00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:33.339 hidden behind a veil, 00:28:34.339 --> 00:28:34.879 but instead 00:28:34.879 --> 00:28:35.460 see God 00:28:35.460 --> 00:28:36.819 for who he really is. 00:28:36.819 --> 00:28:39.279 not the seemingly 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:40.819 evil and cruel God 00:28:40.819 --> 00:28:42.559 that we tend to see, 00:28:43.159 --> 00:28:44.179 not just the God 00:28:44.179 --> 00:28:45.039 that punishes 00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:45.700 the wicked, 00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:47.379 but to instead 00:28:47.379 --> 00:28:48.279 see him as 00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:49.759 the holy God, 00:28:49.859 --> 00:28:50.700 the righteous God 00:28:50.700 --> 00:28:51.759 that demonstrated 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:52.720 his love for us 00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:53.859 by sending his son 00:28:53.859 --> 00:28:54.460 Jesus 00:28:54.460 --> 00:28:55.939 to die on the cross 00:28:55.939 --> 00:28:56.619 for us. 00:28:57.879 --> 00:28:58.939 And he is the God 00:28:58.939 --> 00:28:59.960 in whom we can place 00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:01.359 our full trust in, 00:29:02.159 --> 00:29:03.119 just like David did 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:03.839 when he was being 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:04.799 pursued by Saul. 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:06.899 And so, 00:29:07.339 --> 00:29:08.039 now we know that 00:29:08.039 --> 00:29:09.960 we need to survive 00:29:09.960 --> 00:29:12.019 until our journey ends. 00:29:13.119 --> 00:29:14.059 But what about 00:29:14.059 --> 00:29:15.259 the here and now? 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:17.059 What are ways 00:29:17.059 --> 00:29:17.879 that we can find 00:29:17.879 --> 00:29:18.599 our refuge 00:29:18.599 --> 00:29:19.440 in our holy 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:20.339 and righteous God 00:29:20.339 --> 00:29:22.200 in our daily lives? 00:29:25.579 --> 00:29:26.339 The one, 00:29:27.379 --> 00:29:28.180 if life is good, 00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:29.440 recognize that 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:30.879 you still need God. 00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:33.619 Finding our refuge 00:29:33.619 --> 00:29:33.960 in God 00:29:33.960 --> 00:29:34.599 starts with us 00:29:34.599 --> 00:29:35.319 knowing that 00:29:35.319 --> 00:29:35.899 we need him. 00:29:37.139 --> 00:29:37.699 Maybe you feel 00:29:37.699 --> 00:29:38.039 like you're doing 00:29:38.039 --> 00:29:39.139 well right now 00:29:39.139 --> 00:29:39.500 and you don't want 00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:40.439 to change the status quo 00:29:40.439 --> 00:29:41.799 or maybe you think 00:29:41.799 --> 00:29:42.579 that God is something 00:29:42.579 --> 00:29:43.859 that only the weak 00:29:43.859 --> 00:29:44.959 and the broken people need. 00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:47.779 But that is exactly 00:29:47.779 --> 00:29:48.480 why we need to first 00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:49.839 understand about ourselves 00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:51.019 is that we are 00:29:51.019 --> 00:29:51.959 inherently weak 00:29:51.959 --> 00:29:52.939 and broken people. 00:29:54.639 --> 00:29:55.539 Whether life is good 00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:55.959 or bad, 00:29:57.079 --> 00:29:58.379 our works still 00:29:58.379 --> 00:29:59.339 cannot save us. 00:30:00.459 --> 00:30:00.959 And regardless 00:30:00.959 --> 00:30:01.859 of our circumstances, 00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:03.539 we are still 00:30:03.539 --> 00:30:04.319 in desperate need 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:05.259 of God's grace 00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:06.059 to save us. 00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:08.859 So even when life 00:30:08.859 --> 00:30:09.299 is good, 00:30:09.939 --> 00:30:10.859 remember that 00:30:10.859 --> 00:30:12.199 you still need God. 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:14.240 And two, 00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:16.599 if life is a struggle, 00:30:17.299 --> 00:30:17.959 remember that 00:30:17.959 --> 00:30:18.919 this journey 00:30:18.919 --> 00:30:19.619 isn't over. 00:30:22.019 --> 00:30:23.359 In defending his ministry, 00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:24.199 Paul writes 00:30:24.199 --> 00:30:25.919 in 2 Corinthians 4, 17, 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:27.940 that for this light 00:30:27.940 --> 00:30:28.900 momentary affliction 00:30:28.900 --> 00:30:30.160 is preparing us 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:31.620 for an eternal 00:30:31.620 --> 00:30:32.600 weight of glory 00:30:32.600 --> 00:30:34.420 beyond all comparison. 00:30:36.180 --> 00:30:37.300 So whatever you're 00:30:37.300 --> 00:30:38.259 struggling with right now, 00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:40.420 maybe it's a job situation 00:30:40.420 --> 00:30:41.420 you're in right now 00:30:41.420 --> 00:30:41.960 or maybe you're 00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:42.600 struggling with sin. 00:30:43.360 --> 00:30:44.420 Maybe you are 00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:45.180 struggling with depression 00:30:45.180 --> 00:30:46.380 or maybe you've 00:30:46.380 --> 00:30:47.080 lost a loved one 00:30:47.080 --> 00:30:47.500 recently. 00:30:48.560 --> 00:30:49.779 But know this, 00:30:50.420 --> 00:30:51.800 we can trust in God 00:30:51.800 --> 00:30:52.759 knowing that he 00:30:52.759 --> 00:30:53.920 is preparing us 00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:55.759 for an eternal purpose. 00:30:57.539 --> 00:30:58.220 And just as David 00:30:58.220 --> 00:30:59.360 trusted that God 00:30:59.360 --> 00:31:00.259 is testing him 00:31:00.259 --> 00:31:01.120 through his trials, 00:31:02.620 --> 00:31:03.519 we too can trust 00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:04.019 that God 00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:05.800 is using our situations 00:31:05.800 --> 00:31:07.279 to shape us, 00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:08.140 to mold us 00:31:08.140 --> 00:31:09.779 into something greater. 00:31:10.920 --> 00:31:12.600 And we can rest assured 00:31:12.600 --> 00:31:13.820 with the assurance 00:31:13.820 --> 00:31:15.640 that one day 00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:17.120 we will see Jesus 00:31:17.120 --> 00:31:18.220 face to face 00:31:18.220 --> 00:31:19.800 as David described, 00:31:20.300 --> 00:31:21.360 free from the sin 00:31:21.360 --> 00:31:22.180 and the suffering 00:31:22.180 --> 00:31:23.140 in this world. 00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:27.180 And if you're here today 00:31:27.180 --> 00:31:28.380 but don't consider yourself 00:31:28.380 --> 00:31:29.140 to be a Christian, 00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:31.200 then perhaps ask yourself, 00:31:31.840 --> 00:31:33.320 where does your hope 00:31:33.320 --> 00:31:33.980 lie? 00:31:35.420 --> 00:31:36.700 And even if you don't agree 00:31:36.700 --> 00:31:37.480 with anything that I said 00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:38.279 over the past hour, 00:31:38.840 --> 00:31:41.019 I hope that this question 00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:42.100 resonates with you. 00:31:42.560 --> 00:31:43.480 And I do want you to know 00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.720 that this is also a question 00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:47.120 that Christians struggle with 00:31:47.120 --> 00:31:48.820 all the time. 00:31:49.840 --> 00:31:51.420 Where does your hope lie? 00:31:51.420 --> 00:31:51.440 Where does your hope lie? 00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:53.480 Where does your hope lie? 00:31:54.140 --> 00:31:54.819 And I myself, 00:31:54.940 --> 00:31:55.579 as I was reflecting 00:31:55.579 --> 00:31:56.420 on this question 00:31:56.420 --> 00:31:57.319 while preparing 00:31:57.319 --> 00:31:58.039 for this message, 00:31:58.579 --> 00:31:59.460 I've been thinking 00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:00.259 about how much hope 00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:00.799 I've been placing 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:02.079 on an internal transfer 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:03.900 application I put in 00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:05.819 that has been in limbo 00:32:05.819 --> 00:32:06.640 for quite a while. 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:08.819 I got support 00:32:08.819 --> 00:32:09.480 from my boss, 00:32:10.019 --> 00:32:11.339 I had my interviews, 00:32:11.579 --> 00:32:12.579 and HR even told me 00:32:12.579 --> 00:32:13.339 that the interviews 00:32:13.339 --> 00:32:13.740 went well. 00:32:13.740 --> 00:32:16.900 And I was very optimistic 00:32:16.900 --> 00:32:18.400 that I would be starting 00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:19.120 in my new department 00:32:19.120 --> 00:32:19.940 at the beginning 00:32:19.940 --> 00:32:20.359 of this year, 00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:22.160 thinking that it would 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:23.039 deliver me out of 00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:24.859 the misery and the boredom 00:32:24.859 --> 00:32:26.720 and the repetitiveness 00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:28.240 of my current position, 00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:29.680 and instead give me 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:31.200 long-lasting happiness 00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:31.900 and fulfillment. 00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:34.960 But fast forward to now, 00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:36.819 I'm still on my same job. 00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:39.440 Though through this long 00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:40.380 and arduous process, 00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:42.140 I do feel like God 00:32:42.140 --> 00:32:44.860 has been working within me. 00:32:45.059 --> 00:32:45.720 He's been challenging 00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:46.900 my convictions, 00:32:47.140 --> 00:32:47.600 he's been testing 00:32:47.600 --> 00:32:48.240 my patience, 00:32:48.600 --> 00:32:50.140 and while I still 00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:51.559 don't fully know 00:32:51.559 --> 00:32:53.000 why he's placed me 00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:54.100 or kept me where I am, 00:32:54.600 --> 00:32:55.759 I know that he has 00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:56.519 a specific purpose 00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:57.279 for doing so. 00:32:59.000 --> 00:33:00.059 And in the meantime, 00:33:01.059 --> 00:33:01.799 even though my transfer 00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:02.559 hasn't happened yet, 00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:03.880 or maybe it won't even happen, 00:33:03.880 --> 00:33:06.400 I am still trusting God 00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:08.520 knowing that he is 00:33:08.520 --> 00:33:10.400 sovereign over my life 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:11.620 and that he, 00:33:11.800 --> 00:33:13.320 as the holy and righteous judge, 00:33:14.120 --> 00:33:15.540 is in control over my life. 00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:19.440 And this is just my story, 00:33:20.080 --> 00:33:22.420 but I'm sure that all of you guys 00:33:22.420 --> 00:33:24.020 have similar stories 00:33:24.020 --> 00:33:25.840 of placing your trust 00:33:25.840 --> 00:33:26.500 in other things 00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:27.580 than in God. 00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:30.320 And in every situation 00:33:30.320 --> 00:33:31.660 that we are in, 00:33:31.660 --> 00:33:33.600 we can still place 00:33:33.600 --> 00:33:34.960 our trust in God 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:36.779 knowing that he is 00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:38.360 our holy and righteous judge. 00:33:39.880 --> 00:33:40.880 And even when it seems 00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:42.000 like our struggles never end, 00:33:42.140 --> 00:33:43.560 even when it seems like 00:33:43.560 --> 00:33:45.779 our world is crashing down on us, 00:33:46.600 --> 00:33:47.620 we can still place 00:33:47.620 --> 00:33:49.259 our full faith in him. 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:52.800 And as we will sing later, 00:33:53.820 --> 00:33:55.360 Jesus is the solid rock 00:33:55.360 --> 00:33:56.460 on which we stand 00:33:56.460 --> 00:33:58.600 as we navigate life 00:33:58.600 --> 00:33:59.320 on this earth. 00:33:59.319 --> 00:34:02.279 watermark, 00:34:03.159 --> 00:34:04.579 let us seek Jesus 00:34:04.579 --> 00:34:06.159 in everything that we do 00:34:06.159 --> 00:34:07.439 and build our foundation 00:34:07.439 --> 00:34:08.079 in him 00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:09.579 from now 00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:10.539 until the day 00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:11.719 we will see him. 00:34:12.860 --> 00:34:13.679 Let's pray together. 00:34:15.279 --> 00:34:16.079 Heavenly Father, 00:34:16.319 --> 00:34:17.139 I thank you for 00:34:17.139 --> 00:34:18.279 being the holy 00:34:18.279 --> 00:34:19.259 and righteous judge 00:34:19.259 --> 00:34:20.719 over our lives. 00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:22.699 And God, 00:34:22.779 --> 00:34:23.460 we're sorry that 00:34:23.460 --> 00:34:24.500 we've placed our hope 00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:25.239 in our education, 00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:26.059 in our career, 00:34:26.779 --> 00:34:27.980 in everything else 00:34:27.980 --> 00:34:28.679 but in you. 00:34:28.679 --> 00:34:30.480 But God, 00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:31.039 I pray that 00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:32.239 you help us see that 00:34:32.239 --> 00:34:33.419 whether it's in the midst 00:34:33.419 --> 00:34:34.000 of our struggles 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:36.579 or whether we are doing good, 00:34:37.259 --> 00:34:38.819 you are still the God 00:34:38.819 --> 00:34:39.859 that we can place 00:34:39.859 --> 00:34:40.619 our trust in. 00:34:41.739 --> 00:34:42.940 Help us trust in you 00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:44.000 knowing that 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:46.139 through our testing, 00:34:46.579 --> 00:34:47.359 you are transforming 00:34:47.359 --> 00:34:48.019 our hearts 00:34:48.019 --> 00:34:49.739 to become more like yours. 00:34:50.859 --> 00:34:52.859 And help us trust in you 00:34:52.859 --> 00:34:53.559 knowing that 00:34:53.559 --> 00:34:55.139 our journey isn't over, 00:34:55.839 --> 00:34:56.859 that we have something 00:34:56.860 --> 00:34:57.920 to look forward to 00:34:57.920 --> 00:34:58.579 at the end. 00:35:00.059 --> 00:35:00.460 And Jesus, 00:35:00.579 --> 00:35:01.599 help us look forward 00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:02.440 to that day 00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:04.800 when we will be with you, 00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:06.300 when we will be free 00:35:06.300 --> 00:35:07.420 of the sin 00:35:07.420 --> 00:35:08.099 and the suffering 00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:08.740 and the trials 00:35:08.740 --> 00:35:09.700 of this world. 00:35:11.620 --> 00:35:12.460 In your name I pray. 00:35:12.460 --> 00:35:14.119 Amen. 00:35:14.179 --> 00:35:14.240 Amen. 00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:15.300 Amen. 00:35:15.300 --> 00:35:17.440 Eig New