Offering Hy.73:4 Prayer of thanksgiving and intercessions Ps.84:5,6 Divine blessing

Transcription

1 Liturgy for Sunday June 19, 2011 AM Confession of Dependence and Divine Greeting Ps.84:1,2 Ten words of the covenant Ps.19:5 Prayer of confession and illumination Ministry of the Word Reading & text: Psalm 42 Ps.63:1,3 When overcome with despair, the psalmist puts his hope in God. We ll consider: 1. our thirst for the living God. 2. our hope in our gracious Saviour. Ps.42:1,2,3,5 Offering Hy.73:4 Prayer of thanksgiving and intercessions Ps.84:5,6 Divine blessing Songs for worship taken from the 2010 version of the Book of Praise See for pdf files of Psalms and Hymns Rev. Joe Poppe Page 1 June 20, 2011

2 Singing: Ps.84:1,2; Ps.19:5; Ps.63:1,3; Ps.42:1,2,3,5; Hy.73:4; Ps.84:5,6 Reading & Text: Psalm 42 Beloved congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, The Western world has undergone great changes in the last few generations. For a while many bought into the American dream, that every person could have his or her share of paradise on earth. So we saw the building of McMansions, the development of mega-malls, and the pursuit of happiness in material things. At the same time many bought into the philosophy that I can do what I want to make me happy. Through their pursuit of their own selfish desires many have estranged themselves from family and friends. More recently our world has undergone a tremendous technological revolution. We now have cable TV offering more than a hundred channels of viewing pleasure; we have media devices to which we can download all the songs we like to listen to. We are living in an increasingly connected world, where people communicate not only through , but also through Skype, Facebook, texting and the like. It is so easy to end up in circumstances where we are continuously bombarded from outside. Yet all these changes have failed to fill the void in the human heart. The more stuff we accumulate, the less connected we often feel to God. The more media devices we re tuned into, the more restless our spirits become. All that external stuff does not satisfy the longing of the human heart. What has made things worse is that many have cut themselves and their families off from God. Many have forsaken the church. While organized religion has been out, spirituality has become a hot item. Many feel a restlessness within; they are seeking significance by turning to the spiritual world. Trying to find answers to the longing of their souls in eastern spirituality, cults, or the occult. Instinctively man knows that he is a spiritual being, and seeks meaning and purpose in his life. As creatures made in the image of God, fallen humans have a deep void in their souls that only God can satisfy. It is not only those outside the church who can feel cut off from God, whose hearts long for deep communion with the living God. Many ordinary believers also struggle with a sense of disconnect from God. We know our Bibles; our theology is sound. We try to live godly lives pleasing to the Lord. Yet we miss a sense of spiritual reality in our relationship with God. Our heart is not always engaged, we do not feel the intimacy or warmth of a close relationship with God. How is that for you beloved? Are you feeling empty, spiritually dry? Are you missing out on the joy and peace that come from being in close communion with your Saviour? Do you hunger for a sense of God s presence, do you long for a deeper sense of connectedness with Him? As Christians we often live outwardly respectable lives. But inwardly, there is sometimes something missing. Delighting in who God is, being truly devoted to Him. Seeking His presence; living in close communion with Him. The result is that our soul may be downcast, our spirit disturbed within us. We long for more in our relationship with God. In our text the psalmist speaks of his struggles in a time of spiritual dryness. He battles within himself against his spiritual depression. He points out the way for us to live in close communion with our God. I preach to you the Word of God under the following theme: When overcome with despair, the psalmist puts his hope in God. We ll consider: 1. our thirst for the living God. 2. our hope in our gracious Saviour. There is a close link between Psalms 42 and 43. Either a single psalm was split in two to make it easier to sing, or else Psalm 43 was composed to accompany Psalm 42. Unlike the rest of Rev. Joe Poppe Page 2 June 20, 2011

3 Psalms 34 to 70, Psalm 43 has no heading. Both these Psalms have a common refrain. That refrain is given in Psalm 42:5, 42:11 and 43:5. It forms the theme of these psalms. The refrain is, Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God. This refrain shows the psalmist s state. His soul was downcast, deeply disturbed within him. The root of the verb to be downcast is to sink down. In the form used in our text it means to be dissolved, to melt away, or to be depressed. The verb our text translates to be disturbed means to be unsteady or restless. Other translations have to be disquieted, or in turmoil. What is clear is that the sons of Korah were in great distress. Their inward being was deeply disturbed. We could say that they were spiritually depressed. This is not a rare experience, even among Christians. It describes the struggles of the human heart in a sinful and broken world. In a life where we suffer the results of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, flooding, drought: loss of loved ones, loss of our livelihood, loss of homes and possessions. We face tragedies in life: severe sickness, the loss of our job, financial pressures, being involved or seeing loved ones involved in serious accidents. We suffer due to the rejection of a spouse, a parent or child, or loved one. There were outward circumstances that faced the sons of Korah. We ll get to them in a minute. Yet what we need to realize is that it is not their hardships or struggles that were causing them spiritual depression. Let s go back to the beginning of the Psalm. There the central issue is made clear. Our text begins with the words, As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Our text begins not with the psalmist downcast, but thirsty. He pants for God as a parched deer pants for streams of flowing water. Just think of a deer being hunted by hunters, chased down by the dogs. Running mile after mile. Getting fatigued. Panting for life-giving and life-renewing water. In the same way the Psalmist says that his soul pants for God, his soul thirsts for the living God. With ardent desire he wants to draw near to God, to experience his life-renewing power again. The psalmist was facing a time of spiritual dryness. It seemed to him that God was far removed from him. The living God seemed dead. The joy he formerly had in communion with God has shrivelled up and disappeared. As Christians we can face times like this in our lives. We read the Bible, but its words do not speak to us. Our devotional life becomes an empty habit. We have no desire to pray. The sacraments leave us indifferent. Something is missing in our communion with God. Such periods of spiritual dryness cause a tremendous amount of suffering in the lives of God s people. We torture ourselves with the question: why can t I love God as I did before? We struggle to perform all the things expected of us, when inwardly everything is dead in us. Our close connection with God feels broken. Our soul is downcast, deeply disturbed within us. We want to be close to God, we thirst for the living God, but He seems far, far away. Why was the psalmist thirsting for God? Why was he in this time of spiritual dryness? Our text makes clear the reasons. Verse 2 says, My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? In verse 4 the psalmist elaborates on this. He remembers how he used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God. These verses make it clear that at this time the psalmist was restricted from going up to the temple of God, to praise him in his sanctuary. Verse 3 provides further insight. The psalmist is in mourning. He says, My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" The psalmist s spiritual struggle is clear from verse 9: I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why Rev. Joe Poppe Page 3 June 20, 2011

4 must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?" He says in verse 10, My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, "Where is your God?" Thus the psalmist reveals three issues that cause him deep struggles. One, he is prevented from going up to Jerusalem to meet with God. Two, his enemies are taunting him with the question, where is your God? And three, the psalmist himself feels as if God has forgotten him. To understand the struggles faced by the psalmist it is helpful to consider who he is. The heading above our psalm indicates that it was written by the sons of Korah. It is likely that the author was one of the Korahites, descendants of Korah, of the tribe of Levi. They were the gatekeepers, guards, and musicians who served in the temple (1Chron.9:19,27-33). But now they no longer could. For God s people had been taken into exile, the temple had been destroyed, God s city was no more (see Ps.84,85,88). The basic reason why the psalmist s soul was downcast, why he was deeply disturbed within himself is because he was estranged from God. There was distance there, which had not been there before. Formerly, he had led the multitudes in procession to the house of God. Every Israelite was commanded to appear before God at least three times each year. They went on a journey from wherever they lived to Jerusalem, to celebrate their pilgrim feasts. But now, because of the exile, he could no longer appear with joy before the Lord, and enter into communion with Him. Yet it is not just the inability to worship God in the temple that is the problem here. There is a deeper issue at hand. His enemies were taunting him, Where is your God? That was the burning question he himself also faced. He says to God his Rock, Why have you forsaken me? Why did God allow His people to be overcome by their enemies? Had God forgotten about His covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Didn t He care about Israel, His treasured possession? We too beloved, often face turmoil, our soul is disquieted within us - because we struggle with why and how God is at work in our lives. Poor health, struggles in relationships, financial hardships, or other adversities can contribute to our suffering. But the heart of the matter is that we feel like God is so far away, that He is forsaking us. And we cannot understand why. Doesn t God love us anymore? Why does he seem so distant, when I need Him so badly? Beloved, when our soul is downcast, our spirit disturbed within us, we need not despair. When you read through the pages of Scripture, you see that many of the saints of old faced times of struggle and adversity. David, the man after God s own heart, cried out, How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? (Psa.13:1-2). Elijah became so discouraged he ran off into the wilderness and asked God to take his life. He was so discouraged, he didn t have strength to go on anymore. Consider the prophet Jeremiah, who not only had to bring a message of doom, but who also suffered under it. Think of the struggles Paul faced with his thorn in the flesh, and the sorrows of the early Christians who were persecuted for their faith. Even the Lord Jesus faced times of severe struggle. In John 12:27 Jesus confesses how his heart was troubled because of the suffering that lay ahead. He said, Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. In Mark 14:34, while at the Garden of Gethsemane he confessed, My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Jesus struggled deeply, because He knew He had to drink from the cup of suffering, and suffer the wrath of God against our sins. His soul was disturbed within Him, for He would be forsaken by God His Father. Rev. Joe Poppe Page 4 June 20, 2011

5 Beloved, it is good when our soul thirsts for God. When we desire close communion with Him. When our soul pants for God as a deer pants for streams of water. The desire for the presence of God is something that only God can work in us. Once we have tasted that the LORD is good, it is natural for us to want more of him. In Philippians 3:10 Paul says, I want to know Christ... Paul was willing to go through suffering, hardships, trials, imprisonment, even death - if only he could truly know Christ, and be in communion with God. Man was made for communion with God. God has put eternity into the hearts of men (Ecc. 3:11). Despite the fall into sin, mankind still longs for God, and deep down people are searching for Him. God gave all people life and breath and everything else, so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him. (Act.17:27). Despite the sinfulness and brokenness of this life, or perhaps because of it, we want to be close to God, share in communion with Him, and partake in His glory. Deep within us there is a thirst for the living God. This brings us to our second point. In it we ll consider our hope in our gracious Saviour. Psalm 42 presents us with a person who is spiritually depressed. The psalmist s soul is downcast, deeply disturbed within him. Yet he does not acquiesce in his condition. He does not accept the status quo. He questions himself about his despondency. He directs himself to trust in God. There is a battle going on in the psalmist s soul. He faces questions, struggles, inner depression. Yet he battles against this. Consider the refrain of our psalm. He asks, Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? He then directs himself, Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God. The NIV s translation of the last part of this refrain is not as literal as it could be. The Hebrew reads, Wait for God, for I will yet praise Him, for the salvation that comes from his face. What is noteworthy about this more literal translation is that it refers to God s face. The psalmist has been feeling cut off from God, far removed from Him. But he exhorts himself to wait for God, for Him to show His face. For when God s face shines upon us, we will indeed experience His saving help. Thus while the psalmist is downcast, he does not completely give up. Though despairing, he does not altogether lose hope. He knows that while he keeps the focus on himself and his problems, he will stay down in the doldrums. Thus he directs his eyes heavenward. Put your hope in God! The living God! Seek your comfort and strength in Him. Wait for His deliverance. The LORD will be gracious, His strong arm will be extended, He will provide His aid and protection in times when we least expect it. While the psalmist encourages himself to wait for God and His saving help, he again comes under attack. He says, My soul is downcast within me... Yet he does not give up. He continues, saying, therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-- from Mount Mizar. (Psa.42:6). Even though he is far from Jerusalem, removed from the Promised Land, yet he brings God to remembrance. In verse 7 the psalmist speaks about God s waves and breakers sweeping over him. At the beginning of the Psalm, he was thirsting for God. Now there is such an abundance of water he is drowning in it. The storms of life have passed over him. Yet despite all the trouble he has faced, he is still standing. That s why in verse 8 he confesses, By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me-- a prayer to the God of my life. Yes, beloved, we may face times where our soul is downcast, and our spirit is troubled within us. We may undergo periods of sorrow and adversity. Times of spiritual dryness, where it seems like God is far removed from us. But our comfort is that the LORD will again direct His love towards us. He will carry us through the midst of hard times, and then shine His face upon us, Rev. Joe Poppe Page 5 June 20, 2011

6 showering us with His nearness and care again. He will reawaken us from a time when we felt cut off from Him, and fill our hearts with joy and peace. So that we can again sing, and pray. So we again experience the richness of close communion with our God. God has sent His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ to provide for our thirsty souls. This becomes clear from Jesus dealings with the Samaritan woman at the well near Sychar (Joh.4). He tells her He has the ability to give her living water. Jesus explains that whoever drinks of the well water will become thirsty again, but that whoever drinks of the water that He gives will never thirst. Here the Lord Jesus makes it clear that it is only in Him that our inner longings and desires can be filled. Life without Jesus is empty. Yes, we can get involved in all kinds of things in this world. Our family, our work, our busyness trying to make money, our pursuit of leisure and recreation - all these things can distract us from what's important in life. We can plug in a movie or turn on the stereo and so fill those quiet times in life. And yet it is difficult to silence completely that quiet voice inside us that asks, what's life all about? Deep within man there will always be a searching for the meaning of life. There is a longing of our souls for something more. Without Jesus there is a void in man that is never properly filled. What we need to recognise, beloved, is that the cause of our eternal hunger and misery is sin. Our hearts can never be satisfied with anything this world has to offer. There is only One who can feed our hungry and thirsty souls: our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus made this clear in John 6:35. He said, I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. When our soul is downcast, when we go through times of spiritual dryness - we need to refocus on Christ our Saviour. A big part of the psalmist s problem was that he was unable to go with God s people to the temple to worship Him. Beloved, in each of our lives it is critically important for us to gather with God s people in public worship. To be there, not just in body, but also in spirit. Singing and praying along in a heartfelt way. Being mentally alert, so that we tune in to the preaching of the gospel. Experiencing worship as meeting with God, feasting on His mercy and grace. In our daily lives, we need to make time for personal devotions. To read and meditate on God s Word, and so to hear the LORD speaking to us. To respond to Him in heartfelt prayer, sharing whatever is going on in our lives. To speak with God about our joy, but also about our sorrows. To thank Him for His grace, but also to plead with Him for forgiveness. The more we draw near to God, the more His face will shine forth upon us. Beloved, we also need to find balance in our lives. The pace of life can get so hectic that we lose sight of what is most important. Our media driven culture can quickly deprive us of any quiet times for reflection and contemplation. It is so easy for us to become disconnected from God. The result is that we go through times of spiritual dryness. Where our heart thirsts for the living God; where we earnestly desire close communion with Him. Beloved, is your soul thirsty? Are you like a deer longing for the streams of flowing water? In John 7:37-38 Christ said, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Christ calls us to come to Him and receive the living water that refreshes unto eternity. In Revelation 22:17 that call is repeated: let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. Christ alone can quench the deep longing of our souls. Amen. Rev. Joe Poppe Page 6 June 20, 2011