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Psalm 115 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well read and treasured in your heart, and turn with me to Psalm 115.
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Before I read, let me remind you that this is God's Word to us.
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It was written for His glory and our good.
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And we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name,
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give glory for the sake of Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness.
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Why should the nations say, where is their God?
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Our God is in the heavens. He does all that He pleases.
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Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
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They have mouths, but do not speak, eyes, but do not see.
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They have ears, but do not hear, noses, but do not smell.
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They have hands, but do not feel.
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They have feet, but do not walk.
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And they do not make a sound in their throat.
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Those who make them become like them.
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So do all who trust in them.
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O Israel, trust in the Lord.
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He is their help and their shield.
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O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord.
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He is their help and their shield.
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You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord.
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He is their help and their shield.
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The Lord has remembered us.
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He will bless us.
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He will bless the house of Israel.
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He will bless the house of Aaron.
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He will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great.
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May the Lord give you increase, you and your children.
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May you be blessed by the Lord who made heaven and earth.
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The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.
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The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence.
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But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore.
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Praise the Lord.
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This is one of the psalms sung by the Jews at the feast of the Passover.
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Which likely means that it was sung by our Lord on the night that he was betrayed and arrested.
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It is not certain who or at what time this psalm was penned.
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And therefore I'll refer to its writer as the psalmist from here on.
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But we can, however, see from its contents that the occasion for its writing is summed up in the question of verse 2.
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Why should the nation say, where is their God?
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It would seem that God's people have once again found themselves afflicted.
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And the psalmist implores God to make himself known for the sake of his name.
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In the midst of their suffering, whatever that was, whatever the occasion was.
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The psalmist does not wish that God's people would be given glory.
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That their name would be made great.
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But that God would be given glory.
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That he would be beheld as the loving and faithful God that he is.
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The psalmist writes in verse 1,
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Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.
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The psalmist pleads with God to act.
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Not on any merit of God's people as they have none.
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But rather on the merit of God's character and zeal for his own glory.
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John Calvin in writing concerning verse 1 of Psalm 115 said,
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This is a point to which we ought carefully to attend.
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That altogether, unworthy as we are of God's regard,
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we may cherish the hope of being saved by him.
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From the respect that he has for the glory of his name.
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And from his having adopted us on condition of never forsaking us.
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The psalmist answers the question,
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Where is there God?
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With confident and holy derision in verse 3.
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He writes,
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Our God is in the heavens.
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He does all that he pleases.
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God is in a place where he cannot be seen.
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But all of his loving kindness and faithfulness toward mankind can be seen.
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And he does all that he pleases.
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What an astounding statement that is.
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What a limitless statement.
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Our God does all that he pleases.
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If God wills that something should happen, it happens.
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If he does not intend for something to happen, it will not happen.
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Beloved, this reality is such a comfort to the afflicted church.
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The church militant.
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Nothing happens apart from God's providence.
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Nothing.
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We worship the one true and living God.
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There are no other gods.
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And the psalmist is going to show us the futility of worshiping any other than our God.
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But before we consider verses 4 and following,
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I want to show you something about the structure of Psalm 115.
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We've looked at verses 1 through 3 in brief.
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Verse 1.
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The psalmist makes an appeal for God himself to glorify himself.
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For him to act in a way that brings his name honor.
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In verse 2, we see this expression of wickedness.
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The wicked, the nations say, where is your God?
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And in verse 3, we see a declaration of God's place, where he is.
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He's in the heavens and of his power.
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He's sovereign.
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He does whatever he pleases.
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Now look at verses 16, 17, and 18.
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We find these three points made in verses 1, 2, and 3 in reverse in verses 16, 17, and 18
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with some small variations.
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In verse 16, so track me backwards,
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we see a declaration of God's place.
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The heavens are God's heavens.
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With the addition of man's place, right?
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It's granted to him by God.
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So man is in the earth.
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The earth has been given to man.
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In verse 17, we see.
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In verse 2, the wicked ask this wicked question.
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Here we see that they do not worship God at all.
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In no way at all do they worship God.
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And then verse 18, in verse 1,
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there is an appeal for God to glorify himself.
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But in verse 18, we see that God's people are meant to,
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are created to, ascribe glory to God in the praise of him.
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So you see how it's reflexive in that way.
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So in verses 1 through 3, we see the sovereignty of God
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bringing about the praise of his name.
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And in verses 16 through 18, we see, as God's people,
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our image-bearing responsibility to do the same.
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There is much talk today about finding God's purpose for your life.
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Here it is in this text.
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That we would bring him great glory.
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That we would leverage all that we have and do
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in order to show God more as he is.
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You are never more as God intended you to be
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than when you are working in his strength
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for the praise of his name.
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You are never further from God's intention for you
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when you are worshiping lesser things.
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These two sets of three verses each serve as an inclusion.
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There's a literary term for you today.
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As an inclusion bookends for verses 4 through 15.
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And they bookend a juxtaposition between the worship of false gods
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and the strong confidence that we can have
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in worshiping the one true and living God.
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So, this has been my prayer for you this morning.
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If you are of the nations,
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one of those who do not belong to God,
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who worship the creation rather than the creator,
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my prayer for you is that you will behold
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the steadfast love and faithfulness of God this morning
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toward his people,
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and that you will be moved to place saving faith
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in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
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If you are of God's people,
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if you have placed saving faith
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in the person and work of Jesus Christ,
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my prayer for you is that you will behold
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the steadfast love and faithfulness of God
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afresh this morning,
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and that he will show you how inclined you still are
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to worship at the feet of the creation.
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Having been adopted into the family of God,
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how likely you are to turn back from him
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to lesser forms of worship.
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So, in order to do that,
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in two points,
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number one, verses four through 15,
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the futility of false gods,
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and number two,
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the glory of the one true and living God.
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So, number one,
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the futility or uselessness of false gods.
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Look what the psalmist says about them.
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Their idols, the nation's idols,
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are silver and gold,
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the work of human hands.
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Idols are created things.
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The psalmist tells us in verse four,
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they are the work of human hands.
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They are made of precious metals in this case,
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the specific idols he's referring to,
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but they are made all the same.
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And he goes on and he elaborates this point
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with accusations of their uselessness.
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Verse five, beginning,
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they have mouths,
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but they do not speak.
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These graven images have the image of a mouth,
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but they say nothing.
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Genesis chapter one tells of God creating the world
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with mighty words.
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But idols are dumb.
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They can utter nothing.
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They cannot speak words of promise
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or encouragement or warning.
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They have, verse five,
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eyes, but do not see.
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When Hagar is told by an angel of the Lord
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that she will bear a son,
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it is recorded in Genesis 16, 13.
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So she called the name of the Lord
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who spoke to her.
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You are a God of seeing.
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For she said,
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truly here I have seen him
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who looks after me,
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who is caring for us
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as he observes us
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and then interacts with us.
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It is a contradiction altogether
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to have a God who cannot see.
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Verse six,
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they have ears,
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but they do not hear.
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There is no sense
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in offering up prayers
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to a God that cannot hear your prayers.
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Exodus 2, 24
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records that God heard their groaning
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and God remembered His covenant
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with Abraham, with Isaac,
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and with Jacob.
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Our God is a God who hears.
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Idols hear nothing.
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On in verse six further,
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they have noses,
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but do not smell.
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This is likely a reference
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to God's acceptance of sacrifice.
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Genesis 8, 21 records,
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verse 7,
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and when the Lord smelled
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the pleasing aroma
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of the sacrifice,
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the Lord said in His heart,
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I will never again curse the ground
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because of man,
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for the intention of man's heart
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is evil from his youth.
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Neither will I again
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strike down every living creature
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as I have done.
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A God who cannot smell
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cannot receive
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an acceptable sacrifice.
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Verse 7,
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they have hands,
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but do not feel.
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False gods cannot sympathize
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with our weakness,
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nor can they bring us comfort.
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The writer of Hebrews,
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in Hebrews 4, 15 says,
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for we do not have a high priest
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who is unable to sympathize
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with our weaknesses,
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but one who in every respect
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has been tempted as we are,
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yet without sin.
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Our God became a man
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in order that He might
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sympathize with us,
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understand our suffering,
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and come to us in it.
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Further in verse 7,
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they have feet,
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but they do not walk.
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False gods have no activity.
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They just sit.
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The one true and living God
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does all that He pleases.
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But false gods do nothing.
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Isaiah 41, 7,
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the craftsman strengthens
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the goldsmith,
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and he who smooths
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with the hammer,
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him who strikes the anvil,
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saying of the soldering,
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it is good,
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and they strengthen it
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with nails
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so that it cannot be moved.
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The idol gets nailed down
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to the floor
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so it cannot be taken.
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They have feet,
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but they do not walk,
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and they do not make a sound.
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In their throat.
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More literally, I think,
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they do not muse.
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They do not have thought.
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False gods are lifeless
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and useless.
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This is a comprehensive charge list.
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There are seven charges
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that are being made here.
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Idols are utterly useless,
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useless,
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and the worship of them
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is an exercise
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in futility.
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In studying these charges
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against false gods,
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my mind was drawn
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to the taunting words
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of Elijah
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to the prophets of Baal.
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You may recall
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1 Kings 18, 27
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from our reading together
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not too long ago.
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Elijah says,
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I'm sorry,
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that's in the future.
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It's been one of those weeks.
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He says to the prophets of Baal,
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cry aloud,
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for he is a God.
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Either he is musing,
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or he is relieving himself,
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or he is on a journey,
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or perhaps he is asleep
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and must be awakened.
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False gods have nothing
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to offer us.
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But the psalmist continues
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by telling us in verse 8,
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those who make them
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become like them.
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So do all who trust in them.
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This is the one-two punch
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of the point
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that the psalmist
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is trying to make
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about false gods.
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Let me elaborate on that
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a bit more.
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There's lots of this kind of language
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in the Scripture
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about having eyes
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but not seeing,
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and ears but not hearing.
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Let me give you a couple
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of examples of this.
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Jeremiah 5,
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21-24.
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God says,
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Hear this,
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O foolish and senseless people,
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who have eyes
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but see not,
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who have ears
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but hear not.
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Do you not fear me,
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declares the Lord?
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Do you not tremble before me?
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I place the sands
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as the boundary of the sea,
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a perpetual barrier
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that it cannot pass.
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Though the waves toss,
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they cannot prevail.
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Though they roar,
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they cannot pass over it.
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But this people
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has a stubborn
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and rebellious heart.
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They have turned aside
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and gone away.
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They do not say
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in their hearts,
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Let us fear the Lord our God
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who gives the rain
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in its season,
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the autumn rain
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and the spring rain,
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and keeps for us
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the weeks appointed
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for the harvest.
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But God says
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to people of Israel,
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as rebellious people of Israel,
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You have failed to see me
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as the creator,
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as the emphasis
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that He's making
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throughout this passage
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in Jeremiah.
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Who has held the sea
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in its boundaries?
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Who set the shore?
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And no matter how hard
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the sea tries,
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it cannot come past
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the place
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I have told it.
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I give the rain
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in its season,
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the autumn and the spring.
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I schedule out
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when the harvest
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will happen.
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Verse 21 says,
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You are a foolish
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and senseless people.
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Have eyes,
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but do not see.
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Have ears,
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but hear not.
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You are like
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the very things
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that you worship.
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Another place,
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Ezekiel 12, 2.
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Son of man,
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you dwell in the midst
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of a rebellious house,
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who have eyes to see,
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but see not,
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who have ears to hear,
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but hear not,
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for they are a rebellious house.
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All of us
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were once these people.
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Eyes that did not see.
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Ears that did not hear.
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Praise God
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that by His Spirit
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He works faith
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in blind and deaf people.
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We once were blind,
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but now we see.
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We once were deaf.
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I'm going outside the song now,
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but now we hear.
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In Matthew chapter 13,
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verses 11 and following,
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Jesus responds
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to the apostles
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asking why He speaks
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in parables,
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and He says this,
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To you it has been given
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to know the secrets
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of the kingdom of heaven,
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but to them
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it has not been given.
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For to the one who has,
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more will be given,
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and he will have an abundance,
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but from the one who has not,
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even what he has
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will be taken away.
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This is why I speak to them
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in parables,
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because seeing,
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they do not see,
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and hearing,
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they do not hear,
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nor do they understand.
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Indeed, in their case,
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the prophecy of Isaiah
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is fulfilled that says,
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and this is Isaiah 6, 9, and 10,
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you will indeed hear,
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but never understand,
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and you will indeed see,
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but never perceive.
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For this people's heart
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has grown dull,
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and with their ears
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they can barely hear,
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and their eyes
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they have closed.
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Lest they should see
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with their eyes,
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and hear with their ears,
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and understand with their heart,
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and turn,
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and I would heal them.
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But blessed are your eyes,
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for they see,
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and your ears,
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for they hear.
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For truly,
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I say to you,
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many prophets
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and righteous people
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long to see
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what you see
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and did not see it,
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and to hear
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what you hear
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and did not hear it.
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Oh, beloved,
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we have much reason
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to praise God
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for his grace
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to us in Christ.
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He has caused us
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to be born again.
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He has given us
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our sight,
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and given us
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the ability to hear.
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He had made us
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not like idolaters
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any longer.
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He's restored in us
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our imago Dei,
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our willingness
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and our ability
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to praise him
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and worship him
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as we should.
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Now,
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most of us
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I would presume
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to think all of us
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do not find ourselves
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in a position
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to bow down
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to carved images.
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I did not grow up
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in a house
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where as a follower
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of Jesus Christ
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I had to neglect
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the shrine
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that was held
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someplace.
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However,
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the Bible
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is relentless
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about the idolatry
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of our hearts
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because we were created
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to worship
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God alone.
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and idolatry
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takes all
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types
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of forms.
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God says to his people,
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good command,
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a command we need
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to keep,
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Exodus 23,
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you shall have
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no other gods
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before me.
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Charles Spurgeon said,
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and this is on your bulletin
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if you want to look at it,
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if you love anything
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better than God,
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you are idolaters.
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I'll repeat that part of it.
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If you love anything
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better than God,
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you are idolaters.
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If there is anything
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you would not give up
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for God,
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it is your idol.
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If there is anything
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that you seek
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with greater fervor
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than you seek
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the glory of God,
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that is your idol.
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And conversion
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means a turning
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from every idol.
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It means that we take
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all things
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and count them
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as loss
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for their surpassing
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worth
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of knowing
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Jesus Christ,
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our Lord.
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And beloved,
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our hearts
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are so inclined
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to idolatry.
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And I believe
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that Satan
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loves nothing more
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than to get
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in the mix
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and have us
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be acceptable
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of our idolatry.
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To think,
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yeah, yeah,
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Jesus,
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and,
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I can still have,
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I can still enjoy,
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I can still do,
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and in that
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we so regularly
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put those things
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in places
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of prominence
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in our lives.
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Most of us,
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again,
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I would dare say
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all of us,
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don't have a closet
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in our home
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with a shrine set up,
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a thing that we bow to.
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It's not so on the surface
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for us,
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but it's rather
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more about
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the attitudes
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and the intentions
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of our heart.
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What are your
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affections
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set on?
24:02
What do you seek,
24:04
as Spurgeon said,
24:04
with fervor?
24:06
What do you talk about?
24:07
What do you spend
24:08
your money on?
24:09
Where is your time
24:10
aimed at?
24:12
If it's not
24:13
the glory of God,
24:15
then it's an idol.
24:19
An idol is anything
24:20
that we place
24:21
as the primary focus
24:23
of our lives.
24:25
And we regularly
24:27
take good things,
24:29
good things,
24:29
meant to be good,
24:30
meant to be given
24:31
as gifts from the creator
24:33
for our enjoyment.
24:35
And we make them idols
24:36
by loving them
24:37
above God himself.
24:40
And this comes out of us
24:42
in all kinds
24:43
of ugly ways.
24:46
Let me give you
24:46
just some examples
24:47
of some things
24:48
that can be good,
24:50
but can be idols
24:51
in your life.
24:52
security.
24:55
Feeling safe
24:56
can be an idol
24:57
in your life.
24:59
Material possessions
24:59
of all kinds.
25:01
Aren't we Americans?
25:03
Revving up
25:04
into Christmas season.
25:06
Really watch our hearts,
25:07
beloved.
25:08
What is it
25:09
that we worship?
25:11
Knowledge.
25:13
Knowledge can be
25:13
an idol in your life.
25:14
You can worship
25:15
how much you know
25:16
or how much you don't know
25:18
but want to know.
25:19
your political ideology
25:22
can be an idol
25:23
in your life.
25:25
Having control
25:27
of the situation
25:28
can be an idol
25:29
in your life.
25:31
Comfort
25:31
and leisure
25:33
can be idols.
25:36
Good health
25:37
can be an idol.
25:39
Hear me,
25:40
those of you,
25:41
our family included,
25:42
who strive
25:43
to be healthy
25:43
and to eat healthy,
25:45
this can become
25:46
idolatry for us.
25:47
pleasure,
25:50
success,
25:51
our physical appearance.
25:54
Guys,
25:54
I know some of you
25:55
really want to be swole.
25:56
That could be idolatry.
25:59
Your ambition
26:00
and dare I even say
26:03
your family
26:04
seems to be
26:06
the last
26:07
acceptable idol
26:08
often
26:09
in the church.
26:11
Anything
26:11
that's placed above
26:12
the prominence
26:14
of God
26:14
in our lives
26:15
can be an idol.
26:18
And beloved,
26:18
it comes at us
26:20
from all directions
26:21
all the time.
26:23
The Christian life
26:23
is meant to be a life
26:24
of repentance
26:25
and faith
26:26
turning from
26:27
our sinful idolatry
26:29
into God.
26:31
We will not be done
26:32
with this
26:33
in this lifetime.
26:34
But,
26:35
I can tell you,
26:36
by faith,
26:37
by the grace of God,
26:39
we can get better.
26:40
We can improve
26:42
upon
26:42
true worship
26:44
of the one
26:45
living God.
26:46
We can
26:47
put away
26:48
our idolatry.
26:51
And I want to show you
26:51
just a little bit,
26:52
just a brief glimpse
26:54
of how it is
26:55
that we
26:56
identify idolatry
26:57
in our lives
26:57
and how it is
26:58
that God works
26:59
to strip idolatry
27:01
out of our lives
27:03
by looking at
27:05
James chapter 4.
27:06
So mark somehow
27:07
Psalm 115,
27:08
your finger,
27:10
bookmark it,
27:11
and turn to
27:11
James chapter 4.
27:35
In verse 1,
27:36
James asks
27:37
an astounding question.
27:38
What causes
27:39
quarrels
27:40
and what causes
27:42
fights
27:43
among you?
27:46
What causes
27:47
our relational
27:48
disagreements?
27:50
And this isn't
27:51
necessarily
27:52
just what's happening
27:53
inside of a church
27:54
fellowship.
27:55
This is with
27:55
our spouses.
27:57
This is with
27:58
our co-workers.
27:59
This is with
28:00
the guy that pulls
28:01
out in front of you
28:02
on the road.
28:04
What's causing
28:05
the quarrels
28:06
and causing
28:06
the fights
28:08
among you?
28:10
And he says this,
28:11
is it not this
28:12
that your passions
28:14
are at war
28:15
within you?
28:17
Your passions.
28:19
Things that you
28:19
desire to have
28:21
and it's not
28:24
being had the way
28:25
you want it to be
28:26
had.
28:28
And so
28:28
things happen
28:30
as a result
28:30
of that.
28:31
anxiety
28:32
or anger
28:34
which we
28:34
mask with
28:35
terms like
28:36
frustration
28:36
and stress.
28:40
These are not
28:41
things that
28:41
God's people
28:42
are meant to be
28:43
living in.
28:44
These are not
28:44
emotions that are
28:46
meant to be felt
28:47
by God's
28:48
people.
28:50
Your passions
28:51
are at war
28:53
within you.
28:54
Verse 2,
28:55
you desire
28:55
and do not
28:56
have
28:57
so you
28:58
murder
28:58
your anger
28:59
in your heart.
29:01
You covet
29:02
and cannot
29:02
obtain
29:03
so you
29:04
fight
29:04
and you
29:05
quarrel.
29:07
You do not
29:07
have
29:08
because you
29:08
don't ask.
29:09
You ask
29:10
and do not
29:10
receive
29:11
because you
29:11
ask wrongly
29:12
to spend
29:12
it on
29:13
your passions.
29:14
You don't
29:15
aim these
29:15
things at
29:16
the glory
29:16
of God.
29:16
You aim
29:17
them at
29:17
your self.
29:20
You
29:20
adulterous
29:21
people.
29:22
So here's
29:23
a people
29:23
turning back
29:23
from their
29:24
God
29:24
to their
29:25
idols.
29:26
Right?
29:26
This is
29:27
in our
29:27
Bible reading.
29:28
We've been
29:28
in the
29:28
book of
29:29
Judges.
29:31
We've just
29:31
gotten through
29:31
the book
29:32
of Judges.
29:33
And you
29:34
see a
29:34
people
29:34
devoting
29:36
themselves
29:36
in worship
29:36
to God.
29:37
Things get
29:37
restored.
29:38
A judge
29:38
comes along
29:39
and sorts
29:39
things out.
29:40
And then
29:40
how quickly
29:41
do they
29:41
go back
29:42
to the
29:43
idols
29:43
of the
29:44
land?
29:44
They go
29:45
back to
29:45
the
29:45
Canaanite
29:46
Baals
29:47
to worship
29:48
them once
29:48
again.
29:48
That's
29:49
what's
29:49
happening
29:49
here.
29:50
You
29:50
adulterous
29:50
People!
29:53
Do you
29:53
not know
29:53
that friendship
29:54
with the
29:54
world
29:54
is enmity
29:55
with God?
29:56
Therefore
29:56
whoever wishes
29:57
to be a
29:57
friend of
29:58
the world
29:58
makes himself
29:59
an enemy
30:00
of God.
30:01
As people
30:02
who have been
30:02
delivered by
30:03
God,
30:04
who are
30:04
his people,
30:05
we are so
30:06
very apt
30:08
to do
30:08
this.
30:10
Let me
30:10
to make
30:14
the point.
30:15
I had
30:16
another
30:16
example
30:16
in mind
30:17
at this
30:18
point in
30:18
the sermon,
30:19
but I
30:20
thought because
30:20
it was
30:20
yesterday,
30:21
it was a
30:21
better
30:22
example.
30:24
This was a
30:25
really tiring
30:26
week for me.
30:26
It was an
30:27
exhausting
30:27
week.
30:28
A great
30:29
week,
30:29
but it was
30:30
a go,
30:30
go,
30:30
go,
30:31
go week.
30:31
We had
30:32
across two
30:33
days,
30:33
three different
30:33
Thanksgiving
30:34
events.
30:35
On Friday,
30:36
I've got
30:37
family from
30:38
in town.
30:38
Chris is
30:38
going to
30:38
come share
30:39
with us
30:39
in just a
30:40
moment at
30:41
the end
30:41
of the
30:41
service.
30:43
We decided
30:44
to do some
30:44
work out
30:44
of my
30:45
parents'
30:45
property.
30:45
They had
30:46
a huge
30:46
oak tree
30:46
come down.
30:47
It was
30:47
like four
30:48
oak trees
30:48
it seemed
30:48
like from
30:49
that wind
30:50
storm.
30:50
We used
30:51
chainsaw
30:51
all day.
30:52
I was
30:52
really sore,
30:53
really tired
30:53
at the end
30:54
of all that.
30:55
Saturday,
30:55
I worked
30:56
up here
30:56
trying to
30:57
get ready
30:57
for this
30:58
morning.
30:59
All I
30:59
wanted to
31:00
do was
31:00
sleep or
31:00
soak in
31:01
a hot
31:01
tub.
31:02
I was
31:03
tired.
31:04
Saturday
31:04
evening,
31:05
the plan
31:05
was to
31:05
go home
31:06
and put
31:06
our
31:06
Christmas
31:07
tree
31:07
up.
31:07
Put our
31:08
tree up
31:08
at the
31:08
house and
31:09
spend some
31:09
time
31:10
decorating
31:11
it,
31:11
watching
31:12
elf and
31:13
drinking
31:13
cider while
31:15
we put
31:15
together the
31:15
tree.
31:16
A good
31:17
plan,
31:18
an enjoyable
31:19
time to
31:19
spend with
31:20
the family.
31:21
I was
31:22
frustrated
31:23
because I
31:23
really wanted
31:24
to be
31:24
comfortable.
31:25
I just
31:25
really wanted
31:26
comfort.
31:27
I wanted
31:27
to be done
31:28
with the
31:28
project of
31:29
it all.
31:30
Our
31:30
Christmas
31:30
tree stand
31:31
has been
31:31
a frustration
31:32
to me.
31:32
It's not
31:33
a stand
31:33
I have
31:34
particularly
31:34
enjoyed
31:35
across the
31:36
years.
31:36
I go
31:36
through all
31:37
the work
31:37
though,
31:37
get the
31:38
tree trimmed
31:38
up,
31:38
get it put
31:39
together,
31:39
get it in
31:39
the house,
31:40
water in
31:40
the tree,
31:41
get the
31:41
lights on
31:42
the tree,
31:42
and I
31:43
look down
31:43
and there's
31:43
a puddle
31:44
on the
31:44
floor,
31:45
and the
31:46
stand was
31:47
cracked.
31:48
Apparently,
31:48
I hit it
31:49
with a hammer
31:49
a little too
31:49
hard,
31:50
and I cracked
31:50
the bottom
31:51
of it,
31:51
and it was
31:51
leaking
31:52
everywhere.
31:52
So,
31:53
we had to
31:54
take the
31:54
tree with
31:55
the stand
31:55
now with
31:56
water in it
32:01
standoff,
32:02
discover what's
32:02
wrong with
32:02
it,
32:03
go to
32:03
Walmart on
32:04
a Saturday
32:04
night in
32:05
Gainesville,
32:05
which is
32:06
super fun,
32:07
buy a new
32:07
tree stand,
32:08
come back,
32:10
put the whole
32:10
thing back up
32:11
again,
32:12
go through the
32:12
process.
32:13
So,
32:13
you're picturing
32:14
what's going
32:14
on.
32:15
We have
32:16
little ones
32:16
running around
32:17
who are
32:17
bouncing,
32:17
jumping off
32:18
things,
32:18
really excited
32:19
that the
32:19
tree's back
32:20
in the
32:20
house now,
32:21
and Sam,
32:23
with a great
32:23
deal of
32:24
foresight and
32:25
thoughtfulness,
32:26
had already
32:27
gotten a cup
32:27
of water.
32:28
She's concerned
32:28
about now
32:29
water being back
32:30
in the stands,
32:31
so the tree
32:31
doesn't die.
32:32
So,
32:33
she brought
32:33
this big
32:33
cup of
32:34
water,
32:34
and she
32:34
set it
32:34
down next
32:35
to the
32:35
edge of
32:35
the couch,
32:36
and then
32:36
she stepped
32:37
back to
32:37
make sure I
32:37
was getting
32:38
the tree
32:38
right,
32:39
and our
32:39
one-and-a-half
32:39
year old
32:40
walked along
32:41
and kicked
32:41
the cup
32:41
of water
32:42
over.
32:42
So,
32:43
in the
32:43
place that
32:44
we had
32:44
already
32:45
cleaned up
32:45
water,
32:45
now there
32:46
was a
32:46
whole
32:46
other
32:46
cup
32:46
of water
32:47
on the
32:47
floor,
32:48
and I
32:48
went,
32:49
really,
32:50
in the
32:51
middle of
32:51
the floor,
32:52
water,
32:53
like that.
32:55
And Sam
32:56
said,
32:56
you go
32:57
sit down,
32:58
I'll
32:58
clean it
32:58
up.
33:01
Okay,
33:02
so what
33:03
came out
33:04
of me,
33:05
right,
33:05
this anger
33:06
that came
33:06
out of
33:07
me,
33:07
which she
33:08
certainly
33:08
did not
33:09
deserve,
33:10
was my
33:11
frustration,
33:11
my inner
33:12
brewing,
33:12
with my
33:13
desire to
33:14
be comfortable,
33:15
right,
33:15
I wanted
33:16
to be done,
33:17
I wanted
33:17
to sit
33:18
and do
33:18
nothing,
33:20
and confounded,
33:21
all of these
33:22
little things
33:22
were getting
33:23
in the way
33:23
of that
33:24
happening,
33:25
and it
33:25
made me
33:25
mad,
33:26
because I
33:27
wanted my,
33:27
you see how
33:28
I'm worshipping
33:28
myself,
33:29
and this
33:29
comfort that
33:30
I have,
33:31
right,
33:31
so these
33:31
little events,
33:33
I have this
33:33
little effigy
33:34
of me built,
33:35
and these
33:35
little events
33:36
are coming
33:36
along and
33:36
hacking the
33:37
leg off my
33:37
idol,
33:38
and it's
33:38
starting to
33:38
fall over,
33:39
and it
33:40
made me
33:40
mad,
33:41
right,
33:42
clearly,
33:43
sin,
33:44
and the
33:45
temptation
33:45
in me is
33:46
to immediately
33:47
justify it,
33:48
right,
33:48
and we all
33:49
do this,
33:49
well,
33:49
of course,
33:50
of course I'm
33:50
upset,
33:51
this is taking
33:51
forever,
33:52
I'm so tired,
33:52
I've had so
33:53
much work to
33:53
do this
33:54
week,
33:54
I can't
33:54
believe,
33:55
the water,
33:56
right,
33:57
and the
33:59
proper response,
34:00
which I'm
34:00
thankful by the
34:01
grace of God,
34:02
I got to in
34:03
the span of
34:04
time,
34:04
because I've
34:05
practiced this a
34:05
ton,
34:07
was to
34:07
apologize to
34:08
Sam,
34:08
I'm really
34:09
sorry,
34:09
I'm really
34:10
sorry,
34:10
I'm so
34:11
tired,
34:12
but that's
34:13
not my
34:13
excuse,
34:14
it was sin,
34:15
right,
34:15
you forgive me,
34:16
she said,
34:16
yes,
34:16
of course,
34:17
I forgive you,
34:17
because I know
34:18
you're beat
34:18
down,
34:19
I know you're
34:19
exhausted,
34:20
all the same,
34:22
right,
34:22
what is going
34:23
on in my
34:23
heart when I
34:24
get upset,
34:25
like that,
34:26
it's idolatry,
34:27
it's idolatry,
34:29
right,
34:30
so how is it
34:31
that God
34:31
exposes our
34:32
idolatry,
34:33
right,
34:33
how is it that
34:34
we come to
34:34
realize,
34:35
how is it that
34:35
I've learned,
34:37
like when I
34:37
fail in that
34:38
way,
34:38
to go,
34:39
wait a second,
34:39
this is not
34:40
justifiable,
34:41
I can't just
34:42
go around saying,
34:43
well of course I'm
34:44
getting upset,
34:45
right,
34:45
I want to give you
34:48
four quick ways
34:49
that he does it,
34:49
and I know we're
34:50
getting short on time,
34:51
so I'm going to move
34:51
pretty quick here,
34:52
how is it that
34:54
God exposes our
34:55
idolatry,
34:58
number one,
35:01
by his word
35:02
and his spirit,
35:05
by his word
35:06
and his spirit,
35:06
beloved,
35:06
if you want to be
35:07
a true worshiper
35:09
of the one,
35:10
true,
35:11
only God,
35:12
you must read
35:13
his word,
35:14
right,
35:14
he's not a
35:15
dumb God,
35:16
he's spoken to us,
35:17
he's given us a
35:18
text,
35:19
he's handed it to us,
35:20
and we have it in
35:21
plenty,
35:21
right,
35:22
know this word,
35:24
it will begin
35:25
to sift you
35:26
like sand,
35:27
it will begin
35:28
to help expose
35:29
your idolatry,
35:32
Hebrews 4.12,
35:33
for the word of God
35:33
is living and active,
35:34
sharper than any
35:35
two-edged sword,
35:37
piercing the division
35:38
of soul and of spirit,
35:39
of joints and of marrow,
35:41
and discerning the thoughts
35:42
and intentions
35:43
of the heart,
35:45
so as I'm dealing
35:47
with this emotional
35:48
response,
35:49
what's running
35:51
through my mind
35:51
is James 1.8,
35:54
that I'm meant
35:55
to be quick
35:55
to hear
35:56
and slow
35:56
to speak
35:57
and slow
35:57
to anger,
35:59
for the anger
36:00
of man does not
36:00
produce the righteousness
36:01
of God,
36:02
this is what pops
36:02
into my head,
36:03
right,
36:03
the spirit of God
36:04
goes,
36:04
I got one on file
36:05
for you,
36:06
right,
36:07
you've read
36:07
and studied it,
36:08
you've memorized it,
36:10
and it's right there,
36:11
and he throws it up,
36:12
and I go,
36:12
ah,
36:14
idolater,
36:14
right,
36:15
I need to repent,
36:17
I need to turn
36:17
from my sin
36:18
and back to God,
36:19
the word of God
36:20
does this,
36:22
so God exposed
36:23
our idolatry
36:24
by his word
36:24
and his spirit,
36:25
secondly,
36:25
he may expose
36:28
our idolatry
36:29
by frustrating
36:31
our idols,
36:32
by withholding
36:33
them,
36:34
the things
36:35
that you want,
36:36
things that you
36:36
think you need
36:37
to make you
36:38
happy,
36:39
for you to be
36:39
fulfilled,
36:41
he may not
36:43
give you,
36:43
or,
36:46
giving them
36:46
to us
36:47
and allowing
36:48
us to experience
36:49
their futility,
36:52
letting you
36:53
have the thing
36:54
you asked for
36:54
and run it
36:56
out to its
36:56
very end
36:57
and to say
36:57
there's no
36:58
value in
36:59
this thing
37:00
that I
37:00
thought
37:01
was a thing
37:02
worth
37:03
worshipping.
37:05
In Psalm
37:06
106,
37:07
verse 13
37:08
through 15,
37:08
this is
37:09
in referencing
37:10
to Korah's
37:11
rebellion
37:11
from number
37:12
16,
37:13
the psalm
37:16
says,
37:16
but they
37:16
soon forget
37:18
his works,
37:19
they did
37:19
not wait
37:20
for his
37:20
counsel,
37:21
but they
37:21
had a
37:21
wanton
37:22
craving
37:22
in the
37:23
wilderness
37:23
and put
37:24
God
37:24
to the
37:24
test
37:25
in the
37:25
desert.
37:26
He
37:26
gave
37:27
them
37:27
what
37:27
they
37:28
asked,
37:29
but sent
37:29
a wasting
37:30
disease
37:30
among them.
37:32
Let them
37:32
see the
37:33
very futility
37:34
of the
37:34
thing
37:35
that they
37:36
worshipped.
37:36
God
37:38
exposed
37:39
their
37:39
idolatry
37:39
by
37:40
frustrating
37:41
our
37:41
idols,
37:41
by withholding
37:42
them,
37:42
or allowing
37:42
us to
37:42
experience
37:43
their
37:43
futility.
37:44
Third,
37:45
God
37:45
exposed
37:46
their
37:46
idolatry
37:46
possibly
37:47
by giving
37:47
us
37:48
an example
37:49
of true
37:51
worship.
37:52
So this
37:53
is where
37:53
the church
37:54
is extremely
37:54
helpful.
37:56
We come
37:57
around people
37:57
who deal
37:58
with the
37:58
same things
37:59
that we
37:59
deal with,
38:00
who are
38:00
willing to
38:01
share with
38:01
you their
38:02
very
38:02
experienced.
38:03
Let me
38:03
tell you
38:03
about my
38:04
idols,
38:04
that you
38:05
might not
38:05
be an
38:06
idolater,
38:07
that you
38:07
might learn
38:08
to purge
38:09
idols from
38:10
your living.
38:11
This is a
38:11
wonderful place
38:12
in which to
38:13
read biography,
38:14
to see men
38:15
and women
38:15
who have
38:16
gone before
38:16
us,
38:17
who have
38:17
been faithful
38:17
worshippers,
38:18
of God.
38:21
We also
38:22
get wonderful
38:22
examples from
38:23
the scripture.
38:25
1 Kings
38:26
18,
38:26
36.
38:28
This is back
38:29
to Elijah,
38:29
as I mentioned
38:30
earlier.
38:31
At the time
38:32
of the
38:32
offering,
38:33
Elijah the
38:34
prophet came
38:34
near and
38:35
said,
38:35
O Lord,
38:36
God of
38:37
Abraham,
38:37
Isaac,
38:38
and Israel,
38:38
let it be
38:39
known this
38:39
day that
38:39
you are
38:40
God in
38:40
Israel,
38:41
and that
38:41
I am
38:42
your servant,
38:43
and that
38:43
I have
38:43
done all
38:44
these things
38:45
at your
38:46
word.
38:46
And we
38:46
know that
38:47
he called
38:48
down fire
38:49
of God
38:49
that lapped
38:50
up the
38:50
water and
38:51
lit the
38:51
sacrifice
38:52
on fire.
38:54
We see
38:54
that he
38:55
had devoted
38:55
himself to
38:56
the one
38:56
true living
38:58
God and
38:58
had obeyed
38:59
his word.
39:00
So God
39:01
can expose
39:02
our idolatry
39:02
by giving
39:03
us examples
39:03
to look
39:04
around at
39:05
people who
39:05
were godly
39:06
and serving
39:06
God well.
39:09
God also
39:10
exposed our
39:10
idolatry,
39:10
number four,
39:11
and this is the
39:11
last one,
39:12
by administering
39:13
loving
39:14
discipline.
39:15
If you
39:18
belong to
39:19
God,
39:20
you will
39:21
experience
39:21
the
39:22
discipline
39:23
of God.
39:25
The writer
39:26
of Hebrews
39:26
says in
39:26
chapter 12,
39:27
verses 5
39:28
and 6,
39:28
verse 6,
39:29
and have
39:30
you forgotten
39:31
the exhortation
39:32
that addresses
39:32
you as
39:33
sons?
39:35
My son,
39:35
do not
39:36
regard lightly
39:36
the discipline
39:37
of the
39:38
Lord,
39:39
nor be
39:40
weary
39:40
when reproved
39:41
by him.
39:42
For the
39:42
Lord disciplines
39:43
the one
39:44
he loves
39:44
and chastises
39:46
every son
39:47
whom he
39:48
receives.
39:49
So God
39:49
in his
39:49
great,
39:50
steadfast,
39:51
loving kindness
39:51
toward us
39:53
disciplines
39:53
us to
39:54
expose
39:55
those things
39:56
that we
39:57
pick up
39:57
and worship
39:58
that are
39:58
lesser things
39:59
and therefore
40:00
damaging things.
40:02
God is our
40:02
greatest and
40:03
highest good
40:04
and so God
40:05
helps to
40:06
strip away
40:06
idols
40:07
in our
40:09
lives.
40:11
So,
40:11
the four ways
40:12
that he
40:13
works at that.
40:13
Go back to
40:14
Psalm 115.
40:19
So what
40:20
then is the
40:21
remedy
40:22
of this
40:23
idolatry?
40:25
How is it
40:28
that we're
40:28
not idolaters
40:29
when we
40:29
worship
40:30
God?
40:32
We aim
40:33
our worship
40:34
as people
40:35
will worship
40:36
something,
40:37
so we aim
40:38
our worship
40:38
where our
40:39
worship belongs,
40:40
the one
40:40
true
40:41
and living
40:42
God.
40:42
So this is
40:43
the second
40:43
overall point,
40:44
the glory
40:44
of the one
40:45
true
40:45
and living
40:46
God.
40:47
The psalmist
40:47
tells us
40:48
that the
40:51
remedy of
40:52
this idolatry
40:52
is to
40:53
trust,
40:53
to place
40:54
our faith
40:55
in this
40:56
God.
40:57
Our God
40:57
who is in
40:58
the heavens
40:58
who does
40:58
all that
41:00
he pleases.
41:02
And we
41:02
get these
41:03
wonderful
41:03
repetitions.
41:04
O Israel,
41:05
O house
41:05
of Aaron,
41:06
you who
41:07
fear the
41:08
Lord,
41:08
so the
41:08
people and
41:09
the people
41:10
set aside
41:11
for the
41:11
specific task
41:12
and then
41:12
all of us
41:14
who fear
41:14
the Lord,
41:16
trust in
41:17
the Lord.
41:18
Place your
41:18
faith in
41:20
the Lord.
41:21
Believe in
41:21
his promises
41:23
to you.
41:24
He is
41:25
their help
41:26
and he
41:27
is their
41:27
shield.
41:28
He is both
41:29
actively
41:30
pursuing our
41:31
good and
41:32
he's also
41:33
shielding us
41:34
from harm.
41:35
He's passively
41:35
pursuing our
41:36
good as well.
41:37
He's stopping
41:38
things that
41:39
would be to
41:39
our detriment.
41:41
And we are
41:42
so quick to
41:43
define our
41:44
good or our
41:45
bad in
41:46
human terms.
41:47
We must get
41:48
it clear in
41:49
our minds
41:49
that as we
41:50
worship God,
41:52
as we set
41:52
our aim on
41:53
him,
41:53
as he works
41:54
our good,
41:54
that it's
41:55
his good
41:56
he intends
41:57
to work in
41:58
us.
41:58
It's for our
41:59
good,
41:59
it's his
42:00
good.
42:00
Romans 8,
42:01
28,
42:01
29.
42:01
I hope this
42:02
doesn't get
42:02
old to you.
42:03
And we know
42:03
that for those
42:03
who love
42:04
God,
42:05
all things,
42:06
this is our
42:06
God who's in
42:07
the heaven,
42:07
who does
42:07
all that he
42:08
pleases,
42:09
all things
42:10
work together
42:10
for good.
42:11
For those who
42:12
are called
42:12
according to
42:12
his purpose.
42:13
A lot of
42:13
people love
42:14
28,
42:15
right?
42:16
And then they
42:16
walk around
42:17
trying to figure
42:17
out what
42:18
the good
42:18
is,
42:19
right?
42:19
Oh,
42:20
someday I'll
42:20
figure out
42:21
the good.
42:21
In hindsight,
42:22
I'll understand
42:23
the good.
42:24
But Paul tells
42:25
us in verse 29
42:25
what the good
42:26
is.
42:27
We don't have
42:28
to wonder
42:28
about it,
42:29
just like we
42:29
don't have to
42:29
wonder about
42:30
our purpose.
42:30
Our purpose
42:30
is to glorify
42:31
God.
42:31
What is the
42:32
good that
42:32
he's seeking
42:33
in our
42:34
living,
42:35
right?
42:36
Verse 29,
42:36
for those whom
42:37
he foreknew,
42:37
he also predestined
42:39
to be conformed
42:40
to the image
42:41
of his son.
42:44
That's the
42:44
answer.
42:45
What's the
42:45
good that God
42:46
is seeking
42:46
in all of
42:47
our
42:47
circumstances,
42:48
all of this
42:48
working in
42:49
us,
42:50
seeking our
42:51
praise,
42:52
Christlikeness.
42:53
This is what
42:54
he's working
42:54
in us,
42:55
trying to
42:55
work out
42:56
of us,
42:57
is Christlikeness.
42:59
So this is
42:59
the way that
42:59
God works
43:00
as both
43:00
our help
43:01
and our
43:03
shield.
43:04
And certainly,
43:05
God has
43:06
not forgotten
43:07
us.
43:08
The Lord
43:08
has remembered
43:10
us.
43:10
He has
43:11
blessed us,
43:13
both now
43:13
and forever
43:15
more in
43:16
Christ.
43:16
Christ.
43:17
I hope
43:18
that you've
43:18
experienced
43:18
this morning
43:19
that you
43:19
can say
43:20
with me,
43:20
yes and
43:21
amen,
43:21
God has
43:22
blessed me
43:22
in Christ.
43:24
I have
43:24
joy and
43:25
satisfaction
43:25
and identity.
43:27
I can say,
43:28
yes,
43:29
the things of
43:29
this world
43:30
grow strangely
43:31
dim in the
43:32
light of his
43:32
glorious grace.
43:33
I can see
43:34
and have seen
43:35
in my life
43:36
that I want
43:37
to turn away
43:38
from idols.
43:39
They are,
43:39
in fact,
43:40
lesser things
43:41
and I want
43:42
to turn
43:42
to the living
43:43
God.
43:44
I want to
43:44
leverage all
43:45
that I have
43:45
and all
43:46
that I am
43:47
for his
43:48
glory.
43:50
He has
43:51
blessed us.
43:53
May you
43:54
be blessed
43:55
by the Lord
43:56
who made
43:56
heaven and
43:57
earth and
43:58
may we
43:59
bless his
43:59
name
44:00
forever
44:01
more.
44:03
Just as God
44:04
promised Joshua
44:05
in Joshua 1.
44:07
This is from
44:08
our recent
44:08
Bible reading.
44:10
I will never
44:10
leave you
44:11
or forsake
44:13
you.
44:14
He has
44:14
promised the
44:15
same to us
44:15
who believe
44:16
in Christ.
44:18
Hebrews 13
44:20
5 says
44:21
the very
44:21
same.
44:22
I will never
44:23
leave you
44:24
nor forsake
44:26
you.
44:27
And in
44:27
closing,
44:27
let me put
44:28
that phrase
44:30
from Joshua
44:31
1.
44:31
5 in
44:32
its context
44:32
in Hebrews
44:33
13.
44:34
5.
44:35
Let's
44:35
know what
44:35
the writer
44:36
of Hebrews
44:36
says.
44:37
Keep your
44:37
life free
44:39
from love
44:40
of money.
44:41
He's talking
44:41
about a
44:42
particular form
44:43
of idolatry.
44:44
So read
44:44
that.
44:44
Keep your
44:44
life free
44:45
from idolatry
44:47
in this
44:48
particular
44:48
form and
44:49
be content
44:50
with what
44:50
you have,
44:52
who you
44:53
have.
44:53
I think
44:54
the writer
44:54
of Hebrews
44:54
could have
44:55
said with
44:55
who you
44:56
have.
44:57
For he
44:57
has said,
44:58
I will
44:59
never leave
44:59
you.
45:00
nor forsake
45:01
you.
45:01
Let's
45:02
pray together.