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The Gospel And Your Sorrow · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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This morning, we're taking a one week break from our exposition of the book of Hebrews to begin what we purpose to make a periodically presented series on the gospel and counseling.
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!
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We have much opportunity as a church of the living God to make him known in the world through the careful application of the gospel to the daily struggles of this life.
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Beloved, we have chance to walk through the world differently than others, that we might be able to speak to them of the hope that we have.
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This, of course, does not preclude gospel proclamation, but it should accompany it.
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It should give us a platform from which to speak the gospel truth.
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So today's sermon, as I very rarely do, but is entitled The Gospel and Your Sorrow.
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Each of us have and will experience sorrow in some measure in this life.
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Some of us have a greater propensity toward it than others, but it is inevitable that fallen people living in a fallen world will, from time to time,
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feel the weightiness of the reality in which we live.
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I hope two things for our time together this morning.
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First, that you will have a clear understanding of your personal sorrow and be better equipped to battle for your joy.
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I recognize that some of you might be feeling sorrowful even this morning.
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Some of you may not.
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If you are feeling sorrowful this morning, I hope this will be an aid to you.
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If you're not, I hope it will be a future aid to you.
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Secondly, that you will have a clear understanding of another's sorrow and be better equipped to battle for their joy.
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This is why the title of the gospel and your sorrow is applicable in either case, whether you're experiencing sorrow or someone else is experiencing sorrow.
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Beloved, we are instructed to love one another.
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And Paul tells us in Galatians chapter six and verse two, that if we love one another, we will bear one another's burdens.
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And in Romans chapter 12 and verse 15, we're instructed to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
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Now, I know that I could fake rejoicing.
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I think it's possible that I could put on the outward expression of rejoicing, although I don't think this is what Paul is instructing us to.
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But I can tell you this, that for me to weep with someone who is weeping means that I am going to experience their sorrow.
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I'm going to make their sorrow my sorrow because we are members of one another.
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We are to take on the joy of others and we are to take on the sorrow of others.
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If you are in relationship with other people and you are in any way modeling Christ likeness, you are going to be asked to give advice.
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People are going to ask you for help.
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They're asking you for counsel.
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You should aim to give biblical answers to spiritual problems.
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As a culture, we are a psychologized culture.
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We have lots of influence around us telling us the way that we should go.
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And too often when confronted with spiritual problems, we are quick to give the world's answers.
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Out of a genuine desire to be helpful, we are quick to give answers that are not ultimately and finally helpful at all.
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So we need to know how to give good counsel.
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Whether you consider yourself a counselor or not, you will give counsel in your life.
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So we are going to look this morning at Psalm 77.
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This is a psalm of Asaph, a songwriter.
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Some of my favorite psalms are psalms of Asaph.
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You will find within this psalm the Hebrew phrase, Salah.
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And we don't know exactly what this means.
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It's widely understood to be some kind of musical direction.
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Most agree it's probably meant to be a pause, an interlude.
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So imagine the lyre and the harp playing for a bit in that gap.
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And I'm telling you this simply to say I'm going to pause for a moment when you see that word.
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Before I begin reading in verse 1, let me remind you, beloved, 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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We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.
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In the day of my trouble, I seek the Lord.
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In the night, my hand is stretched out without wearying.
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My soul refuses to be comforted.
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When I remember God, I moan.
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When I meditate, my spirit faints.
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You hold my eyelids open.
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I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
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I consider the days of old, the years long ago.
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I said, let me remember my song in the night.
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Let me meditate in my heart.
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Then my spirit made a diligent search.
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Will the Lord spurn forever and never again be favorable?
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Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
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Are his promises at an end for all time?
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Has God forgotten to be gracious?
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Has he in anger shut up his compassion?
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Then I said, I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.
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I will remember the deeds of the Lord.
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Yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
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I will ponder all your work and meditate on your mighty deeds.
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Your way, O God, is holy.
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What God is great like our God?
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You are the God who works wonders.
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You have made known your might among the peoples.
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You, with your arm, redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.
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When the waters saw you, O God.
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When the waters saw you, they were afraid.
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Indeed, the deep trembled.
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The clouds poured out water.
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The skies gave forth thunder.
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Your arrows flashed on every side.
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The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind.
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Your lightnings lighted up the world.
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The earth trembled and shook.
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Your way was through the sea.
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Your path through the great waters.
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Yet your footprints were unseen.
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You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
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I would like to begin our study this morning
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by helping you see the commonality of sorrow
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in the life of our culture and of our church.
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I will tell you this morning,
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I personally struggle most with sorrow.
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This is the emotion I struggle most with.
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For some, they may be inclined to struggles with anxiety
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or struggles with anger.
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But for me, my greatest emotional struggle
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is with sorrow or depression.
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I emotionally find myself very often fighting for joy.
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Sorrow just seems to creep up on me.
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And I suddenly find myself feeling bummed out
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for no particular reason whatsoever.
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And I have to fight for joy.
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I think because of my great desire
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to see the proverbial glass filled to the very brim.
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I think I have a glass.
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Yep, I do have a glass.
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Unplanned illustration, right?
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I so want to see the glass filled to the brim,
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overflowing,
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that I focus far too much on the empty space.
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This glass is not half empty,
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but you get the point.
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And I neglect altogether
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all of the liquid in the glass.
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Just ignore the filled portion altogether.
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I'm very concerned about the space
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that exists in that spot.
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I think as I desire to see the kingdom of God
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come to pass in the world,
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I particularly feel the tensions
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of why we're not in that place.
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The weight of sin bears on me heavy.
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I am not alone in this.
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Depression is the single topic
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I give the most counsel for.
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Sometimes people don't know
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that's what they're coming to me for counsel for,
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but we find that they're finding themselves
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in a particular place of sorrow.
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Antidepressants, as a category of medication,
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are the number one prescribed medication in America.
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And I'm not currently commenting on the medication itself.
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I may not have time to this morning,
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but merely the rampancy of sorrow in our country.
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So many people who are seeking help
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because they are sad.
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Many of our church heroes struggled
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with what they most often called melancholy.
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As you read around,
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it's a deep sorrow.
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It's a besetting sorrow.
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It's what we would commonly call depression in our day.
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From Luther to Calvin to Spurgeon.
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Spurgeon once wrote,
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the mind can descend far lower than the body,
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for in it there are bottomless pits.
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The flesh can bear only a certain number of wounds
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and no more.
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But the soul can bleed in 10,000 ways
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and die over and over again each hour.
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And he was a man that experienced great anguish
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for reasons explained and for unexplained reasons.
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Sorrow is more common than I think
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that we would like to admit.
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We've become very accustomed
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to put on our Sunday best
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and deal with each other
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in a way that I like to call plastic.
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Fake.
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Because we feel a pressure to do so.
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I'm really grateful that many of you now
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on a Sunday morning,
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when I say,
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how are you doing?
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You'll say,
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not that great.
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And of course my impulse
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is that I want to help you.
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And so in the past,
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I haven't felt convenienced by that
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because I don't have time
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in that moment to help you.
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But I'm so glad for the honesty.
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And now if you ever say that to me,
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I'll say,
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well I am really glad you're here.
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Good place for you to be
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when you're not doing that great.
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And I'll be sure to follow up with you
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later.
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As a church maturing,
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right,
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growing up as a church,
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we noticed across time
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that our gatherings
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did not leave much space
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for sorrow.
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I particularly noted this
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when some members of our church
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lost an in utero baby,
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still born.
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And I preached the funeral
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of that baby.
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And I thought,
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how do I give comfort
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the following day?
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That Sunday morning.
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Will they come
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and will they join us?
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And will everything
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just be cheery and happy?
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Or will they feel like
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they've got a spot
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that we could grieve together
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through that process?
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And I think in many ways
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we've been working
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to rectify that.
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Some of that is expressed
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in the way we pray.
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Much of it is expressed
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in the songs
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that we sing.
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We should be very thankful
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for old saints
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who wrote
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five verse hymns.
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If you only ever sing
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the first,
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the second,
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and the fifth,
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you miss the couple of verses
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that are about this life.
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And the trouble
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of this life.
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You begin to pay attention
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to many of the songs
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we sing.
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I know they begin
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to feel long,
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but it's expressing
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the totality
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of the Christian experience.
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Right?
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Being both called
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and justified
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and then sanctified
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growing up in Christ-likeness
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in this world
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and then finally
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fully glorified.
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But we still have work
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to do
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in this area.
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We will not be able
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to answer
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all of the possible
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questions
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that will arise
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this morning.
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There's just not enough
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time for it.
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But as we consider
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how to love each other
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well through sorrow,
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I hope
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that our study
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will at least
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get us started.
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We'll skip a stone
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off the surface
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that we might continue
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to study
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and learn
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together
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about what it means
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for us as a church
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to weep
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with those who weep.
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So my outline
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this morning
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is simple.
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It has three points.
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I'm going to give them
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to you before I begin
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speaking about the first one.
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Number one,
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the Bible
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affirms
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sorrow
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as normative.
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The Bible
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affirms
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sorrow
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as normative.
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Second,
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the Bible
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gives us
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language
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for our sorrow.
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The Bible
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gives us
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language
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for our sorrow.
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The glass
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is less full
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now.
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number three,
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the Bible
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gives us
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relief
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from our sorrow.
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Number one,
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the Bible
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affirms
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sorrow
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as normative.
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This morning
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we have
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opened before us
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a song
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of
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lament.
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In fact,
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over a third
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of the Bible's
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inspired songbook
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is made up
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of such psalms.
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Over a third
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of the psalms
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are psalms
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of
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lament.
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And,
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there's an entire book
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called the book
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of
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lamentations.
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In a new book
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I will come in to you
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by Mark
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Vrogop,
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I think I'm pronouncing
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that correct,
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entitled
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Dark Clouds
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Deep Mercy.
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He defines
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lament
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this way.
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Lament
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is the
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honest cry
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of a hurting
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heart
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wrestling
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with the
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paradox
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of pain
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and the
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promise
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of God's
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goodness.
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Lament
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is what
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we do
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with
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this gap
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that's
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experienced
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between
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what's going
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on in our
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lives when
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we're hurting
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and in the
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full and
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final promises
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of God
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to be good
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to his
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people.
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It's that
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stretching,
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it's that
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pulling
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in between.
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The
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biblical
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authors
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felt
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that
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gap
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between
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the
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way
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things
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were
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for
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them
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and
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the
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way
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they
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thought
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they
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ought
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to
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be.
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Our
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Lord
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and
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Savior
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is said
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to be
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a man
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of
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suffering
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and
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acquainted
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with
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grief,
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sorrow.
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In
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Isaiah
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chapter 53
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in verse
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3.
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When
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Jesus
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sees
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the sorrow
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of
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Lazarus'
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sister
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at his
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passing,
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John
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11
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35
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tells us
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Jesus
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wept.
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He was
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not
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disconnected
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from
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that
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gap.
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If there
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was ever
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a man
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who could
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realize
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the good
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promises
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of God
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as he
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was the
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fulfillment
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of God's
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promises,
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it was
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Jesus.
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In the
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case of
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Lazarus,
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he knew
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full well
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that he
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was about
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to raise
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him
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from
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the
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dead,
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but he
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felt
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the pain
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of a
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world
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that is
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not
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as it
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should
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be.
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A world
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being
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restored,
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but not
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yet
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restored.
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Now we
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must be
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careful at
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this point
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because just
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because sorrow
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is shown
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as normative
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in the
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scripture
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does not
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make all
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sorrow
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okay.
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Some
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sorrow
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is
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sinful
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sorrow.
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Not all
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sorrow is
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sin,
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but it
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can be
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caused
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by sin,
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it can
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produce
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sin,
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and it
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itself
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can be
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sinful.
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It can
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be entirely
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devoid
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of faith.
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Sorrow
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can be
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caused
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by
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physical
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ailment.
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You may
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be
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hurt,
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being
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hurt
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is
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painful,
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and pain
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typically
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causes
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people to
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be sad.
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I don't
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know a lot
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of people
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with serious
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injury that
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are joyful
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over the
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injury
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itself.
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Some
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of you
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may deal
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with chronic
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and ongoing
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physical
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pain.
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You
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hurt in
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really deep
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ways,
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and it
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causes
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a sadness
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as a
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result.
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Sorrow
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can be
19:35
caused
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by
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physical
19:37
ailment
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of
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the
19:39
mind.
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It would
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be silly
19:41
for us
19:42
to think
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that while
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our bodies
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are affected
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by
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the fall,
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that sin
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runs rampant
19:50
in our
19:51
flesh,
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I have
19:52
type 1
19:52
diabetes
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because
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of the
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fall
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of man,
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but that
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the gray
19:56
matter
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encased
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in bone
19:58
in our
19:58
head
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wouldn't
19:59
also be
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affected
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in some
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way
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by the
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fall.
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It's
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very
20:04
difficult
20:04
to
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understand
20:05
these
20:05
things
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because
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the mind
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is encased
20:07
in bone.
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It's
20:08
difficult
20:08
to study
20:09
the way
20:10
other
20:10
organs
20:11
have been
20:12
studied.
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But it's
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very possible
20:15
for someone,
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probably this
20:18
is over
20:18
diagnosed,
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but to
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experience
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a physical
20:22
ailment
20:22
that
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tends
20:23
them
20:24
toward
20:24
sadness.
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Sorrow
20:28
can also
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be
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circumstantial.
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The loss
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of a
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loved
20:33
one,
20:33
diagnosis,
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the loss
20:35
of a
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job,
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relationships
20:37
that are
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severed,
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all kinds
20:40
of reasons
20:40
that in
20:41
this world
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we will
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look out
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and feel
20:44
sorrowful,
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look out
20:47
at injustices
20:48
in the
20:49
world.
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Some of
20:50
the psalms
20:50
of lament,
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many of
20:51
them are
20:51
about that.
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Look at
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how others
20:55
are doing.
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Psalm 73
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Asaph
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writes,
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how well
20:59
the wicked
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are doing
21:00
and look
21:01
how poorly
21:02
I'm doing.
21:03
This seems
21:04
unfair.
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And it
21:07
causes him
21:08
grief until
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he goes
21:09
to the
21:11
Lord.
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Sorrow
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can be
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circumstantial.
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Sorrow
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can be
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spiritual.
21:19
Have that
21:19
emotional
21:20
root
21:21
within us.
21:23
Sadness
21:24
that we
21:24
can't quite
21:25
put our
21:26
finger
21:27
on.
21:28
And sorrow
21:29
can and
21:29
likely is
21:31
a mixture
21:32
of all
21:33
three.
21:35
And so as
21:35
you're trying
21:35
to sort
21:36
out your
21:36
own sadness
21:37
or trying
21:37
to help
21:38
somebody else
21:39
sort out
21:39
theirs,
21:41
it is one
21:41
of the
21:42
most
21:42
complicated
21:44
works
21:45
to do.
21:47
And if
21:47
you've
21:47
ever sat
21:47
with somebody
21:48
who is
21:49
sorrowful,
21:50
they don't
21:51
tend to
21:52
want to
21:52
talk very
21:53
much.
21:54
It's a
21:55
great
21:55
challenge to
21:56
help sort
21:57
through the
21:57
complexities
21:58
of besetting
22:00
sadness.
22:02
sadness.
22:03
Now because
22:04
we tend
22:04
to use
22:05
the word
22:05
depression
22:05
and we
22:06
use it
22:07
fairly often
22:07
in our
22:08
day,
22:09
I want to
22:10
define
22:10
depression
22:10
and this
22:11
is my
22:11
definition
22:12
of
22:12
depression.
22:14
I like to
22:15
speak of
22:15
depression in
22:16
this way
22:17
as
22:17
disproportionate
22:19
sorrow.
22:20
sorrow.
22:21
So if
22:22
you were
22:22
to lose
22:23
a loved
22:23
one,
22:24
it is
22:25
good for
22:25
you to
22:26
grieve that
22:26
loss.
22:27
It's
22:27
proper for
22:28
you to
22:28
go through
22:29
a process
22:30
of being
22:31
sad about
22:33
someone you
22:33
cared about
22:34
being taken
22:34
out of
22:35
your life.
22:37
But there's
22:38
a point at
22:38
which it's
22:39
reasonable to
22:40
be recovering
22:41
from that
22:42
sadness,
22:43
to be moving
22:43
on from
22:44
that sadness.
22:46
We enter
22:47
into a
22:47
depression when
22:48
it becomes
22:49
disproportionate.
22:50
It's not
22:51
in proper
22:51
measure to
22:53
the thing
22:54
that has
22:54
happened.
22:55
It's
22:55
irrational
22:56
sorrow.
22:59
And this
22:59
is another
23:00
great challenge
23:01
of helping
23:01
yourself and
23:02
helping others.
23:04
You don't
23:04
really quite
23:05
know why.
23:07
It's hard
23:08
to put my
23:08
finger on
23:09
why.
23:12
Sam has
23:12
learned how
23:12
to very
23:13
graciously love
23:14
me as I'm
23:15
sad at
23:16
times.
23:18
And more
23:19
than I like
23:20
to admit,
23:21
I'll come
23:21
home and
23:22
I'm just
23:22
sad.
23:23
I have no
23:24
real reason
23:25
to be.
23:25
I like
23:26
coming home.
23:27
I really
23:27
enjoy my
23:28
family.
23:29
The weight
23:29
of the day
23:30
carries with
23:31
me.
23:32
I just
23:33
say,
23:33
are you
23:33
okay?
23:34
And I
23:35
go,
23:35
no,
23:36
but I
23:37
don't know
23:37
why.
23:38
And she's
23:39
learned to
23:39
give me a
23:39
little bit
23:39
of space
23:40
because
23:40
typically I
23:41
can reason
23:41
myself to
23:43
why.
23:44
Oh,
23:44
I know
23:45
why.
23:45
I know
23:46
why.
23:46
And I
23:46
know the
23:47
promises of
23:47
God that
23:48
combat this
23:49
sadness in
23:50
me.
23:51
And I
23:51
can turn
23:51
that sadness
23:52
then by
23:52
God's grace
23:53
into joy.
23:56
So,
23:56
but again,
23:58
not all
23:59
sorrow is
23:59
sin,
24:00
but it
24:00
can be
24:00
caused by
24:01
it,
24:01
it can
24:02
produce it,
24:02
and it
24:03
can be
24:04
itself
24:05
sinful,
24:07
faithless,
24:08
unwilling to
24:10
think about
24:10
the promises
24:11
and believe
24:11
the promises
24:12
of God
24:13
for us.
24:14
Let me
24:15
show you
24:15
an example
24:16
of what I
24:16
mean by
24:16
sinful sorrow
24:18
before we
24:18
proceed.
24:19
So turn
24:19
with me
24:20
to Mark
24:20
Psalm 77,
24:22
turn with
24:22
me to
24:23
Genesis
24:23
chapter 4.
24:38
This is a
24:39
story you're
24:39
probably familiar
24:40
with,
24:40
Cain and
24:40
Abel,
24:41
but likely
24:42
have not
24:43
seen it
24:43
in this
24:45
light.
24:47
Beginning
24:48
number 1,
24:48
now Adam
24:49
knew Eve
24:50
his wife,
24:51
and she
24:51
conceived
24:52
and bore
24:52
Cain,
24:53
saying,
24:53
I have
24:53
gotten a
24:54
man with
24:54
the help
24:55
of the
24:55
Lord.
24:56
And again
24:57
she bore
24:57
his brother
24:57
Abel.
24:58
Now Abel
24:59
was a
24:59
keeper of
25:00
sheep,
25:00
and Cain
25:00
a worker
25:01
of the
25:02
ground.
25:03
In the
25:03
course of
25:04
time,
25:04
Cain
25:05
brought to
25:05
the Lord
25:05
an offering
25:06
of the
25:06
fruit of
25:06
the ground.
25:08
And Abel
25:08
also brought
25:09
of the
25:10
firstborn
25:10
of his
25:11
flock,
25:11
and of
25:12
their fat
25:13
portions.
25:14
And the
25:15
Lord had
25:15
regard for
25:16
Abel and
25:16
his offering,
25:17
but for
25:18
Cain and
25:18
his offering,
25:20
he had
25:20
no regard.
25:22
Now listen,
25:23
this is not
25:23
just an
25:23
unfair judgment
25:24
on God's
25:25
part.
25:26
Notice the
25:26
text gives
25:27
us some
25:27
very specifics
25:28
about what
25:28
Abel did.
25:30
He brought
25:30
the firstborn
25:31
and he brought
25:33
the fat
25:33
portions.
25:35
It was a
25:35
sacrificial
25:36
sacrifice.
25:38
He understood
25:39
the way
25:40
in which
25:40
he was
25:41
meant to
25:41
devote
25:42
his
25:43
trade
25:43
to
25:44
the
25:44
worship
25:45
of
25:46
God.
25:46
Notice
25:47
that Cain
25:47
just brought
25:48
to the
25:49
Lord
25:49
an offering
25:50
of the
25:51
fruit of
25:52
the ground.
25:52
It's just
25:53
an offering.
25:54
It's not
25:54
the firstborn
25:55
and the
25:55
fat
25:56
portions
25:57
as Abel's
25:58
won.
25:59
And we
26:00
know God
26:00
is good
26:01
and righteous
26:02
in his
26:03
judgment.
26:04
He has
26:04
no regard
26:05
for Cain's
26:06
offering.
26:07
It was
26:07
an
26:08
unacceptable
26:09
offering.
26:10
It wasn't
26:11
an appropriate
26:12
offering.
26:14
Cain had
26:14
not done
26:14
well in
26:15
regard to
26:16
his worship
26:16
to God.
26:17
And then
26:17
it says
26:18
what was
26:19
his response?
26:20
God not
26:21
regarding it,
26:21
not Lord,
26:23
how then
26:23
will you
26:24
regard my
26:24
offering?
26:25
I would
26:26
like to
26:26
please you
26:27
with my
26:28
offering.
26:28
Can you
26:28
help me?
26:29
Correct me
26:30
that I might
26:31
please you.
26:31
Instead,
26:32
what does
26:32
Cain do?
26:33
He was
26:33
very angry.
26:35
And his
26:36
face fell.
26:39
Which is a
26:40
common Hebrew
26:40
expression for
26:41
he was
26:42
deeply
26:43
saddened.
26:44
His face
26:45
fell.
26:48
So all of
26:48
that was
26:49
an unacceptable
26:50
emotional
26:52
response.
26:53
He did
26:54
not respond
26:55
righteously.
26:56
He responded
26:56
in sin.
26:59
Verse 6,
27:00
the Lord
27:01
said to
27:01
Cain,
27:02
God's
27:03
great kindness
27:04
to Cain,
27:05
Cain
27:06
angrily
27:07
shook his
27:08
fist at
27:08
the Lord
27:09
for not
27:10
accepting his
27:10
unacceptable
27:11
sacrifice.
27:12
The Lord
27:13
says to
27:13
Cain,
27:13
why are
27:14
you angry?
27:15
And why
27:16
has your
27:16
face
27:17
fallen?
27:19
If you
27:19
do well,
27:21
will you
27:21
not be
27:22
accepted?
27:23
If you
27:24
do well,
27:25
will you
27:25
not be
27:26
accepted?
27:27
And if
27:27
you do
27:27
not do
27:28
well,
27:29
sin is
27:30
crouching at
27:30
the door.
27:31
Its desire
27:32
is contrary
27:33
to you,
27:33
but you
27:34
must rule
27:35
over it.
27:37
So it
27:38
gives him
27:38
correction,
27:39
loving
27:39
correction.
27:41
What does
27:42
Cain do?
27:43
Cain spoke
27:44
to Abel,
27:44
his brother,
27:45
and when
27:46
they were
27:46
in the
27:46
field,
27:47
Cain rose
27:48
up against
27:48
his brother
27:49
Abel and
27:51
killed him.
27:52
An
27:53
unacceptable
27:53
physical
27:55
response.
27:56
You see
27:56
the downward
27:57
spiral that's
27:58
happening in
27:59
Cain's
27:59
life,
28:00
right?
28:01
Presents an
28:01
unacceptable
28:01
offering.
28:02
He has
28:03
an
28:03
unacceptable
28:03
emotional
28:04
response to
28:05
God not
28:06
receiving it.
28:07
God corrects
28:08
him,
28:08
and what
28:08
does he
28:09
do?
28:09
He goes
28:10
and commits
28:11
an unacceptable
28:11
physical
28:13
crime against
28:14
his brother.
28:15
Then the
28:16
Lord said
28:16
to Cain,
28:18
where is
28:19
Abel,
28:20
your brother?
28:21
And Cain
28:22
said,
28:22
I do not
28:23
know.
28:24
Am I
28:24
my brother's
28:25
keeper?
28:27
And the
28:27
spiral goes
28:28
deeper,
28:28
as now
28:29
he
28:29
unacceptably
28:31
responds to
28:32
God verbally
28:33
with a
28:35
lie.
28:36
And if you
28:36
read on in
28:36
the text,
28:37
he's judged
28:38
for this.
28:40
So this is
28:41
an example
28:42
of sorrow.
28:43
His face
28:43
falls.
28:44
Things didn't
28:44
go the way
28:45
he wanted
28:45
them to
28:45
go.
28:46
His face
28:47
falls,
28:48
and it
28:48
leads him
28:48
into
28:48
furthering
28:49
and furthering
28:50
sin.
28:52
sorrow.
28:53
Now in
28:54
our text,
28:55
we can
28:56
see
28:56
faithful
28:58
sorrow.
29:00
And catch
29:00
this very
29:01
carefully.
29:01
There is a
29:02
complaint.
29:03
I get
29:04
uncomfortable
29:04
when I
29:05
read Psalms
29:05
of Lament.
29:07
I think
29:08
you should
29:08
go,
29:09
whoa,
29:10
you're asking
29:10
these kinds
29:11
of questions?
29:12
But it's
29:13
really important
29:14
for us to
29:14
note that
29:15
Asaph
29:15
goes to
29:18
God.
29:19
He has a
29:19
complaint against
29:20
God.
29:21
He feels
29:22
as if
29:22
God is
29:23
not there,
29:24
but he
29:24
goes to
29:25
God in
29:26
faith.
29:27
That's what
29:27
he's going
29:27
to say.
29:28
I cry
29:28
aloud to
29:29
God,
29:29
aloud to
29:30
God,
29:30
and he
29:31
will hear
29:32
me.
29:34
He has
29:34
faith in
29:35
the fact
29:35
that God
29:35
will in
29:36
fact hear
29:36
his
29:36
complaint
29:37
against
29:39
him.
29:40
In the
29:41
day of
29:41
my trouble,
29:42
I seek
29:43
the Lord.
29:46
In the
29:47
night,
29:47
my hand
29:47
is stretched
29:48
out without
29:49
wearying.
29:49
What he's
29:50
saying is I'm
29:50
constantly,
29:51
I'm constantly
29:52
reaching out.
29:53
I'm constantly
29:54
trying to have
29:55
my complaint
29:56
heard by
29:56
God,
29:57
but my
29:59
soul
29:59
refuses
30:00
to be
30:02
comforted.
30:03
When I
30:04
remember God,
30:05
I moan.
30:06
When I
30:06
meditate,
30:07
he's talking
30:07
about on the
30:07
truth of
30:08
God,
30:08
my spirit
30:09
faints.
30:12
We do
30:13
not know
30:13
the circumstance
30:14
of Asaph's
30:15
sorrow,
30:16
but we
30:18
do know
30:19
that it
30:20
goes to
30:20
God.
30:21
It takes
30:22
faith to
30:24
turn to
30:24
God in
30:26
our anguish.
30:27
It's the
30:28
place we
30:28
most need
30:30
to be
30:31
when we
30:32
feel this
30:33
gap in
30:33
which we
30:34
live in
30:35
the world.
30:35
So the
30:36
Bible
30:36
affirms
30:37
sorrow
30:38
as normative.
30:40
We're going
30:40
to experience
30:41
this in
30:42
our life.
30:44
There is
30:44
an unhealthy
30:45
way to
30:45
deal with
30:46
it,
30:46
and there
30:46
is a
30:47
healthy
30:47
way to
30:48
deal with
30:49
it.
30:49
And that
30:50
starts with
30:50
language.
30:51
So secondly,
30:51
the Bible
30:52
gives us
30:52
language for
30:54
our sorrow.
30:57
The Bible
30:58
teaches us
30:58
how to
30:58
properly
30:59
issue a
31:00
faithful
31:01
complaint
31:01
to God.
31:03
We do
31:04
not have
31:05
to learn
31:06
how to
31:07
complain.
31:08
We're all
31:09
pretty naturally
31:09
good at
31:10
complaining.
31:12
Again,
31:13
some of us
31:13
better than
31:14
others.
31:16
It's
31:16
hardwired
31:17
into us.
31:18
We know
31:18
how to
31:20
complain.
31:22
Babies
31:22
know how
31:23
to cry.
31:24
It doesn't
31:25
take them
31:25
long.
31:26
If all
31:26
is well
31:27
in the
31:28
delivery
31:28
room,
31:29
they start
31:29
complaining
31:30
right away.
31:31
They say,
31:32
what have
31:33
you done
31:33
to me?
31:36
And they're
31:36
right to
31:37
do so.
31:38
It's
31:39
traumatic.
31:40
They don't
31:40
have to
31:41
learn how
31:42
to cry.
31:44
Toddlers
31:44
do not
31:44
have to
31:45
learn how
31:45
to be
31:45
whiny.
31:47
Later in
31:48
the book
31:48
I mentioned
31:49
earlier,
31:49
Dark Clouds,
31:50
Deep Mercy,
31:51
Mark Rogop
31:51
writes,
31:52
to cry
31:53
is human,
31:54
to lament
31:55
is Christian.
31:59
God
31:59
teaches us
32:00
how to
32:00
faithfully
32:01
complain in
32:02
the midst
32:02
of our
32:03
sorrow.
32:03
He gives
32:04
us a
32:05
language
32:06
for it.
32:07
He
32:08
models it
32:09
out for
32:09
us
32:09
through the
32:10
inspired
32:10
word of
32:11
God.
32:12
Various
32:13
circumstances,
32:14
various
32:14
writers
32:15
issuing
32:15
faithful
32:16
complaints
32:17
to him.
32:20
Have these
32:21
psalms ever
32:21
made you
32:22
uncomfortable?
32:22
Have you ever
32:23
wondered,
32:23
like,
32:23
what in the
32:24
world do I
32:24
do with
32:25
this?
32:26
This
32:27
seems so
32:28
against,
32:29
so set
32:29
against
32:30
God.
32:32
What we
32:32
need to do
32:33
with them
32:33
is learn
32:35
from them.
32:37
We need
32:37
to recognize
32:38
that God
32:39
is capable
32:40
of handling
32:41
your hard
32:43
questions.
32:45
If you
32:46
ask me
32:46
these kinds
32:47
of questions,
32:47
I might
32:47
crumble
32:48
into a
32:49
ball.
32:50
God
32:50
can handle
32:51
difficult
32:53
questions.
32:55
And Asaph
32:56
asks some
32:57
difficult
32:57
questions.
32:59
I don't
33:00
think he's
33:00
being rhetorical.
33:03
I try
33:03
to read
33:04
it in
33:04
that way.
33:04
You
33:04
might be
33:05
going,
33:05
wait a
33:05
second.
33:06
These
33:06
are all
33:06
rhetorical
33:07
questions.
33:07
I don't
33:08
think so
33:08
because in
33:09
verse 10
33:09
he says,
33:10
then I
33:11
said,
33:12
right?
33:13
If we
33:13
understand the
33:14
Hebrew word
33:14
salah,
33:15
right,
33:16
there's this
33:16
break there
33:17
and then
33:18
there's a
33:18
turn in
33:19
verse 10
33:20
when he
33:20
says,
33:20
then I
33:21
said,
33:24
right?
33:24
And this
33:24
is the
33:25
pattern
33:25
throughout
33:25
these
33:26
psalms of
33:26
lament,
33:27
right?
33:27
Difficult
33:28
questions asked,
33:29
complaints
33:30
issued,
33:31
and then
33:32
remembering
33:33
then
33:34
responses
33:35
to
33:35
those
33:37
complaints.
33:38
So listen
33:39
again to
33:39
what he
33:40
says,
33:40
verse 4
33:41
and following.
33:42
You hold
33:43
my eyelids
33:44
open.
33:45
I am so
33:45
troubled that
33:46
I cannot
33:46
speak,
33:47
right?
33:47
He cannot
33:47
sleep and
33:49
he cannot
33:49
speak.
33:50
speak.
33:51
I consider
33:51
the days
33:52
of old,
33:53
the years
33:53
long ago.
33:55
I said,
33:55
let me
33:56
remember my
33:56
song in
33:57
the night.
33:58
Let me
33:58
meditate in
33:59
my heart.
34:01
Then my
34:02
spirit made
34:02
a diligent
34:03
search,
34:04
right?
34:04
Read this,
34:05
he's troubled,
34:06
right?
34:06
He wants
34:07
the restored
34:08
song,
34:10
right?
34:11
And so
34:11
he's searching
34:11
for it.
34:12
He's trying
34:13
to sort
34:13
out this
34:14
emotion that
34:15
he's feeling
34:15
so deeply.
34:17
And he
34:18
asked the
34:18
questions,
34:19
will the
34:19
Lord spurn
34:20
forever and
34:21
never again
34:22
be favorable?
34:24
That's how he
34:24
feels in that
34:25
moment.
34:26
God has
34:26
just left
34:27
him,
34:27
he has
34:27
abandoned
34:28
him,
34:29
is the
34:29
emotion he's
34:30
expressing.
34:31
Has his
34:31
steadfast
34:32
love
34:33
forever
34:34
ceased?
34:35
This would
34:36
be your
34:36
strongest
34:36
argument that
34:37
he's being
34:37
rhetorical,
34:38
right?
34:39
The language
34:40
steadfast
34:41
love
34:41
ceased.
34:42
Has his
34:42
steadfast
34:43
love
34:44
ceased?
34:45
Are his
34:47
promises at
34:48
an end
34:48
for all
34:49
time?
34:51
Has God
34:51
forgotten
34:52
to be
34:53
gracious?
34:55
Has he
34:55
in anger
34:56
shut up
34:57
his
34:57
compassion?
35:01
Beloved,
35:01
it's okay
35:02
to ask
35:04
hard
35:04
questions.
35:05
It's okay
35:06
in faith
35:07
to cry
35:08
out to
35:08
God,
35:09
where are
35:10
you?
35:11
What is
35:12
going on?
35:13
This isn't
35:14
how things
35:14
are supposed
35:15
to be.
35:18
The Bible
35:19
affirms
35:20
sorrow
35:21
is normative.
35:22
The Bible
35:22
gives us
35:23
language
35:23
for our
35:25
sorrow.
35:26
It invites
35:27
us
35:27
to hurt,
35:29
but to
35:30
hurt in
35:30
God's
35:31
presence.
35:34
And thirdly,
35:34
the Bible
35:34
gives us
35:35
relief
35:36
from our
35:37
sorrow.
35:38
The Bible
35:38
gives us
35:39
relief
35:39
from our
35:41
sorrow.
35:41
sorrow.
35:43
There's
35:44
some sub
35:44
points here.
35:45
Number one,
35:45
through
35:46
remembering
35:47
what God
35:48
has done.
35:49
The Bible
35:50
gives us
35:50
relief from
35:51
our sorrow
35:51
through
35:51
remembering
35:52
what God
35:53
has done.
35:54
There's a
35:54
turn now,
35:55
right?
35:55
Verse 10,
35:56
Asaph says,
35:57
then I
35:58
said,
35:59
I will
36:00
appeal to
36:01
this,
36:01
to the
36:02
years of
36:03
the right
36:03
hand of
36:04
the Most
36:05
High.
36:07
He's going
36:07
to remember
36:08
God's
36:09
powerful
36:10
work.
36:11
His right
36:11
hand represents
36:12
his sovereignty.
36:15
He says,
36:15
verse 11,
36:16
I will
36:16
remember
36:16
the deeds
36:17
of the
36:17
Lord.
36:18
Yes,
36:18
I will
36:18
remember
36:19
your
36:20
wonders
36:20
of
36:21
old.
36:22
He's
36:22
speaking
36:22
very
36:23
generally
36:23
and
36:23
generically.
36:24
He's
36:24
remembering
36:24
all of
36:25
the
36:25
things
36:25
that
36:25
God
36:26
has
36:26
done
36:26
for
36:27
his
36:27
people
36:28
and
36:28
for
36:28
him.
36:30
Verse 12,
36:30
I will
36:31
ponder
36:31
all your
36:32
work
36:32
and
36:33
meditate
36:33
on
36:34
your
36:34
mighty
36:35
deeds.
36:35
Right?
36:36
Not
36:36
just have
36:37
them told
36:38
to me,
36:38
but I'm
36:39
going to
36:39
roll
36:39
them
36:39
around.
36:40
Right?
36:40
I'm
36:41
going to
36:41
let them
36:41
sink
36:41
deep
36:42
within
36:43
me.
36:44
And
36:46
your
36:46
way,
36:47
O
36:47
God,
36:47
is
36:48
holy,
36:49
perfect,
36:50
set
36:51
apart.
36:51
What
36:52
God
36:52
is
36:52
great
36:53
like
36:53
our
36:54
God?
36:56
You
36:57
are the
36:57
God
36:57
who
36:57
works
36:58
wonders.
36:59
You
36:59
have
36:59
made
36:59
known
37:00
your
37:00
might
37:00
among
37:01
the
37:01
peoples.
37:02
You
37:03
with
37:03
your
37:03
arm
37:04
redeemed
37:04
your
37:05
people,
37:06
the
37:06
children
37:06
of
37:07
Jacob
37:08
and
37:08
Joseph.
37:10
He
37:10
turns
37:11
now
37:11
to
37:12
praise
37:13
for
37:14
who
37:14
God
37:14
is
37:15
because
37:15
of
37:15
what
37:16
God
37:16
has
37:17
done.
37:19
And
37:19
I
37:19
don't
37:19
think
37:20
when we
37:20
read
37:20
these
37:21
Psalms
37:21
of
37:21
lament
37:22
that
37:23
we
37:23
should
37:23
be
37:23
reading
37:23
them
37:24
in
37:24
real
37:24
time.
37:25
I
37:26
don't
37:26
think
37:26
that
37:26
we
37:26
should
37:26
read
37:26
them
37:27
and
37:27
feel
37:27
like
37:28
Asaph
37:28
went
37:29
through
37:29
an
37:29
emotional
37:30
process
37:30
that
37:31
took
37:31
all
37:32
of
37:32
40
37:33
seconds.
37:36
These
37:36
are
37:36
songs
37:37
written
37:37
in
37:38
retrospect
37:38
of a
37:40
time
37:40
in
37:40
his
37:40
life.
37:41
Was
37:42
it
37:42
days?
37:43
Was
37:43
it
37:43
weeks?
37:44
I
37:44
don't
37:44
know.
37:45
But
37:46
there
37:46
seems
37:47
to be
37:47
a
37:47
deep
37:48
anguish
37:49
when we
37:49
read
37:49
the
37:50
Psalms
37:50
of
37:51
lament.
37:52
Not
37:52
a
37:53
I'm
37:54
feeling
37:54
bummed
37:55
about
37:55
that.
37:55
Well,
37:56
God's
37:56
promises
37:56
are
37:56
good.
37:57
There are
37:58
nights
37:59
spent
38:00
awake.
38:01
there
38:02
there is
38:02
a
38:03
pouring
38:03
out
38:04
that
38:04
seems
38:05
to be
38:05
expressed
38:06
in
38:06
these
38:06
psalms
38:07
of
38:08
lament.
38:10
Sometimes
38:10
finding
38:13
yourself
38:14
turning in
38:15
faith to
38:15
God and
38:16
coming
38:16
through
38:17
times of
38:17
sorrow
38:18
takes
38:19
great
38:19
patience
38:20
and it
38:20
takes
38:21
repetition
38:21
meditating
38:23
on
38:24
and being
38:25
reminded of
38:26
over and
38:27
over and
38:28
over again
38:29
of God's
38:30
goodness
38:30
to you.
38:32
The
38:32
surety of
38:33
his
38:34
promises.
38:36
Beloved,
38:37
this is at
38:37
least a
38:38
reason you
38:39
should come
38:39
and fellowship
38:40
with the
38:40
church each
38:41
and every
38:42
Lord's
38:42
day.
38:43
You're
38:43
slow
38:44
learners
38:44
and quick
38:44
to forget
38:46
to be
38:46
reminded
38:47
again
38:48
and again
38:49
and again.
38:51
An
38:51
expression
38:52
of this
38:52
is Psalm
38:53
88.
38:56
And I
38:56
don't really
38:57
like Psalm
38:57
88.
38:58
I'll be
38:58
honest.
38:59
I think
39:00
I like
39:01
the lesson
39:01
it teaches
39:02
me.
39:02
It makes
39:03
me so
39:03
uncomfortable.
39:07
The other
39:08
Psalms of
39:08
lament end
39:09
on a
39:09
positive
39:09
note.
39:10
This one
39:10
does not.
39:13
I'm going
39:13
to read
39:14
the first
39:15
six verses
39:16
and then
39:16
I'll jump
39:16
down and
39:17
I'll tell
39:17
you where
39:17
it would
39:17
go if
39:19
you'd like
39:19
to follow
39:19
along.
39:22
The
39:22
psalmist
39:22
here writes,
39:23
I think it's
39:23
the son of
39:24
Korah if I
39:24
remember
39:25
correctly.
39:26
Oh Lord
39:26
God of my
39:27
salvation,
39:28
I cry
39:29
out day
39:29
and night
39:30
before you.
39:31
So here we
39:31
are.
39:31
There's
39:31
days going
39:32
by.
39:33
Let my
39:34
prayer come
39:35
before you
39:35
incline your
39:36
ear to my
39:37
cry for my
39:39
soul is full
39:40
of troubles
39:40
and my life
39:41
draws near
39:42
to shield.
39:43
I am counted
39:44
among those
39:45
who go down
39:46
to the pit.
39:47
I am a
39:48
man who
39:48
has no
39:49
strength like
39:50
one set
39:51
loose among
39:52
the dead,
39:52
like the
39:53
slain that
39:54
lie in the
39:55
grave,
39:55
like those
39:56
whom you
39:57
remember no
39:58
more for
39:59
they are cut
39:59
off from
40:00
your hand.
40:02
You have
40:03
put me in
40:03
the depths
40:04
of the pit
40:05
in the
40:06
regions dark
40:07
and deep.
40:09
Oh, what an
40:11
expression of
40:12
anguish this
40:14
man is
40:15
feeling.
40:16
And if this
40:17
was following
40:18
the normal
40:18
pattern, at
40:19
some place in
40:20
here he would
40:20
say, but
40:21
you, oh
40:22
Lord, then
40:23
I recalled.
40:26
But he never
40:27
does that in
40:28
this psalm.
40:29
And you'll
40:29
see how it
40:30
ends beginning
40:31
in verse 14
40:32
to the end.
40:33
Oh, Lord,
40:35
why do you
40:36
cast my
40:36
soul away?
40:37
Why do you
40:38
hide your
40:38
face from
40:39
me?
40:40
Afflicted
40:40
and close to
40:41
death from
40:42
my youth up,
40:43
I suffer your
40:44
tears.
40:45
I am helpless.
40:47
Your wrath
40:47
has swept over
40:48
me.
40:48
Your dreadful
40:49
assaults destroy
40:51
me.
40:51
They surround
40:52
me like a
40:53
flood all day
40:54
long.
40:54
They close in
40:55
on me together.
40:57
You have
40:57
caused my
40:59
beloved and
41:00
my friend to
41:01
shun me.
41:03
My companion
41:03
have become
41:05
darkness or
41:07
darkness is
41:09
my only
41:09
companion.
41:12
And it
41:13
ends.
41:15
And I
41:16
want the
41:17
textual critics
41:17
to find the
41:18
text that
41:18
goes, we
41:20
found the
41:20
last three
41:21
verses of
41:21
Psalm 88.
41:25
But it
41:26
ends at
41:27
that point.
41:29
And that
41:30
does not
41:30
mean that
41:31
there's not
41:31
relief for
41:32
our sorrow,
41:32
but it
41:32
does mean
41:33
this is the
41:34
lesson that
41:35
I hope
41:35
to learn
41:37
that we
41:39
need to be
41:39
patient and
41:41
we need to
41:41
rely upon
41:42
the Lord
41:43
that he
41:43
will deliver
41:44
us from
41:46
sorrow.
41:48
Second, the
41:49
Bible gives us
41:49
relief from our
41:50
sorrow through
41:51
being reminded of
41:52
what God has
41:53
done.
41:54
So we're
41:55
meant to
41:56
remember, but
41:56
sometimes we
41:57
need to be
41:58
reminded.
41:59
The great
42:00
preacher, Dr.
42:01
Martin Lloyd-Jones
42:01
once said, we
42:02
need to stop
42:02
listening to
42:03
ourselves and
42:04
start talking
42:05
to ourselves,
42:06
reminding ourselves
42:07
of great truths.
42:08
And I would
42:08
like to add to
42:09
that, and we
42:09
need others to
42:10
talk to us,
42:12
to tell us
42:14
important truths
42:16
that will draw
42:17
us from a
42:18
place of sorrow
42:19
to a place of
42:20
hope.
42:21
We often, and I
42:23
would say more
42:24
often than not,
42:25
need others'
42:26
help in the
42:28
work of
42:28
remembering.
42:29
So come
42:31
to church.
42:32
We are
42:33
working this
42:34
into the
42:34
fabric of
42:35
what we
42:35
do together.
42:38
The pattern
42:39
of being with
42:40
God's people
42:40
and participating
42:41
in God's
42:42
graces to
42:42
you in being
42:43
with God's
42:44
people will
42:44
help you in
42:46
these times,
42:46
and it will
42:47
prepare you
42:48
for them.
42:50
Look for
42:51
wise counsel
42:52
within the
42:53
church.
42:55
Look for
42:55
people who
42:56
have walked
42:56
through sorrow
42:57
and can show
42:58
you how the
42:59
scripture speaks
43:00
to that
43:01
sorrow.
43:03
And be
43:04
willing to
43:06
listen.
43:07
Be willing to
43:08
take up and
43:09
hear good
43:10
truth.
43:11
And sometimes
43:11
that is so
43:12
difficult to
43:14
do, particularly
43:15
when you're
43:16
experiencing an
43:17
irrational,
43:18
disproportionate
43:20
sorrow.
43:21
Everything is
43:23
gray when
43:24
you're feeling
43:25
sad like that.
43:26
Let other
43:26
people try to
43:28
paint the
43:28
picture for
43:29
you.
43:30
Try to
43:31
hear the
43:31
good truths
43:32
they're speaking
43:33
into your
43:34
life.
43:35
Proverbs
43:36
chapter 18
43:37
and verse
43:37
1 says,
43:38
whoever isolates
43:39
himself,
43:40
seeks his
43:41
own desire.
43:43
He breaks
43:43
out against
43:44
all sound
43:46
judgment.
43:48
It's so
43:49
often that
43:49
when we're
43:50
feeling sad,
43:51
we don't want
43:53
to be around
43:53
other people
43:54
because we
43:55
don't want
43:55
to show
43:58
people that
43:58
we're not
43:58
doing well.
43:59
We feel a
44:00
pressure to
44:00
be doing
44:01
well all
44:02
the time.
44:03
We may
44:03
not want
44:04
to repeat
44:04
the reason
44:05
for our
44:06
sorrow again
44:07
and again,
44:08
but it's the
44:08
thing most
44:10
needful for
44:11
us, that we
44:12
would come
44:13
together, that
44:14
we would press
44:15
at one
44:15
another.
44:17
Proverbs 18
44:18
verse 1 says
44:18
that we would
44:19
not break out
44:20
against, but
44:21
that we
44:21
would seek
44:22
sound judgment.
44:26
And if you
44:26
are in the
44:27
process of
44:28
helping someone
44:28
else, reminding
44:30
someone else of
44:31
what God has
44:33
done, this
44:34
also often
44:36
takes great
44:38
patience and
44:40
repetition.
44:41
It takes time
44:43
to sit with
44:44
somebody and
44:45
to hear what
44:46
they're experiencing
44:47
and help them
44:47
to sort through
44:48
the complexity
44:50
of it.
44:50
you may
44:51
speak truth
44:52
to someone
44:53
and they
44:54
say they
44:54
get it and
44:55
they go live
44:56
in absolute
44:56
contradiction
44:57
to it.
44:59
In counseling
44:59
people who
45:01
are experiencing
45:01
depression, I
45:03
so desperately
45:04
want at the
45:05
end of that
45:06
counseling session
45:06
the person to
45:07
go, I feel
45:07
great now.
45:09
Thank you so
45:09
much.
45:11
And very
45:12
rarely they
45:13
do.
45:15
It takes
45:15
time for
45:16
truth to
45:17
settle into
45:17
our hearts,
45:18
right?
45:18
To take root
45:19
and to
45:19
bring forth
45:20
fruit.
45:22
And especially
45:22
when people are
45:23
dealing with an
45:23
irrational sorrow,
45:25
it's just so
45:26
difficult for them
45:27
to pick them
45:28
up and to
45:29
carry them
45:29
around as
45:30
they should.
45:32
So be patient
45:32
with your church
45:34
members, your
45:35
friends and your
45:36
family that are
45:37
experiencing this
45:38
kind of sadness.
45:40
Continue to sit
45:41
alongside them.
45:43
Sometimes they need
45:43
you to be quiet
45:44
and just let
45:46
them speak.
45:47
Proverbs 25
45:48
and verse 20
45:48
says, whoever
45:49
sings songs to
45:51
a heavy heart
45:52
is like one
45:53
who takes off
45:54
a garment on
45:55
a cold day.
45:57
They're saying
45:58
you're foolish.
46:00
Don't sing
46:01
songs to a
46:03
heavy heart.
46:04
This is not
46:04
what they need
46:05
right now.
46:06
And then the
46:07
verse goes on
46:07
to say, and
46:08
like vinegar
46:08
on soda.
46:11
Because of all
46:11
major volcano
46:13
erupt at some
46:14
point.
46:15
It's agitating.
46:18
Come around a
46:19
person who's sad
46:19
and just be
46:20
cheery and think
46:20
that's the
46:21
resolution for
46:22
their sadness.
46:24
So often it's
46:25
a listening ear,
46:26
a kind word,
46:28
a prayer,
46:30
and a hug.
46:31
And that's what
46:31
you can do for
46:32
the person in
46:34
that moment.
46:36
Proverbs 20
46:37
verse 5 says,
46:38
the purpose in
46:38
a man's heart
46:39
is like deep
46:40
water.
46:42
But a man of
46:43
understanding,
46:43
will draw it
46:45
out.
46:46
It's a patient
46:47
work.
46:48
It takes time
46:48
to help
46:49
somebody work
46:51
through that.
46:52
I know I'm
46:53
running a bit
46:53
short on time,
46:54
but I'm going
46:54
to read a
46:54
children's book
46:55
to you.
46:56
And I hope
46:56
you'll forgive
46:57
me the time.
46:58
That's why I've
46:59
done a foolish
46:59
thing with a
46:59
shirt this
47:00
morning, and
47:00
now I'm
47:00
going to read
47:01
a book,
47:01
a children's
47:02
book, on
47:02
Sunday
47:02
morning.
47:05
This book
47:05
is phenomenal.
47:06
As a person
47:06
who deals
47:07
with sadness,
47:08
I cried the
47:09
first time I
47:10
read it.
47:10
my mother-in-law
47:13
got it for
47:14
Silas, because
47:15
Silas is
47:16
sometimes grumpy,
47:17
and the book
47:18
is entitled
47:18
Grumpy Monkey.
47:20
And I don't
47:21
think she
47:21
realized that
47:22
it's a book
47:22
about depression.
47:24
So I said,
47:25
hey buddy,
47:25
let's read
47:25
your new
47:26
book.
47:27
And it
47:28
brought me
47:28
to tears.
47:29
Now, this
47:30
is not a
47:30
complete prescription
47:33
for how to help
47:33
somebody with
47:34
sorrow.
47:34
That's not the
47:35
point I'm
47:35
trying to make.
47:36
But I think
47:36
you'll appreciate it,
47:37
and I'll try to
47:37
show you the
47:37
pictures as best
47:38
I can.
47:39
Sorry if I
47:39
don't pan
47:40
them around
47:40
for the sake
47:41
of time.
47:43
Okay.
47:44
One wonderful
47:44
day,
47:45
Jim Pansy
47:46
woke to
47:46
discover that
47:47
nothing was
47:49
right.
47:50
The sun was
47:51
too bright,
47:51
the sky was
47:52
too blue,
47:54
and the
47:54
bananas were
47:55
too sweet.
47:57
Disproportionate,
47:58
right?
47:58
None of that
47:59
makes any
47:59
sense.
48:02
Jim was
48:04
confused.
48:04
Jim was
48:05
the gorilla.
48:06
What's going
48:07
on?
48:09
Maybe you're
48:09
grumpy,
48:14
suggested
48:15
Norman from
48:16
next door.
48:17
I'm not
48:18
grumpy,
48:19
Jim insisted.
48:23
On his
48:24
walk, he
48:25
met
48:25
Marabou.
48:26
Jim's
48:27
grumpy,
48:28
Norman told
48:28
Marabou.
48:29
Why are you
48:29
grumpy,
48:30
Jim, asked
48:30
Marabou.
48:31
It's such a
48:32
wonderful day.
48:33
They're singing
48:34
songs to the
48:35
person who's
48:35
heavy-hearted.
48:36
What's wrong
48:37
with you?
48:37
It's such a
48:38
wonderful day.
48:40
Grumpy?
48:41
Me?
48:41
I'm not
48:42
grumpy,
48:43
said Jim.
48:44
But look at
48:45
how you're
48:45
standing,
48:45
Marabou said.
48:47
It's true,
48:48
said Norman.
48:48
You're all
48:49
hunched.
48:50
So Jim
48:51
loosened up.
48:52
I don't know if
48:52
you can see that
48:52
picture, but he
48:53
goes like this.
48:58
Then he ran
48:58
into the
48:59
lemur.
49:00
Jim's
49:00
grumpy,
49:01
Norman told
49:01
the lemur.
49:01
Why are you
49:03
grumpy,
49:03
Jim, asked
49:03
lemur.
49:04
It's such a
49:04
wonderful day.
49:06
Grumpy?
49:07
Me?
49:07
I'm not
49:08
grumpy,
49:09
said Jim.
49:10
Your eyebrows
49:11
look grumpy,
49:12
said lemur.
49:13
It's true,
49:14
said Norman.
49:14
They're all
49:15
bunched up.
49:16
So Jim
49:17
raised his
49:17
brow.
49:18
He's going
49:18
like this,
49:18
pulling his
49:19
eyelids up.
49:23
Then he
49:23
tripped over
49:24
snake.
49:25
Oh no,
49:26
said Norman.
49:27
That's the last
49:27
thing you need
49:28
when you're
49:28
feeling so
49:28
grumpy.
49:29
Grumpy?
49:30
Me?
49:31
I'm not
49:31
grumpy,
49:31
said Jim.
49:33
Then why
49:33
that frown,
49:34
said snake.
49:35
I think it's
49:36
because he
49:36
tripped over
49:37
you, Norman
49:37
whispered snake.
49:39
So Jim
49:39
put on a
49:40
smile.
49:44
Finally,
49:45
Jim looked
49:45
happy.
49:46
I hope you
49:46
can see
49:46
this.
49:48
But people
49:50
who are
49:50
dealing with
49:50
deep sorrow,
49:51
with depression,
49:53
this is how
49:53
they feel like
49:54
they have to
49:54
act.
49:56
This is why
49:57
sometimes they
49:58
don't come
49:59
together.
50:00
Because they
50:00
just can't
50:01
do it.
50:01
They're just
50:01
exhausted.
50:03
They can't
50:03
put this
50:03
face on.
50:06
I really
50:06
hope one
50:06
of you
50:06
comes in
50:07
doing that
50:07
some Sunday
50:08
morning.
50:09
I'll know
50:10
how you
50:10
feel.
50:12
But he
50:13
didn't feel
50:13
happy inside.
50:17
Everyone
50:17
wanted Jim
50:17
to enjoy
50:18
this wonderful
50:19
day.
50:20
You should
50:20
sing with
50:21
us,
50:21
said the
50:21
birds.
50:22
Jim
50:22
didn't feel
50:23
like singing.
50:24
You should
50:24
swing with
50:25
us,
50:25
said the
50:25
monkeys.
50:26
Jim
50:26
didn't feel
50:27
like swinging.
50:28
You should
50:30
roll with
50:30
us,
50:30
said the
50:31
zebras.
50:31
Jim
50:32
didn't feel
50:32
like rolling.
50:33
You should
50:34
stroll with
50:34
us,
50:35
said the
50:35
peacocks.
50:36
Jim
50:36
didn't feel
50:36
like strolling.
50:38
You should
50:38
lie in the
50:39
grass.
50:40
You should
50:41
stomp
50:41
your feet.
50:43
You should
50:44
take a bath
50:45
and make a
50:45
splash.
50:47
You should
50:47
hug someone.
50:48
You should
50:49
laugh.
50:50
You should
50:50
take a nap.
50:51
You should
50:52
eat old
50:52
meat or
50:54
some honey.
50:56
You should
50:56
jump up and
50:57
down.
50:57
You should
50:58
sit in the
50:59
sun.
50:59
I love
50:59
all these
51:00
animals are
51:00
doing things
51:01
that are
51:01
characteristic of
51:02
their animal.
51:03
And then the
51:03
porcupine says,
51:04
you should
51:05
dance.
51:09
So everyone's
51:10
got a solution.
51:11
Everyone's got
51:11
an offering,
51:12
some piece of
51:13
advice for
51:14
Jim and his
51:15
grumpiness.
51:16
But Jim didn't
51:17
feel like doing
51:18
any of that.
51:19
Why are you
51:20
grumpy,
51:20
Jim?
51:20
Asked the
51:21
others.
51:21
It's such a
51:22
wonderful day.
51:25
Jim yells,
51:26
I'm not
51:27
grumpy,
51:28
shouted Jim
51:29
as he beat
51:29
his chest.
51:33
And he
51:34
stormed off.
51:39
Jim felt
51:40
sorry.
51:41
A little
51:41
sorry for
51:42
shouting at
51:42
everyone,
51:42
but mostly
51:43
sorry for
51:44
himself.
51:45
I guess I
51:46
am grumpy,
51:47
Jim sighed.
51:48
And just as
51:48
he was starting
51:49
to feel really
51:50
sad,
51:51
he came
51:52
upon Norman.
51:53
Norman was
51:55
slumped,
51:56
his eyebrows
51:57
were bunched
51:57
up,
51:58
and he was
51:58
frowning.
52:00
What's the
52:00
matter?
52:01
Are you
52:01
grumpy?
52:02
Asked Jim.
52:05
No,
52:06
I dance with
52:06
porcupine,
52:07
said Norman.
52:13
Circumstantial
52:13
sorrow,
52:14
right?
52:15
Something
52:15
happened,
52:16
he's feeling
52:16
pain,
52:18
a little grumpy
52:19
about that.
52:19
Are you
52:23
okay?
52:23
Asked Jim.
52:25
It hurts,
52:26
but I'll
52:26
probably feel
52:26
better soon
52:27
enough,
52:27
said Norman.
52:28
Are you
52:29
still grumpy?
52:30
Yes,
52:31
said Jim,
52:31
but I'll
52:32
probably feel
52:32
better soon
52:33
enough too.
52:34
For now,
52:35
I need to
52:36
be grumpy.
52:37
It's a
52:37
wonderful day
52:38
to be grumpy,
52:39
said Norman.
52:40
Jim agreed.
52:43
And he
52:44
already felt
52:45
a little bit
52:46
better.
52:46
So,
52:50
I've read
52:51
this to a
52:52
lot of
52:52
people in
52:52
my study.
52:57
People who
52:57
are feeling
52:58
sorrowful
52:58
need
53:00
fewer
53:02
porcupines
53:02
and more
53:03
Normans.
53:05
Someone who's
53:06
willing to
53:06
sit and
53:08
willing to
53:08
listen and
53:09
be patient
53:10
through the
53:11
process.
53:11
Now,
53:12
the book
53:12
falls apart
53:12
because,
53:13
of course,
53:14
Norman
53:14
doesn't offer
53:14
him any
53:15
biblical
53:15
wisdom.
53:15
I would
53:18
like to
53:18
write
53:18
Grumpy
53:19
Monkey 2
53:19
where Norman
53:20
helps
53:20
Jim see
53:23
that his
53:24
countenance
53:25
should be
53:25
lifted because
53:26
of what the
53:26
Lord has
53:26
done
53:27
for a
53:30
monkey.
53:30
Okay.
53:33
Finally,
53:34
the Bible
53:35
gives us
53:35
release from
53:36
our sorrow
53:37
lastly,
53:39
through
53:39
remembering
53:39
and being
53:40
reminded of
53:40
what God
53:41
is doing
53:41
and what
53:41
he has
53:42
promised
53:42
to do.
53:44
what he
53:45
is doing
53:45
and what
53:46
he's
53:46
promised
53:46
to do.
53:47
What he's
53:47
done
53:47
roots for
53:49
us what
53:50
he is
53:50
doing and
53:50
what he's
53:51
promised
53:51
to do.
53:52
He's
53:52
done good
53:53
things.
53:54
Meditating
53:55
on that
53:55
helps us
53:57
to believe
53:57
that he's
53:58
doing good
53:59
things and
53:59
will finally
54:00
do good
54:02
things.
54:03
Verse 16,
54:04
Psalm 77,
54:05
verse 16,
54:35
where does
54:35
Asaph's mind
54:36
specifically
54:37
go to
54:38
relieve his
54:39
sorrow?
54:40
In the
54:40
previous
54:40
stanza,
54:41
it was
54:41
general,
54:42
but now
54:43
specifically,
54:44
it goes to
54:45
the Exodus
54:46
story.
54:48
Asaph
54:49
remembers
54:49
that God
54:51
delivered his
54:52
people from
54:53
the shackles
54:53
of slavery.
54:55
We know
54:56
that this
54:56
Exodus was
54:57
a shadow
54:57
of a
54:58
greater
54:58
delivery.
55:00
It was
55:00
with this
55:01
in mind,
55:02
as Paul
55:02
writes in
55:03
Romans 8,
55:04
about living
55:04
in the
55:04
spirit that
55:05
he says,
55:06
in verse
55:06
15,
55:07
for you
55:08
do not
55:08
receive the
55:08
spirit of
55:09
slavery to
55:10
fall back
55:10
into fear,
55:11
but you
55:12
have received
55:12
the spirit
55:13
of adoption
55:14
as sons,
55:15
by whom
55:16
we cry,
55:17
Abba,
55:18
Father.
55:19
The spirit
55:20
himself bears
55:20
witness with
55:21
our spirit
55:22
that we are
55:22
children of
55:23
God,
55:23
and if
55:23
children,
55:24
then heirs,
55:25
heirs of
55:25
God and
55:26
fellow heirs
55:26
with Christ,
55:28
provided we
55:29
suffer with
55:30
him in
55:31
order that
55:33
we may
55:33
also be
55:34
glorified with
55:35
him.
55:36
So in the
55:36
midst of this
55:37
train of
55:38
thought,
55:38
life by
55:39
the spirit,
55:40
a spirit
55:40
not for
55:41
slavery,
55:43
but a spirit
55:43
for sonship,
55:45
freedom as
55:47
children and
55:48
heirs,
55:50
Paul recognized
55:50
that we will
55:51
suffer,
55:53
we'll share
55:54
and experience
55:55
the suffering
55:56
of Christ.
55:57
we're united
55:58
to the man
55:59
of sorrows.
56:01
Then he
56:02
says,
56:02
verse 18,
56:03
for I
56:04
consider that
56:05
the sufferings
56:06
of this
56:06
present time
56:07
are not
56:07
worth comparing
56:09
with the
56:10
glory that
56:11
is to be
56:11
revealed to
56:12
us.
56:13
Because of
56:14
who we
56:15
are in
56:15
Jesus,
56:16
we have
56:17
this greater
56:18
hope,
56:19
right?
56:19
It pulls
56:20
us through
56:20
the gap.
56:22
And then
56:23
down into
56:23
Romans
56:24
chapter 8.
56:25
used so
56:27
tritely,
56:27
like beloved,
56:28
don't miss
56:29
what Paul is
56:30
saying in
56:30
Romans chapter
56:31
8 and
56:31
verse 28.
56:34
And we
56:34
know that
56:34
for those
56:35
who love
56:35
God,
56:35
all things
56:36
work together
56:37
for good
56:39
for those
56:40
who are
56:40
called
56:41
according to
56:42
his purpose.
56:44
And what's
56:44
the foundation
56:45
of that?
56:47
Right?
56:47
He goes on
56:48
to say,
56:48
for those
56:48
he foreknew,
56:49
he also
56:49
predestined
56:50
to be
56:50
conformed
56:51
to the
56:51
image
56:52
of his
56:53
son.
56:53
The good
56:54
he's working
56:54
in us is
56:55
that we
56:55
would be
56:55
like
56:56
Jesus
56:57
in order
56:57
that he
56:58
might be
56:58
the first
56:59
born among
57:00
many
57:00
brothers.
57:01
And those
57:01
whom he
57:02
predestined,
57:03
he also
57:03
called.
57:04
And those
57:04
whom he
57:04
called,
57:05
he also
57:05
justified.
57:07
And those
57:07
whom he
57:07
justifies,
57:08
he also
57:09
glorified.
57:12
Justification
57:13
by faith
57:14
alone is
57:15
the foundation
57:16
on which
57:17
to build
57:17
sorrow
57:18
into joy.
57:21
For the
57:22
fact,
57:22
beloved,
57:22
that we
57:22
could do
57:23
nothing
57:23
to save
57:24
ourselves.
57:25
We were
57:26
set in
57:26
every way
57:27
against
57:27
God
57:28
as his
57:29
enemy.
57:30
But because
57:31
of Christ's
57:32
sacrificial
57:33
death,
57:34
he takes
57:35
on our
57:36
sin,
57:37
his great
57:37
exchange as
57:38
Luther calls
57:39
it,
57:39
he takes
57:39
on our
57:40
sin,
57:40
he suffers
57:41
the wrath
57:42
of God
57:43
on our
57:43
behalf,
57:44
and he
57:45
grants to
57:46
us his
57:47
righteousness,
57:48
his
57:48
perfect
57:49
living.
57:51
And God
57:52
in the
57:53
great
57:53
courtroom
57:54
declares
57:56
us
57:57
righteous,
57:59
justified,
58:01
right?
58:01
Not only
58:02
having our
58:03
sin forgiven,
58:04
but being
58:04
found perfect
58:06
in Jesus.
58:08
Justification
58:09
by faith
58:10
alone in
58:10
Christ alone
58:11
is this
58:12
foundation on
58:14
which we
58:14
can build
58:16
sorrow
58:17
into joy.
58:19
We can
58:20
do that
58:20
in this
58:21
life,
58:21
and we
58:22
are promised
58:23
final relief
58:25
from sorrow
58:26
forevermore.
58:29
John
58:29
chapter 16,
58:30
verse 20
58:31
and following,
58:32
Jesus says,
58:32
truly,
58:32
truly,
58:33
I say to
58:33
you,
58:34
you will
58:34
weep
58:35
and lament,
58:36
but the
58:36
world will
58:37
rejoice.
58:38
You will
58:38
be sorrowful,
58:39
but your
58:40
sorrow will
58:42
turn into
58:43
joy.
58:45
Your sorrow,
58:46
he's saying,
58:46
is going to
58:47
become
58:48
joy.
58:50
Not that it's
58:50
going to just
58:51
simply go
58:52
away and
58:53
be replaced
58:54
with joy.
58:54
It's going
58:54
to become
58:55
joy,
58:57
turned into
58:58
joy,
58:59
and catch
58:59
his explanation.
59:00
He says,
59:01
verse 21,
59:02
when a woman
59:03
is giving
59:03
birth,
59:04
she has
59:05
sorrow because
59:05
her hour
59:06
has come.
59:07
Pain,
59:08
I'm told.
59:11
But when
59:12
she has
59:12
delivered the
59:13
baby,
59:14
she no
59:15
longer
59:16
remembers
59:16
the anguish
59:17
for joy
59:18
that a
59:18
human being
59:19
has been
59:20
born into
59:21
the world.
59:22
All of that
59:23
suffering
59:24
suddenly becomes,
59:25
it's transformed
59:26
into joy.
59:29
It was so
59:29
worth it.
59:31
Men,
59:31
have you heard
59:31
your wives
59:32
say this?
59:34
The day that
59:35
Cade was born,
59:36
Sam said she
59:37
wanted to be
59:37
pregnant again,
59:38
and I went,
59:39
what?
59:39
Do you
59:41
remember
59:41
anything that
59:42
just happened?
59:43
All the
59:44
sorrow had
59:45
been turned
59:45
into joy
59:45
for her.
59:47
She suffered.
59:49
It hurt,
59:51
I'm told.
59:53
But she
59:54
was rapturous
59:55
to now hold
59:56
our firstborn
59:58
in her arms.
1:00:01
Incredible
1:00:01
reality that
1:00:03
God's going to
1:00:03
make everything
1:00:04
we experience,
1:00:04
all the sadness
1:00:05
we experience
1:00:05
in this world,
1:00:06
work for our
1:00:07
good,
1:00:08
Christlikeness
1:00:09
which is to
1:00:10
his praise.
1:00:12
Charles Spurgeon
1:00:13
once said,
1:00:13
this is on your
1:00:14
bulletin if you
1:00:15
care to look at
1:00:15
it,
1:00:16
your sorrow
1:00:16
itself shall be
1:00:17
turned into
1:00:18
joy.
1:00:18
Speaking of
1:00:19
this text in
1:00:19
John,
1:00:21
not the sorrow
1:00:21
to be taken
1:00:22
away and joy
1:00:23
to be put in
1:00:24
its place,
1:00:24
but the very
1:00:25
sorrow which
1:00:26
now grieves
1:00:26
you shall be
1:00:27
turned into
1:00:28
joy.
1:00:29
God not only
1:00:30
takes away the
1:00:31
bitterness and
1:00:32
gives sweetness
1:00:32
in its place,
1:00:33
but turns the
1:00:35
bitterness into
1:00:36
sweetness itself.
1:00:40
So the Bible
1:00:40
affirms sorrow
1:00:42
as normative.
1:00:44
The Bible gives
1:00:45
us language for
1:00:46
our sorrow,
1:00:47
and the Bible
1:00:47
gives us relief
1:00:48
from our sorrow
1:00:50
in Christ.
1:00:53
May we be
1:00:54
helped by the
1:00:55
grace of God
1:00:55
as we struggle
1:00:56
with sorrow in
1:00:57
this world and
1:00:58
set our eager
1:00:59
hope on the
1:01:00
world to come,
1:01:01
and may we
1:01:02
help each
1:01:03
other in that
1:01:05
struggle.
1:01:05
Let's pray
1:01:06
together.