Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / David's Love and David's Fear

Transcript

David's Love and David's Fear · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

0:00
Let's turn again to Psalm 26.
0:05
And we read verse 8 and the beginning of verse 9.
0:12
! Psalm 26, verse 8.
0:14
O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.
0:21
Do not sweep my soul away with sinners.
0:30
Now this psalm is very much a psalm of devotion where David is making very clear where his heart lies.
0:41
David shows very clearly what he loves and what he hates.
0:46
He hates the congregation, the gathering of evil people, of sinners, of those who don't know the Lord, don't want the Lord.
0:54
And he shows very clearly that he loves to be in God's house with those who worship the Lord, those who are like-minded with himself.
1:06
And our choices will very often reveal where our heart lies.
1:11
The choices that we make in life as we go about life very often will indicate to us just what our heart is really about.
1:21
And so we find that in Psalm 26, 27 and 28, David is really highlighting, it's a theme that runs through the three psalms, his love of God's sanctuary.
1:34
Now as we know, God's house at this time, in David's time, was still the tabernacle.
1:40
And you remember how David had, he was saying, it's not right that I'm living in this beautiful palace.
1:46
And God's, it's being worshipped in a tent.
1:52
And so it was in his heart and his mind to build a temple for the Lord.
1:57
Now the Lord was very pleased with David's desire.
2:01
But he communicated to David, while your desire is a good one, I'm not going to let you build it.
2:08
Because you've been a man of blood.
2:11
Because your hands are red with blood.
2:13
But David had been a warrior most of his days.
2:17
But God said to him, though the desire is right, your son, who will be a man of peace, and that was Solomon, your son will build a temple for me.
2:28
So David devoted so much of his time after that towards planning as much as he could,
2:35
and of gathering as much wealth as he could for the building of the temple.
2:40
Now David is very aware in this psalm that God is the one who proves us and tests us.
2:47
He tells us that in verse 2.
2:49
That God is the one who searches our heart.
2:51
He knows absolutely everything about us.
2:55
Our motives, our desires, our inclinations.
2:59
Why we do what we do.
3:01
Our every thought, our every word, our every action.
3:04
And David is, knowing that God knows that about him, is pleading before God his integrity of life and heart.
3:16
Now we know that David was an incredibly faithful servant of God.
3:21
The life of David, as you read it, is a life that was devoted to God and served God and praised God.
3:28
Of course, David fell spectacularly.
3:33
He fell terribly.
3:35
And we know about that.
3:38
But the main thrust of David's life, the main way his life was guided,
3:44
was in order to serve the Lord and to follow the Lord all his days.
3:49
That is very, very clear in David's life.
3:52
Now David is aware that not everybody that comes to God's house comes to worship God in spirit and in truth.
4:01
That there are hypocrites.
4:03
That there are those who use religion, as it were, as a cloak to hide, to cover their evil doings.
4:11
They're hypocrites.
4:12
And David was wise enough and discerning enough to know who they were.
4:17
And he didn't want to keep company with them.
4:19
He wanted to keep company with God's people, not with the hypocrites.
4:25
And that's why he says in verse 4,
4:28
I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites.
4:33
I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.
4:39
So David's life was a life that tried to keep from the evil company
4:46
and a life that enjoyed being with the fellowship of God's people.
4:53
And we find that in David, in fact, his walking, we find that in verses 1 and 3.
5:00
He says, I have walked in my integrity.
5:03
And he says, I walk in your faithfulness.
5:07
And then again, we find, as we saw in verse 4, that he does not sit with the hypocrites.
5:14
And we find that his foot stands on level ground in verse 13.
5:20
So we see that whether David is sitting or standing or walking,
5:26
that his life is a life of dedication to the Lord.
5:29
And what an example to you and to me as well,
5:32
that in all that we're about, in our getting up, in our sitting, in our standing, and in our walking,
5:38
God was always at the forefront of everything that he did.
5:43
And I'm sure we can all identify when David says that he loves God's house.
5:49
And I'm sure most of you here would say the same.
5:52
I love God's house.
5:54
I'm sure many of you would have to say there was a day when you didn't particularly love God's house.
6:02
There might be some of you here, I don't know,
6:06
that it wasn't your practice for a long time to go to God's house.
6:11
There might be others of you, and you've been in God's house all your life,
6:16
from the time you were a little child.
6:18
And often, thinking back before coming to faith,
6:26
sometimes we went grudgingly to church.
6:30
Sometimes we went out of a sense of duty,
6:33
because we thought we'd better.
6:35
Sometimes we went because maybe we enjoyed to a certain extent.
6:42
But it wasn't our real heart.
6:43
And sometimes we went thinking that God owed us something.
6:48
You know, there were times, maybe way back,
6:50
when you thought, you know, if I go to church,
6:52
maybe God will do something for me.
6:55
We're trying to bargain with God a wee bit.
6:57
So there were various reasons why we might have gone to church.
7:03
But then a day came when that changed.
7:06
Because that day came when we began to see
7:09
that we were sinners in the hand of an angry God.
7:13
But the wonderful thing was that side by side with this discovery
7:19
was the fact that this angry God had actually made provision
7:24
for us as sinners in his Son, Jesus Christ.
7:30
And God enabled us, by his grace,
7:33
to come to Jesus and to receive Jesus as Savior.
7:36
And everything changed.
7:40
And tonight, if it's possible that you're still here
7:44
and you haven't come to accept Jesus as Savior,
7:48
I would plead with you to do so.
7:50
Because time is running out.
7:53
And we've got to remember, as we sang or read here,
7:57
I love the habitation of your house,
7:59
the place where your glory dwells.
8:01
It's an amazing thought.
8:04
That the person of Jesus Christ in the Spirit
8:07
that is glorious here,
8:09
he has promised to be where his people gather together.
8:12
It's a wonderful privilege.
8:14
And it's a place above all places in the face of the earth
8:17
where we're able to meet with the Lord
8:20
and to call upon the Lord.
8:22
And every time we gather like this,
8:23
it's another opportunity to seek the Lord.
8:26
Please do, if you've never done so before,
8:29
and ask him to open your eyes
8:31
and to open your ears to hear,
8:34
your eyes to see,
8:36
and your heart to believe.
8:40
But the thing is that when we come to faith,
8:44
our love is born in our heart right away.
8:48
You think back.
8:50
Remember when you were converted?
8:52
Our love for God
8:53
and for all the things of God,
8:56
his house, his day, his people,
8:58
his word, everything.
9:00
You've got this love in your heart
9:02
for all that God is
9:04
and all the things of God.
9:07
Because love, love was born there.
9:11
When a baby is born into a family,
9:15
there is an intense love in the heart of the parents
9:18
for that little baby.
9:21
But there is also,
9:22
although the little baby cannot understand,
9:24
it's far too young to analyze or understand
9:26
in any shape or form,
9:29
there is also an intense love
9:31
in the heart of the baby for the parents.
9:35
And as time goes on,
9:36
they're able to discern the presence,
9:40
the touch.
9:41
They're able to discern
9:43
that their parents are there
9:45
and they nestle in and they love.
9:47
And so it is in the Christian life.
9:50
There is this growing love,
9:52
this growing persuasion
9:56
of God's love towards us.
9:58
And we love everything
10:01
that belongs to him.
10:04
And that's why the unbeliever
10:06
cannot understand what happens
10:09
when a person is converted.
10:11
Because maybe,
10:15
for some of you,
10:16
you think back
10:17
and the Christian life
10:20
was not your way.
10:22
You might have had respect for it,
10:24
you might have thought about it,
10:25
but it wasn't your way.
10:27
You lived for this world
10:29
and what this world would give
10:30
until this time
10:32
that you came to faith.
10:35
And your friends
10:36
couldn't understand
10:38
why
10:38
you didn't join with him
10:40
at the weekend
10:41
the way you used to.
10:43
That the fun,
10:44
the liveliness
10:45
that was part and partial
10:46
of your life
10:47
over the weekend,
10:48
you looked forward
10:49
to the weekends,
10:50
remember these days?
10:53
It shifted.
10:55
Your heart shifted.
10:58
And so they cannot understand
11:00
why you're caught up
11:02
in this life,
11:03
this church life,
11:04
which to them
11:05
is boring and dull.
11:09
But the fact is,
11:11
it's where your heart is.
11:12
It's not that somebody
11:13
says to you,
11:14
now this is what
11:14
you've got to do.
11:15
It's a natural response
11:17
in your heart.
11:18
It's what you want to do.
11:20
It's where the Lord is
11:21
and you want to be
11:22
where the Lord is.
11:24
So this is the way
11:25
that it works.
11:28
And so
11:28
we find that
11:30
as Christians
11:31
you will stand up
11:33
for the Lord.
11:33
That's what David did.
11:35
He was a kind,
11:35
he always stood up
11:36
for the Lord.
11:38
If somebody was to trample
11:39
on your father
11:41
or mother's name
11:42
and put it into the dirt
11:44
and pour scorn on it,
11:46
you would,
11:46
you would,
11:46
you would be so upset.
11:48
You would stand up
11:49
for your,
11:50
for your,
11:50
for your father,
11:51
for your mother's name.
11:52
And so it is
11:53
when we become Christians
11:55
that we stand up
11:57
for the things
11:57
of the Lord.
11:58
I'm not ashamed
11:59
to own my Lord
12:00
or to defend his cause.
12:03
Stand up,
12:03
stand up for Jesus.
12:05
We know
12:06
that that's the natural response
12:08
that goes on
12:09
within our heart.
12:11
And so
12:11
it is all
12:12
because of love.
12:15
And so
12:15
we love God's house
12:16
and that's what
12:18
the psalmist
12:19
is telling us
12:19
because
12:20
it's a place of worship.
12:23
When you and I
12:24
came here tonight,
12:25
what was it
12:25
that we came to do?
12:27
Now I know
12:28
that we would say,
12:30
well,
12:30
I want to meet
12:31
with the Lord
12:32
and I want to get
12:33
something for my soul.
12:36
And that's quite
12:36
a natural
12:37
response
12:38
and that's fine.
12:40
That's what
12:41
we should do.
12:42
But if that's all
12:43
that we do
12:44
when we come
12:45
to God's house,
12:46
then we're coming
12:47
missing
12:48
what is integral
12:50
to being here.
12:52
Because we've come
12:53
to the place
12:53
where the glory
12:54
of God dwells.
12:55
and as we heard
12:57
this morning,
12:59
praise
12:59
is vital.
13:01
It's not just
13:02
about what we
13:03
can get,
13:04
but it's what
13:05
we can give.
13:08
Because we've come
13:09
to God's house
13:09
to give Him
13:10
worship,
13:11
to adore Him,
13:12
to reverence Him,
13:14
to give to Him
13:15
what is His due.
13:17
And it's
13:17
a wonderful
13:19
privilege
13:20
that we have.
13:20
love.
13:22
And so if
13:22
somebody comes
13:23
away saying,
13:24
oh, you know,
13:25
I went to church
13:25
and I got
13:26
absolutely nothing,
13:27
then you have
13:28
to see there's
13:29
something wrong.
13:31
Because wherever
13:32
we render
13:34
praise and
13:35
thanksgiving to
13:36
God,
13:37
it is inevitable
13:38
that blessing
13:39
will follow
13:39
into our soul.
13:40
If it doesn't,
13:44
we have to
13:45
question
13:45
whether we've
13:46
come in the
13:47
right spirit.
13:49
Have we come
13:49
with the right
13:50
attitude?
13:51
Have we come
13:51
in order to
13:52
praise?
13:53
Not just to get,
13:54
but to give.
13:56
That's always
13:56
how we come
14:00
to God's house.
14:01
And again,
14:03
we come to
14:04
God's house
14:04
because it's
14:05
a place of
14:05
prayer.
14:09
As Scripture
14:10
tells us,
14:11
my house
14:11
shall be
14:12
called a
14:12
house of
14:13
prayer.
14:14
And of
14:15
course,
14:15
we know
14:15
prayer is
14:16
the heartbeat
14:17
of the
14:17
Christian life.
14:19
As we heard
14:20
today,
14:20
so much
14:21
eloquently
14:21
about prayer,
14:22
but we know
14:23
we pray
14:23
for ourselves,
14:25
we pray
14:25
for our
14:25
families,
14:26
we pray
14:26
for our
14:27
neighbors,
14:28
we pray
14:28
for the
14:29
congregation,
14:30
we pray
14:30
for the
14:31
church at
14:31
large,
14:32
we pray
14:32
for the
14:33
global
14:33
spread of
14:34
the gospel,
14:35
we pray
14:35
for our
14:36
rulers and
14:36
all in
14:37
authority over
14:38
us,
14:38
we pray
14:38
for all
14:39
these
14:39
things.
14:41
And
14:42
surely we
14:43
should love
14:43
God's
14:44
house,
14:45
because as
14:45
it says in
14:46
Scripture,
14:46
it's a place
14:47
where prayer
14:47
is want
14:48
to be made.
14:50
Surely we
14:51
want to be
14:52
where prayer
14:53
is being
14:54
made.
14:55
And again,
14:56
we love
14:57
God's house
14:57
because we
14:58
come to the
14:58
place where
14:59
we meet
15:00
with family,
15:02
with new
15:03
brothers and
15:04
new sisters
15:04
in the
15:05
Lord.
15:06
It's one of
15:06
the things
15:06
when you
15:07
become a
15:07
Christian,
15:08
you realize
15:08
you're entering
15:09
into a big
15:10
family,
15:12
a family of
15:12
new brothers
15:14
and new
15:14
sisters,
15:15
and we
15:15
learn from
15:16
one another.
15:17
We're
15:18
encouraged by
15:18
one another,
15:20
sometimes even
15:21
rebuked by
15:22
one another,
15:23
but it's
15:23
always,
15:25
or should
15:25
be,
15:26
in love.
15:26
And again,
15:29
God's house
15:30
is a place
15:30
of God's
15:31
word.
15:32
And great
15:33
things are
15:33
done through
15:34
God's word.
15:34
When we
15:35
come to
15:35
God's
15:35
house,
15:36
as we
15:36
said,
15:37
we want
15:38
to be
15:38
nourished,
15:39
we want
15:39
to be
15:39
fed,
15:40
we want
15:41
to be
15:41
built up.
15:42
It is a
15:43
place,
15:44
as I said
15:44
earlier on,
15:45
where faith
15:46
begins.
15:48
Faith,
15:49
we're told,
15:49
comes by
15:50
hearing,
15:50
and hearing
15:51
by the
15:51
word of
15:52
God.
15:53
And
15:53
wherever
15:54
the word
15:54
is preached,
15:55
wherever
15:55
the word
15:56
is read,
15:58
then it's
15:58
always an
15:59
opportunity
15:59
for God
16:00
to speak
16:01
through that
16:02
word into
16:03
a patient
16:04
soul.
16:05
It could
16:05
be the
16:05
reading of
16:06
the psalm,
16:06
the singing
16:07
of the
16:07
psalm,
16:08
the reading
16:08
of scripture,
16:09
the preaching
16:10
of the
16:10
word,
16:10
but it's
16:11
a word,
16:11
it's a
16:12
word,
16:12
and we
16:13
pray that
16:13
the word
16:14
will do
16:14
its good.
16:15
God
16:16
said,
16:16
my word
16:17
will not
16:18
return to
16:19
me void.
16:21
And so,
16:22
this is a
16:23
place where
16:23
God's word
16:24
is at
16:24
work.
16:26
It's a
16:26
place where
16:27
God's word
16:28
affects our
16:29
souls.
16:31
We're
16:31
taught,
16:32
you look
16:33
back over
16:33
your life,
16:34
you were
16:34
taught many
16:35
things in
16:36
here.
16:38
You were
16:38
reminded of
16:40
many things
16:40
in here.
16:42
As we
16:43
know,
16:43
teaching,
16:45
a teacher
16:45
knows that
16:47
teaching isn't
16:48
simply about
16:49
teaching something
16:50
new all the
16:51
time.
16:51
time.
16:53
If you
16:53
start to
16:54
teach
16:55
something,
16:56
there is
16:57
no way
16:57
the whole
16:58
class are
16:59
going to
16:59
grasp right
17:00
away what
17:01
you've taught
17:01
in one
17:02
go.
17:03
A lot of
17:04
teaching
17:04
involves
17:05
repetition
17:07
and reminding.
17:09
And so it
17:10
is under
17:10
God's word.
17:12
We don't
17:13
remember
17:13
everything we've
17:14
been taught.
17:15
And even
17:16
things we do
17:17
remember,
17:17
often we need
17:18
to be told
17:19
it again
17:19
and again
17:20
because while
17:20
it's there,
17:21
it's not
17:22
having any
17:22
impact on
17:23
our lives.
17:24
We're living
17:24
as if we
17:24
never heard
17:25
it at all.
17:27
And so it's
17:27
important for
17:28
us to be
17:29
under the
17:29
word,
17:30
to be taught
17:31
from the
17:31
word,
17:32
and to be
17:32
reminded
17:33
again and
17:33
again of
17:35
what the
17:35
word is
17:35
actually
17:36
saying to
17:37
us.
17:39
And God's
17:40
house is a
17:40
place of
17:40
comfort.
17:42
Many a
17:42
time,
17:43
I'm sure
17:44
we've come
17:44
in here and
17:45
we felt
17:46
very low,
17:47
broken,
17:49
grieved,
17:51
sad.
17:53
And yet,
17:54
when we've
17:54
come in,
17:55
a change
17:56
has taken
17:56
place because
17:58
God is at
17:59
work.
18:00
And through
18:00
his spirit,
18:01
he's,
18:02
through the
18:02
word,
18:03
it's reaching
18:03
into our
18:04
hearts,
18:04
it's touching
18:05
us.
18:06
And so a
18:07
healing begins,
18:08
a healing
18:08
process has
18:09
started.
18:11
It's also a
18:12
place of
18:12
refuge.
18:14
Many a
18:14
time we've
18:15
come in
18:15
here and
18:16
we might
18:16
feel anxious,
18:17
are vulnerable,
18:19
are unsure.
18:22
And we're
18:22
looking out
18:23
into a
18:23
future that
18:24
we're filled
18:25
with anxiety
18:26
about it,
18:27
but we
18:27
come into
18:27
God's
18:28
house.
18:29
And through
18:29
the reading
18:30
or the
18:30
singing,
18:32
God brings
18:32
his word to
18:33
bear upon
18:34
your situation
18:34
and you're
18:35
strengthened by
18:36
it.
18:38
Sometimes
18:39
when we
18:40
come to
18:40
God's
18:40
house,
18:41
we're
18:41
rebuked
18:42
by the
18:42
word.
18:44
God
18:44
brings
18:45
before us
18:46
through his
18:46
word.
18:47
What we
18:48
need to
18:48
hear brings
18:49
before us
18:50
our sin.
18:51
Sin that
18:52
we know
18:53
about but
18:54
have
18:54
dismissed.
18:56
Sin that
18:56
is
18:56
unconfessed.
18:58
Sin we're
18:58
ignorant of.
19:00
Many a
19:01
time under
19:02
God's
19:02
word we've
19:03
been brought
19:04
face to
19:04
face with
19:05
this.
19:07
And God
19:07
rebukes us.
19:09
That's
19:09
necessary.
19:11
Now there's
19:11
many other
19:12
things we could
19:12
say about
19:13
God's house
19:13
and love for
19:14
God's house,
19:15
but there's
19:15
one other
19:16
thing I'm
19:16
going to
19:16
say.
19:17
It's
19:17
not just
19:18
David who
19:18
loves God's
19:19
house,
19:20
not just
19:20
us who
19:21
loves God's
19:22
house.
19:23
God loves
19:25
his house.
19:29
God loves
19:30
this house
19:31
and all the
19:33
other places
19:34
of worship,
19:36
of worship
19:36
in spirit
19:37
and in truth
19:37
in Stornoway
19:39
far more than
19:40
any other
19:41
home in
19:42
Stornoway.
19:42
God loves
19:44
the gates
19:47
of Zion.
19:47
We sang it.
19:50
God loves
19:50
the gates
19:51
of Zion.
19:52
That is
19:52
speaking about
19:53
his dwelling
19:54
place, his
19:54
sanctuary, more
19:56
than all the
19:57
dwellings of
19:58
Jacob, all
19:59
the houses of
20:00
Israel that
20:01
were dotted
20:02
all over.
20:04
The one
20:04
place that
20:05
God loved
20:05
above all
20:06
was his
20:07
place.
20:09
So we've
20:10
always got to
20:10
remember that
20:11
God puts a
20:12
high place
20:13
upon the
20:15
place where
20:16
we gather
20:16
together, the
20:17
place where
20:18
his honor
20:19
and the
20:19
place where
20:20
his glory
20:21
is.
20:23
But then
20:24
we find the
20:25
psalmist taking
20:26
a complete
20:26
change of
20:27
direction and
20:29
he says,
20:30
do not sweep
20:31
my soul
20:32
away with
20:33
sinners.
20:35
Do not sweep
20:35
my soul
20:36
away with
20:37
sinners.
20:38
That is kind
20:38
of gathering
20:39
up what is
20:40
to be thrown
20:41
away.
20:41
gathering away
20:42
what is to
20:43
be just
20:44
got rid
20:44
of.
20:46
Now you
20:46
and I
20:46
know that
20:47
there's a
20:47
gathering of
20:48
souls going
20:48
on all
20:49
the time,
20:50
every day
20:51
and every
20:52
night.
20:54
Death is
20:54
never silent.
20:56
One after
20:57
another,
20:58
after another,
20:59
after another
21:00
is being taken
21:01
out of this
21:02
world.
21:02
There's this
21:03
constant
21:03
movement from
21:05
time into
21:07
eternity.
21:07
eternity.
21:09
And it's
21:11
a very,
21:12
very solemn
21:13
thing.
21:14
But we
21:16
know that
21:17
there are
21:17
only two
21:17
destinies.
21:18
The Bible
21:19
makes it
21:19
very clear
21:20
that every
21:21
soul that
21:21
departs this
21:22
world will
21:23
either go to
21:24
heaven or
21:25
go to
21:25
hell.
21:27
Nowhere else.
21:28
There's no
21:29
total annihilation,
21:30
there's no
21:31
purgatory,
21:31
there's nothing
21:32
else.
21:32
either to
21:33
heaven or
21:34
to hell.
21:35
And each
21:36
is gathered
21:36
to his own
21:38
place.
21:39
And the
21:40
Lord is in
21:40
complete control
21:42
of that
21:43
gathering.
21:44
He makes
21:44
no mistakes.
21:46
God knows
21:47
who are
21:48
his.
21:49
He says
21:49
that in
21:49
his word,
21:50
I know
21:51
my own.
21:53
He knows
21:53
everyone that
21:55
belongs to
21:55
him.
21:56
But he also
21:57
knows everyone
21:58
that doesn't.
22:00
There are
22:00
no errors
22:01
with the
22:01
Lord.
22:02
This is
22:02
the Lord's
22:03
prerogative.
22:04
He's in
22:04
control of
22:05
this.
22:06
The church
22:06
has no
22:07
say in
22:09
where a
22:10
soul goes.
22:12
The
22:13
Kirk
22:13
session can
22:14
admit into
22:14
membership,
22:15
that's what
22:15
the Kirk
22:16
session does,
22:17
but the
22:18
Kirk
22:18
session can
22:19
never admit
22:20
any soul
22:21
into glory.
22:23
That is
22:23
the Lord's
22:24
work.
22:26
And that
22:26
is why
22:27
David is
22:27
here saying,
22:29
sweep
22:29
not my
22:30
soul
22:31
away with
22:32
sinners.
22:33
Because
22:34
David has
22:34
a full
22:36
knowledge
22:37
of what
22:38
sin is,
22:40
how sinners
22:40
live,
22:41
and what
22:41
their end
22:42
is going
22:42
to be.
22:44
And so
22:45
David is
22:45
coming there
22:47
from God's
22:48
house and
22:49
enjoying the
22:50
fullness of
22:50
his sanctuary,
22:52
having seen,
22:53
yes,
22:53
the hypocrites,
22:54
and he's
22:55
saying,
22:55
Lord,
22:56
do not sweep
22:57
away my
22:58
soul with
22:58
sinners.
22:59
church.
23:00
Now,
23:00
some people
23:00
are surprised
23:01
at this
23:02
prayer,
23:02
and they
23:02
say,
23:03
well,
23:04
why is
23:04
David making
23:05
a prayer
23:05
like this?
23:07
But you
23:08
know what?
23:09
I'm sure
23:09
everyone who
23:12
loves the
23:12
Lord has
23:13
prayed this
23:14
prayer or
23:14
something very
23:15
similar to
23:16
it.
23:16
If you're a
23:17
Christian,
23:18
I'm perfectly
23:19
sure that
23:20
you have
23:20
prayed,
23:21
if you
23:21
didn't pray
23:22
these exact
23:23
words,
23:23
you prayed
23:24
words which
23:25
were very,
23:25
very similar
23:26
to it.
23:27
So why
23:28
does David
23:30
pray this?
23:30
Why do
23:31
you and
23:31
I pray
23:32
something like
23:33
this?
23:36
Well,
23:36
is it not
23:36
for the
23:37
fear that
23:38
we've been
23:39
deceived?
23:40
Not that
23:40
God has
23:41
deceived us.
23:42
Not that
23:43
the offer
23:43
of salvation
23:44
deceives us.
23:46
Not that
23:46
the work of
23:47
Christ deceives
23:48
us.
23:49
But that
23:50
we have
23:50
deceived
23:51
ourselves
23:51
into thinking
23:52
that we're
23:53
something we're
23:54
not.
23:54
Christians
23:56
when actually
24:02
we aren't.
24:04
And that's
24:05
why we
24:05
would pray
24:06
a prayer
24:06
like that.
24:07
So what
24:08
causes us
24:08
to think
24:09
like that?
24:10
How is it
24:10
that if you've
24:12
been following
24:12
the Lord
24:12
for many,
24:13
many years
24:14
that you
24:15
find yourself
24:15
exactly
24:16
here?
24:19
Well,
24:20
there are
24:20
many things
24:21
I'm just
24:21
going to
24:21
suggest to.
24:22
One is
24:23
the discovery
24:24
of our
24:24
own heart
24:25
where all
24:27
we get
24:28
glimpses of
24:29
the sheer
24:29
corruption
24:30
and the
24:31
vile
24:32
thoughts,
24:34
everything that
24:35
goes on
24:35
within our
24:35
heart.
24:36
And we
24:37
thought
24:37
years ago
24:39
that by the
24:39
time we
24:40
reached this
24:40
stage
24:41
that we
24:42
would be
24:42
so holy
24:43
in lifestyle,
24:44
so Christ-like
24:46
that we
24:47
would have
24:47
grown so
24:48
much.
24:50
And yet
24:51
we get a
24:51
glimpse in
24:52
and we
24:54
say,
24:54
oh,
24:54
woe is
24:55
me,
24:55
for I'm
24:55
undone.
24:56
Oh,
24:57
wretched man
24:57
that I
24:58
am.
24:59
And so
24:59
there is
25:00
this
25:00
ongoing
25:02
discovery
25:03
of what
25:04
we're
25:05
really
25:05
like.
25:07
But side
25:07
by side
25:08
with that,
25:09
there is
25:09
also the
25:10
temptations
25:11
from Satan.
25:12
Now,
25:12
it's very
25:13
hard to
25:13
distinguish
25:14
sometimes
25:15
the
25:16
difference
25:17
between
25:17
our sin
25:18
and Satan's
25:19
temptation.
25:20
temptation.
25:21
But there
25:22
is a
25:22
difference.
25:23
Because all
25:24
of a sudden
25:24
Satan will
25:25
come to
25:25
us and
25:26
he'll try
25:26
and deceive
25:27
us.
25:28
And he'll
25:28
say,
25:29
you're not
25:29
really a
25:29
Christian.
25:31
You're not
25:31
a Christian
25:31
because of
25:32
this or
25:33
because of
25:33
that.
25:34
And sometimes
25:35
he'll get
25:35
us for a
25:36
while.
25:37
And we
25:37
believe it
25:37
and it
25:38
disturbs us.
25:39
It really
25:40
affects us
25:40
deeply.
25:43
And so we
25:44
have this
25:45
fear.
25:45
What if I
25:46
come short?
25:46
I'm sure
25:48
there aren't
25:49
too many.
25:49
I know
25:50
some
25:50
Christians
25:50
who have
25:51
been blessed
25:51
with wonderful
25:52
assurance all
25:53
their days.
25:56
But a lot
25:57
of Christians
25:57
sometimes fear,
25:59
what if I
26:00
come short?
26:01
What if
26:02
at the end
26:03
of the day
26:04
I don't
26:05
make it?
26:07
Well,
26:08
see this
26:08
prayer.
26:09
I believe
26:10
that this
26:10
prayer can
26:11
only be
26:12
prayed by
26:13
the godly,
26:15
by the
26:15
Christian.
26:17
It's
26:17
prayed by
26:18
David
26:18
genuinely,
26:19
sincerely.
26:21
This is a
26:21
Christian's
26:22
prayer.
26:24
You see,
26:24
the world
26:24
lives its
26:25
own and
26:25
the world
26:26
lives its
26:26
own way.
26:28
The Christian
26:28
lives their
26:29
own and
26:29
the Christian
26:30
lives his
26:31
and her
26:31
own way.
26:32
The Lord
26:33
is building
26:33
up his
26:34
church.
26:35
But despite
26:37
all the faults
26:37
and failings
26:38
that we have,
26:39
we love each
26:40
other and we
26:40
want to be
26:41
part of each
26:42
other.
26:44
But you
26:45
know,
26:45
if you're
26:46
tonight a
26:46
Christian,
26:48
there's
26:48
nothing that
26:49
fills you
26:49
with more
26:50
dread than
26:52
that you
26:52
be lost,
26:53
that your
26:54
soul would
26:54
be swept
26:55
away.
26:56
But there's
26:57
more than
26:57
that.
26:58
There's a
26:59
longing in
26:59
your heart,
27:00
isn't there?
27:01
For when you
27:02
will be rid
27:03
of sin
27:04
altogether.
27:06
Now,
27:06
there's the
27:07
big difference
27:08
between the
27:08
Christian and
27:09
the non-Christian.
27:10
the non-Christian
27:12
doesn't long
27:14
for sin to
27:16
be removed.
27:16
They might
27:17
long for
27:17
certain sins
27:18
to be removed.
27:19
They might
27:19
long for
27:20
quite a lot
27:20
of sins
27:21
to be removed.
27:22
But sin
27:22
in general
27:23
is more
27:24
attractive to
27:25
them than
27:27
Jesus Christ.
27:29
Because by
27:30
living,
27:31
by becoming
27:32
a Christian,
27:34
your whole
27:34
future,
27:35
as you see
27:36
it,
27:36
your whole
27:36
longing,
27:37
is for
27:37
the day
27:38
when you
27:38
will be
27:39
in a
27:39
sinless
27:40
environment,
27:41
completely
27:42
sinless
27:43
yourself,
27:44
serving a
27:44
sinless
27:45
saviour
27:45
forever and
27:46
ever,
27:46
in his
27:47
immediate
27:47
presence.
27:49
And only
27:50
the Christian
27:52
wants that.
27:54
Those who
27:54
don't love
27:55
the Lord
27:55
cannot love
27:56
that.
27:58
And the
27:59
reason I
27:59
say that
27:59
is because
28:01
right here
28:01
and right
28:02
now,
28:03
a person
28:04
who isn't
28:04
a Christian
28:05
would say,
28:06
I don't
28:08
think I
28:08
could live
28:09
that kind
28:09
of life
28:10
where my
28:10
life is
28:11
lived in
28:12
service to
28:12
the Lord.
28:13
I want to
28:13
live my
28:14
own life.
28:16
Well,
28:16
if that's
28:17
how it is
28:17
here,
28:18
how do you
28:19
think it
28:19
would be
28:19
intensified
28:20
a thousand
28:22
fold in
28:23
glory?
28:25
You see,
28:25
you can
28:25
understand very
28:26
clearly tonight
28:27
where you
28:29
really are.
28:31
Where are
28:31
your desires?
28:32
Where are
28:33
your longings?
28:35
Are you
28:35
somebody who
28:36
says,
28:36
I long
28:37
for the
28:38
return of
28:38
Jesus?
28:40
I long
28:41
for the
28:41
day when
28:42
I will be
28:43
forever with
28:44
him.
28:45
Or are you
28:46
saying tonight,
28:46
oh, don't
28:47
come tonight,
28:47
Lord.
28:48
I'm not
28:49
ready.
28:50
Well, do
28:51
you know,
28:51
if you're
28:51
actually saying
28:52
that, you're
28:53
not in a
28:54
good place,
28:54
but you
28:54
are.
28:55
You're
28:55
recognizing
28:56
your need.
28:58
And your
28:58
need is
28:59
such that
28:59
you need
29:01
Jesus right
29:01
now.
29:03
Because as
29:03
we said,
29:04
our days
29:04
are flying
29:05
by.
29:05
There are
29:07
no second
29:07
chances.
29:08
Once we
29:08
breathe or
29:09
last, it's
29:10
over.
29:11
The destiny
29:12
is finalized.
29:14
So you
29:14
make sure
29:15
that Jesus
29:16
tonight,
29:17
before you
29:18
go to here,
29:19
ask him that
29:20
Jesus will
29:21
become your
29:22
Lord and
29:23
your Savior.
29:25
And your
29:25
heart will
29:26
change, your
29:26
desires will
29:27
change.
29:28
And you
29:28
will also
29:29
pray that
29:30
prayer,
29:30
do not
29:31
sweep me
29:31
away with
29:32
sinners,
29:33
and long
29:33
to be in
29:35
the presence
29:35
of Christ
29:36
forever.
29:36
Let us
29:37
pray.
29:38
O Lord,
29:39
our God,
29:40
we give
29:40
thanks for
29:41
what your
29:42
word teaches
29:43
us.
29:44
We give
29:44
thanks that
29:45
your house
29:46
is the
29:46
house where
29:48
your glory
29:48
is displayed.
29:50
Your house
29:51
is the place
29:51
that you
29:52
love.
29:53
We pray
29:53
that we
29:54
may love
29:54
it too.
29:55
and we
29:56
pray,
29:57
Lord,
29:57
that you
29:57
will not
29:58
sweep away
29:59
any here
30:01
tonight into
30:02
the lostness
30:03
of eternity,
30:05
but that we
30:06
will all be
30:07
gathered,
30:08
gathered
30:09
together in
30:10
the glory of
30:11
Emmanuel's land.
30:13
Have mercy
30:14
upon us,
30:14
we pray.
30:15
Cleanse us
30:16
from our
30:16
every sin.
30:17
In Jesus'
30:18
name we
30:18
ask all.
30:19
Amen.
30:25
We're going
30:27
to conclude
30:28
singing in
30:28
Psalm 84.
30:30
The 84th
30:31
Psalm,
30:32
this is from
30:32
the Scottish
30:33
Psalter,
30:34
Psalm 84,
30:35
I'm going
30:35
to sing
30:36
verses 1
30:37
to 3,
30:38
double
30:38
verse 3.
30:42
Page
30:43
338,
30:44
How lovely
30:44
is thy
30:45
dwelling place,
30:46
O Lord
30:46
of hosts
30:47
to me,
30:48
the tabernacles
30:49
of thy
30:49
grace,
30:50
how pleasant
30:50
Lord they
30:51
be,
30:52
my thirsty
30:53
soul longs
30:54
vehemently,
30:54
yea,
30:55
faints thy
30:55
courts to
30:56
see,
30:57
my very
30:58
heart and
30:58
flesh cry
30:59
out,
30:59
O living
31:00
God,
31:00
for thee.
31:02
Behold,
31:02
the sparrow
31:03
finds out
31:03
an house
31:04
wherein to
31:04
rest,
31:05
the swallow
31:06
also for
31:06
herself hath
31:07
purchased a
31:08
nest,
31:09
even thine
31:10
own altars
31:10
where she
31:11
save her
31:11
young ones
31:12
forth may
31:13
bring,
31:14
O thou
31:14
almighty
31:15
Lord of
31:15
hosts,
31:16
who art
31:17
my God
31:18
and King.
31:18
The
31:18
June
31:19
Thompson
31:19
Hawker,
31:19
Psalm 84,
31:21
1 to
31:22
the double
31:22
verse 3.
31:23
How lovely
31:23
is thy
31:24
dwelling
31:24
place.
31:28
How lovely
31:29
is thy
31:31
dwelling
31:32
place,
31:33
O Lord,
31:35
of those
31:36
to me.
31:39
The
31:39
tabernacles
31:41
of thy
31:44
gates,
31:45
how pleasant
31:47
Lord may
31:49
be.
31:49
My
31:51
thirsty
31:52
soul
31:54
of
31:54
swimming
31:55
and
31:56
live,
31:57
it
31:57
pains
31:58
like
31:59
wars
32:00
to see.
32:02
By
32:03
many
32:04
heart
32:05
and
32:06
flesh
32:07
I
32:07
am,
32:08
O living
32:10
God,
32:11
for thee.
32:12
behold,
32:14
the
32:16
shadow
32:17
findeth
32:19
out
32:20
and
32:20
knows
32:21
when to
32:23
rest.
32:25
The
32:26
swallow
32:27
also
32:29
for
32:30
herself
32:31
hath
32:32
purchased
32:33
said and
32:35
rest.
32:36
In
32:37
thy
32:38
known
32:39
altars
32:40
where
32:41
she
32:42
saved,
32:43
our
32:43
young
32:44
ones
32:45
forth
32:46
may
32:46
bring.
32:48
O
32:49
thou
32:49
almighty
32:51
Lord
32:53
of
32:53
hosts
32:54
who
32:54
art
32:55
thy
32:56
God
32:57
and
32:58
King.
33:00
Now may
33:01
the grace,
33:01
mercy and
33:02
peace of
33:02
God the
33:03
Father,
33:03
Son and
33:04
Holy Spirit
33:04
rest and
33:05
abide upon
33:06
each one of
33:06
you now
33:07
and forever
33:07
more.
33:08
Amen.
33:19
Amen.
33:49
Thank you.