How to Train Your Church Not to Take Anything Seriously

Last month, John Piper addressed the American Association of Christian Counselors. Greg Gilbert, Assistant Pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist and contributor at the 9Marks blog, makes an important observation:

A friend sent me a link yesterday to one of the most bizarre things I have ever heard. On September 16, John Piper spoke to a large conference of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He decided to start the message by confessing a list of sins he had struggled with all his life. Here's the result. Listen to the first five minutes and then read on after the jump:

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MP3: Dr. Marvin Olasky at Southern Seminary

From Justin Taylor:

MP3s of Marvin Olasky’s Norton Lectures delivered at Southern Seminary (Sept. 29-30, 2009):

1. Prodigal Sons: Deeper into the Parable and the Need to Become Third Brothers
2. Prodigal Doctrines: Going beyond “Social Justice” to “Righteous Justice”
3. Prodigal Occurrences: Moving from Medieval Understandings to Reformation

Albert Mohler: The Church of the Living Dead

The Letter to the Church at Sardis
Revelation 3:1-6

The Gospel Produces Humility

HT: Rob Pendley

A Model Dialogue

The Desiring God Blog has a good (and short) introduction to Charles Simeon, a pastor in England from 1782 to 1836. My favorite part of the post is a short dialogue between Simeon (a Calvinist) and John Wesley (an Arminian):

Sir, I understand that you are called an Arminian; and I have been sometimes called a Calvinist; and therefore I suppose we are to draw daggers. But before I consent to begin the combat, with your permission I will ask you a few questions. Pray, Sir, do you feel yourself a depraved creature, so depraved that you would never have thought of turning to God, if God had not first put it into your heart?

Yes, I do indeed.

And do you utterly despair of recommending yourself to God by anything you can do; and look for salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?

Yes, solely through Christ.

But, Sir, supposing you were at first saved by Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works?

No, I must be saved by Christ from first to last.

Allowing, then, that you were first turned by the grace of God, are you not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power?

No.

What then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God, as much as an infant in its mother's arms?

Yes, altogether.

And is all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you unto His heavenly kingdom?

Yes, I have no hope but in Him.

Then, Sir, with your leave I will put up my dagger again; for this is all my Calvinism; this is my election my justification by faith, my final perseverance: it is in substance all that I hold, and as I hold it; and therefore, if you please, instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things where in we agree. (Moule, Charles Simeon, 79ff.)

Living by faith

From Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2008), p. 114.

The Puritan preacher Thomas Lye, in a sermon entitled "How Are We to Live by Faith on Divine Providence?" said, "As prayer without faith is but a beating of the air, so trust without prayer [is] but a presumptuous bravado. He that promises to give, and bids us trust his promises, commmands us to pray, and expects obedience to his commands. He will give, but not without our asking." [1]

_______________

[1] Thomas Lye, "How Are We to Live by Faith on Divine Providence?" Puritan Sermons 1659-1689 (Wheaton, IL: Richard Owen Roberts, Publisher, 1981), 1:374. This is a collection of sermons by seventy-five Puritan preachers, originally published at irregular intervals between 1660 and 1691, in London.

Glad that's over

From Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2008), p. 111.

There is an old story about a man who carried the doctrine of God's sovereignty to such an extreme that he drifted into a sort of divine fatalism. One day, walking down a flight of stairs, he carelessly stumbled and fell headlong to the bottom of the staircase. Picking himself up, he gingerly felt his bruises and said to himself, "Well, I'm glad that one is over."

The Lord Alone Makes Me Dwell in Safety

Psalm 4

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

[1] Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!

[2] O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah [3] But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.

[4] Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah [5] Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

[6] There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” [7] You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

[8] In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Introduction

The other day, I was eating lunch with a friend of mine. He made a very interesting observation about the book of Psalms that I thought I would pass on to you. He said that, while much of the Old Testament records God speaking through prophets to men, the Psalms record the response of faithful men to God.

My subject today is Psalm 4. The title of today's talk is “The Lord Alone Makes Me Dwell in Safety.”

In the case of our Psalm today, the Psalmist is praying to God in the middle of opposition. He’s facing adversaries. David’s accuser remains unnamed. From the text, it can be gathered that this opposition may have gone on for some time, because David asks “how long” it will go on in verse 2. But despite this opposition, David remains completely confident in his God. David reminds his adversaries, and reminds himself of God’s faithfulness.

One commentator titled the Psalm “An Evening Prayer.” Another gave it the title “An Evening Hymn.” You’ll notice the Psalm’s inspired heading: To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. This particular Psalm was used as a part of gathered worship, perhaps in the evening, given the wording of verse 8, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep.”

Today, I’m going to draw four brief observations from the text of our Psalm. First, David indicates the source of his confidence: the Lord who answers prayer. Second, David directs his adversaries (and reminds himself) to trust in the Lord. Third, David prays a short prayer of confidence in God. And fourth, David lies down to rest in safety.

1. David indicates the source of his confidence: the Lord who answers prayer.

So the first observation we can make from Psalm 4 is that the source of David’s confidence is the Lord who answers prayer. In verses one through three, David speaks first to God and then to his adversaries.

When he addresses God, he calls him, “God of my righteousness.” This means that David understands God to be the source of his righteousness. God is not only the source, though. David knows that God is the source of his righteousness, the one who keeps him righteous, the one who judges his righteousness, and the one who rewards his righteousness.

Is God the source of your righteousness? He is certainly the judge. The fact is that you and I both have an awareness of God’s law. Even if you’ve never read the Bible, Romans 1 tells us that nature itself testifies to God’s divine Nature and Romans 2 indicates that the Gentiles have the work of the law written on their hearts and their conscience bears witness to that. Your conscience—the sense you have of right and wrong—bears witness to you that God is righteous and that he has a standard and that you violate that standard.

But back to my question, Is God the source of your righteousness? You see, a person can either try to justify himself before God or rely on Jesus Christ to save him! Jesus Christ was the only who lived a perfectly righteous life—he’s the only one who meets God’s standard. You and I have broken God’s law. But Christ came to call you to trust in Him for salvation. Do not try to rely on your own good works. Do not try to rely on yourself. Trust in Jesus Christ and he will save your from your unrighteousness, and cover you in his own righteousness. The faithful request is “be gracious to me” or “have mercy on me,” just as David prays in verse one.

David also begs of the Lord to hear his prayer and answer him. David is confident that God will answer him, too. He gives reason for this confidence when he writes, “You have given me relief (past tense) when I was in distress.” God has answered his prayer in the past, and there is no reason he will not do the same here.

At this point David turns to his enemy. The adversary could be Saul, or perhaps Absalom, but the psalm leaves that unanswered. David asks “how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?” These men have been lying and spreading falsehoods about David. He asks, “how long will you do this?”

The question itself offers an opportunity for repentance. I could ask you the same thing, if you’re one of the people who “love vain words and seek after lies.” How long will you do that? God is giving you an opportunity even now to repent of your sin and trust him.

But for those who have repented of their sin and trusted in Jesus Christ as their righteousness, David reminds us, “the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.” Once again, this is the reason for David’s confidence. The Lord hears when he calls. If you’re a believer, this should comfort you. God has set you apart for himself. He hears you when you call.

2. David directs his adversaries (and reminds himself) to trust in the Lord.

The second observation we can make from Psalm 4 is that David directs his adversaries (and reminds himself) to trust in the Lord. In verses four and five, David counsels his hearers to “be angry” or “tremble” and do not sin—to contemplate in their hearts on their beds. This is a clear call to consider one’s own sin. Remember that this is a song for gathered worship. In this Psalm, the Holy Spirit is calling you to search your heart. Are you one who loves vain words and chases after lies? Or are you one who puts your trust in the Lord?

David directs his adversaries to offer right sacrifices. In his day, they offered spotless lambs on the altar in the temple. We too have a spotless lamb who has been offered for us. Put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ today!

3. David prays a short prayer of confidence in God.

The third observation we can make from Psalm 4 is that David prays a short prayer of confidence in God.

In verse 6, David acknowledges that there are many who pray to the Lord, saying, “Who will show us some good?” as though no one has—as though God has not provided for them. My friend reminded me the other day that God provides for us meticulously. He provides for us in every detail. You have food today because God provided it to you, through this facility. You have air conditioning today because God provided it to you. You are alive right now, because God has given it to you.

Jesus asks us in Matthew 6:25 and following, why we worry about food and clothing and so many other things. God feeds the birds every day. He clothes the grass and lilies of the field. Why then do we worry? Why then do you worry? Trust God. Psalm 34:9-10 say that those who fear God lack nothing. Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. God provides. He has already and he will again.

David then continues his prayer: “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.” Food and drink are good things. A meal with family—say over thanksgiving—is a joyful occasion. For farmers an abounding harvest of grain and wine is a joyful occasion. But David makes it clear here that the joy that God brings is greater than that. God brings the joy of justification. Those who repent can be saved, can be made righteous, and can be adopted. That’s what he’s calling you to do.

4. David lies down to rest in safety.

The fourth observation we can make from Psalm 4 is that David lies down to rest in safety. This point is short, but it is the culmination and even the conclusion of this psalm.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

There is no greater act of trusting God than to lie down and sleep, knowing that God is sovereign—knowing that God is keeping you safe. The fact is for David, and for all of those who repent of their sins, we can lie down in safety and we can be confident that we are safe—that God is protecting us. I remember a quote, unfortunately I don't remember the source, that even though our enemies may kill us, they cannot hurt us, if we are in God’s hands.

So I exhort you to trust God. He is the one who makes you dwell in safety. If you do not know him, please talk to me afterward. I, or some of these ladies from Beechwood Baptist would love to talk to you about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are a believer in Christ, you can be confident to rest in that today. Trust the Lord and take Joy in him and his Word.

Let me pray with you.

Preached 21 August 2009 at Springhurst Health & Rehab.

Save Me, O God!

Psalm 3

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

[1] O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; [2] many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah

[3] But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. [4] I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

[5] I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. [6] I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

[7] Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. [8] Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah

Introduction

Today, the subject of my sermon is Psalm 3. My title is “Save Me, O God!” Now, if you look at Psalm 3 in your Bibles, you’ll see that it has a superscription—a sort of headline—over verse one. It says:

“A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom, his son.”

Now, that superscription, even though it’s not numbered along with the other verses is actually a part of the text of scripture, so we need to pay attention to it. This heading tells us about the context of this Psalm, that is, where it fits in the bigger picture. The prayer in Psalm 3 is directly related to the events in 2 Sam 15.

So to explain the background of our Psalm, I’m going to give you the condensed version of the story. David’s family life was, to put it shortly, complicated. I don’t have time to tell the whole story, but in 2 Sam 13, David’s son Amnon rapes and dishonors his half-sister—David’s daughter—Tamar. Absalom, Tamar’s brother, takes revenge by murdering Amnon and fleeing Jerusalem. David eventually brings Absalom back to Jerusalem, but he refuses to see Absalom. Their relationship is distant. For two full years, the King and his son lived in the same city and neither saw one another nor spoke to one another.

Now Absalom was a clever politician and he began to convince people that David was a poor king and a poor judge. Absalom convinced them that he would do a better Job than his father. Things got so bad for David that he was forced to flee Jerusalem. In 2 Sam 15:13, a messenger tells David, “the hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom. And that’s where we find ourselves in Psalm 3. These are the events we are supposed to keep in mind when we see:

“A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom, his son.”

So as we study Psalm 3, with these events in mind, notice first that as David begins his prayer, he is running from very real enemies—and a lot of them. He has been deposed of his throne and his life is in danger. Notice that in the middle of all this trouble, he stops to pray. David stops to pray. That’s the first point.

Second, notice in verses 3 and 4 that David maintains the utmost confidence in the Lord.

Third, notice that David trusts God so thoroughly that he lays down to sleep.

And finally, notice that David prays for salvation, recognizing God’s complete sovereignty—His complete control over David’s circumstances. Salvation belongs to the Lord, David says.

1. Despite real danger, David stops to Pray

O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God.

Absalom had turned so many people against David that he was required to flee Jerusalem. One theologian wrote that David had about as many enemies as he had subjects! And David was troubled by the words of his enemies. Furthermore, what must have been equally troubling for David is that he was fully aware that the dysfunction in his own family (that ultimately led to all of this) was a consequence of David’s own sin. In 2 Sam 12:11, Nathan says to David, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house.’”

In all of this, though, David turns to the Lord. David cries out to Him, “O Lord!”

Now you may never have been forced to abdicate your kingdom. But I’m certain that you’ve faced various trials. I’m certain that you’ve faced a situation or a circumstance that has been troubling and disheartening. Perhaps you’ve had enemies who have opposed you and mocked you. I don’t know what trials you’re facing but you know what they are.

First, you can be confident that if you belong to Christ—if Jesus is your Lord and Savior—then God is using this trial for your benefit. James writes in James 1:2-3, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” Paul writes in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” You can stand on those promises!

Second, Christian, you can be certain that God will hear you. What does the scripture say? 1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Jesus says in Matthew 11:29-30: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” You can and you may bring your cares before God.

But perhaps you can also see yourself on the other side of the situation. Perhaps you’ve been one of the mockers. You also can be confident that you can be forgiven if you will confess your sin and repent of it. Remember that even thought David saw consequences from his sin God forgave him. God will forgive you too, if you humble yourself and repent of your sin.

2. David maintains utmost confidence in God

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

What a statement of confidence in God! David recognizes that his help is in the Lord. David stops to pray despite the many enemies that are around him. He even acknowledges that he is distressed by their words. But in verses 3 and 4, David shows that he fears God and not man. David does not measure himself by what these other men and women think of him. God is David’s shield, that is, David recognizes that God will protect him. Think of a military shield that prevents the blows from swords and arrows from damaging the one wielding it. God is David’s shield. Further, the Lord is David’s glory and the lifter of his head. God is the one who grants dignity to David.

What’s more, the Lord shows Himself to be faithful. Psalm 136 reminds us in its refrain that God’s steadfast love endures forever! David calls out to God and the Lord answers him.

How can you and I show this kind of confidence in God? We can show this kind of confidence in God by following his instruction. We can humble ourselves and call on God to help us. And we should. We can confess our sins and ask for his help to repent of them. And we should. And we can examine ourselves and search God’s word, and pray that God would help us to be joyful, even in the middle of our trials.

3. David displays his confidence in God by resting

I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

Perhaps the best way we can display this kind of confidence in God, is the same way David displayed it: by resting. Even during the middle of a political coup, in the face of death, David lies down to sleep. Just as he seems to expect, he woke up again. Why did he wake up? He woke up because the Lord sustained him. David then declares in verse 6 what he just displayed in verse 5. He refuses to be afraid of his thousands of enemies.

I don’t know about each of you individually, but I have a hunch that you all tend to worry occasionally. You see I have this hunch because I know that I can easily slip into the habit of worrying about so many things. It’s an issue for me, and I know it’s an issue for others in my own family. I have to actively remind myself not to worry sometimes. Worry, though, is the opposite of resting. If you want to display a high confidence in God’s care and provision for you, then rest in God. Cast your cares on Him. Don’t worry about all of the things you usually worry about. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote in chapter 4, verse 6, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6). I urge you to search the scriptures to see that God is always faithful. You can trust Him and rest in that.

4. David prays for salvation

Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah

Finally we arrive at the apex of this Psalm. David prays for salvation and puts all of his hope in the Lord. His prayer in verse 7 brings us back up to his prayer in verse 1. To counter the many enemies that are rising up around him, David calls for God to rise up and save him. David acknowledges that God defeats his enemies. He says the Lord breaks the teeth of the wicked. What vivid imagery! Breaks the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation, the psalmist writes, belongs to the Lord. I’d like to read you this short excerpt from an old theologian:

I… consider the natural and obvious meaning to be simply this, that salvation or deliverance is only in the hands of God. By these words, David not only claims the office and praise of saving for God alone, tacitly opposing his power to all human succor (aid); but also declares, that although a thousand deaths hang over his people, yet this cannot render God unable to save them, or prevent him from speedily sending forth without any effort, the deliverance which he is always able to impart.

Salvation is of the Lord. God is sovereign! This is why you can have absolute confidence in God. This is why you can trust him to save you, not only from your current calamity—not only from your current suffering, but also from your very sins.

Conclusion

So to sum up, David turned to God in the face of real danger. Second, he maintained supreme confidence in God. Third he displayed confidence in God. And fourth, he prays for salvation, revealing the reason for his confidence.

David was facing enemies: his son Absalom and others in the kingdom who wanted him out. You may be facing personal enemies like David, or you may be encountering faceless enemies like an illness. Remember, though, that you have someone in whom you can have utmost confidence.

Also, our suffering here and now should cause you to consider the eternal suffering that you and I both deserve because of our sin and rebellion against God. You and I both deserve an eternity in hell. But the fact of the matter is that Salvation belongs to the Lord. On the cross, Jesus took the penalty for the sins of those who trust him as their Lord and Savior. This psalm is calling you to rest in God’s salvation. Humble yourself and repent of your sin. Stop trying to save yourself. Trust in Christ to save you from your own sin and rebellion, and you can be confident that he will come through for you.

Preached 11 July 2009 at Springhurst Health & Rehab.

The Foolishness of Idol Worship

Jay Adams posted a little Japanese poem that exposes the stupidity of idol worship.

Oh, idol, on the wall
from thy holy nose, indeed,
there hangs...
an icicle.