When its Hard to Keep Going

The Exalted Saviour

Text: Hebrews 4:14 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”

- Psalms 34:3 “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”

- Psalms 99:5,9 “Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.”

Introduction: There are seasons of like when it seems like it is a hard push up hill and we begin to say to ourselves “what am I doing”? Hiking can be a lot like this. Titus and I took our first overnight backing trip to Lyle Lakes in the West Kootenay’s. From the very beginning of this magnificent trail, it straight uphill AND I mean straight up hill! For 8.5km we trekked uphill to 2540m or 8330ft. Being in the great shape I am in everyone was waiting for me. Hikers could see I was in severe distress and kept telling me, “Just a little bit more”. I soon learned that was “acceptable hikers lie”. It did not seem to end, and I thought to myself, “WHAT AM I DOING HERE”. Then came the summit and I was rewarded for my effort. The scenery was stunning, but more than that, there was a personal sense of accomplishment.

Pictures of Titus and I hiking

We can begin to feel the same way in our spiritual lives. It is in those moments that we must be strengthened to HOLD FAST. There are four things that will strengthen our hearts and minds as we sojourn: The need to exalt the Lord, the need to edify each other, the need to evangelize the Lost, the need to establish New Testament churches.

We must exalt the Lord else our hearts become “weary and faint in our minds”.

Hebrews 12:3 KJV 1900

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

I. Exalt the Lord because of his salvation.

A. The greatness of God’s salvation.

It brings eternal life

It brings adoption

It brings new life

It brings spirtual blessings

It brings the indwelling of the Spirit of God.

It brings the power of God

It makes us alive

It brings us nigh

It brings peace

It breaks down barriers

It brings reconcilation.

We are made fellow citizens of heaven

B. The availability of God’s salvation.

It’s “whosoever will may come”.

II. Exalt the Lord because of character. Psalms 145

300 Quotations for Preachers from the Modern Church (All Hell Would Approve God’s Character)

All hell, if they could view God in his absolute existence, without any relation to themselves, would heartily approve his character. The reason why wicked men and devils hate God is because they see him in relation to themselves. Their hearts rise up in rebellion because they see him opposed to their selfishness.

A. His Greatness V 1-6

God is great…always

1. The statement of his Greatness. Verse 3

Simply God is great.

To be great is a position of elevation above others. It is a position of power and pre-eminence.

The Psalmist says that the Lord is simple great.

1 Chronicles 29:11 KJV 1900

Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

1. The unsearchableness of his greatness.

Next David proclaims that God’s greatness in unsearchable. That is to say in has no ends, and one would never be able to find the limit of God’s greatness.

God is greater than our adversary. I John 4:4

God is greater than our heart. I John 3:20,21

God is greater than man. Job 33:12

God’s mercy is great. Nehmiah 13:22

God’s power is great.

Overcoming power. Psalms 66:3

Preserving power. Psalms 79:11

Power to us-ward. Ephesians 1:19

B. His Goodness. Verse 7; Psalms 31:19;

The next thing David declares is the great goodness of God. Now as I thought about this I thought and about all the distresses that David saw. I thought about Absolom’s betrayal, Amon’s terrible sin and murder, the plague that killed thousands because of David. Yet after all of that David always maintained the goodness of God. How can this be? I believe it is because David believed God was good even is he did not understand God’s reasons.

Let they saints rejoice in God’s goodness. II Chronicles 6:41

God’s goodness brings strength. Ps 27:13

God’s goodness endures. Psalms 52:1 (Notice the context of the Psalm, it is after Doeg the Edomite Saul’s chief shepherd turns David in)

God’s goodness is satisfying. Psalms 107:9

God’s goodness leads men to repentance. Romans 2:4

God’s goodness is abundant. Exodus 34:6

C. His Graciousness

Graciousness is the quality of being forgiving and forbearing. By definition gracious means: “Favorable; kind; benevolent; merciful; disposed to forgive offenses and impart unmerited blessings.”

The declaration of God’s graciousness. Exodus 34:6

Nehemiah’s declaration of God’s graciousness. Nehemiah 9:17

David’s declaration of God’s graciousness. Psalms 103:8; 86:15; 111:4

Taste of God graciousness. I Peter 2:3

God has been gracious to all of us. We have continually sinned against God with our thoughts and actions. We who sometimes daily lift ourselves above God through disobedience mock God and his authority and power depend on God’s graciousness. Without God’s grace and gracious, we would be consumed in his wrath.

III. Exalt the Lord because of his provisions.

A. The source of provision.

God’s provision is seen in His name. Jehovah-jireh - God will provide.

Genesis 22:14 KJV 1900

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

B. God’s provision is seen in His actions.

Psalm 68:19 KJV 1900

Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits, Even the God of our salvation. Selah.