Sermon for Mary Ann Wade

Psalm 116:12-15

The scripture for this morning is Psalm 116:12-15 and I'll be reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

Psalm 116:12–15 (HCSB) —

12 How can I repay the Lord for all the good He has done for me? 13 I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of Yahweh. 14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people. 15 The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the Lord’s sight.

God bless the reading and the hearing of your word this evening.

Let us pray:

Dear Lord,,, as we begin this morning,,, with all that are here today,,, we ask that you open our ears to hear and our hearts and minds to receive the message that you have for us today,,, In Jesus' name I pray,,, Amen.

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Verse 12 says: 12 How can I repay the LORD for all the good He has done for me?

The short answer is,,, you can't!

In a sermon that I read from John Piper he says: The very use of the language “repaying the Lord for all the good He has done for me” makes me nervous.

Payback can so easily imply that grace is like a mortgage.

It’s really generous,,, but you have to pay it back.

Paul said in Acts 17:25, God is not “served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”

In other words, you can’t give anything to God or do anything for God that he hasn’t first given to you and done for you.

You see this again in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”

So none of our work can ever be a payment to God, because the very work is another gift from God.

With every deed we do for God we go deeper into debt to grace.

So in Psalm 116 what keeps the paying of vows free from the dangers of being treated like a debt payment is that the “payment” is, in reality, not an ordinary payment, but another act of receiving which magnifies the ongoing grace of God.

It does not magnify our resourcefulness,,, it magnifies Gods.

The answer is found in the next verse where he answers his own question.

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Verse 13 says: 13 I will take the cup of salvation and call on the name of Yahweh.

In answer to the question in verse 12,,, the writer will call on God to fill the cup.

To pay back the Lord,,, means to go on receiving from the Lord,,, so that "His" inexhaustible goodness will be magnified.

Lifting up the cup of salvation signifies taking the Lord’s satisfying salvation in hand,,, and drinking it,,, and expecting more.

We know this because of the next phrase:

“I will . . . call on the name of Yahweh.”

What shall I “give” to God for graciously answering my call?

The answer is,,, I shall call again.

I will “give” to God the praise,,, and the tribute,,, that he is never in need of from me,,, but is always overflowing with benefits when I need him,,, (which I always,,, do).

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Verse 14 says: 14 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people.

They will be fulfilled by holding up the cup of salvation and by calling on the Lord.

That is, they will be paid by faith in the promise that more grace — all-sufficient grace — is always on the way.

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Verse 15 says: 15 The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the LORD’s sight.

My commentary says that while entering the temple court,,, or while preparing to present his offering,,, the author seems to have reflected upon his brush with death.

He decided that,,, as one of God's faithful ones,,, who is valuable in the Lord's sight,,, death was not something to be afraid of.

God was watching over him and protecting him.

He was precious to Him,,, and when death did occur it was not anything that he needed to be worried about.

God was still beside him.

God would take care of him.

My Study Bible says that God stays close to us even in death.

When a believer we love is nearing death,,, we may be filled with sorrow,,, but we can find comfort in remembering that believer's,,, (the Lord's faithful servants,,, His loved ones),,, are precious to God,,, and that He carefully chooses the time when they will be called into His presence.

We can use this as comfort,,, today,,, when we've lost a loved one.

God sees,,, and each life is valuable to Him!

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Mary Ann was valuable to God!

He was watching over her while she was in this world,,, and He was with Her as she left.

We,,, those of us left here today,,, family,,, and friends,,, are sad that she's gone!

But she was precious in God's eyes while she was here,,, and we know from scripture that He guided her home!

And we will see her again,,, those of us that have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior.

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In John 14:6 “Jesus told Thomas,,, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

The only way that we will ever experience heaven will be by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

God wants all to live in eternity in heaven with Him,,, but it's up to us to decide,,, no-one can make that decision for you.

That's why that I know she would tell us today,,, to be sure that we are making the right choices.

Choices that will change our life forever!

Choices that usually we don't think about,,, but the loss of a loved one can make us realize that our time on earth is short.

A choice that decides whether your eternity is spent in heaven or hell.

She would tell you,,, your choice should be,,, to put your trust in Jesus,,, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness,,, ask Him to come into your heart and live for Him,,, because it's only through Jesus that we will ever see heaven.

Because Jesus said that: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

And that's all the directions,,, we should ever need!

Mary Ann was valuable in God’s sight,,, and I know that she would want the same for you!

So be sure that you have made the right choice today,,, so that you will be valuable in God’s sight,,, as well!

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Let us pray:

“Eternal God, we praise you for the great company of all those who have finished their course in faith and now rest from their labor. We praise you for those dear to us whom we name in our hearts before you. Especially we praise you today for Mary Ann,,, whom you have graciously received into your presence. To all of these, grant your peace. Let perpetual light shine upon them; and help us to believe where we have not seen, that your presence may lead us through our years, and bring us at last with them into the joy of your home not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

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