God’s Mercy Leads to Righteousness
God is Faithful • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 6 viewsHoliness and our response to those who are wicked matter to God. In the midst of persecution God’s mercy moves us towards righteousness.
Notes
Transcript
God’s Mercy Leads to Righteousness
Opening: College professors who received tenure.
It led to some produce good work knowing they are secure to explore their disciplines.
For others, it become a freedom to promote political affiliations, their personal advocacies and ideologies, and pursue non-traditional methods of teaching.
God has done a similar work for all those who choose to accept Him. He has given a guarantee of eternal life, protection and assurance that he will always be for us.
Some see His love demonstrated on the cross as a great mercy and love. They understand its an arrangement they could never have on their own, so they live their lives as one who appreciates their contract or in church wed say a covenant.
Others, view God withholding of judgment as proof He is non-existent or to weak to intervene, so they live anyway they want since God does not zap them down. At least not yet.
The challenge in this Psalm is that both groups-those who call out to the lord, and those who mock Him are worthy of being driven out of his presence and destroyed for sins sake.
Yet David has found a way to escape that judgment and instead receive mercy and God’s love instead of His wrath.
Do you know for sure how you can receive God’s mercy instead of wrath, love instead of judgment?
Stand please
Listen to my words, Lord; consider my sighing.
Pay attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for I pray to You.
At daybreak, Lord, You hear my voice; at daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly.
For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with You.
The boastful cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all evildoers.
You destroy those who tell lies; the Lord abhors a man of bloodshed and treachery.
But I enter Your house by the abundance of Your faithful love; I bow down toward Your holy temple in reverential awe of You.
Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my adversaries; make Your way straight before me.
For there is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongues.
Punish them, God; let them fall by their own schemes. Drive them out because of their many crimes, for they rebel against You.
But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May You shelter them, and may those who love Your name boast about You.
For You, Lord, bless the righteous one; You surround him with favor like a shield.
Prayer
Explanation
Chiasm (Kai-ism)
A1 (vs 1–3) Confidence in the Lord
B1 (vs 4–6) The Lord’s rejection of the wicked
C (vs 7–8) The Lord’s work of love and mercy
B2 (vs 9–10) The Lord’s banishment of rebels
A2 (vs 11–12) Joy in the Lord
Listen to my words, Lord; consider my sighing.
Pay attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for I pray to You.
Words, groaning and cries = give ear please listen and consider them. from my heart I cry and I moan and then consider them
"God" is addressed here as "King", indicating confidence in His dominion and power to answer prayers.
R.A. Torrey once said, "Private and public prayer is not always to God."
This means that we often pray to people in the room with us.
Intimacy with God is not something we are gifted with, but rather it is developed over time.
David has learned That God is available to petition his case to like a king who hears the matters of his people.
Illustration
While praying, sometimes I speak words while other times I am silent and focused on God.
Here David’s sighs are non-communicative.
Kings cannot read the mind or heart’s of their people.
However that didn't stop God from knowing David’s issue.
We should seek to do both in prayer since prayer is communing with God.
Never be to busy to stop and just “be” with God.
however we must do so in faith, trusting God will answer us.
Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.
God wants us to believe that our prayers are going to actually make a difference.
Illustration
At Mount transfiguration the apostles were given great wisdom and exposure to who Jesus was as they dwelt in his presence. coming down the mountain meets the man whose kid is afflicted with seizures and they aren't sure how to help the kid or IF Jesus could.
Now, those who came down with him weren't doubting. They witnessed first hand Jesus’ authority and lordship.
The people who hadn’t witnessed those things were left doubting.
Application
The point is that those who enter into the presence of God leave feeling confident. They will wait expectantly for GOd to show up.
Transition
God wants our faith v.3
At daybreak, Lord, You hear my voice; at daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly.
David is saying I will pray and then by faith I will wait.
David was making room for God to lead him. He expected it, so He waited.
Application
The core of faith comes down to trusting God. Jesus said the power of prayer is opened by the level of trust we have in Him.
Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
“Because of your little faith,” He told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
[However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.]”
Application 2
If we have faith even the tiniest amount- but its pure and is uninhibited by fear or doubt-
we’d learn that God is
greater than our problems,
greater than us and
He is willing to do whatever it takes to declare those truths to the world.
But that only happens when we trust Him to move on behalf.
Illustration: Waiting by the phone. Not IF they call but WHEN.
Transition
What does it take to have David’s confidence to wait on the Lord? David walked in obedience with God’s way. Unlike his adversaries.
For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with You.
The boastful cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all evildoers.
You destroy those who tell lies; the Lord abhors a man of bloodshed and treachery.
v.4-6 Who can then enter in to His presence?
Not the wicked because evil cannot dwell in His presence
Not the arrogant because they assume they are better than others
Not those who lie because they will go to great leghts to protect their lies.
David’s confidence came from his behavior which lead to greater belief.
It was by rejecting those ways. and choosing God’s way.
But by rejecting I mean repenting.
But I enter Your house by the abundance of Your faithful love; I bow down toward Your holy temple in reverential awe of You.
v. 7 Im going to come because of you and your great love.
(read it in the NKJV)
Psalm 5:7 (NKJV)
But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy…
David knows
“I’m allowed here only because you have made it possible. Your love has covered my evil. I bow down in surrender and I shut my mouth so that my words do not condemn me.”
Application
What are we trusting in?
God has made a way to him by his works not ours. Our behavior doesn’t earn God’s favor it demonstrates a life grateful for His favor.
Our faith is built on his mercy and forgiveness. He made a way for us to enter into His presence. He made a way of delivering us from our greatest fears…
The cross is that proof
David looked forward to it wit confidence. We look back in confidence.
We should be askig these questions of ourselves.
Is the sin in my life that I am refusing to confess?
Am I boasting in my own works or am I trying to control my own outcomes?
Am I being honest with myself or am I lying to myself about where I stand with God or my sin?
David admits that there is nothing in this world to help us but God.
Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my adversaries; make Your way straight before me.
For there is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongues.
O God, declare them guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps. Drive them away because of their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.
David is learning from his adversaries. Their rebellion leads Him to want to be different.
I appreciate How David is standing up for the Lord not His own case. What insight to a strong prayer life.
David isn't concerned about his own reputation being attacked, but he wants them to stop committing sin against God. In other words, David wanted God’s glory to be declared not his own. God’s justice served not his own.
Illustration
Henry Blackaby
Jonah: wanted his own case heard and his own ways honored. But when he sought to honor the Lord, in 1 sentence 120,000 are spared destruction. When we seek to have our own honor vindicated we could say 120,000 times and not save 8 people.
Transition
Those who seek to honor the lord, are honored by the Lord
But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May You shelter them, and may those who love Your name boast about You.
For You, Lord, bless the righteous one; You surround him with favor like a shield.
The heart of those redeemed by God acknowledge his work in their lives and they live to honor Him.
They shout because their lives have been radically changed. All
They live to make the Lord famous
By that faith, God surrounds them like a shield and is faithful to give us mercy in our times of need.
Argumentation
As Christians, we are blessed by God when we put our trust in Him rather than in ourselves.
He gives us honor and favor “bless the righteous”
We can sing even amidst our struggles because God is always with us.
His word assures us that if we know God now, it is evidence that we are saved and will remain so forever.
God is our shield, covering us with His favor.
But You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head.
Worship team come up.
Application
We should look at verse 4-6 and ask tough questions of ourselves.
Does my life reflect rebellion or righteousness?
God's love for us was so great that He came down from heaven to die for our sins.
He shows mercy to those who love Him, and He protects them.
In response to His love, we
seek His forgiveness and should strive to live according to His ways, just like David did.
In those hard times He makes opportunities to show His mercy which compels us to believe in Him.
Prayer
New Wine