Offer Right Sacrifices

I have not addressed the issues and events happening around us during the last several weeks.

There is a reason for that:

I am not here to tell you what to think

I am here to help you hear scripture

And encourage you to do it

I am not unaware of what is happening.

I am not surprised

For the student of scripture...

For the student of scripture:

Assassination should not surprise you

A leader losing his mental faculty should not surprise you

Coronating a new leader without peoples approval should not surprise you

Dismissing, making fun of, and persecuting the faithful should not surprise you

Hating God and loving evil should not surprise you

All of these occur in scripture, and they occur in God’s chosen people, even in the church.

What I am asking you to do is

to think, before you react.

To think well, you must know your scriptures.

Psalm 4 BE:NT

The leader’s. With strings. A composition. David’s. When I call, answer me, my faithful God! Under pressure you widened me; be gracious to me and listen to my plea! You people, how long will the one I honour be for shaming, will you be loyal to something empty, will you seek a lie? (Rise) So acknowledge that Yahweh has distinguished the committed person for himself; Yahweh is the one who listens when I call to him. Tremble and don’t do wrong; say it in your heart on your bed and be quiet. (Rise) Offer faithful sacrifices, and put your confidence in Yahweh. Increased numbers of people are saying, ‘Who will enable us to see good fortune? —the light of your face has fled from upon us, Yahweh.’ You’ve put rejoicing in my heart from the time when their grain and their new wine has increased. In well-being I will lie down and sleep, all at once, because you alone are Yahweh; you enable me to live in confidence.

The one who wrote the Psalm was familiar with:

Assassination attempts. David’s life was full of them.

A leader that lost his mental faculties. Saul was plagued by an evil spirit.

Coronating a new leader. His sons tried this.

Persecution for his faith. His men did this to him.

He witnessed people who hated God and loved evil.

He was one of them at one time.

When you hear scripture, you hear these stories.

When you know the stories, you can evaluate how people responded

Then you can respond wisely.

What I am asking you to do is

to be wise with your eyes

When you hear news that the Olympics have a 9 minute scene that mocks the last supper, what should you do?

You have a choice to watch this or not.

You are not like Daniel whose life is on the line when he decides to not worship the idol.

Perhaps more should have considered David’s response.

Tremble and don’t do wrong; say it in your heart on your bed and be quiet

Offer faithful sacrifices, and put your confidence in Yahweh.

Am I saying you should not be involved?

Of course not!

Get involved, you have power in your nation to make lawful change

So do that.

But…remember the most powerful weapon you have…

It is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance

The Gospel is the one and only thing that frees a mind, a person from the powers of evil

No law, no protest, no government, no president, none like that are going to make a new creation

Only the gospel of Christ can make that kind of change in a person.

Offer Right Sacrifices