Chains Break in the Deep (Bowman)

Psalm 107:10–16 ESV

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Introduction

We are back in Psalm 107, thinking about the hesed of our God — his steadfast love.

This psalm is about how God keeps his promises, even when we do not.

It’s about how, against all odds, God rescues his people from the world and from themselves.

Remember how this psalm started: Psalm 107:1 “1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

These are words that can be uttered in any life circumstance. They can be sung on the brightest day, and sobbed in the darkest night.

These words are true everywhere and all the time, “for his steadfast love endures forever.”

While these words are true everywhere and all the time, they are not believed everywhere and all the time.

And when these words are no longer believed, it is like driving Bowman Road at night with failing headlights.

We can’t see the road—where it will turn or what lies ahead of us.

Soon, we might be plunged into darkness.

If we think that driving Bowman in the dark is dangerous, how much more is navigating this life in dark?

Because, when we let go of the anchor that is the love of God in Jesus Christ, it is only darkness that awaits us. Only darkness and trouble.

Today, we will see how God does not allow those whom he loves to remain in the darkness they throw themselves in.

We will see his hesed in dramatic action. We will see how God breaks into the darkest dungeons, and shatters the thickest chains of sin and death.

This series is on how the love of God moves a person, and today, we’re looking at how God’s love breaks chains.

The Darkness

But first, the darkness. Verse 10 begins…

"Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death"

The only situation worse than this is hell. To be on the verge of death and without light is to be pushed to the very edge of this human life.

Could we imagine a worse situation to be in?

It’s one thing to be near to death but still have the light of Christ in your soul. It is an entirely different thing to be on your deathbed, with only darkness before you.

The terrible reality is that most of the world is actually in this place, and they don’t realize it. They are…

Ephesians 2:2 “2 …following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air…”

Their bodies may be healthy, energetic, and full of passion for this life, but their souls are dead. They have not yet been made alive by Christ.

And it is crucial we remember this when we consider our unbelieving neighbors. Their souls are in peril. Your eyes will tell you they’re fine, but your mind must correct the impression. Their souls are, as Jonathan Edwards wrote, “suspended like an insect on a string over a yawning fire.”

This psalm was written in a certain historical context, and so the original audience would’ve read this and remembered real times in their history where this was true. Israelites would’ve read this psalm and remembered, “That’s when we were in Babylon.”

But the amazing thing about Scripture is that it is God’s living word. All of history is a story that God is telling.

And so, this is also representative of all of humanity, before the work of the Gospel. It's where we all start.

Ephesians 2:3 “3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

"Prisoners in affliction and in irons"

These people are sitting in this terrible place, and not fleeing, because they are prisoners. They're in chains. They can't escape.

Why is this the case?

Verse 11 begins, ”For they had rebelled against the words of God"

God is telling us the answer to the question, “Why the darkness?”

“Why is this world so broken, and why is humanity so messed up?”

Because we have rebelled against the words of God.

This is why there’s darkness. This is what all sin does. It puts us in chains and turns off the lights.

The Recipients of Hesed

Now, it is at this point that I need to pause and clarify something.

Everything I’ve spoken about up until this point applies to all humanity.

What Verses 10 through 12 describe is where every human being starts. We’re born spiritually dead, and slaves to sin. All of us.

But Psalm 107 is not for all humanity.

God’s hesed—his steadfast love—is not for all humanity.

The love of a husband for his wife is not for anyone else. It’s only for her.

He may be kind and love his neighbor, but not like he loves his wife.

The love of a wife for her husband is not for anyone else. It’s only for him.

She may be gracious and love her neighbor, but not like she loves her husband.

Because, on the day they were married, a covenant was made between them, only.

And the promises of that covenant are for them, only.

Isaiah 54:5–7 ESV

5 For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. 6 For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. 7 For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.

Revelation 19:7 ESV

7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;

Marriage on earth is a living parable of our salvation in heaven.

And God’s loyal, saving love is only for his bride—his covenant people.

Like a faithful husband, God’s steadfastly loves his people.

That’s who Psalm 107 is for, and that’s who receives God’s hesed.

The Repentance

Psalm 107:13 “13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.”

This is what repentance looks like.

We make a wreck of things and we cry out to God.

Whether we are only starting to veer off the path, or we are years down the road of disobedience, the response is the same.

“In your trouble,” whatever it is, “cry out to Lord.”

So, what is your trouble this morning? What is your affliction?

Have you rebelled against God, and rejected his counsel?

Are you bowed down with hard labor, and feel like there is no one to help?

The steadfast love of the Lord, his hesed, endures forever; his mercies never come to end, and they are new every morning.

In your distress, cry out to the Lord and he will deliver you. This is the plain promise of Scripture.

The Deliverance From Darkness

Psalm 107:14 “14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.”

Look, now, at how the God of the universe rescued you.

Behold his love for you that breaks your chains.

Think of every great hero in every great story who saves the day. They rescue those in danger.

We love these stories, and they move us, because we are the ones in need of rescuing.

All of creation is telling the true hero’s story — this world is telling the Christ-story.

From Genesis to Revelation, the first day of history to the last, the Christ-story is being told.

And that story is of a chain-breaking deliverance.

We sing, “Chains shall he break for the slave is his brother.”

And, “He breaks the power of cancelled sin, he sets the prisoner free.”

Or, And Can It Be,

Long my imprisoned spirit lay Fast bound in sin and nature's night; Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray, I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

The love of God, in the person and work of Jesus Christ, breaks the chains of sin and death.

The power of God, in the gospel of Jesus Christ, delivers us from darkness.

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Colossians 1:13–14 ESV

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Response

Psalm 107:15 “15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”

All of our earthly life must be lived under the light of this reality.

Doing this keeps the headlights on while driving Bowman Rd.

When we lose sight of the steadfast love of God, we lose sight itself.

If we begin to doubt that God’s works are anything less than wondrous, it is only a matter of time until we crash and burn.

The love of God is what moves a person. The love of God is what guides a person.

To be moved and guided by the love of God simply requires thinking about it, and giving thanks to the Lord for it.

God does all the work, he breaks all the chains, and does all the delivering—all his people are called to do is rejoice, and be thankful.

This flies in the face of our flesh. Our flesh wants to control our salvation, and take credit for it.

It thinks to itself, “I helped snap off that last chain,” or, “I took the final step into the light.”

Every chain and step we attribute to ourself is one less attributed to God.

And because God alone did it all, God alone deserves all the glory and thanks.

Again our flesh protests, “Why is God so jealous for his glory?”

Or perhaps you’ve thought to yourself, “Isn’t God selfish, that he’s so focused on glorifying himself?”

The Glory

God is the glorious one. He is everything beautiful, powerful, admirable, and just.

God is the sunrise and the sea storm.

He is the laughter of your child and the screaming of black holes.

He draws near to the broken-hearted, and mocks the destruction of the proud.

He has exalted his only begotten son, and given him the names above all names, and will send him to judge and make war on the world.

But only after he sent his son into the world to die.

Only after.

The eternal God took on flesh, and was born to die.

In love, he became like one of his creatures…

Philippians 2:8–11 ESV

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We can’t understand this glory.

Death was defeated through the death of Christ.

The king of the universe became like a slave.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Is there, at this moment, any glory you still want to hold onto, instead of giving to him?

Is there anything more powerful than the king of the universe on his throne?

Is there anything more beautiful than a holy, perfect God?

Is there anything more loving than the cross of Christ?

Look, now, to Jesus.

See his sorrow and love flow mingled down the cross.

Watch him die your death, even while your sin forged his nails.

Listen to the sound of chains breaking and bronze doors shattering, as he leads a host of captives to freedom.

Look inside his empty tomb, which is now your empty tomb.

Hear him say, “Behold I am with you, even until the end of the age.”

Tremble at the thought of what that will sound like—this age’s end; trumpets blasting across the planet.

Behold the sword that proceeds from his mouth as Christ comes in power to wage war.

Rejoice that you are not his enemy. You are not the one he has come to slay, but to save. On that terrible day, billions will perish—but you won’t.

Think of what it will be like see him face to face.

What will it be like for the most terrifying and beautiful thing you have ever seen to look at you with nothing but steadfast love? With hesed.

Psalm 107:15–16 ESV

15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Bowman Church, this is the Savior who breaks the chains of sin and death.

This is the Christ whose steadfast love endures forever.

Draw near to him in faith today.

Renounce the rebellious ways that are trying to make a comeback in your life.

Recall the dungeon from which you were rescued.

Remember the price that was paid to snap your chains.

Rejoice in the Lord, that he loves you, and has given himself for you.

Rest in the finished work of Christ, and power of God the Father to hold you in Him forever.

This is the steadfast love of the Lord, let us give thanks to him forever.