Middle School Retreat (#1)

Seeing God Clearly (Psalm 103:1-18)

(Mention the Gospel Grid)

The Bible teaches us that we are to live authentic lives as believers.

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Philippians 1:20 “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”

2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

Yet, if we know anything about the Christian life, it’s not always easy, there are

• Pressures from the world around us, from people around us.

• Seasons of persecution and trials

• Times we are exposed to the brokenness of this world

• Struggles against our own sinful nature, often fall into personal sin

All of these and more make it difficult to live authentic & unashamed lives as believers. Yet the Bible teaches us that we can see and live through a different lens—

A lens that helps a person first come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior,

A lens to help us endure, persevere, and overcome the trials/temptations of life,

A lens that will help us grow to be more like Jesus, and

A lens which well (this is a new term I will teach you as the day goes on) help us live a gospel-centered life, one that is authentic and unashamed.

It us to see God through the lens of the Gospel. What the Bible teaches us about God, when we believe and trust in what it tells us, will help us see God more clearly. So many people (even believers) struggle to see God through the right lens because of sin and its nature, along with the deceit of the enemy and this world. And in the struggle, we (1) either turn to other things, idols, and worldly things to find acceptance and approval, or (2) belief we have to work our way to God’s acceptance and approval.

So to begin our time today, let’s turn to Psalm 103 (we will read as we go)

(TWO QUESTIONS)

(ASK) What purpose do eyeglasses serve? What happens if you have the wrong RX or lens?

Sadly, many people use the wrong RX lenses to see God (as you listen to these, be honest and transparent with yourself and admit if you tend to see God these ways):

1. Maybe you see Him as a “vending machine,” or genie—someone who just gives you what you want (do you treat God’s Word like a genie’s lamp? If so, this could be you)

2. Maybe you see Him as a far-off dictator/tyrant—someone sitting in heaven just waiting for you to mess up (if you feel like you are walking egg shells with God, this could be you)

3. Maybe you see Him as a doting grandparent (one who just smiles and affirms everything you do—is this you?)

4. Maybe you see Him as the “chance” card in the game of Monopoly—a Get out of jail free card (kind of like a golden ticket to heaven that allows you to do whatever you want in this life—is this you?)

5. Maybe you see Him as a puzzle that can’t be solved

6. Maybe, and I feel this one is very true, though few admit it—you see Him through the lens of how God is talked about in your home (this can be both good and bad)

7. Maybe you see God through the lens of religion—where God’s love and your life are both transactional

a. “If I do good then God will love me…”

b. “If I work hard enough, God will accept me…”

c. “If I follow the rules, God will accept me…”

These ways however, do not provide a right Biblical view of God. Before we can ever start to live unashamed lives, we must see God clearly—thru the lens of Scripture

Through Psalm 103 we see a wonderful picture of God and His character.

(TO START READ PSALM 103:1-5)

• The context of Psalm 103is God’s mercy. David was deeply aware of God’s great mercy on his life—God had forgiven and restored David after his terrible sins of adultery and murder (explain briefly); and though there were devastating consequences, David repented and God assured him of this, “The Lord has surely put away your sin, you shall not die.” (2 Samuel 12:13)

• After all that David had done in sinning against the Lord—in repentance He was forgiven and in experiencing God’s forgiveness, He experienced God’s mercy—David was seeing God clearly, maybe even better than before

• This is the backdrop of Psalm 103 and David’s praise

I. (v.1) David opens Psalm 103 pouring out his heart in thankfulness for the Lord and His holy name.

Psalm 103:1 “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!”

“Bless the Lord”—means to delight God’s heart by expressing love and gratitude for all He is all He does (worship);

“All that is within me,” means that David’s inner being was focused on the Lord (heart, mind, soul, and strength)

This was neither simple nor superficial worship

It was “unfiltered & unashamed” worship

Mark 12:30 “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

“Bless His holy name: this was worship for the name of the Lord, God’s holy name of Yahweh

Yahweh this name of God carries two wonderful facts related to its meaning, (1) He is one and only true God is personal and who reveals Himself, (2) He has a desire to be immediate and involved in our lives, both of which prove:

He’s not a God who’s far off and left us alone to fend for ourselves, to fight our own battles

He’s not ignorant of the temptations and trials, our weaknesses, or of the sins we struggle with.

He IS THE GOD who intentionally stepped out of heaven to come into your brokenness, into your mess, and to do something about it

The God who established the way for a personal relationship with you

Yahweh redemptive name of God

This shows us there’s more to God’s name than we think—it’s a representation of who He is; David knew this well and was praising God for what His name meant.

NEXT

II. (v.2-5) David’s praise focused on six special blessings/benefits of God.

Psalm 103:2–5 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

• Let me make sure we all understand something as we get into these;

• God loves each and every one of you here. You have been created in the Triune image of God Himself—fearfully and wonderfully by His hands. He desires you, He has compassion for you, through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His love fights for you

• The benefits and works of God which we are about to discuss are available to ANY one who has or would entrust their lives to Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10)—in other words, a person must be a believer, must be born again

If you have questions about this at any time during this retreat, please come talk to one of the leaders here—we would love to have this discussion with you

If you are Christian and are struggling with something, today is a great opportunity to talk with someone and allow them to help you

Forgiveness our iniquities—He forgives ALL our sin:

Forgiveness in the Hebrew language means “to pardon” or “to spare”

The word is exclusive, meaning it is reserved (only used) to mark the forgiveness extended to the sinner by God

It speaks to God restoring a sinner—that’s me and you) back to God, as we repent of our sins and confess in Jesus Christ.

Iniquities in the Hebrew language is “fault,” “mischief;” what we know as “sin.” Iniquity means

As a adjective

To be bent

To be bowed down,

Twisted

As a verb, “to twist,”

Iniquity portrays sin as a

Twisting out of the right way

Twisting into error, a

Twisting/bending into willful disobedience

So together, this first benefit says this about God:

God, “spares, pardons, restores, forgives,” our “fault, mischief,--our “sin” in twisting out of the right way, into error, twisting into willful disobedience

Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,”

Acts 2:38 “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 10:9–10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

Healing of our diseases

Redemption

Redemption in the Hebrew language, means “to deliver, avenge, or act” through being “bought back

As our Redeemer, God bought us back/paid the price to deliver us from death (separation). How?

Through sending His only begotten Son to the cross to die in your (our) place

Redemption’s purpose: The purpose God had in redeeming us is two-fold

To deliver a person from death (separation),

To deliver a person into a relationship with Him

Crowns His people with steadfast love and mercy. (A crown implies honor or status

We are given the honor of God’s steadfast love & mercy

There is no one else who can love you the way God loves you

There is no mercy compared to the mercy that God

His mercy withholds what we rightly deserve—condemnation from sins (there are consequences for sin—but not condemnation for sin—there’s a difference)

His mercy also means that He gives up the right to condemn us for sin, b/c Jesus freed you from that

Satisfies our desires—our spiritual longings

John 4:10 “Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.””

Luke 11:3 “Give us each day our daily bread,”

6. Spiritual renewal—restores our strength in the times we get weary/tired/worn out

Seeing the benefits of God, help us to see all that we have in Christ, if you are a Christian, even on your worst day—you are still and always will be, a child of God, still and always a recipient of His unfailing and unending love/mercy

II. (v.6-18) Like David, we also can begin to see God and His character more clearly, as we remember and praise Him for the work He’s accomplished in our lives

(READ 6-18)

(v.6) God’s justice is for His people

The greatest promise we have from God is that no matter what we face or encounter as believers, no matter who persecutes us, disowns us for our faith, or rejects us b/c of our faith—we can NEVER be separated from God’s love

Romans gives a wonderful picture of this): Romans 8:31-39:

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(v.7 ) God did not keep Moses in the dark about who He was and the works He was to do, nor does He do it with us:

Moses asked of the Lord

Exodus 33:13 “Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.””

God’s response to Moses:

Exodus 33:14 “And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.””

God has done the same with us:

He has revealed Himself through creation

Romans 1:19–20 “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

He has revealed Himself thru His Word

2 Timothy 3:15–17 “and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

He has revealed Himself thru His Son

Hebrews 1:1–3 “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

(v.8-9) God’s nature of mercy and grace

God is “slow to anger;” He does not constantly accuse us—nor does He harbor anger when we do wrong

(v.10) ***THIS*** God does not deal with us (believers) according to our sin—He deals with us according to Christ

Being “in Christ,” means the blood of Jesus has cleansed and washed you of your sins (past, present, and future)

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,”

Hebrews 8:12 “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.””

Being “in Christ,” means you are hidden in Christ—you have your movements in Christ, you life is “in Christ,”

Colossians 3:3 states, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Being, “in Christ,” means that God when He looks upon a believer’s heart, sees you thru the lens of His Son

(v.11-12) ***THIS ALSO*** God casts your sin/removes your sins, completely forgives your sins—as far as the east is from the west

Why is east and west significant?

Because North and South eventually meet. You can travel only so far north, until you reach the north pole then you move south

Traveling east will go on infinitely. You could circle and circle the earth again and again and east will never meet west

What does this mean?

Those who have repented and believed in Jesus Christ, will never again be met with condemnation for our sins (we will never again meet with our sins)

(v.13-14) God knows us, knows our very frame, knows we are but dust, and yet He deals with us with compassion

How many of you think this about God:

“If God really knew what I was struggling with, He wouldn’t love me?”

“If God really loves me, then why is my life so hard?”

“If God really knows be, then He could never love me b/c I’ve ______”

How many of you need to know:

That God does know you—

Psalm 139:1–5 “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.”

That God is molding you, as a potter molds clay—with intentionality, care, love, artistry, and love—He has created you

Jeremiah 18:2–6 ““Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.”

God knows your exact nature and understands:

Your weaknesses and struggles

Your hurts and habits

The hidden idols you keep/or the lies you are believing about yourself

God’s love extends beyond merely knowing these things about your love,

His love moves Him to compassion to do two of the most important things that could ever happen to you

Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

(WORSHIP/CLOSING)

(FIRST)

Psalm 103 also teaches us something about God, something that is part of what is called, “The Gospel Grid”. God is holy (you will discuss this in your breakout groups more)

The more you study God’s Word and learn about God, you will learn more about how holy He is—and this is a good thing

(BEGIN TO SHOW DIAGRAM)

(SECOND)

Remember, the aim of today is to learn how to live unashamed/unfiltered lives as Christians—and this HAS to begin with seeing God clearly.

I want you to think about the first time you meet a new person. Often times, when meeting a new person, our acceptance of them is often determined by first impressions.

• We pass judgments on a person’s trustworthiness or competence in a fraction of a second, using “clues” like physical appearances, facial characteristics, their postures and gestures.

• We also judge intentions. “What do they really want or need from me,” “Can I trust their intentions,” “Is what they are saying true and how do I know it’s true?”

Sadly, when it comes to a person’s first impressions with God, many people stumble and end up with a distorted view of Him. Why?

Because they look through wrong lenses and their first impressions of God become long standing impressions of God (go back to our opening question about glasses).

Maybe you’ve never seen God clearly up to today, or maybe you’ve been struggling in seeing God clearly.

Maybe you’re here today and you’re struggling to see Him clearly, because you’ve been focused on worldly things, trying to bear a worldly image

Maybe you’re here today and you’re struggling to see Him clearly, because you’re struggling with hidden sin(s)

Maybe you’re here today and you’re struggling to see Him clearly, because in feeling rejected by so many others, God must reject you

Maybe you’re here today and you’re struggling to see Him clearly, because you’re too consumed with the guilt and shame of sin(s).

Maybe you’re here today and you’re struggling to see Him clearly, because you’re too consumed with finding acceptance in horizontal relationships & friendships

The beginning to a life of living unashamed, begins with seeing both God and Jesus Christ clearly through His Word

What lens are you seeing God thru? Do you need to “change the lens,” or “clean-up the lens?”

In order to live unashamed/unfiltered, we must have no doubt about Who God is and His love and grace towards us