When People are the Problem

Introduction:

· Sometimes the problem is the people that we deal with.

· Someone made you feel welcome at your new job (but you overhear them criticizing); someone at school who pretends to be your friend (but they are only interested in your toys)

LET’S LOOK AT HOW TO ASK GOD FOR HELPE WHEN PEOPLE CAUSE US TROUBLE AND THEN HOW GOD RESPONDS TO OUR NEED FOR HELP.

I) How to Ask God For Help When People Cause Us Trouble

A. People are the Problem (vv. 3, 4)

i. “Wicked” People lack a moral compass (vs. 3a)

1. Without a moral compass, we choose for ourselves how to live

2. DESTRUCTIVE! Machiavellian morality: I’ll step on you to get ahead!

3. EXAMPLE: A collaborating, complimenting, steals the credit (vs. 3c)

ii. “Evil people” are inwardly troubled who act outwardly nasty (vs. 3b)

1. Evil: Hurt people hurt people: unplugged from God we direct trouble outwards

2. EXAMPLE: An abusive homeàaddiction and abuse

3. EXAMPLE: business partner embezzles àbankrupt, no more life savings

B. Three Prayers when the people are the Problem (vv. 1-5)

i. Asking God to Listen to His Children (vv. 1-2)

1. The Psalmist uses a variety of creative language to get God’s attention

2. Why? As frail people, we have a fear that God may not hear us

3. APPLICATION: The Psalms also give us language, vocabulary, to pray

ii. Asking God to Protect His Children (vv. 1b, 3)

1. The Psalmist prays that the unrighteousness won’t rule the day

2. APPLICATION: We think we’re self-sufficient; we need God’s help!

iii. Asking God to do Justice for His Children (vv. 4-5)

1. May we pray for God to punish the wrong doers?

a. That contractor who took your money, but never did the work?

b. The driver who t-boned your car, and drove off into the night

c. The abusive person who didn’t give you the security you needed?

2. Rather than taking matters into his own hands we entrust them to God

BUT HOW DOES GOD ANSWER US?

II) The Promise of Answered Prayer

A. God Hears the Prayers of His People

i. The Good News of a God Who Listens to His People(vv. 2, 6)  

1. The repeated language shows how God responded to the Psalmists prayers

2. APPLICATION: God always answers (even if not in our time, way)

3. APPLICATION: danger of ingratitude vs. joyfulthanks (vs. 7b)

ii. The Good News of a God who Delivers His People (vv. 7a, 7b)

1. Shield & rock are metaphors of protection – even a place to hide

2. ILLUSTRATION: Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress”, God’s protection

3. We live in a sinful world, but God is a shelter & a Shepherd (vs. 9)

B. God is the Saving Refuge of His Anointed

i. But how do we know?

1. We’ve all experienced evil as overwhelming, we don’t see a way out

2. AND: there are plenty of examples where people get away scot-free

ii.  Psalm for God’s Anointed (vs. 8b)

1. David knows that God is 100% committed to his anointed one

2. Why does this matter? David is a shadow…of a greater “anointed”

iii. The True and greater anointed one

1. Jesus is God’s anointed one who was dragged off with the wicked

2. Jesus is God’s anointed who cried out to God, yet God was silent

3. Jesus is God’s anointed who went down into the pit

4. Jesus trusts his father to answer and he did! (though it seemed impossible

iv. Therefore:

1. In Christ, we are rescued from the greatest pit – the grave itself!

2. In Christ we are assured that God will never stop listening to his children

3. In Christ, God deals with the problem of sin – at the cross, or in eternity

Transition:

Conclusion

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