"The Main Thing" (W. 2) - Psalm 27

“Confidence in Life’s Challenges”

A few weeks ago now, Pastor Chad asked if I would be willing to preach for the next few Sunday evenings. Thank you again, Pastor Chad. I appreciate the way you passonately preach God’s Word, and your boldness this morning… Wow! I thank God for you.

A couple of Sunday nights ago, I began a sermon series entitled “The Main Thing.”

This sermon series is going to examine the phrase “one thing” in the Bible. There are 4 instances where the Word says that phrase.

Once in John 9, where the Lord taught us the value of making much of Jesus.

Once in Psalm 27, where we will study tonight.

Once in Luke 10, and finally in Philippians 3 (where we will close out the series in just a couple of weeks Lord willing.)

My prayer is that through this worldwide Pandemic, God would both restore people, revival people, and a big one refine His Church.

Let’s get back to THE MAIN THING by declaring Christ, desiring true Communion with the Father, and discerning our calling.

Tagline: Declaring Christ, Displaying Confidence through Communion, and Discerning our Calling.

So as we talk about Confidence tonight… I want to tell you that I was feeling pretty confident this past weekend. Our church just had a huge renovation project in the Pisgah Kids Jr. (our pre-school area), The Well worship center, and the church offices.

All of our staff sort of got rearranged, and Pastor Phil and I got new offices where Pastor Chad’s old one was. I’m still trying to get it all decorated, and I decided that I was going to build my own floating shelves to hang on the wall.

I want to put all the pictures of my wife and son up there, you know?

Now, just so you know, my dad is the jack of all trades. He started building farmhouse tables, just because he’s literally good at everything and can.

He now has a lot of saws, materials, so I decided I would just go use his stuff.

I started going through the plans. I knew what I wanted them to look like… but let me be honest with you…

I never felt confident until my dad showed up.

He knew the best way to use the tools and resources.

He knew the dangers way better than I did.

His presence in that garage was exactly what I needed, because when the Father shows up, the child had confidence, protection, and the work was about to pick up.

Let’s spend some time tonight looking in Psalm 27, and see how the Father gave David confidence…

Read Psalm 27

How can Christians have confidence in the midst of life’s challenges?

1. Remember the Truth of God

By remembering the Truth of God, there are some things you will see that brings confidence… notice:

a) Personal Salvation

“The Lord is my light and salvation...”

David knew something of the salvation God offers. He knew that light had to shine into the darkness in order for him to experience such salvation.

Light -

Spurgeon said, “Salvation finds us in the dark, but does not leave us there...”

The Light of the world comes into the world to shine His great light. He illuminates us, opening our eyes to our need.

John 1:4–5 KJV 1900

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Salvation - this is extended to speak of “deliverance.”

Jesus Christ came to this dark world. He being the light of heaven, left heaven, and came to the earth to work… Listen to Jesus’ own testimony of what He did in John 12:44-50

John 12:44–46 KJV 1900

Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

The presence of light may do more for us than merely allow for sight. A study by Gilles Vandewalle and his colleagues at the University of Montreal suggests that light affects important brain functions—even in the absence of vision

Previous studies have found that certain photoreceptor cells located in the retina can detect light even in people who do not have the ability to see.

The results confirm that the brain can detect light in the absence of working vision. They also suggest that light can quickly alter brain activity through pathways unrelated to sight. The researchers posit that this nonvisual light sensing may aid in regulating many aspects of human brain function, including sleep/wake cycles and threat detection.

So what does that mean for us?

I believe there are people that have detected the light of Jesus, but have never been given new eyes in a new birth.

The scariest thing many churches face is a room full of people that have given mental accent to Jesus dying and rising again, but never allowing the light to show them their need for Him.

What should you do?

Turn to Jesus Christ and believe on Him. Place all of your trust by first repenting of your sins then receiving what He did for you on the cross and through His resurrection.

He shed His blood, paying for your sins.

He died, being the sacrifice for your sins.

He rose again, giving you a chance to be resurrected in eternal life!

When I remember the Truth of God, I can remember His:

b) Divine Strength

Since God is my salvation, who should I fear?

He is also my strength!

This is the word “stronghold,” making a case that God is David’s place of safety and security.

Ephesians 6:10–11 KJV 1900

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Isaiah 54:17 KJV 1900

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; And every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

In the Lord, no weapon formed against you will prosper!! So remembering God’s truth, reminds us of savlation, and strength… but also:

c) God’s Faithfulness

David says, “I won’t fear!” And that’s a bold statement, but look at the next two verses:

He says that the

Wicked

enemies & foes rose up

a host (a bunch of soldiers) - this is a similar word used to talk about “the nation of Israel wandering in the dessert” - a huge army.

war all around him

All of these enemies rose up, and desired to:

Eat up his flesh and rise up against him to fight...

It’s important to note that most theologians aren’t sure when David wrote this. Some say it’s right before he become the King, while he was on the run from Saul. Some say when he was on the run from his son.

I believe that this could easily be a summary of all the enemies that David faced… can I show you a couple of examples?

1 Samuel 17:34–37 KJV 1900

And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

David said, I was a little shepherd boy and a bear and lion rose up to kill a sheep. I ripped them in half with my hands…

Why?

BECAUSE THE LORD DELIVERED ME!

There was an enemy that desired to devour David’s flesh.

1 Samuel 17:44–46 KJV 1900

And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

David threw the rock, and it cracked Goliath in the scull

AND THE LORD DELIVERED DAVID!!!

Now, go check out Psalm 27:3 with me again:

Of all David faced, he said: “In the moment of crazy… I will be confident!”

But how?

If the Lord can deliver me from the lion, and the bear… then the Lord can deliver me from the giant… The Lord delivered me from the army of Saul.

Look at me friend… whatever it is that threatens you right now:

Disease

Financial stress

relationships

Cancer

Depression

Anxiety

Loneliness

If you have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, there is hope. You can rely on the strength of God and God’s people, and you can have confidence that God is a delivering God!

Job 19:25 KJV 1900

For I know that my redeemer liveth, And that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

I told you that tonight’s message is to refocus on the Confidence we have in God, right? So we can have confidence by 1) Remembering the Truth of God...

We can also have confidence by:

2. Seeking the Presence of God

David has experienced salvation, strength, and even God’s faithfulness… but let’s think about this… He could have asked for anything! But look at his greatest desire:

Psalm 27:4 KJV 1900

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

His greatest desire was to dwell in the house of the Lord.

Originally, when I wrote this sermon series, I thought I would title this message “Desiring Church.” And as I think about what David said, and what his desire is here, and can’t help but think about all the things I miss about church.

I miss parking in the cemetary, getting to chat with Pastor Phil on the golf cart ride over. I miss seeing Louie & Lutricia Williamon at the door greeting early.

I miss seeing the Vickeries, Terry’s, Darnells, and Basshams at Higher Grounds.

I miss seeing floods of babies flood down the nursery hallway, and watching Cody and Leigh literally pour out love on them.

I miss walking to the gym and seeing all the kids in Pisgah kids.

I miss Wednesday nights, talking and hanging out with students. I miss the excitement when that garage door opens and Dawson and Colson have their guys hyped up going into worship Jesus.

I miss the anticipation of “what is God going to do today...” as we watch the choir flood in.

I miss hearing the Word preached, and the thousand voices all singing out to One God on Sunday mornings.

I miss seeing the altars full.

I miss watching people join. I miss watching people cross from death to life in this room.

I miss church.

But can I give you some encouragement, we don’t have to be here to experience the presence of God...

David’s deepest desire was closeness with God...

What was David asking for?

a) Access to God

This speaks of his relationship with God.

And when David speaks of the communion with God, He mentions a specific location:

The House of the Lord.

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle and then later the Temple, was the literal house of God on earth.

In the Temple and tabernacle, there were inner courts, outter courts, and the holy of holies - where God’s presence was literally at.

David had limited access into the presence of God…

Hold on for just a second:

When jesus died on the cross, The veil between the temple and teh Holy of Holies was ripped in half!

There was a new way to God… through Jesus!

Through Jesus:

we have access:

Hebrews 4:14–16 KJV 1900

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Because he made us priests 1 Peter

b) Eternal Desires

Some people probably think:

What a poor and sad desire… I mean, don’t you want sports to come back? Don’t you want to go to the restaurants more? Don’t you want college football?

What people won’t realize is that when we desire the presence of God more than anything else, you are holding on to eternal materials.

This is the greatest desire:

Having the access to God, and desiring His beauty is desiring something that won’t ever fade.

We can search for all of the greatest homes, wardrobes, and materials, but the beholding the beauty of the Lord will settle our hears on something eternal.

We can wait for the greatest news to surface, but enquiring from God’s temple is to find wisdom and understanding for all eternity.

Closing: