How should we pray for our World, our Church, our Future?

Title: How should we pray for our World, our Church, our Future?

Text: Psalm 14

Series: Praying the Psalms

Introduction:

COVID-19 is allegedly spiking. The presidential election rhetoric is increasing. Crime in various cities appears to be increasing. International relations with China are spiraling. Churches are becoming political platforms. Christians are biting and devouring one another. The gospel is used to support positions based on personal preferences. The future seems bleak.

I believe that Christians are praying, so the question tonight is not "Are you praying?"

Rather, I think that if you are NOT asking this question, you should be: "How should we pray/sing about the current state of our world, the church, and the future?"

We do not know much about the historical context of Psalm 14, but based on the last verse, it appears that there is some kind of exile that the songwriter is addressing. In other words, there is some kind of displacement of God's people that has taken place or is going to take place. Either David or God's people were away from home due to wicked people and they were looking forward to some kind of restoration.

[Ill: Maybe you remember the story of Joseph & Mary just after the birth of Jesus Christ. They had to leave their home because of Herod, who was seeking to kill the child Jesus. Joseph and Mary lived in exile until Herod died].

So it seems that exile is the possible setting of the writer. Either he is in it or he sees it in the future of the people of God. So, how does one pray or sing about these things?

How do you pray/sing when it seems that you are in a foreign country and a foreign situation?

Body:

(1) Lament the condition of mankind before the LORD (Psalm 14:1-3)

This particular song has been categorized as a lament or a complaint. The apparent negative opening would indicate this kind of complaint song. First, the song opens by identifying the fool who denies the existence of God in his heart. This heart declaration is emphasized in a threefold manner. See Psalm 14:1

Further, what is striking about this opening stanza of the song is that the Apostle Paul quotes it in Romans 3:10-12. It is Paul's citation that helps to direct our lament. Our lament is often for the poor soul who is not saved, but Paul uses this song to include all of mankind.

In other words, when we are seeking to answer the question of "How should we pray/sing for our world?" We must honestly recognize that we are part of the fallen world. So, do not lament everyone and everything you see in the news. Take time to lament the sin of mankind, and intentionally take time to lament your sinful condition as part of all of mankind.

We do not merely want to lament the immorality of representatives of the House, Senate, and Oval Office; but we want to lament our adulterous thoughts, our fits of anger, our materialism, and our covetousness. This is one way that this song directs our prayers. If we are Christians who are living in sin or for sin, we must see that to be a position of exile that we need to be delivered from immediately.

(2) Live in covenant with each other and our LORD (Psalm 14:4-6)

As the song progresses, Psalm 14:4 is a transitional verse from the workers of iniquity to my people. With regards to the "people of God", there is a cohesive relationship that is implied in this song. It is a group of people who are characterized by something very peculiar. You will note this in Psalm 14:5. They are characterized as the people with whom God resides, and they are called the "generation of the righteous". This is very important because, throughout the scripture, the people of God are the people who are marked by the very presence of God. The fact that they are called the generation of the righteous coupled with the presence of God indicates that they have a righteousness that is acceptable in the very presence of God.

What then is this moral perfection that they have which has made them acceptable with God? It is a righteousness that has been given to them through genuine faith that is expressed in obedience to his word. This explains how God is with them and accepts their righteousness because it really is his righteousness. Note Romans 4:6-7

How does this lead us to pray about our church in this world?

We should pray that the LORD will help us to know the poverty of our spirit, that we will know him to be our refuge, that we will persevere through difficulty TOGETHER.

We will pray for those in the church who are being persecuted in their own homes by other professing Christians. We will pray for those who needs jobs to support their families. We will pray for brother and sisters in Christ who are being lured away from the body of Christ by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

Lastly, how does this song lead us to pray for the future?

(3) Long for complete (consummate) deliverance from the LORD (v. 7)

As David longed for a restoration of fortune, he looked to Zion - the Mt. of Jerusalem. People throughout the following generations would look for this salvation. Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Micah and others looked forward to a day when the salvation of the LORD would come from Jerusalem. The wise men came according to prophecies. We finally meet a man named Simeon who is in Jerusalem when Joseph and Mary bring baby Jesus. When he sees baby Jesus he says,

"...For mine eyes have seen thy salvation..."

Of course Jesus Christ died and rose again in Jerusalem, but Jesus is the answer to the Psalmist request. Even though Jesus is the answer, here we are in 2020 dealing with COVID19, Political fighting, Social Unrest...how should we pray and sing about the future? As people who have been saved and are being saved, we join with John the revelator and say,

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

Conclusion:

Thus, we come to the conclusion that there is a way in which we can pray/sing in the midst of our world, our church, and regarding the future. Everything may seem to be falling apart, but we are sure that we can still pray/sing in a certain way by lamenting the sinfulness of mankind, by living in covenant with each other and our Lord, and by longing for ultimate deliverance from the Lord.

“While it is good that we pray, it is great when the Lord’s word shows us direction in prayer.”

Illustration: If you are traveling N & S, you can take interstate 75. It is quicker, less scenic. It allows you to get the journey done more efficiently. There is another option. You can take Old 25. It is called Cinci-Dayton Rd. Most people don’t take this route because it is longer. In spite of its differing contours, changing scenery, different small towns, cuts through the mountains in TN, most would prefer the route that always looks the same.

I submit to you, that our prayer life should be more like Cinci-Dayton rd. We should slow down, be deliberate, observe the contours that the scripture would guide us in, be thoughtful, be specific. How you pray can be informed by Psalm 14 in a robust way.