If Not, THEN!

Illustration

Pony Express april 1860

From April 1860–October 1861 a group know as The Pony Express, delivered mail by continuous horse-and-rider relays between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California, and from Sacramento to San Francisco, California. Although a financially disastrous brief enterprise, the Pony Express and its most famous riders, such as William (“Buffalo Bill”) Cody and Robert (“Pony Bob”) Haslam, captured the national imagination as one of the most daring and colorful episodes in the history of the American West. Expanding Western settlement in the mid-19th century prompted the need for a reliable means of mail delivery, which was initially met by overland stagecoach companies on one of several routes and by steamship routes that either went around South America or included an overland transfer across the Isthmus of Panama or the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico. However, as national tensions simmered in advance of the Civil War (1861–65), rapid transmission of news became imperative, and the standard 24-day schedule for overland delivery from Missouri to the West Coast thus proved no longer sufficient. The Pony Express route was nearly 2,000 miles (3,200 km) long overland, had about 190 stations (mostly in Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada), and required about 10 days to cover. Each rider generally rode 75 to 100 miles (120 to 160 km) and changed horses every 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 km). The service was remarkably efficient—during its 18 months, only one bag of mail was reported lost—but it was ultimately an expensive stopgap. It ceased with the completion of the transcontinental telegraph system.

The delivery of Information has always been so important to mankind’s survival

so important that we will go to lengths that are crazy to insure that the most important information makes it where it needs to go, Right? 24+ days to receive messages just wasn’t cutting it, so they found a faster way. They did this at the expense of Horses dying of exhaustion, and riders being in constant danger, why? because they felt that the message was worth the sacrifice!

CIT:

The Message of Jesus IS WORTH being our number 1 Priority!

Turn with me to the 124 Psalm.

This is a Psalm written by King David. Yup, the very same

David who was a Shepard boy. The very same david who defeated Goliath, The very same david who Led the Nation of Israel to great prosperity. And also, The very same david who made some pretty big mistakes.

Acts 13:22 calls Him the man after God’s own Heart.

Acts 13:22 CSB

22 After removing him, he raised up David as their king and testified about him, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my will.’

Penned 50% of Psalms and gives a look into David’s heart

Though He did not pen them all, David is widely credited with writing almost 50% of the Psalms. The Psalms allow for us to look deeper into david’s heart, and experience his pain, his Joy, and countless other emotions that we may not see in the other books of the Bible.

So let’s jump into Psalm 124

Psalm 124 CSB

A song of ascents. Of David. 1 If the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say— 2 if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, 3 then they would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger against us. 4 Then the water would have engulfed us; the torrent would have swept over us; 5 the raging water would have swept over us. 6 Blessed be the Lord, who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth. 7 We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net; the net is torn, and we have escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

This psalm gives us insight into David’s heart!

The very first thing that david does, is that he gets our attention by being bold!

1. Be outspoken about your Weakness

Psalm 124:1 CSB

1 If the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say—

This may not seem like a “Bold” Statement, but it really is! In the same way that the Pony express riders rode with urgency, so David begins this Psalm knowing the condition of the hearts of the Israelites.

He wants to MAKE SURE they get that this news is THE PRIORITY!!

David is prefacing the rest of the psalm by calling Israel to acknowledge that they can take no credit for the Blessings that God had given them.

Spurgeon said it well when he said:

“We are far too slow in declaring our gratitude, hence the exclamation which should be rendered, ‘O let israel say.’ We murmur without being stirred up to it, but our thanksgiving needs a spur,”

The point is that we will “Murmur” or whisper, we will attend worship but cross our arms and never raise them for fear of awkwardness, we will occasionally invite someone to church, we are present in body, but never completely buy in, or allow ourselves to really get emotionally involved in what Jesus has done for us!

It may be better understood if we paraphrase the verse by saying,

“ Let Israel say, If the Lord had not been on our side then...”

Then what?

Then David gives us a great example of how we should address what the Lord Has done! He Says to:

2. Be Specific when you reflect on Blessings

David gets really Specific in verses 2-5.

Psalm 124:2–3 CSB

2 if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, 3 then they would have swallowed us alive in their burning anger against us.

Satan’s Target from Beginning

God’s people have been the primary target of Satan from the very beginning. From the time when he slithered his way into the Garden and fooled Mankind to take of the Tree, to when the three Hebrew men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego wouldn’t kneel before King Nebuchadnezzar and were thrown into the Fiery Furnace, to when the innocent Savior Jesus was executed for our Sins, to the struggles that you are facing in your life today. And we will continue to be that target forever!

Another great Spurgeon Quote says that:

“Anger is never more fiery than when the people of God are its objects” - CH Spurgeon “Treasury of David”, Volume 6 Psalms 120-150

This pressure can lead us to feel overwhelmed, to feel like there is no hope! David wrote:

Psalm 124:4–5 CSB

4 Then the water would have engulfed us; the torrent would have swept over us; 5 the raging water would have swept over us.

However, When we look at these things we must look at two elements!! Vs. 2 and the “Thens” that are present throughout the text.

Psalm 124:2 CSB

2 if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us,

David is giving the Lord 100% credit, 100% Glory, and is 100% committed to making sure that everyone knows where these blessings came from!

If not, Then!!

David has made sure that He has everyone’s attention, he has been specific about what could have been had the Lord not intervened, and now He changes his focus to God Himself!

3. Allow yourself to Passionately Worship!

Psalm 124:6–7 CSB

6 Blessed be the Lord, who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth. 7 We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net; the net is torn, and we have escaped.

We are Freed from:

Vs. 6 The adversary becomes a beast instead of an Element

Vs. 7 We are birds because of Weakness, Folly, and how easily we are captured

4. Be Confident in the Lord!

Psalm 124:8 CSB

8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Had not the Lord, my soul may cry,

Had not the Lord been on my side;

Had he not brought deliverance nigh,

Then must my helpless soul have died. - John Ryland take on vs 1, 1753-1825

Are you confident that the Lord has done all of this for you?

Are you Passionate and thankful when you worship?

Do you look back on specific situations in your life that the Lord has taken care of and give Him Glory and Praise for those things?

Do you Live your life knowing that You are weak, but HE IS STRONG?

You can this afternoon! You can start right now!

Maybe doubt has made it’s way into your life!

Maybe you’ve been the one who crosses their arms and just endures worship until it’s over

Maybe you’ve never been specific and intentional about your Blessings

Maybe you think you’re strong enough to handle it.

Surrender all of these things to the Lord, and He will guide you, and most importantly, He will save your life!!

Pray for Jesus to Forgive you, Give your life to Him, and give Him thanks through worship!!