Seeing the God of Blessing
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Stability is such a vital part of living well.
—We drive over a bridge, we want it to be stable
—Having a stable job; working for a company that has future stability
—If the home environment is not stable it can do massive damage to a child’s mental, intellectual and emotional life
—Living in a stable community that’s not going to be overrun with crime and joblessness
—We see throughout history what happens when governments are not stable
—Being part of a church that is stable in doctrine, community, leadership
Ps 112 is a Psalm that celebrates a stable life—
At the core of this Psalm is a single statement of stability (v6)
Some of the Psalms are instructive at the core; t they carry the theme of Wisdom
Wisdom in the Bible is often marked by “blessed”
There is an old Puritan title “The Godly Man’s Picture” —that essentially sums up this.
*As this Psalm helps us to see God, it pulls our attention to the value of Spiritual Stability
The Godly Man is a spiritually stable man
Q: How do we identify spiritual stability?
1) Spiritual stability is a result of the inner and outer life working in harmony
2) Spiritual stability is rewarded
In order to grasp the heart of this Psalm, we need to see it’s built on reward
Stability in the inner life (1, 7-8)
Stability in the inner life (1, 7-8)
We know that when God evaluates us, it’s not on the basis of our physical appearance, but the heart;
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
And that is the first place we should look to see if we have spiritual stability—the heart
(v7, 8) describes a stable heart as firm and steady.
3 Key words mark out spiritual stability
Fear (v1a)
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord
John Calvin: We must fear the Lord before we can trust him
Trust also becomes a key word of stability, but we can’t overlook the importance of fearing God (healthy, reverence and awe)
Pittsburgh dads--
When I grew up, my friends dads were guys you were afraid of. A healthy dose of reverence and respect.
They were loud, and would holler if you did something you shouldn’t
I remember one time I must have gotten mouthy with one of the them and he pulled me by the ear…and pulled, and pulled; I felt like he was going to rip my ear off
But the strange thing: This fear that demanded respect, also earned my trust.
I knew when they said something, they meant it. Their word carried an authority I needed to trust and respect.
Spiritual stability begins with fearing God
Delight (v1b)
“greatly delights in his commands” —specifies what fear of God means.
In Hebrew parralelism, fear and delight go together
Delight is a word of enthusiasm. It describes what we are passionate about
Not an “arm-twisting”, cry uncle, tapout
A godly person has great enthusiasm for God’s commands—that’s not rooted in a legalistic spirit, but a heart of love.
Yet this does not imply some immature infatuation, but looks the the delight of a couple that has years and decades of marriage, and still enjoy being together
Is 11:3—prophecies about Jesus “he will delight in the fear of the Lord”
The helps us to know that Fear/delight coexist; and that Jesus lives out the ideal of Ps 112
Trust (7-8)
Here is the “test case”
What happens when bad news hits.....where do our hearts go
Stability in the inner life means that our hearts will move toward the Lord
Derek Kidner reminds us: “What is promised is not better news, but a steady heart” (Tyndale Commentary on Psalms 73-150)
Apply:
Stability in the Outer Life (2-3,5, 9)
Stability in the Outer Life (2-3,5, 9)
There are two outward signs of spiritual stability: strong influential family and a surplus of wealth
—If we read Deut 28 before Psalm 112, it would make sense
The Lord will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
*Under the Old Covenant, if God’s people are faithful to him, he commands blessings
—Let’s not forget that God commands blessings
Things don’t happen by chance, or “coincidence” they come from God’s commands (Ps 29)
The focus of the blessing:
1) Family (v2)
This emphasis is super important in light of our highly individualistic culture
The children of the stable man also prove to be stable—(in principle, not promise)
Esp. directed to dads: We take spiritual stability seriously not just for our own sakes, but for our sons and daughters.
**Occasionally God gives grace to children whose dad’s are spiritually weak and they are strong in spite of the weakness…but it’s the exception, not the rule
I heard a talk some years back from some Australian pastors who were very critical of how much of the American church works.
In the American church the model has often been: focus on the kids.
Spend massive amounts of time, money, and resources trying to entertain the kids
Is that biblical?
In the Bible, and much of church history: get the dad, and the family will follow.
Now in the gospels, Jesus prioritizes children—uses them as examples of entering the kingdom.
I highly value the children’s ministry at TRB....yet
In the Bible, and many cultures: You get the dad and the family follows
*Outer stability is when the sons and daughters become “mighty in the land” —when there is “generational faithfulness”
2) Fruitfulness (3,5,9)
Biblical wisdom teaches, that in general, godly living leads to having some measure of wealth
Hard work (Prov 26:14)
Better stewardship (gathering little by little, Prov 13:11)
—not wasting money on poor, sinful choices
But it ultimately comes as God’s blessing
The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.
One commentator:
“Wealth, then, should not be one’s goal in life, but it may be one of God’s blessings for those who seek him faithfully.”
Estes, D. J. (2019). Psalms 73–150. (E. R. Clendenen, Ed.) (Vol. 13, p. 355). Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group.
Q: What do we do with the blessing? And what are the dangers that come with it?
Danger: We live in a very consumeristic age. Most of I us have bought way more than we ever need.
Our lifestyle and spending habits can look little different than our unbelieving neighbor…who gives no thought to God
I came from a home where the motto
“One is none, two is one”
Always get a backup of everything you need
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
The Bible says that our backup is for blessings; our surplus is to scatter
Our discipleship takes place in a very consumeristic
Stuff is made so cheap; there are endless gadgets we can acquire.
**Do you ever think how this has the potential to choke out our discipleship?
There is a very sobering word of warning
Jesus warns that some will never be fruit bearing disciples because of materialism
And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
**This turns the whole idea of blessing around
Often, we used “blessed” when we heave recieved a lot—when things come our way.
Yet the Bible says something different
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
**The Spiritually stable person becomes a conduit of blessing others
Apply: That’s a great measurement for our stability. Are we living so that we are a conduit of blessing others?
—Do I look that the things I own as a conduit for blessing others?
—How about my bank account? Do I see it primarily for me, or a conduit for blessing?
Ouch!
Calvin: “study to combine frugality with economy, without giving way to luxury” (Commentary on Psalms)
They way we practically do that is by generosity.
Examples from text:
Dealing generously and lending (v5)
If you have a business, make sure it’s done fairly and integrity. Loan stuff out when people are in need—extra room in house, tools. Don’t expect a “payback”
2. Distribute freely (v9) —sacrificial giving
That is how the Psalm is appleid in 2 Cor 9—taking up offering for poor
As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
Jesus used the same illustration for how he lived is life: sacrificial
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Gospel: What this means is that Jesus’s life becomes a conduit of blessing for many
His perfect life of spiritual stability is what earns a reward.....for us
His whole self is gracious, merciful, and righteous
He is the one whose righteousness endures for ever
Which implies that any hope of righteousness enduring forever must be his
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Apply: Any and every blessing that will come our way, will need to come through faith in him
Finally,
V10=Life without the hope of Jesus
**It’s the alternative to stability and blessing
Sum: Wisdom always shows us there are two paths to take.
The path of Christ is the path of blessing—stability
The path of self, is the path of misery and death
Which one are you walking on today?
Conclusion:
—Attach ourselves by faith to Jesus Christ. Receive and rest in the reward of his righteousness.
—Appreciate the Spiritual stability God has surrounded you with (parents, pastors, mature christian friends)
—Aim at Spiritual stability in our own lives
Stability that mingles fear, delight, and trust in the Lord....
and is a Christlike conduit of blessing to many