Puzzled with God
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intro
intro
I don’t know how many of you here today enjoy working on puzzles, but I’ll tell you I have a love/hate relationship with puzzles. Love when I complete them, but if the puzzle is too big I get tired or frustrated with them. That is why those 300-400 piece puzzles were right at my max. 500 and up I get the edge pieces completed and then I am done. As a kid I had a puzzle that depicted Jesus calming the wind and the waves.
I remember thinking...the picture is already on the box, why do I need to make another one out of these puzzle pieces.
When you are working on a puzzle have you found that piece that just doesn’t seem to go anywhere??? Or maybe you have found a piece that seemingly fits beautifully, but when you try and add it, to the complete picture, it doesn’t seem to fit, maybe you even tried to force it to fit, but you know it doesn’t belong there. If your experience has been anything like mine, you may have gotten frustrated a time or two while working on puzzles.
When you are searching, and studying though out your bibles I imagine there are some of you in here who have felt a similar struggle. Maybe finding truth has felt like you are trying to solve a 1000 piece puzzle, some pieces fit together and others seem like they have no place. Staying along this puzzle theme, I would suggest some of us here might already have what you believe to be a completed picture of God. I say completed in the sense of you have worked out everything you desire to learn about God and the rest you have determined you will find out in Heaven. Just contemplating some verses, stories, and concepts in the Bible can challenge some of our preconceived notions about God, thus endangering our completed picture. The finished pictures in our heads, that may or may not include all the pieces, often times are a result of skipping to the end. It’s like me seeing the box cover of a puzzle with the complete picture on it, but not taking the time to go through and work through the puzzle pieces. I know the picture is beautiful so why take the time to complete the puzzle.
A Completed picture for many of us long time Christians is “God = Love” God = mercy” Or God = kindness. When I preach about God’s love, mercy, and kindness (as I am going to do today) its not typical for the sermon to feature stories found in the warfare sections of the Bible, the slavery sections of the Bible, the prostitution parts of the Bible. If those unseenly parts of the Bible are taken individually, it might have the feeling of a puzzle pieces that have no place in the completed picture. Today we are going to be spending the most significant amount of our time in the book of psalms, specifically in chapter 136, my intention is that when we finish we will have a place for an awesome piece of the puzzle which is a big step in making for a more completed picture of God! Lets take a moment now and pray.
I will encourage each of you here to open your Bible’s to psalms 136, and we will begin our study in verse 1.
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Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
I am reading today from the English standard version, the king james, and new king james will say something along the lines of, his mercy endures forever, new American standard translates this phrase as his lovingkindness endures forever. New International version translates it as his love endures forever.
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All of these translations have merit because throughout the Old Testament when this Hebrew word “hesed” is used, it is used in all three forms, therefore in regard to this chapter any of those attributes of God are accurate translations.
The author begins this passage the same way he concludes it by commanding thanks from his readers to God, because he is good, because he is the God of God’s and the Lord of lords. This picture of God is seemingly already completed. God is good. Why do we even need to add to that picture. It’s a picture phrase completed with a phrase most of you know. God is good, all the time, all the time, God is good. His stead fast love endures forever, his lovingkindness endures forever, or for you king jamesers who might prefer the eth at the end of endures, his mercy endureth forever. There is a reason for beginning and concluding this passage with thanks, because it is demonstrated in action in creation, in deliverance of his people, in conquest and battle, and throughout history itself.
It’s through these 4 pieces we find a more completed picture, that individually, it may feel strange to use to conclude God is good, some of those things don’t look so good, but together we see a more completed picture that does indeed look good and worthy of thanks and praise.
Let us continue.
to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
The author here, examining God’s creation continuously, examining aspects of creation declares them as examples of acts of love that endures continuously forever. He speaks of the singular power that God has to create and an unmatched divine wisdom to be able to design flawlessly. He speaks of the intricate detail of creation, in separation of earth from water, giving the world light, and darkness, day and night. He talks about the creation of the sun, moon, and stars, things the pagan world would worship. The author already has stated HIS God is the God of Gods, and Lord of Lords. Could it be this calls out people worshiping the wrong picture. You worship his wonders and creation as gods, but I worship the true, 1 and only God, the God of “gods.” He is the one who is responsible for it all. When we consider the importance of water, heat, light, land, the sun, moon, and stars, its hard to not to picture a designer who developed what would help sustain life more comfortably. It would seem fairly clear His power, wonders, and creation would fit nicely with a picture that says God is good, and his love endures. His lovingkindness endures, his mercy endureth. Then we see some pieces that at first glance may not seem like it would connect or fit very nicely. Let’s continue. change slide
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and brought Israel out from among them,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and made Israel pass through the midst of it,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
we are reading, obviously the story of God’s deliverance of his people from slavery at the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. It is a legendary example and reminder by the author to God’s present people that God has delivered and will continue to deliver them. It speaks of God as the deliverer, one who never forgets his people and is with them throughout their trials. However, lets take a moment to isolate verse 10 as its own puzzle piece. To him who struck down the first born of Egypt, his steadfast love endures forever.
Or his loving kindness endures forever, or his mercy endures forever. Do Egyptian first borns not matter? Even if we can rationalize this action as a necessary measure, one brought on by a hardened heart of Pharaoh...how do you finish this isolated statement with a description of God as merciful. It’s out of the bigger more completed picture do we witness how his mercy, love, and kindness, is steadfast. It’s finding the puzzle pieces in Exodus that go piece together those truths about God.
God witnessed his people betrayed by the Egyptians and suffered at their hands in slavery. He heard their cries and watched generations of His people suffer.
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I remember once in a bible study prayer meeting a few years ago that I was a part of, the question was asked about the difference between avenge and revenge.
In the Bible they are not synonymous. Revenge is an eye for eye and tooth for a tooth, wronging someone who has wronged you. To avenge in the Bible means to follow through on a casted judgment. God casts only righteous judgment and it is enacted upon the land of Egypt and unto those who did not follow His instructions of prevention of the tenth plague. Although severe judgment indeed, his love, and mercy are still evident. His steadfast watchcare is present amongst his people, and his power is made known to the land of Egypt.
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
and brought Israel out from among them, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
to him who divided the Red Sea in two,
and made Israel pass through the midst of it, but overthrew[a] Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
Thus we see an extreme consequence take place in the form of a hard lesson to the Egyptians in a demonstration of God’s power does still have its place in the larger picture, that God is good, one whose love endures and lovingkindness is present and mercy remains.
Let’s continue. change slide
to him who led his people through the wilderness,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who struck down great kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and killed mighty kings,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and Og, king of Bashan,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and gave their land as a heritage,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
a heritage to Israel his servant,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
When I was younger, my mom used to let me watch on vhs the Bible’s greatest stories. Several of the stories came from exodus, and judges, and about david’s conquests as a soldier and king. These stories showed me as a child the more complete picture of God. It showed God’s faithfulness, it did not glorify violence, it simply told me the story of how God protected and watched out for his people. But I promise you this, the violence was there. If some of these conquests mentioned here in the verses just read were made into a film, I promise you it would not be a G-rated one. While conquests and the conquering of other people is not always a pretty picture, the journey’s of God’s people and the conquering of other nations were necessary actions, where again God extends his watch care and protection as a demonstration of continued faithfulness to His chosen people. Isolated someone might read or find a picture of God they wouldn’t like to think. God a conquerer of other people.
This is an unfair assessment. God is a conqueror yes, but a conqueror of evil. I would suggest to you, only his avenging is righteous. You will find everytime in scripture when God’s people tried to avenge on their own authority and not God’s they were unsuccessful and were not blessed in their actions. Joshua learned that lesson the hard way, Saul learned that lesson the hard way often, and kings later would learn that lesson. While not every piece of the story is deemed beautiful, in the context of his underlying constant love, mercy, and kindness, we see the piece does add to his picture of goodness. This is one who fulfills promises to his servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob...who is named in verse 22 Israel his servant. This is story, as I mentioned before is not G-rated, but demonstrated the faithfulness to His covenant relationship to His people. This God is good.
The poem continues
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
and rescued us from our foes,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
he who gives food to all flesh,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
This passage closes with the author, most likely David, reminding God’s people of their history and legacy as being known as a people who had been thought of in their lowest misery state, and had been rescued from those who would have conquered them, and empowered them to conquer in His name, who had sustained all their physical and spiritual needs. It is because He was and is worthy of praise and thanks, He is the God of Gods and Lord of Lords. His constant love, mercy, and kindness stands the test of time and proven time and time again to endure. He was and is and is to come...He is good. That is the complete picture. It is a portion of the puzzle that has been completed. If you are confused about something....let it not be that God is good.
But how could a good God look on and allow the terror attacks on 9/11 and allow what has taken place in Afgahnistan? I spent a little time talking to my father-in-law to gain some perspective on the feelings he and other service men and women have felt in the last few weeks. Suffice to say anger, hurt, and grieving pain, even if not directed at God per say, there is a spectrum of emotions of asking God why. He also mentioned the rise of service-people calling suicide hotlines. With this ongoing pandemic in the world people are questioning everything and looking for answers How could a good God allow massive earthquakes and hurricanes to take place and cause such devestation? How could a good God allow loved ones to endure cancer? How could a good God watch terrorism and do nothing? Those questions are valid ones...and I’m not going to try and diminish or belittle the pain people are experiencing and give you a simple answer or rationalize why bad things happen? But I will attempt to show a more completed puzzle than the few isolated pieces that were just mentioned.
How could His mercy endure...
My current or previous life of drug-using, partying, lust, lying, stealing, bickering, fornicating, pornography watching, tax evading, tithe withholding, verbally abusing, physical abusing, temper flaring, compromising, Sabbath breaking, wicked thought having, lack of loving, hating masked as loving.
How does God have the capacity to love me so wicked I have trouble loving myself?
How does God extend kindness to me when I am so mean to other people, with either my thoughts or actions?
How does God have the willingness and desire to spot and connect with me in the midst of this chaotic and increasingly dark world?
I am excited about the messages we are going to receive in the upcoming weeks with Pastor John, who has already shared a little bit of his own experience with trauma and pain growing up and coming in contact with a loving father in Heaven. Anyone who will track with that series will have multiple opportunities over to accept the steadfast love of the father that endures all things forever.
Today I Wanted to give this group assembled right here there own special opportunity.
Is there anyone here who has been wrestling with their understanding of God?
Is there someone here looking for answers?
Is there someone who has been wondering if God does in fact see you in your current circumstance?
Text the number on the screen and let us know how we can pray with you.
Text and let us know if you want to commit your life to Christ or re-committ your life, whether through Bible study, profession of Faith, or through baptism.
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
How much greater is the completed picture of God when we take the time to put the puzzle pieces together.
God is good! His loves endures forever.