Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Reading

Introduction

We have gathered together at a time of mourning.

We are confronted with the stark reality of the brevity of life.

Inasmuch as we know that death is a certainty, it always impacts us, and brings a measure of inward pain.

It is right and fitting that we feel sadness at a time such as this.

As much as we all know that death is a part of life in the sin-cursed world that we live in, that knowledge (certainly that knowledge alone) doesn’t ease the pain that we feel when we lose a loved one.

However, as Christians, there is something that does ease our pain, and that is the wonderful hope of restoration and redemption that God has brought about through Christ.

We have a confident hope in God, even in the midst of the most painful experience that this life can bring us.

It is as we look to the Word of God, even in times of bereavement, that we as believers may be encouraged and renewed in our strength as we consider the certain hope that is available to all who are in Christ.

And so even this morning, as we look to the word of God, let me say to all here, particularly the very close family, that we grieve with you, and we as family in Christ will come alongside you, and feel the hurt that you feel, and weep with you as you weep.

But I also want to point our eyes towards that hope that belonged to Mike, and the hope that is ours in Christ.

It is a confident hope in the God that saves and redeems.

We see this in Psalm 130.

As we look at this Psalm, particularly in light of remembering the life of Mike, who has now gone to be with Christ, I would like to draw your attention to the progression in the thoughts of the words of the Psalmist.

As he pens this Psalm, he conveys in a beautiful manner just something of the redemptive working of God in His people.

He begins with crying out from the depths, and ends with an expression of confident hope in the God that saves.

And that progression speaks beautifully to the life of a Christian in their walk with God.

And it provides us with a joyful encouragement even as we think about the life of Mike and his love for Christ, and how that progression in His own walk with Christ, has come to a place of a longing fulfilled.

1. Crying Out of the Depths (vv.1-2)

The Psalmist begins this Psalm by crying out to God.

Verse 1 says...

The Psalmist begins here in the trenches.

He begins at a low point, a point of crying out to God.

It’s a place of darkness and sorrow and trouble.

Notice the extent of the weariness of the psalmist here.

It is not merely that he cries out to the Lord.

He says that he cries out, "out of the depths."

The psalmist finds himself in a place of darkness and trouble.

He finds himself in a place of weariness.

It's out of this place of weariness and darkness and trouble that the psalmist calls out to God.

The cry continues in verse 2....

The Psalmist cries out, beseeching the Lord to hear him and to listen to his voice.

We must realise as we consider this cry of the Psalmist that the despair and the trouble that the Psalmist finds himself in is not one so much of afflications and struggles in this world, as it is a wrestling with his understanding of sin.

As he sees his his own sin, the sin of Israel, as he sees the separation that this brings from God, it causes him to cry out to God.

With this in mind, we must recognise that the Psalmist does not come here to God on the basis of his own personal good, but rather, he cries out to God on the basis of God’s mercy.

He approached God on the basis of the character and the nature of the God that he was crying out to.

The Psalmist cried out to God and based that plea for God to hear him on the steadfast love of God.

So, too, in this Psalm 130, the Psalmist knows that there is no personal basis upon which to cry out to God, but rather it is on the basis of God’s eternal love and mercy.

And so He calls out, Lord, please, hear my voice, and let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

As we consider the life of Mike, the life of every Christian, we realise that this is the starting place of the walk of every Christian.

It is a place of recognising that sin has caused a separation between man and God.

It is a recognition that apart from God, there is no hope, and thus it is necessary to cry out to Him.

The Psalmist here, seeing his own condition and his own state before God, cries out to God.

But we must go on to see in the Psalm that the Psalmist goes on to fix his eyes on the mercies of God.

He speaks about…

2. Forgiveness with God

In verse 3 we read...

Out of the depths of the darkness of his present situation, the Psalmist acknowledges this simple and yet profound truth.

He acknowledges that neither he, nor anyone else in the world, would be able to stand before God in the event that God would mark iniquities.

The prophet Malachi spoke of this…

That is the reality of man in his sinful condition before a holy God.

And the Psalmist expresses it well here.

But we must see that the Psalmist did not remain wallowing in misery.

He was simply confessing, based on his own recognition from his place in the depths, that he did not deserve to stand before God on his own merit.

He saw his unworthiness.

If God were to hold a man’s sins against him, there would be no hope.

Again, this is a place where Christians begin their walk, and a truth that Christians are regularly reminded of.

If God were to mark our iniquities, who could stand.

With that said, notice the wonderful expression of hope.

There is a confident hope with God.

As the Psalmist continues here, notice where he turns his attention, even as he continues to cry out to God.

Here are some sweet words spoken by the Psalmist.

While he readily acknowledges that if God were to mark iniquities, man would not be able to stand, he goes on to declare that God is a forgiving God.

God is a gracious and merciful God.

This truth forms part of the very character of God.

He is merciful and forgiving.

As we look at life and interact with people, so often we find that they do not forgive.

People in this world will continue to hold grudges, and refuse to forgive.

But not God!

He is a forgiving God.

He is a merciful God.

Exodus 34:6–7 (NASB95)

6 ... “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;

7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin...”

This is the mercy and grace that God shows to every person that cries out to Him as the Psalmist did.

For those who would turn their eyes to the Lord, and cry out to him, there is forgiveness.

There comes a freedom from God knowing that He will grant forgiveness.

Think of the joy of this Psalmist as he ponders this.

He is crying out from the depths, and yet declares, that with God there is forgiveness.

This is a truth that is cherished in the heart of the Christian, because He knows the joy of God’s forgiveness.

While life for the Christian may begin by crying out from the low point in life, it never stays there!!

It goes on to declare that our God forgives!

As we consider the life of Mike this morning, this would have been a truth that he knew well and delighted in.

He knew what it was to have the forgiveness and mercy of God.

Notice what this forgiveness by God results in.

The Psalmist says, there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared.

This fear that is spoken of here does not mean that the person is quivering in fear, trying to hide from God.

Rather, it expresses a holy reverence and awe that leads to the worship and praise of God.

As a Christian, coming out of the depths of despair, receives the mercy and forgiveness of God, all the while seeing that they do not deserve it, they are driven to the worship of God.

Their life will be marked by a living for the praise of God, and declaring that praise!

Was this not true of our Brother Mike.

He knew this, and thus delighted in praising God.

One of the glorious hymns that he loved was...

“To God be the glory, great things He has done!

so love he the world that he gave us his son

Who yielded his life an atonement for sin

and opened the lifegate that all may go in”

That is a song of praise because of the redemption that God gives.

God forgives that he may be feared.