The Privileges of Easter

Take a bath and trim with me to Psalm 25. Psalm 25 is not a typical. Text that you may typically here on an Easter Sunday. But it is the text. The Lord has let us to preach from this morning.

Psalm 25 has we understand that this is a Psalm of David. for many of us were familiar with the psalmist, David who was The shepherd boy, who God. Selected to be king of Israel. And David is a Biblical character that confronts us that challenges us and cautions us as we think about his life and his we think about his words. I most scholars believe that this song was penned and David's latter years. Because he mentioned in this song, the sins of his used and because of those sins that he committed, there was much pain and much sorrow that he endure that often times send brings. And so we see and David David is much like us is much like us and like us David in spite of all of the blessings that he had in spite of all the Privileges that he enjoyed, still managed to really mess up things in his life, right? And so in this way, David is a whole lot like us. But thank God, here in this song. We have what he felt about the message that he made in his life and how he sought the Lord when he realize that he was in over his head. I told this song is one of David's penitent songs. And really, it is a mark of a true saint that his Sorrows, remind him of his sins and his sorrow for sin, then drives him to the Lord. As you know, today is Easter and today, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Can you just imagine this morning? How do Jesus disciples how excited they were? By this time on that first, Resurrection Sunday. I'll listen because Jesus, our savior and King rose from the dead, and now sits on the throne. We are able to lift our voices to him in prayer, just like David did so long ago. Because Christ is risen. He hears our cries, even when the cause of our tears is because of something that we did to ourselves much like that of David. So I want to look at some of the Privileges that we can enjoy because of Easter. As it relates to this song notice one privilege of Easter is that we can pray for help. We can pray to God for help. We noticed this and Psalm 25 and verse 1. The song that says to you. Oh, Lord, I lift up my soul. Oh my God, I trust in you. Let me not be ashamed. Let not my enemies triumph over me indeed. Let not one who Waits on you should be ashamed, let those be ashamed. Who deal treacherously without calls us. Very clear. Very obvious David here. He is desperate. He is in a desperate situation and he is desperate because his enemies. It looks like his enemies are going to win until he calls out to God. And says, in essence. I am trusting in you God. You can stop them. So David doesn't trust and rely upon his kingdom. We see that David does not trust in rely only upon his Kingdom's power. He does not trust and rely upon the great Army that he has or his great military skills. No, he declares that he is trusting in God alone.

We know that sometimes. God allows very difficult things in our lives, right? Sometimes it's just the natural occurrences of the living in a fallen world. We get sick. There is disease and there is death and sometimes just to the Natural occurrences of living in a sinful falling world. We go through those bad difficult times, but other times, God allows situations to take place that are difficult. Because we have strayed away from him. And in love, he allows things to be difficult. So that, in order, that he may drive us to our needs. So he allows us to have those difficult time, so that we might come to the end of our self. And stop relying Upon Our Own strengths and then, once again become reacquainted with living a life of faith. So, listen to me this morning, if you are in a bad way. Cry out to God today. Cry out to God. Now, even as I am speaking to you cry out to him. Maybe you are in a crisis Now. Call out to God. Maybe you are in a crisis of faith, and you aren't even sure that God is even there. What do you do? You cry out to him? Cry out to the Lord seek him in his word. Go to his word and say to him, Lord. Show me yourself in a powerful way. I didn't humble yourself before God and seek him.

Think about how that our Lord invites us to come to him. Only think about that. The god of the universe, invites us, those of us who he has created from the dust of this world. He invites us to seek him. He invites us to come unto him. Jesus said come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Well promise. And then Jesus said in the Book of Revelation, let the one who thirst come whoever desires, let him take of the Water of Life freely. And then I think about the great invitation found in Isaiah chapter, 1 from God himself. He said come and let us reason together. Saith the Lord do your sins be as Scarlet. They shall be made as white as snow all the great imitations of scripture from God to us. And listen. Maybe you're alive this morning is filled with some rotten stuff. I say to you, if that's the case. Look to God. Seek the Lord. And if you'll put your trust in him. You will not be a shame. That's what it says in verse 3. Let no one who Waits on you be ashamed. If you will put your trust in Christ alone, you will never regret it. People may laugh at you. This whole world may scoring you and ridicule you, and you may have to endure that the rest of your life. But on that, final day. When Jesus sets his people apart from the rest of all the unbelievers, when he separates the wheat from the tares and the goats on the sheet. All the Christ rejectors on. All the god haters will be cast into an everlasting fire called hell not because of what they did to you. But because of what they did not do themselves. They did not humble themselves before the Lord.

Just think about the amount of pride one. Has. When they reject and rebelled against the Lord God.

When they creation. Rebelles and rejects their creator. That is the epitome of pride. I no wonder the Lord says he is opposed to those who are prideful. He resists the proud. Notice in Verses 4 through 15. We see that we can pray, not only for help but we can pray for guidance. Who does not need guidance, right? To another privilege of Easter. Is that we can pray to God for guidance? Verse 25, excuse me, verse for of chapter 25. Verse says, show me your ways O Lord. Teach me your paths. Lead Me In Your Truth and teach me for you are the god of my salvation and you, I wait all the day. So David says here. He says, show me your ways to me reveal your waist to me. Oh God, leave me and teach me because I cannot do it alone. And so understand this at all. I only those who are truly, humble will ask such things only. Those have been humbled, will seek the Lord and ask him to show me the way to reveal yourself to me. Notice verse 6. He says remember, oh lord, your Tender Mercies. Your loving kindness has for they are from of old. 47 says, do not remember the sins of my youth. Norma transgressions according to your mercy. Remember me for your goodness sake? Oh, Lord. Are we noticed and verses 6 & 7 after David asked for help in the previous versus he seems to remember his sins that he committed in the past but he does not deserve hell, he remembers the the agony, it cost him and he knows the sorrow that it caused the Lord. He thinks about that he feels himself as being unworthy to receive any help from God. But again, here's another sign of David finding this humility. Here's another example of David being humble before the Lord, because of his humility. He appeals to God and he asks to be heard it from God. He doesn't ask to be heard because of his own merits. He doesn't say Lord. Remember, you must hear me because I'm king of Israel. Didn't say Lord. Remember me and hear me because remember, I defeated Goliath. Oh, no, listen.

He asked the Lord to hear him because of what according to your mercy. Not not according to his own merits, but on the grounds of God's mercy.

If you think about it. All of the dealings, all of our dealings with God. Are always based on Mercy? Everything.

Lamentations 3:22 tells us. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not concerned because his compassion his mercies fell not.

And let me tell you something, our God. Is abundant in Mercy? He is rich in Mercy. Psalm 85 Psalm 86 in verse 5 says for you, Lord are good and ready to forgive and abundant in Mercy to all those who call upon you. And then it burst 15 you says, but you oh Lord are a God. And gracious, long-suffering and abundant in Mercy and truth and then Micah 7:18. It says, who is a God Like You hardening iniquity in passing over the transgression of the remnant of his Heritage. He does not retain his anger forever because he Delights in Mercy. I've been in Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 4 it says but God, who is rich in Mercy? You know why God is so rich in Mercy. Because God is rich in love. He is rich in love. Don. Mercy is so great because his love for us is so great. Again, in Ephesians 2 verse 4 tells us but God, who is rich in Mercy, because of what? Because of his great love with, which he loved us.

I'm your friend, God's love.

Is beyond comprehension?

We cannot truly fathom. The depth and the height of God's love toward us.

But if we looked at Calvary. We'll see a great example of how much you love this Romans 5:8 tells us, but God, demonstrated his love toward us that while we were yet, sinners Christ died for us. 1st John 3, 1 tells us behold? What manner of love. The father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. Let's Love. He has great Mercy because he has great love for us. notice in verse, 8. A Psalm 25. It says good and upright is the Lord. Therefore. He teaches sinners in the way. The Humble, he guides and Justice and the humble. He teaches his waves, all the pads of the Lord are mercy and Truth to such as keep his Covenant. And the testimonies verse 11 says, for your namesake or Lord. Pardon my iniquity for it is great. Those who come humbly before God find the help that they need. And we remember and recall with James tells us in James 4:6 that God resists the proud. Is opposed to the proud. And this is why James tells his inverse of 10, that each house is too humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and God will exalt you in due time. So we see that the key to receiving. God's guidance is what humility humility. God. Leads the humble, God teaches the humble. Best of all, Hazard text houses. Best of all. Harden's been liquidity of the humble.

In verses 12 through 15. According to those verses that we will read in just a moment. The ones who come to God with? Humility can receive some tremendous blessings. First of all noticed. There's a 12:00. If you come humbly to God you can receive instruction.

Does a 12 who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall he? Teach in the way he chooses. So God teaches the man or the woman. Who what who fears the Lord? Who fears him? I think about so many students today and families are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars a year to go to the best schools. And so that they can sit under the best teachers but God himself is the best teacher. Got himself is the one who created this universe and he personally, Cooter's, those who fear Him?

with reverence, and all So he instructs us teaches us. How does God teach us? How does God instruct us? Well, he teaches us primarily through his word. He instructs us primarily through his word. In his word, the Bible gives us direct commands. That we should do certain things to receive blessings and we should not do certain things. That would bring upon us a curse. Sometimes the Bible equips us many times, the Bible equips us with wisdom to make a good decision. And of course, wisdom is The Right Use of knowledge. It's all the more knowledge. You have of God's word, the more wisdom. You'll have at your disposal in your time of need. So he teaches us primarily through his word. I got also teaches us and instructs us through fellow Believers. He places in our lives. Maybe is a pastor. Maybe it is a family member who is a mature Christian or a friend, who is a mature Christian.

God takes what we have learned. And it also speaks to our hearts. And gives us light. Charles Spurgeon, put it this way. Those whose hearts are, right. She'll never be in need of heavenly Direction. Where God sanctifies the heart, he enlightens the head. I'll listen God instructs us, he gives instruction to the humble, but notice also, he gives the humble prosperity. Not this name it and claim it Prosperity Ono. Notice and verse 13. It says he himself shall dwell in prosperity and his descendants shall inherit the earth and the word Prosperity. There is a word that means rest. Is the word that means he's in peace and he's speaking here. Primarily of the prosperity of the soul, the Peace of the Soul. Not many today. I know this kind of prosperity, not many today know, this kind of piece of the Soul. Even those who seemingly have everything due to their prosperous means are living in such a wave that that is void. Their soul is born a true. Peace.

And Only God himself can give the soul this piece.

So when we are humble, we not only receive instruction and prosperity of the soul, but we also see receive knowledge of the Covenant. Verse 14. The scripture tells us the secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show him his Covenant. Now, why why can't? Why is it that we can have the knowledge of this Covenant? Well, again, verse 14 tells us the secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him? Other versions, translate that this way, the Friendship of the Lord here. It signifies intimacy is signifies a select Fellowship. That unbelievers listen cannot know such things because unbelievers as a scripture tells us are attending an intimate intimate. That I can't say the word enmity against the Lord God. So, they cannot know, such things. They cannot know such intimacy, but even Believers, those of us who have trusted in Christ, cannot explain such things in word. Britain must be felt to be known. That is we have a knowledge. I've got to Covenant. We have a knowledge of dawn, Redemption plan, that lock the lost people in the world. Do not understand. And even those of us who do understand, such things really have a difficult time trying to explain to things. You just have to experience this intimacy to understand it. The notice also a 15, The Humble, receive Deliverance. I received the liverance from the crack, Eunice of the enemy. Notice first. 15 says, my eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Now, the picture here. Is that of a verb? That of a dove. Let's say whose feet have been in Thais by the Lawrence of Temptation. Has been in Trapped By The Snare of the Fowler. And no listen to me how so emblematic. This is of the soul that gets so entangled with the cares and the pleasures of this world. But because of the inter natural that bird. That is trapped in that net. She desires through the power of Grace to fly away and to be at rest. And just as it is a nature of that bird to fly away from the entrapments of what has her. So too. It is the nature of the Christian to be released from the entanglement that is often found in the tears and pleasures of this world. So, we see.

The Privileges of Easter. We can find help. We can pray for guidance, but notice thirdly, and, lastly, we can pray. For a pardon. We can pray for a pardon.

Verse 16. Houses, turn yourself to me. Have mercy on me for. I am desolate and afflicted. The Troubles of my heart have enlarged. Bring me out of my distresses. Look up my fliction in my pain and forgive all my sins. David says, a message take away my sins and take away the guilt in the sorrow that often times comes with it. I'll listen to me young people. Can. May have its pleasure. The scripture tells us that there are Pleasures in sin, but it also tells us that it only lasts for a season. As soon the pleasures of sin will pass. And then after that, it will bring forth much sorrow.

As it did here.

4 King, David. Notice and birth verse 19, rather. He says, consider my enemies. For they are many. And they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul and deliver me. Let not. Let me not be ashamed, right? Put my trust in you. And we don't know exactly the situation that David was in, but whatever it was David feared for his life. He feared for his life even more. He feared that he would fail. He would bring them disgrace to the name of the God that he so loved. And here we find that he feels that his enemies were increasing. And so too, was his fear. But we say that he trusted the Lord to take care of both notice verse 21. Let integrity. And uprightness preserve me. For, I wait for you. Here in verse 21. We see David's desire. His longing is to live for God. His desire is to live in such a way as to say that I am a Christian. I am a believer. I trust. In God. This is his aim. Because no matter how bad the situation is. He knows that there is hope. He knows that he is to trust and he is not to trust in himself. He is not to trust other people but his hope and trust is in God alone. He says I will wait for you.

Listen. Waiting is frosting. Waiting is trusting. What trust believes by faith? It waits for by hope? Because I wait for you. so listen to love it because

God the son, the Lord Jesus Christ came to Earth. And live a sinless life. And died upon the cross taking our place. And then was buried. And after three days, a rose from the dead, we have hope. We have hope and we wait for the Lord. Notice the last verse and verse 22.

Redeem Israel of God. Out of all their troubles. That's very interesting. But you notice how David's Vision has changed. because in the first opening verses, He's praying for himself. there's a lot of I and me in his prayers, but now he, Cease a bigger reality. He sees others. It is not just him who is in need, but now he sees the whole nation, his whole nation that is in need of redemption.

But we must also see this verse in Prophecy.

As the true Israel today, the church. Jesus is the Redeemer. From trouble, as well as the Redeemer of sins. He is a complete Redeemer from every evil. He will rescue every Saints. And just as David pray for the nation of Israel. May we pray for the church? May we pray for the church that she will be delivered from every trouble. And like a mighty Rushing River. May the church for the Nations. With a glorious and Victorious, Gospel of Jesus Christ. The only gospel that gives hope. The only gospel that gives us victory. I asked you this morning. Have you been redeemed? Have you been rescued? Have you been washed by the blood of the Lamb? If you have not trust him today. Seek him and you will find him. Jesus said in John chapter 6, all that the father gives me shall come to me. And all those that come to me, I will in no wise cast out. You come to Jesus and humility and he will receive you. Let's pray together, Our Father. What a blessing it is.

That we can come to you in time of trouble and time of turmoil and time of crisis. And find help. If I'm guidance. Father, I pray that Lord that you would just use this message. Lord. I know that there are many today who are dealing with things that maybe even privately.

There's much sorrow, there's much grief. There's much turmoil, father. May they look to you today? I met the trust in you and you alone. Father, I pray for the one that is here that has never been saved. Oh father, I pray that through the Holy Spirit you use your word to bring about conviction. And Lord, you would save them to the uttermost For Your Glory. My eats Christian. That is here. Who believes in the resurrection of your son, Jesus? Live in such a way that reveals that much.

May they have courage. To be bold. And father, may you give us?

A new Zeal to serve you in all the days that you give us because of the implications of the Resurrection.