Temple Baptist Church - 3-30-2025
Psalm 78:34-42 (vs. 41)
Introduction:
Psalms 78:34-42 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God. (35) And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. (36) Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. (37) For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant. (38) But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. (39) For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. (40) How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! (41) Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. (42) They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
A. Probably the most known of Dr. Harold Sightler's messages was his message “Can God.” I certainly will not try to preach his sermon tonight but did want to give you Dr. Sightler’s main point outline.
1. God can Save.
2. God can Sustain.
3. God can Satisfy.
4. God can Supply.
5. God can be Sufficient.
6. God can Shield.
B. Psalm 78 recounts the history of Israel, from their deliverance from Egypt to the reign of King David. It highlights Israel's disobedience and God's enduring mercy. I will not preach on every verse but below is a simple outline of the Psalm.
1. Verses 1-8: God’s admonition to teach our children.
2. Verses 9-20: Israel’s continual sinfulness.
3. Verses 21-35: God’s response to Israel’s sinfulness.
4. Verses 36-37: Israel's irresponsible response to God’s judgment.
5. Verses 38-39: God’s gracious reaction to Israel's continuation in sin.
6. Verses 40-53: Israel’s refusal to get right with God.
7. Verses 54-58: God’s promise to give Israel the land of Canaan.
8. Verses 59-67: God turns His back on Israel.
9. Verses 68-72: God once again blesses Israel by establishing the Throne of David.
10. Psalm 78 ends with these verses:
Psalms 78:70-72 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: (71) From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. (72) So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
In these last three verses, we find the promise given to David: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
C. I believe that the key verse to Psalm is Psalms 78:41, “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.”
D. This brings us to the question: “What could God have done with and for Israel had they not limited Him?” Then the question must be asked: “What could God have done with and for us had we not limited Him?”
E. The dangers of limiting the Limitless God that saved us.
1. We Can Limit God in Prayer. James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
a. Simply by not asking! If you don’t ask the question, the answer is already “NO.”
1) Doing things in our own strength.
2) Not asking God for His leadership and guidance.
3) By walking a guilty distance from God which hinders our prayers.
b. By asking amiss! “Amiss” means wrongly or inappropriately. Asking God for things that we know to be biblically not the will of God.
2. We Can Limit God in Finances. God wants to bless His children through obedience in tithing and giving. God called money the “unrighteous mammon.” “Mammon” means avarice or wrongful confidence. In this case, mammon is money.
a. Mistrust in Finances.
Malachi 3:10-11 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
b. Misuse in Finances. By getting so far in debt that we cannot financially “breathe!” A bad case of the “Gotta have its.?
3. We Can Limit God in our Service. God has a use for all of His children.
a. Through Refusal. Every distinct believer has a distinct gift to be used within the Body of Christ and the local church. Everybody has a part in making the body whole. A missing part causes the body to be incomplete.
1 Corinthians 12:13-25 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (14) For the body is not one member, but many.
1 Corinthians 12:18-20 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. (19) And if they were all one member, where were the body? (20) But now are they many members, yet but one body.
b. Through Discontentment. God gave each of us work to do that edifies all of us.
1Corinthans 12:15-17 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? (16) And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? (17) If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
c. Through Jealousy. If I cannot be the pastor, deacon, teacher, etc., then I just won’t do anything. Do what you can and do not worry about what you can’t!
1 Corinthians 12:21-25 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. (22) Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: (23) And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. (24) For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: (25) That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
d. Through Selfishness.
1 Corinthians 12:24-25 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: (25) That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
4. The Results of Limiting God.
a. We limit God’s Power. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
b. We limit God’s Produce - John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
c. We limit God’s Performance - Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
d. We limit God’s Provision - Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
e. We limit God’s Protection - 2 Timothy 4:17-18 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. (18) And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
