The Psalm of Mercies - The LORD My Salvation

Temple Baptist Church - 10-29-2023

Psalm 118:5-14

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Psalms 118 is a Praise Psalm with the mercies of God in mind.  Jerimiah wrote of such mercies in the Book of Lamentation and says, “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed …”!

 

Lamentations 3:22-23  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 

 

1.  We can make an application to being saved from the penalties of our sinfulness.  God has certainly been merciful to each of this because His “compassions fail not!”  The Lord loves His children as a father and mother love their child.  He loves us when we are sad, bad, and glad!  His compassions fail not!

 

2.  We can make an application to being saved from our enemies and circumstances.  I believe that this is consistent with Psalm 118.

 

a)  Saved from Sin.

 

b)  Saved from Self.

 

c)  Saved from Society.

 

d)  Saved from Situations.

 

e)  Saved from Satan.

 

B.  Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 

1.  “Surely” – an affirmation.  You can “take it to the bank!”  God’s promises, they also fail not!

 

2.  “Goodness and mercy” – An unconditional promise.  We get better than we deserve (goodness) and we get less than we deserve (mercy).

 

3.  “Shall follow me all the days of my life” – For as long as we may live.  They follow me when I go right and make right decisions; they follow me when I go wrong and make wrong decisions!

 

C.  I want to break down verses 5-14.  When troubles and trials come, we are to rely upon the Lord.

 

Psalms 56:3  What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

 

1.  Verse 5.  I called and the Lord delivered me.  Psalms 34:4  I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

1 Peter 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 

2.  Verse 6.  My confidence in the Lord rewarded me with peace.  John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

Philippians 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

 

3.  Verse 7.  The Lord protected me from my enemies.  Psalms 9:9  The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

 

Isaiah 59:19  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

 

4.  Verses 8-9.  Confidence in the things of the world fails but confidence in the Lord never fails.  Psalms 20:7  Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

 

Hebrews 10:35-37  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  (36)  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  (37)  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

 

5.  Verses 10-12.  The world hates me and tries to destroy me, but the Lord loves me and gives me victory.  1 John 5:4-5  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  (5)  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

 

1 Corinthians 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

6.  Verse 13.  When I am about to fall, the Lord holds me up and I shall not be moved.  Psalms 145:14  The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

 

Psalms 3:2-6  Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.  (3)  But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.  (4)  I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.  (5)  I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.  (6)  I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

 

7.  Verse 14.  The Lord is my strength; the Lord is my song; and the Lord IS BECOME my Salvation.  “I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee.”  The Lord is “become” my salvation?  Become – to come to pass; continuance, to develop into or to convert.

 

a.  When I am in trouble:  Psalms 18:35-36  Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.  (36)  Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

 

b.  When I am sad:  Job 35:10  But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

 

Psalms 3:3  But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

 

c.  When I am overcome:  Isaiah 12:1-6  And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.  (2)  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.  (3)  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.  (4)  And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.  (5)  Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.  (6)  Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

I Am the Resurrection and the Life - Part 5

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-25-2023

John 11:25-37

Introduction:

 

A.  We have spent a lot of time on these verses because of their importance and implications. 

 

1.  Life is short; death is sure; sin the cause; Christ the cure!  These few words express both the importance and implications of life and death.

 

2.  Life is short:  People have only a short time to get salvation right as life is like a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  Oft times death comes quickly and without warning giving no time to take the right road of the few.  9  Faster than a weaver’s shuttle, life passes away.  I often quote the psalmist who said: “I have been young, and now am old”  (Psalms 37:25a) 

 

3.  Death is sure!  Solomon wrote these words concerning the day of death which all will face.  Death is sure and in the day of death, no power on earth can circumvent it.  When it comes time to die, no doctor on earth can save you.

 

Ecclesiastes 8:8a  There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war;

  

4.  Sin the cause!  Most people treat the symptoms of death instead of realizing the cause of death.  My dad said that they would never find a cure for cancer until they discovered the cause of cancer.  Thus, it is with death.  Man will never find the answer to death until he realizes that it is a sin problem, both Adamic and personally.

 

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

 

5.  Christ the cure!  Though Christ died for our sins, the penalty of sin is still death but the cure for death is resurrection through the finished work of Christ Jesus.  Not religion or personal merit but through repentance from dead works and faith toward God.

 

John 11:25-26  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  (26)  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

 

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

B.  As we look at nature right now, we see the end of summer and the beauty of fall.  Nature tells us what we need to know about natural life.

 

1.  Spring is the youth of life as we see resurrection in nature.  I love Spring because it is the beginning of new life as everything begins to leaf out and the flowers appear.  It is a type of our youth when we are budding into what we will be.

 

2.  Summer is the middle of life as everything has matured and come into full bloom.  It is the strength of our mature years when we are strong and productive in life.  Our working years.

 

3.  Fall is the beginning of the end of life as the “dog days” of summer have taken its toll and the sap begins to fall.  Along with the falling of the sap, plants begin to die and the foliage changes into the beauty of old age.  The beauty of the hoary head; the wisdom of years of experience; and the beginning of the end of life.

 

4.  Winter is a type of death without dying.  The leaves of Fall are now gone as the sap of the tree or plant has gone underground but life is still there though buried.  When our body dies, life continues for eternity.  We step out of these bodies and one day our Lord will resurrect them.

 

C.  We find that death and life hold hands in resurrection.  I want to take a short look at these three things.

 

1.  The beginning of man’s life is found in Genesis, chapter 2.  This was found in the first man, Adam.

 

a.  The physical body of Adam had all the elements that it needed but had no life.  Although Adam’s body, like ours, had all types of elements in it, it had no life.

 

Genesis 2:7a  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground …

 

1 Corinthians 15:47-48  The first man is of the earth (soil or dirt), earthy (soil like, dusty, or dirty) … As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy …

 

The human body is made up of water, fat, protein, minerals, and carbohydrates.  The key chemical elements that are used in biological molecules. Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur.   These six elements make up 99% of the human body and NONE OF THEM HAVE LIFE!

 

b.  The life of the body of Adam came from God!

 

Genesis 2:7b And the LORD God … breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 

1 Corinthians 15:47-49 the second man is the Lord from heaven ... and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.  (49)  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

 

Life is not spontaneous.  Luis Pasteur proved that only life could produce life.  Adam’s body came for the dust of the earth and to dust it will go back to.  The life of Adam came from God!

 

"There are only two possibilities as to how life arose; one is spontaneous generation arising to evolution, the other is a supernatural creative act of God, there is no third possibility. Spontaneous generation that life arose from non-living matter was scientifically disproved 120 years ago by Louis Pasteur and others. That leaves us with only one possible conclusion that life arose as a creative act of God. I will not accept that philosophically because I do not want to believe in God, therefore I choose to believe in that which I know is scientifically impossible, spontaneous generation arising to evolution."  (George Wald, “Innovation and Biology,” Scientific American, Vol. 199, Sept. 1958, p. 100)

D.  Death came by sin.

 

There was no death before sin as death was a consequence of sin.  Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

 

Physical death came through Adam but spiritual death came through personal choice.

 

E.  Eternal Salvation comes from God through spiritual resurrection.  The New Birth:

 

John 3:5-8  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  (6)  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  (7)  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  (8)  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

 

1 Peter 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

 

Romans 6:1-11  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  (2)  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  (3)  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  (4)  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  (5)  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:  (6)  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.  (7)  For he that is dead is freed from sin.  (8)  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:  (9)  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  (10)  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.  (11)  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

F.  And, one day, these earthy, mortal, corrupt, sinful bodies will resurrect into glorious bodies, like His, celestial and fit for eternity.  No sin, no death!

 

1 Corinthians 15:19-22  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.  (20)  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.  (21)  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  (22)  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

 

Conclusion:  John 11:25-27  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  (26)  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  (27)  She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

His Mercy Endureth Forever

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-22-2023

Psalm 118:1-4, 28-29

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I will not preach all this Psalm tonight because of its complexity so I want to open it with the first 4 verses and the last two verses.

 

B.  Verses 1 and 29 are exactly the same which shows the continuity of the theme of the Psalm.  Now, let us see what the Psalmist is talking about when he thanks God for His mercy.

 

1.  Verse 2.  Mercy extended to Israel.  God is still merciful to His covenant people.

 

2.  Verse 3.  Mercy extended to Aaron.  God is still merciful to His called ministers of the gospel.

 

3.  Verse 4.  Mercy extended to those who fear Him. 

 

4.  These verses do not say that mercy extends to the sinful as sin will show you no mercy.  This does not say that mercy extends to the worldly as the world will show you no mercy.

 

C.  “O give thanks” is a strong expression of gratitude.  It means to extend your hands in a direction and to bemoan your plight of self.  As we give thanks to God for His enduring mercy, it is to recognize that we deserve nothing because of our sinful nature and especially no mercy from God.  I often say that I thank God that I do not get what I deserve!

 

D.  “unto the LORD, for he is good” expresses the eternal goodness of the LORD that makes Him worthy of such praise.  Thus, the Bible College praise, “Ain’t God good?” and the answer, “He’s better than that!”

 

E.  God is good in so many ways and, as we enter the Thanksgiving Season, our thoughts need to be on His goodness.  I do not want to  make a list of them tonight but one of the greatest of all gifts is mercy.

 

F.  In the Psalm of Psalms, the 23^rd Psalm, verse 6 sums it up:

 

Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.  (Notice with me the word “surely.” Something that we can be assured of.)

 

1.  The goodness and mercy of God are a surety in the life of the child of God!  God has always been good and merciful to us and He, who cannot change, will always be the same.

 

2.  When David wrote the 23^rd Psalm, did not know the greatness of his future failures.  He did not understand the greatness of God’s tender mercies as the “sweet psalmist of Israel” sat on a hillside, watching over his flock, and wrote of the mercy of God.  Jeremiah the Prophet said it all in Lamentations 3.  God has been merciful to each of us.

 

G.  This morning, you are looking at a one hell deserving preacher!  Without any false humility and certainly with no bragging on a past, sinful life, I often say that I have no idea why God would give me the “time of day.”  I think of the verse that says, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”

 

H.  In your Bible, the word “mercy” is found 276x in 261 verses; the word “mercies” is found 44x in 44 verses, while the word “merciful” is found 40x in 36 verses but we will look at enough to cause us to praise the name of the Lord!  We will find that:

 

1.  The Lord Is Merciful In His Salvation - 1 Peter 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  (He saw our sinfulness and still sent the Saviour!  We deserved Hell and yet He sent His only begotten Son that we might go to Heaven one day.  He saved us from a life of sinfulness and a Devil’s Hell!  Do not tell me He is not worth to be praised this morning!  Glory to His wonderful name!)

 

2.  The Lord Is Merciful In His Provision - Psalms 78:72  So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.  (God has been good to me in times when I have not been so good to Him.  He has never let me down in the 32+ years that I have been saved.  I have lived well; I have eaten well; I have paid the bills!  When I was laid off, He gave me a job.  When I had a great need, He sent someone.  That is mercy!)

 

3.  The Lord Is Merciful In His Protection - Psalms 4:8  I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

 

4.  The Lord Is Merciful In His Forgiveness - 1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (No matter how terribly that I fail Him, He forgives!  No matter how often I fail Him, He forgives!  No matter how many times I fail Him, He always forgives and—and thank God—He forgets!)

 

J.  Psalms 118:1 and 29  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.  “Endureth” – to put up with a lot of junk!  God was merciful to Israel in verse 2 (and He still is today), He was merciful to Aaron, and He is merciful to all those who fear Him.

 

1.  God’s Mercy Is Everlasting - Psalms 100:5  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

 

2.  God’s Mercy Is Unchanging - Lamentations 3:22-23  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 

 

3.  God’s Mercy Is Abundant - Numbers 14:18  The Lord is longsuffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression...

 

4.  God’s Mercy Is Motivational - Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 

5.  God’s Mercy Is Inexhaustible - Nehemiah 9:27  Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

 

6.  God’s Mercy Is Renewable – Lamentations 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Stewardship and Faithfulness

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-22-2023

2 Corinthians 13:5

 

Introduction:  Steward – a house overseer, manager, or distributor.  One in possession of another’s goods.  Each believer is a steward, either good or bad of the Lord’s.

I believe that Dr. Bob Jones Sr. is the one who said, “The greatest ability is dependability!”

 

A. The First Mention of Faithfulness: Numbers 12:7  My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

 

The Last Mention: Revelation 22:6  And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

 

B.  During these days of the “falling away,” we find that unfaithfulness has become a way of life to most. 

 

1.  Faithfulness is one of the greatest attributes because, no matter how great a

We see more and more of God’s people carelessly living for self in this present evil world.  If a person is not on his or her job, they are not productive.

 

2.  Today’s motto is “It’s my life; it is my business, and NONE of yours.”

 

C.  Faith is the basis for our faithfulness.  We are faithful because it is commanded; because it is right, because it is rewarding!  When Christ returns, will He find us with enough faith in Him to keep us faithful?  Faithfulness is important.

 

Proverbs 20:6  Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

 

D.  I know that I am growing old and time for me is growing short, but my spiritual desire is to continue in faithfulness.  So many of God’s men have laid down the “sword of God’s Word” and stepped aside to live out their days in self-satisfaction.

 

E.  God said that faithfulness is a requirement, not a choice. 

 

1.  Am I faithful? Is a question that only I can answer. 

 

2.  Are you faithful?  It is a question that only you can answer.

 

F.  Alright, what is all the fuss about faithfulness and who or what does unfaithfulness affect?  To whom is our faithfulness important?

 

1.  Our Faithfulness is important to the Lord.  Matthew 25:21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

 

a.  If we are faithful for no other reason, we should be so because it pleases the Lord!  This should be our primary motive. 

 

b.  Paul said, “For me to live is Christ!”  Unfaithful people care little about what the Lord thinks.

 

2.  Our Faithfulness is important to the faithful.  John 20:19-24  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.  (20)  And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.  (21)  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.  (22)  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:  (23)  Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.  (24)  But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 

 

a.  I am sure that the disciples knew and missed Thomas because later they told him that they had seen the Lord.

 

b.  Think about what Thomas missed:  he missed seeing Jesus, peace, seeing the wounds of our Lord, and (at that time) receiving the Holy Ghost.

 

3.  Our Faithfulness is important to our family.  Psalms 78:2-7  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:  (3)  Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.  (4)  We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.  (5)  For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:  (6)  That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:  (7)  That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 

 

a.  We want our families saved and serving the Lord but, often, we fail to tell them with our lives.  Thus, the saying, “Do not do what I do, do what I say do!” 

 

b.  We cannot expect our families to love God if we do not love God; we cannot expect our families to be faithful if we are not faithful!

 

4.  Our Faithfulness is important to your pastor.  Philippians 4:2  I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. 

 

a.  One of the most heartbreaking parts of pastoring is watching the unfaithfulness of God’s people.  We have a great church with, for the most part, faithful people and it is an encouragement to this pastor. 

 

b.  Pastors work hard to prepare something to feed their flocks each time they come to church, and it discourages them when God’s people do not come faithfully to hear God’s message.  Every service: every message is of the utmost importance to God’s people.

 

5.  Our Faithfulness is important to your church.  Hebrews 10:24-25  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  (25)  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.  

 

a.  The faithful are provoked unto love and provoke others unto love.  Provoked – motivated or incited.

 

b.  The faithful are exhorted and exhort others.  The faithful experience spiritual growth and edify the body.  The faithful are blessed.

 

6.  Our Faithfulness is important to your missionaries.  Philippians 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 

 

a.  When tithes and offerings are not there or come in late, the missionary often does without. 

 

b.  Missionaries on the field suffer the ups and down of support each month.

 

c.  Churches take on more new missionaries based upon the consistent level of finances that come in.

 

7.  Our Faithfulness is important to the unsaved.  Matthew 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

 

a.  If the unsaved see our unfaithfulness, they will not desire what we have, nor will they “glorify” our Father which is in heaven!” 

 

b.  In every family, mine and yours, there are those who are not saved.

 

Conclusion:  Our Lord’s question: “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”