Lord's Day Sermon, October 18, 2020: "My Soul Waits for the Lord: A Psalm of Confession"

Psalm 130
Living the Blessed Life Series, Part 7
Lord’s Day, October 18, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister

To hear an audio recording of this sermon, click on the following: “My Soul Waits for the Lord”.

• I have the privilege of leading middle and high school youth. One of the topics that a youth in our middle/high school youth group requested we discuss this school year is how to know you are forgiven.
• An awareness of guilt and unconfessed sin brings disorientation to our lives doesn’t it?
• For the past several weeks we’ve considered some of the Psalms that came out of disorienting circumstances. These are called psalms of lament.
• Over the previous three Lord’s Days, we’ve seen how Psalm 13 is a general psalm of lament (complaint); Psalm 55 is a psalm of cursing and vengeance; and Psalm 17 is a psalm of innocence or protest of innocence.
• Today, with Psalm 130 we’re going to learn about psalms of confession (and forgiveness).
• Other examples of Psalms of confession include Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143.

Psalm 130: A Song of Ascents.
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

A Song of Ascents. (After it was put to music it might have been sung by individuals and groups as they ascended to Jerusalem for the great festivals or other occasions.)

A Great Need for God’s Mercy (vv. 1-2).

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!

• V. 1, NLT: From the depths of despair, O Lord,
I call for your help.

2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

• Psalm 24:3: Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?

• At this point, the psalmist would answer, “I cannot unless I experience the mercy of God!”
• But even out of the depths has a great…

A Great Confidence in the God who Forgives Those Who Repent (vv. 3-4).

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?

• V. 3, NLT: 3 Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,
who, O Lord, could ever survive?

• Forgiveness is necessary for survival!
• “The psalmist knows that no human being can stand before a holy God such as Yahweh with anything other than his or her sins. This sad state of affairs for the human being is that, unless God forgives, there is no hope—none whatsoever!”—Walter D. Zorn, Psalms, V. 2, p. 436
• But, the psalmist is aware of God’s attribute of being forgiving, being full aware of the words of God which Moses heard in…
• Exodus 34:6-7a: 6 The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed:
The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, 7 maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin. (CSB)

• We hear this echoed in another confessional psalm: Psalm 51:1: Be gracious to me, God,
according to your faithful love;
according to your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion. (CSB)

• And so with confidence he declares in v. 4:

4 But with you there is forgiveness,…

• On many occasions while sharing the Good News with individuals I’ve witnessed tears of joy flow down the cheeks of many as soon as they realized they could be forgiven completely of their sins. Tears were at the beginning of my own conversion experience as a young teenager at church camp. My tears began from a conviction of sin and turned to tears of joy from knowing God would forgive me of my sins as I turned to Him in repentance, confessed faith in Him as the Son of the Living God, my Lord and Savior and within the week was buried with Christ in baptism for the forgiveness of my sins, received the Holy Spirit, and was raised to a new way of life.
• But is this forgiveness just so one can experience a clear conscience? No! It is…

… that you may be feared.

• Literally: “’For with you is the forgiveness; therefore, you are being feared.’” (Zorn, p. 436)

• V. 4, NLT: But with you there is forgiveness,
so that you may be revered.

• Psalm 51:2-4: 2 Completely wash away my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you—you alone—I have sinned
and done this evil in your sight. (CSB)

• “’…none fear the Lord like those who have experienced his forgiving love.’”---C.H. Spurgeon (Wilcock, The Message of Psalms. p. 239)

• It is because we’ve received God’s forgiveness that one turns to God in awe and reverential fear.
• The Bible teaches that to fear God is to hate evil.
• We are to learn to love what God loves and hate what God hates.
• For confession to be real confession it must include repentance.

• Romans 2:4: Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? (CSB)

• Repentance is a transfer of allegiance from sin and self to God.

• And so with the confession comes…
A Great Expectation of a Word from God (vv. 5-6).

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;

• V. 5,NLT: I am counting on the Lord;
yes, I am counting on him.
I have put my hope in his word.

• “I am counting on God speaking to me.”
• For this we must give attention to Scripture. God speaks through His Spirit, circumstances, events, and people, but at the foundation of all those is His Word. He will not go against it; He will affirm it.

6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

• V. 6: I long for the Lord
more than sentries long for the dawn,
yes, more than sentries long for the dawn. NLT)

• Several years ago I went backpack camping by myself on some farm ground. Just as I got settled down and relaxed enough to sleep in my one-man tent, I heard a “SNORT!” A deer snorted outside my tent. Now I knew there were no animals at that time that were going to eat me, I began to long for the morning light! It seemed so far away, but I knew it would eventually come!

• As sure as the sun rises, the Lord will forgive the person who waits for Him with expectation.
• The psalmist knows what that covenant word from the Lord will bring— joy!

• Psalm 32:1-2: 1 How joyful is the one
whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered!
2 How joyful is a person whom
the Lord does not charge with iniquity
and in whose spirit is no deceit! (CSB)

• “[The psalmist’s depths] speaks to our heart’s need more than most, for indeed we cannot stand before God with any record of our sins in his hands. We are absolutely helpless and totally dependent upon his grace, mercy, and forgiveness if we are to survive, either individually or corporately. We can only put our hope in God, and wait—wait for his covenant love and loyalty to come through and bring us ‘full redemption. Is there any other way?”—Walter D. Zorn, Psalms, Vol 2, DPNIVC, p. 438

A Great Communal Redemption from Sin for God’s People (vv. 7-8).

• The faithful Israelite never saw himself apart from the community of God’s people. His or her identity was bound up in the group.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.

• Steadfast love, abundant redemption, forgiveness are with the Lord and are to be shared by His children!
• When a member of the Lord’s body sins, the whole church experiences some suffering. When a church member confesses sin and turns from it, the whole church experiences some healing.
• Many evangelicals are critical of how Catholics practice confession of sin. While we might disagree with some of their methodology, at least they are trying.
• The New Testament says there is a proper place for it:

• James 5:16: Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (ESV)

• you = you all—as in the entire church.

• There are times that even though we’ve confessed our sin to God and received forgiveness, we don’t feel free of it. Confessing one’s sins privately to a mature, trustworthy Christian often brings the feeling of liberation that corresponds to the reality of the forgiveness God has provided. That is good for the whole church!

8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

• “Is not this the clear prophecy of the coming of our Lord Jesus the first time? And may we not now regard it as the promise of his second and more glorious coming for the redemption of the body? For this our soul doth wait: yea, our heart and our flesh cry out for it with joyful expectation.” –C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, V. 2, p. 121

• The angel to Joseph: Matthew 1:21: She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (ESV)

• In the church era under the New Covenant, Israel is now a spiritual Israel made up of both Jews who give allegiance to Jesus and Gentiles who do the same. This is the Israel of God.:

• Galatians 6:14a,15-16: 14a But it’s unthinkable that I could ever brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…15 Certainly, it doesn’t matter whether a person is circumcised or not. Rather, what matters is being a new creation. 16 Peace and mercy will come to rest on all those who conform to this principle. They are the Israel of God (GW).

• Titus 2:11-14: 11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. (NLT)

• “More seldom than we expect, the prayer for the forgiveness of sins meets us in the Psalms…The seven so-called repentance Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143)…lead us into the total depth of the recognition of sin before God. They lead us to the confession of guilt and direct our complete confidence to the forgiving grace of God…In every case all hope is fixed on free forgiveness, as it has been offered to us and promised by God in his word about Jesus Christ for all times.” –Dietrich Bonheoffer, Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible, pp. 50-51.

• To the repentant Christian: 1 John 1:9: God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. (GW)

Weekly Prayer Guide for October 11, 2020

NOTE: Except for section headings, bold type indicates the unison response of everyone when praying in a group.

Quotes on Prayer:
"The power of the future lies not in the hands of those who believe in scarcity but of those who trust God's abundance."—Walter Brueggemann

“A concentrated mind and a sitting body make for better prayer than a kneeling body and a mind half asleep.”—C.S. Lewis

“Talk about it, says David—don’t try to hold it down or bottle it up, to block it out or keep it in! Talk about it to the one person with whom you really can say exactly what you feel. Throw it back on him.” –Michael Wilcock, The Message of Psalms, Vol. 1, pp. 201-202.

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

Psalm 146: Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord! (ESV)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession: Psalm 55:1: 1Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!

“I leave the vengeance to God and ask him to execute his righteousness to all his enemies, knowing that God has remained true to himself and has himself secured justice in his wrathful judgment on the cross, and that this wrath has become grace and joy for us. Jesus Christ himself requests the execution of the wrath of God on his body, and thus he leads me back daily to the gravity and the grace of his cross for me and all enemies of God.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible, p. 59

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

I confess ______________, forgiving God. Forgive us our sins. (If prayed aloud with others.)

Thanksgiving: In light of the following passage and anything else the Spirit reminds you of, let us thank God for what he’s done.

Psalm 44:8: In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah (ESV)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

Psalm 55:22: Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.

• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Psalm 55:2b-5: 2b I am restless in my complaint and I moan,… 4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me. (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Ephesians 4:26-27: 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, October 11, 2020: "In the Shadow of Your Wings"

Psalm 17 (Background Scriptures: 1 Samuel 23-26)
Lord’s Day, October 11, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
(Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.)

To hear an audio recording of this sermon, click on the following line: “In the Shadlow of Your Wings”

Psalm 17: A Prayer of David

1 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence let my vindication come!
Let your eyes behold the right!
3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night,
you have tested me, and you will find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They have now surrounded our steps;
they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.
12 He is like a lion eager to tear,
as a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him!
Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14 from men by your hand, O LORD,
from men of the world whose portion is in this life.
You fill their womb with treasure;
they are satisfied with children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.
15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

• For a couple of weeks not we’ve focused on psalms that express anxiety of the psalmist that comes from trials, tragedies, difficult situations. These are psalms of lament.
• Two Sundays ago, we received Psalm 13, a psalm of personal complaint.
• Last Sunday we received Psalm 55, a psalm of cursing and vengeance.

• Psalm 17 is a special type of lament. It is what’s called a psalm of innocence or a protest of innocence. (Additional Examples: Psalm 5, 7; 26)
• The psalmist, in this case David, declares innocence but not perfection before God.
• “The psalmist understood the distinction between those who imperfectly strive to walk in God’s ways and those who reject God’s ways.”—Dr. Jody Owens

• In other words, it’s about the orientation of the heart.
• In this psalm David has people bent on destroying him and he knows for sure that he’s not given them a single reason to.

• This psalm is made up of six stanzas. Within these six stanzas David makes three crucial demands to God:
• hear (v. 1);
• show (vv. 6-9);
• and subdue (bring down) (v. 13).

• David’s address to God and plea for vindication (vv. 1-2)
17 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence let my vindication come!
Let your eyes behold the right!

• V2, GW: Let the verdict of my innocence come directly from you. Let your eyes observe what is fair.

• David isn’t looking for personal vengeance. He wants God to carry out justice against his oppressors.

• David’s acknowledgment of God’s testing and insistence that he is innocent (vv. 3-5).

3 You have tried my heart,

• V. 3A, GW: You have probed my heart.

…you have visited me by night,
you have tested me, and you will find nothing;
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.

• “Those who resolve not to sin can have great confidence in prayer.” –Lawrence Richards, 365 Day Devotional Commentary, p. 327

4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways of the violent.

• On at least 2 occasions David could have killed King Saul who was trying to kill him but he didn’t:
• When David secretly cut off a piece of King Saul’s robe while he relived himself in the cave: 1 Samuel 24:6-7: 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed.” 7 So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. (ESV)

• When David snuck into King Saul’s camp and took the kings spear and water jug while he was asleep: 1 Samuel 26:8-11: 8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord's anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” (ESV)

5 My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

• “If the psalmist had not, himself, been at peace with God, he could not have made such a supplication. There is importance in doing the will of God!”—Tesh & Zorn, Psalms, TCPNIVC, V. 1, p. 176

• David’s plea for God’s mercy & protection (vv. 6-9).

6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my words.

• V. 6, NLT: I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray.

• Isn’t this why we pray to God, because we believe He hears and answers?

7 Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O Savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand.

• V. 7: steadfast love = faithful love (CSB), unfailing love (NLT)


• While in vv. 1-5 David’s plea was for the sake of justice, now in verses 6-9 his plea was for the sake of love.
• God’s justice flows out of his love.

• Lamentatons 3:22-23: 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning. (NLT)

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;

• V. 8: Apple = pupil
• V8a, GW: Guard me as if I were the pupil in your eye.

• Think of the protection God has provided for the eye: moisture, eyelids, eyelashes, eyebrows, cheekbones and forehead, etc.

… hide me in the shadow of your wings,

• That is like a mother hen hides her chicks under wings for warmth and protection.

9 from the wicked who do me violence,
my deadly enemies who surround me.

• James 4:8a: Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

• David may be referring to this event: 1 Samuel 23:26-27: 26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” (ESV)

• David’s description of the wicked (vv. 10-12).

10 They close their hearts to pity;
• Literally, “They are enclosed in their own fat.” They are “wrapped up in themselves.”
• They have “shut out all feeling” (GW) of pity.

…with their mouths they speak arrogantly.

11 They have now surrounded our steps;
they set their eyes to cast us to the ground.

• They are determined to slam David to the ground!

12 He is like a lion eager to tear,
as a young lion lurking in ambush.

• David’s renewed plea for vindication (vv. 13-14).

• This includes two things: 1) Prayer for deliverance (v. 13).

13 Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him!

• Literally—bring him to his knees!
• “They want to throw me to the ground. God, get up and put his knees on the ground!”
• David’s concern is not revenge but justice and vindication.

Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword,
14 from men by your hand, O LORD,

2) Description of the wicked (v.14).

… from men of the world whose portion is in this life.

You fill their womb with treasure;
they are satisfied with children,
and they leave their abundance to their infants.

• V. 14: Portion = inheritance

• v. 14, GW: With your power rescue me from mortals, O Lord,
from mortals who enjoy their inheritance only in this life.
You fill their bellies with your treasure.
Their children are satisfied with it,
and they leave what remains to their children.

• It’s a plea to be delivered from those whose worldview is earthbound. (ESVLSB)

• David’s statement of trust in and satisfaction with God (v. 15)

15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

• “When I awake” may be a reference to when this dark time or incident in David’s life is over. But I think it’s even more than that. This may be an OT glimpse ahead to the time of post resurrection of the saints!
• “[David’s] ambition is not to own earthly wealth, but to enjoy unbroken fellowship with God.” – M’Caw & Motyer, “Psalms”,NBCR, 3rd Ed., p. 461

• Psalm 16:5: Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine. (NLT)

• All David really wants as an inheritance is to see God!
• What do you want?

• Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” –Jesus

• “The godly do not comfort themselves with the thought of transitory ‘blessings.’ They will be satisfied with the ‘likeness’ of God!” –Willem A. VanGemeren (ZNIVBC, V. 1, OT, p. 814)

• Lamentations 3:24-25: 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him. (NLT)

Point: “Confident of God’s great love, the innocent Christian chooses righteousness and looks ahead with confidence.” –Lawrence Richards

Lord's Day Sermon, October 4, 2020: "Psalms of Cursing & Vengeance. Really?

Psalm 55
Lord’s Day, October 4, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
(Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.)
To hear an audio recording of this sermon, click on the following line: “Psalms of Cursing & Vengeance. Really?”


• What do we do with prayers from Psalms that include these kinds of requests to God?

• Psalm 109:6-15: 6 Appoint a wicked man against him;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
let his prayer be counted as sin!
8 May his days be few;
may another take his office!
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow!
10 May his children wander about and beg,
seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
11 May the creditor seize all that he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
12 Let there be none to extend kindness to him,
nor any to pity his fatherless children!
13 May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!
15 Let them be before the Lord continually,
that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth! (ESV)

• Psalm 137:7-9: 7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites
the day of Jerusalem,
how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare,
down to its foundations!”
8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed,
blessed shall he be who repays you
with what you have done to us!
9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones
and dashes them against the rock! (ESV)

• Is it ever appropriate for us to pray those kinds of prayers? Is there a way to pray this way without sinning? That’s what we’re going to consider today. We’re going to use Psalm 55 as an example:

Psalm 55: To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.
1Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
2 Attend to me, and answer me;
I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
3 because of the noise of the enemy,
because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they drop trouble upon me,
and in anger they bear a grudge against me.
4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.
6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
7 yes, I would wander far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter
from the raging wind and tempest.”
9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues;
for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it
on its walls,
and iniquity and trouble are within it;
11 ruin is in its midst;
oppression and fraud
do not depart from its marketplace.
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—
then I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man, my equal,
my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
within God's house we walked in the throng.
15 Let death steal over them;
let them go down to Sheol alive;
for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.
16 But I call to God,
and the Lord will save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me.
19 God will give ear and humble them,
he who is enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not change
and do not fear God.
20 My companion stretched out his hand against his friends;
he violated his covenant.
21 His speech was smooth as butter,
yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
yet they were drawn swords.
22 Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.
23 But you, O God, will cast them down
into the pit of destruction;
men of blood and treachery
shall not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you. (ESV)

• “When we read the Psalms, we are meant to learn things about God and about human nature and about how life is to be lived. Some poetry makes no claim to instruct the mind. The Psalms do. They are meant to be instructive about God and man and life.”― John Piper

• Last week, we were introduced to Psalms that deal with the human experiences of disorientation and anxiety: lament (complaint) prayer songs.
• Forms of disorientation & anxiety come from going through various stages of life; unexpected trials or tragedies; and changes in the world around us.

Psalms of Cursing and Vengeance (Imprecatory) are prayers that seek God’s retaliation against enemies.

• Vengeance psalms keep us from sining by showing us how to channel and control our potentially sinful anger.
• They allow us to express anger verbally to God rather than through actions.
• Ephesians 4:26-27: 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

• They allow us to feel anger, but not do anger.
“This is the voice of resentment and vengeance that will not be satisfied until God retaliates against those who have done the wrong. While we may think this ignoble and unworthy, it demonstrates that in these psalms of disorientation, as life collapses, the old disciplines and safeguards also collapse. One speaks unguarded about how it in fact is.”—Walter Brueggemann, Spirituality of the Psalms, p. 33

• The Psalmist prays out of God’s promise in…
• Deuteronomy32:35 – “It is mine to avenge, I will repay.” (NIV)
• Cursing and vengeance psalms are rooted in the justice of God (Ex. 34:6-7)
• Do we ever see this kind of thing in the NT? Remember last week’s reference to Revelation 6:9-11: 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (ESV)

• Galatians 5:12: I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! (ESV)—Apostle Paul

• God’s grace does not demand that we tolerate evil!
• We must learn to hate what God hates and love what God loves!
• David is experiencing an event that is extraordinarily stressful.
• This may be why, unlike Psalm 13 that we looked at last week, Psalm 55 doesn’t follow a strict, poetic, artistic format. It’s as though David in his anxiety is all over the place as he pours out his heart to God about his crisis.

What’s happening to David? (vv. 3, 9-14, 20-22)

3 because of the noise of the enemy,
because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they drop trouble upon me,
and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues;
for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it
on its walls,
and iniquity and trouble are within it;
11 ruin is in its midst;
oppression and fraud
do not depart from its marketplace.

• Betrayal is the cause of trouble: 12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—
then I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man, my equal,
my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
within God's house we walked in the throng.

• It may be during the great rebellion when David’s throne was usurped by his son Absalom.
• Or quite possibly Absalom himself! (See 2 Samuel 15:1-6)

• David can’t get over the treachery of his companion so he comes back to it in vv. 20-21: 20 My companion stretched out his hand against his friends;
he violated his covenant.
21 His speech was smooth as butter,
yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
yet they were drawn swords.

• This may be a reference to his adviser Ahithophel.

What’s happing in David? (vv. 2b, 4-5)
• David may very well be having an anxiety attack!
• 2b I am restless in my complaint and I moan,… 4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.
• It affects him physically! He gets the shakes, probably an upset stomach.
• What could David do? What were his options?

Option 1: Opt out; run away from the problem (vv. 6-8).

6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
7 yes, I would wander far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter
from the raging wind and tempest.”

• Just walk (run) away from the trouble.
• Go on a vacation. Have a drink or a several drinks. Take an anxiety pill.
• He could run like when the prophet Elijah ran when he felt threatened by Queen Jezebel.
• But the right response to fear and panic was to face them.

Option 2: Opt in; face the issue with prayer and confidence in God (vv. 1-2a, 16-18, 22, 9, 15, 19, 23)
• David already had a great start by choosing to pray: 1Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
2a Attend to me, and answer me…

• David Wilcock brings up the old hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” “Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; Take it to the Lord in prayer.”
• David has past experiences of God hearing and answering his prayers:
• Vv. 16-18: 16 But I call to God,
and the Lord will save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety
from the battle that I wage,
for many are arrayed against me.

• Compare v. 1 with v. 22.

1Give ear to my prayer, O God,
and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!

22 Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved.

• “Talk about it, says David—don’t try to hold it down or bottle it up, to block it out or keep it in! Talk about it to the one person with whom you really can say exactly what you feel. Throw it back on him.” –Michael Wilcock, The Message of Psalms, Vol. 1, pp. 201-202.

9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues;
for I see violence and strife in the city.

• Like those who built the tower of Babel: Genesis 11:9: Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

15 Let death steal over them;
let them go down to Sheol alive;
for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

• v. 15, NLT: Let death stalk my enemies;
let the grave swallow them alive,
for evil makes its home within them.

• Remember Korah’s rebellion against the leadership of Moses and Aaron? What happened to the families of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram and their followers?
• Numbers 16:32-33: 32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. 33 So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. (ESV)

19 God will give ear and humble them,
he who is enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not change
and do not fear God.

23 But you, O God, will cast them down
into the pit of destruction;
men of blood and treachery
shall not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you.

• Let it out! God’s shoulders are broad enough!
A pattern & a promise (vv. 23b, 22)

• V. 23b: Murderers and liars will die young,
but I am trusting you to save me.

22a Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;


• 1 Peter 5:7: Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you. (GW)

• “Nowhere does the one who prays these psalms want to take revenge into his own hands. He calls for the wrath of God alone…Therefore he must dismiss from his own mind all thought of personal revenge…The prayer for the vengeance of God is the prayer for the execution of his righteousness in the judgment of sin.” –Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible, p. 57

• Romans12:19: Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

• The Father raised Jesus from the dead. It is Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10, ESV)

• “I leave the vengeance to God and ask him to execute his righteousness to all his enemies, knowing that God has remained true to himself and has himself secured justice in his wrathful judgment on the cross, and that this wrath has become grace and joy for us. Jesus Christ himself requests the execution of the wrath of God on his body, and thus he leads me back daily to the gravity and the grace of his cross for me and all enemies of God.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible, p. 59

Lord's Day Sermon, September 27, 2020: "Learning to Lament"

Psalm 13
Lord’s Day, September 27, 2020
First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
(Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.)

To hear an audio recording of this sermon, click on the following line: ”Learning to Lament”

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
13: 1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me. (ESV)

Prayer

• Psalms are an expression of the human experience. They describe real life blessings and trials.

Psalms flow out of three basic conditions/states in life:
• Psalms of Orientation: Seasons of wellbeing that bring to mind gratitude. (Examples: Psalms 8, 33, 104, 119, 131, 133)
• Psalms of Disorientation: Seasons of anguish, alienation, suffering, and death. (13, 85, 86, 74, 79, 137)
• Psalms of New Orientation: Seasons of surprise when life takes a fresh turn as we are overwhelmed with God’s new gifts as joy breaks through the despair. (Examples: 65, 66, 124, 129, 29, 47,100, 146-150)

• Today we’re focusing on Psalm of Disorientation.

Three forms of disorientation & anxiety:
• Anxiety that comes from going through various stages of life. (1st day of school; graduation; college/trade school; dating; marriage; retirement; senior years; nursing home)
• Anxiety that comes from trials or tragedy that unexpectedly come into life. (sudden death of loved one; laid off from work; betrayal; infidelity; burglary; house fire; COVID-19)
• Anxiety that comes as the world around us begins to change. (Rapid rate of change often a factor; technological, political, social, etc.)

• • It’s OK to lament (crying out in grief) in our prayers.
• We often resist the new circumstances and cling to the old circumstances. We should help one another through such times.

Psalms that deal with the human experiences of disorientation and anxiety are called lament (complaint) prayer songs.

• “It is clear that a church that goes on singing ‘happy songs’ in the face of raw reality is doing something very different from what the Bible itself does.’” –Walter Brueggemann, Spirituality of the Psalms

Laments or complaint psalms:
• Is the most frequently used form in the Psalter. (1/3)
• Can be both individual and congregational.
• Most common feature: psalmist is in trouble & calls God for help.

Basic Element of a Lament Psalm: The expression of suffering and the expression of faith that God will come to the rescue.

• “a confident yearning for God’s positive intervention” –Walter Brueggemann

• One of the benefits: Lament “forces us to deal with suffering by directing our despair not away from God, but toward him.” –Walter Kaiser

• Psalm 13 is a song of lament (complaint).
• There are three stanzas of two verses each (1-2, 3-4, 5-6)
• In each stanza David’s concern is for God, for himself, and for his circumstance

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

• Pain Expressed (vv. 1-2)

13:1 How long, O Lord? (God is addressed.)

• Description of the trouble:
Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

• Who is David’s enemy exalted over or dominating him?
• The psalm doesn’t say. Possibilities include King Saul.
• From the time King Saul became jealous of David he was an enemy of David.
• 1 Samuel 18:28-29: 28 When Saul realized that the Lord was with David and how much his daughter Michal loved him, 29 Saul became even more afraid of him, and he remained David’s enemy for the rest of his life. (NLT)

• Enemy could be David’s son, Absalom.

• Or maybe the enemy is death itself or an illness leading to death (v. 3):

• V.2a, NRSV: How long must I bear pain in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?

• Whomever or whatever David’s enemy it is, it has become a worrisome burden to him: v. 2a, CSB: How long will I store up anxious concerns within me,
agony in my mind every day?

• Prayer Confessed (vv. 3-4)
• David gives his reasons to God for why he should be heard. It is a flat-out straight petition to God:

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

• “God, do something before this experience does me in!”

• Praise Professed (vv. 5-6)

• Statement of trust: 5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

• Promise of praise: 6 I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me. (ESV)

• V. 6, GW: I will sing to the Lord because he has been good to me.

Typical Outline of a Lament (Complaint) Psalm Using Psalm 13 as an Example
1st Person Direct Address (v. 1)
Description of the Trouble (vv. 1-2)
Petition to Hear or Help (v. 3)
Reasons to Be Heard (vv. 3-4)
Statement of Trust (v. 5)
Promise of Praise (v. 6)

Consider using the above outline to write your own prayer/psalm of lament.

• When I was learning about songs of lament, the class was given the assignment of going off by ourselves and writing our own prayers of lament using this outline.
• When we came back together, volunteers were asked to read their lament psalms to the group. There were two or three instances in which when the laments were read there wasn’t a dry eye in the room!

How long, O Lord? “How long” has been described as “the song of the ages.”

• “So we find acknowledged here in Scripture what we all know in experience, that the steady march of real time never corresponds to the rate at which perceived time moves, dawdling or cantering, disappearing in a flash or seeming to stand still. It is not only ‘with the Lord’ that ‘a day’ can be ‘like a thousand years’!”—Michael Wilcock, The Message of Psalms (Psalms 1-72): Songs for the People of God, p. 51

Echos of “How long, O Lord” are heard in the New Testament. Remember King Jesus’s revelation to the apostle John on the Island of Patmos on the Lord’s Day:

• Revelation 6:9-11: 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. (ESV)

• This is a reminder that there is no time during this age which will ever be free from evil (Wilcock, p. 51).


• Do you have any “How long?” laments? How long, O Lord….
• …before the pain of my loved one’s passing goes away?
• …until my wayward child turns to your Son Jesus?
• …before I’m delivered from this battle with depression?
• …until I get over the hurt of being betrayed?
• …until I get good employment?
• ....before I learn to be a good steward of the physical body you gave me?
• ….will my classmates keep making fun of me?
• ….before we start really multiplying disciples through this church?
• ….until many families of the church turn from the idols that draw them away from Lord’s Day worship?
• ….before the majority of the church members practice the principle of tithing because they are grateful to You?
• …before older women teach the younger women to dress modestly?
• …before the older men teach the younger men to ensure their families participate in the Lord’s Day assembly?

Remember: God is and will be good to you:
• Ephesians 3:20: Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (NLT)

• Philippians 1:6: And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (ESV)

• Romans 8:28-29: 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (NLT)


Lord's Day Sermon, September 20, 2020: "Living the Blessed Life"

Psalms 1 & 2

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
(Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.)

(Note: I received much of the Psalms-specific information shared in this sermon during an intensive Psalms Learning Retreat led by Dr. Jody Owens. I am grateful for the insights and facts he taught me regarding Psalms. BWN)

Psalms 1 and 2 serve as an introduction to the Book of Psalms (Psalter)
The purpose of the Psalms is to model a way of interacting and praying to God that leads to a blessed and holy life.
• Psalms serves as a guide to the “blessed life”.

Psalm 1:1 & 2:12 introduce the blessed life theme:
1:1: Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…
2:12: …Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Three sections of the Hebrew Bible:
• Law (Books of Moses: Genesis through Deuteronomy)
• Prophets (with Joshua being the first book)
• Writings (with Psalms being the first book)

All three sections emphasize the Law of Moses.

Law Section Example:
• When Moses was reviewing the Law with the Israelites before they crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land, he gave them instructions about the time when they would have a king:

Deuteronomy 17:14-20: 14 “You are about to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you take it over and settle there, you may think, ‘We should select a king to rule over us like the other nations around us.’ 15 If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the Lord your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.
16 “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ 17 The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.
18 “When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. 20 This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel. (NLT)

Kingship Law of Deuteronomy 17:14-20: The king is to read the law so that he can have a right relationship:
• with God: …he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees.
• with himself: This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud…
• and with others: and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens.
• The king was to model what the blessed life looked like.

Prophets Section Example:
• After Moses died, Joshua was commissioned to lead Israel into the Promised Land. Consider what God told Joshua about the Book of the Law:

Joshua 1:4-9: 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (ESV)

• Samuel’s words concerning Israel’s first king, Saul:
1 Samuel 12:13-15: 13 And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. 15 But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king. (ESV)

Writings Section Example (which begins with Psalms):
Psalm 1:1-2: 1Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night. (ESV)

The Psalms are arranged to connect or set side-by-side two kinds of psalms:
• Law (Torah) Psalms and Kingship (Royal) Psalms

Alternating emphasis on Law (Torah) psalms and kingship (royal) psalms expressed the expectation that the king would be a “keeper” of the Law in accordance with Moses’ command in Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

Psalms is arranged to do two things:
• Create the expectation of an expected king who will be the perfect keeper of the law.
• Encourage faithfulness to the law for those who read them.

The king was to model for his subjects what a blessed life looked like.
• He was to set the pace for keeping the law and living the blessed life.
• Part of living the blessed life is when we fail, we confess and God restores. For example, Psalm 51.

Psalm 51 is an example of how no OT king fully kept the Law of Moses.

But what about Jesus?
Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (ESV) (make them come true, GW; came to accomplish their purpose, NLT)

Jesus is the King who did what all the prior kings failed to do!

John 19:28-31: 28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (ESV) (See Psalm 22:15b, 69:21b)

Jesus provided that which no one else could provide.
• John 14:6: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (ESV)

• “Walking in the way” used by Scripture writers to describe the person who is in deep communion with God.
• Psalm 119:2-3: 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways! (ESV)

• Jesus is saying “I am the way of God.”
• Christians were called “the Way” because they walked with God in deep communion! (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22)

• The blessed life is the life that gives full allegiance to King Jesus Who is the perfect way of God!

• Titus 3:4-8a: 4But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, 5he saved us not by the works that we did in righteousness, but in accordance with his own mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the new birth and the renewal of the holy spirit, 6which was poured out richly upon us through Jesus, our king and savior, 7so that we might be justified by his grace and be made his heirs, in accordance with the hope of the life of the age to come. 8aThe saying in sure. (KNT)

Let’s spend some time reflecting on what God’s Word has shown us, using the acronym SPECKS:

• Sin to confess?
• Prayer, promise or praise to hold onto?
• Example to follow?
• Command to obey?
• Knowledge to retain?
• Share the passage with whom?

Lord's Day Sermon, September 13, 2020: "Introduction to the Psalms: Prayer Book of the Bible" Pt. 2

Psalm 1-2

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN

Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister

A video of this online-only sermon may be viewed by clicking on the following link: “Introduction to the Psalms: Prayer Book of the Bible” Pt. 2.

An audio-only recording of the in-person worship service may be listened to by clicking on the following link: “Introduction to the Psalms: Prayer Book of the Bible” Pt. 2

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister
(Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.)

(Note: I received much of the Psalms-specific information shared in this sermon during an intensive Psalms Learning Retreat led by Dr. Jody Owens. I am grateful for the insights and facts he taught me regarding Psalms. BWN)



Psalm 1: 1Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 2 1Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Prayer

“[The Psalms] are full of power and passion, horrendous misery and unrestrained jubilation, tender sensitivity and powerful hope. Anyone at all whose heart is open to new dimensions of human experience… anyone who wants a window into the bright lights and dark corners of the human soul, anyone open to the beautiful expression of a larger vision of reality should react to these poems like someone who hasn’t had a good meal for a week or two.” --N.T. Wright, The Case for the Psalms
• Our little grandson Will’s quote of Romans 3:23: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of America.” (Ashley posted that he’s gotten it correct every other time.)
• That’s funny when a little child accidentally says that. Unfortunately, there are many professing Christians who may not say that but in practice put country above God and His kingdom.
Memorization of Scripture. We don’t do that much anymore, especially as adults. (Let’s try memorizing Psalm 23; 1; 121; 8, 19, 32, 70. Anyone willing to start a Scripture memorization club?)
• As we learned last Sunday, Psalms, all 150 chapters of them, were written for the purpose of memorization!

Review: Gordon Wenham in Psalms of the Torah, identifies four ways the psalms functioned.
• Written as a sacred text with the intention of being memorized.
• The genre (category/style) of Psalms facilitates memorization. (Jesus quoted Psalms 11 times, more than any other OT book.)
• The purpose of memorizing Scripture was to pass on the values of the culture. (Still should be.)
• The Psalms are prayed ethics that place a unique claim on the one praying.


• Throughout the centuries, one of the ways the church has helped the body of Christ memorize many of the Psalms is by including them for recital or by singing during the Lord’s Day worship service or liturgy on a regular or even weekly basis. (Most Christian churches and other evangelical churches are not known for this practice.)
• That may be a shame when you consider the words of Gordon Fee:


• “The psalms, like no other literature, lift us to a position where we can commune with God, capturing a sense of the greatness of his kingdom and a sense of what living with him for eternity will be like.”― Gordon Fee (via https://www.leadershipresources.org/blog/quotes-about-the-book-of-psalms/)

• Remember that repetition of truth gets in our hearts and minds to call upon in our greatest hours of need.
• I remember doing prayer walks throughout Owensville during the early days of lock down. As I prayed for homes as I walked passed houses or stopped to pray with people out walking or sitting on their porches, there was a verse from Psalms—a prayer—that kept coming to my mind that I lifted to God numerous times:
• Psalm 90:12: So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. (NASB)

• In other words, “Help us make these days count for you, Lord! Grant us wisdom in this! Help us minister to one another effectively during this time!”
• (We need a fresh wind and fire in us to look after one another! Let’s hold onto what matters and let go of what does not! My fear is that we’re already forgetting some of what God was teaching us at the beginning of C-19.)

Greek OT (Septuagint) Title = Psalms (means “instrumental music”)
OT Hebrew Title for Book of Psalms = Praises

Three sections/dimensions (Tanak) of the Hebrew Bible:
• Law (Torah)
• Prophets (Nevihim)
• Writings (Ketuvim)

Three Sections of the Writings:
• Psalms, Proverbs, Job (Trilogy)
• Five Scrolls: Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther
• Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah (one book), Chronicles
• Psalms introduces this section.

How do Psalms, Proverbs, & Job relate to one another according to Dr. Jody Owens?
• Proverbs: “Here are guidelines for life. Follow them, and your life will be long and happy.”
• Job: “I did, and it isn’t!”
• Psalms: “So let’s pray about this honestly as we wrestle with God.” (Dr. Jody Owens)

“Psalms, Proverbs, and Job work together to provide a way to make sense of human experience and provide a balanced understanding of the blessed life.’—Jody Owens

• Psalms was written by many different authors in various places and times. A scribe (the “Librarian”) or set of scribes collected and arranged these 150 psalms we have in our Bibles.

The arrangement we find in the Hebrew Bible was in place by between 500-200 BC.

• Walter Brueggemann: Psalms may be divided into three categories:
• Psalms of Orientation (All is well and as it should be. Life is good!)
• Psalms of Disorientation (All is not well or as it should be. God, why won’t you do something? Nevertheless, I will trust in You
• Psalms of New Orientation (Just when I thought there was no hope, God brought me to a new, unexpected place spiritually and all is well again!)

Book of Psalms is a collection of collections: 5 books in Psalms
• Book One: 1-41 (Ending: Blessed be the Lord.)
• Book Two: 42-72 (Ending: Blessed be the Lord.)
• Book Three: 73-89 (Ending: Blessed be the Lord.)
• Book Four: 90-106 (Ending: Blessed be the Lord.)
• Book Five: 107-150 (146-150 are doxologies/praises)

• So, Psalms is arranged into five smaller books, each ending with a doxology or benediction.

Example: Blessed be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen. (Psalm 41:13; ESV)--Doxology

The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended. (Psalm72:20; ESV)--Concluding note

Think about this:
• 5 books of psalms
• Book 5 ends with 5 psalms (146-150) of doxology (Praise the Lord).
• 5 books of the Law (Torah) (Genesis-Deuteronomy)
• Scribes arranged the prayers in the Psalms to mirror the 5 books of the Law (Torah)!

Superscriptions and Attributions (Example: Psalm 3: “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.”)
• 116 Psalms have titles that begin a psalm.
• Over 1/3 of the superscriptions appear to be musical directions, or references to types of musical composition
• Attributions “attribute” the psalm to an individual (Asaph 12, the Sons of Korah 11, Solomon 2, David 73)

What could the phrase “of David” mean?
• A claim to authorship – a Psalm that David wrote.
• It could also mean the Psalm was composed by someone else for David.
• It could also mean “about David.”
• 13 superscriptions connect the psalm to historical incidents in the king's life.

Most psalms in Book 1 have a superscription attributing the psalm to David but …

Psalm 1 and 2 have no superscription and stand apart as introduction to the whole Psalter.

Psalm 1:1 & 2:12 = Enclosure or bracketing = Blessed
• 1:1: Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…
• 2:12: …Blessed are all who take refuge in him.


Last line of Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 repeat the words: “way” & “perish”
1:6: for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
2:12: Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way…
This tail linkage connects the ends of the two psalms.

Psalms serves as guide to the “blessed life”.
• The blessed man delights in the “law of the Lord.” (Law= 5 Books of Moses= Pentatuch)

Psalm 1:1-2: 1Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night. (ESV)

The purpose of the Psalms is to model a way of interacting with God and praying to God that leads to a blessed and holy life.

• “In the psalms, we have a collection of 150 prayers that were inspired originally by the Holy Ghost. If you want to know how God is pleased and honored in prayer, why not immerse yourself in the prayers that he himself has inspired?”―R.C. Sproul (via https://www.leadershipresources.org/blog/quotes-about-the-book-of-psalms/)

But what about Psalm 2? We’ll consider it more closely next Lord’s Day, Lord willing. But for now, read along with me:

2: 1:Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (ESV)

• Paul and Barnabas in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia on the Sabbath. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, Paul began to preach. He came to this part:
• Acts 13:29-33: 29 And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33 this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,
“‘You are my Son,
today I have begotten you.’ (ESV)

• In communion we’re reminded that Jesus is our refuge. In Him and by Him we are blessed with life, adoption, given a new identity, given God’s promises and power to live a godly life.
• In communion we are reminded that it is to Jesus we’ve given our allegiance.

The Lord’s Supper

Luke 22: 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,

“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
• The body of Christ given for us.

20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,

“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

• The blood of Christ poured out for us.
• Prayer

At this time of reflection and celebration, pray for yourself and your brothers and sisters in Christ to be faithful in keeping the New Covenant.

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

King Jesus has died. King Jesus has risen. And King Jesus will come again!

Prayer Guide for the Week of September 6, 2020

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
September 6, 2020

NOTE: Except for section headings, bold type indicates the unison response of everyone when praying in a group.

Quotes on Prayer:

“The Psalms has proven to be the most reliable pastoral and liturgical resource we have in Scripture. Generation after generation has turned to the Psalms, in season and out of season, as a helpful resource for conversing with God about the things that matter the most” --Walter Brueggemann, Spirituality of the Palms

“The more deeply we grow into the psalms and the more often we pray them as our own, the more simple and rich will our prayer become.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

“In the psalms, we have a collection of 150 prayers that were inspired originally by the Holy Ghost. If you want to know how God is pleased and honored in prayer, why not immerse yourself in the prayers that he himself has inspired?”―R.C. Sproul

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

Psalm 23:1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (ESV)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession:

Psalm 32:5: I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (ESV)

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

I confess ______________, forgiving God. Forgive us our sins. (If prayed aloud with others.)

Thanksgiving: In light of the following passage and anything else the Spirit reminds you of, let us thank God for what he’s done.
Psalm 28:7: The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. (ESV)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1-2: First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people, 2 for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way. (GW)

• In addition to the instructions of the previous passage, pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Psalm 19:14: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (ESV)

Psalm 40:8: “I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.” (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Psalm 27:8: You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.” (ESV)

Psalm 71:14: But I will hope continually
and will praise you yet more and more. (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, September 6, 2020: "Introduction to the Psalms: Prayer Book of the Bible"

Psalm 22

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN

Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister

A video of this online-only sermon may be viewed by clicking on the following link: “Introduction to the Psalms: Prayer Book of the Bible.”

(Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.)

• My earliest memories of reading the Bible on any regular basis was when I was a young teenager. I read from a little pocket New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs published by the Gideons and distributed to us at school when I was in 5th or 6th grade.
• I do not remember why but it was the Psalms and Proverbs that I gravitated to in that little Bible.
• For those of us who have memorized any Scripture at all, perhaps most, if not all, have memorized John 3:16, Genesis 1; The Lord’s Model Prayer from Matthew 6:9-13, and at least part of Psalm 23 (Twenty-third Psalm).
• For example, I’ll begin each verse or passage just mentioned and you all finish out the verse:
• “For God so loved the world…
• “In the beginning…
• “Our Father who art in heaven…
• “The Lord is my shepherd…
• “He maketh me to lie down…

• Very rarely does one attend a Christian funeral and not hear the 23rd Psalm read either during the service or the graveside committal.

• We’re going to spend a few weeks learning about the Psalms and from the Psalms.
• When it comes to my teaching the Psalms from which I’ve just really begun to learn myself, I’m indebted to many: God the Father, Christ the Son of Whom they speak and Who prayed them, the Holy Spirit who inspired them; the Psalmists who authored them; the scribes who penned, copied and preserved them, the ancient librarian(s) who organized/catalogued them into the order in which we have them for very specific reasons; the church of Christ which is nourished by them; Dietrich Bonhoeffer, particularly from his little book Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible, Walter Brueggemann who authored Spirituality of the Psalms (Buy it, read it, mark it up! Only 77 pages); Dr. Jody Owens who led the intensive Psalms Learning Retreat I attended the last week of this past July; and some man from the Gideons who distributed to my 5th or 6th grade class.

Prayer

• [Introducing his exposition of the Psalms:]”We have now before us one of the choicest parts of the Old Testament, wherein there is so much of Christ and his gospel, as well as of God and his law, that it has been called the summary of both Testaments. ”
― Matthew Henry (via https://www.leadershipresources.org/blog/quotes-about-the-book-of-psalms/)

• “In the Psalms, God gives us the words to give to Him.” --Bob Martin, former Johnson Bible College professor & campus chaplain
• Why did Bob Martin say that?
• “The Psalms has proven to be the most reliable pastoral and liturgical resource we have in Scripture. Generation after generation has turned to the Psalms, in season and out of season, as a helpful resource for conversing with God about the things that matter the most” --Walter Brueggemann, Spirituality of the Palms

• Now what does Brueggemann mean by liturgical?
• Compare Acts 13:2: While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (ESV)

• With Acts 13:2: While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.” (AMP)

• Worship is the “service” of the people when we gather to praise and honor God
• Liturgy = “service” or “work of the people. Usually translated “worship” or “ministry.”
• Now maybe we might understand a bit better why we call our gatherings a “worship service” and why we follow some kind of worship order or liturgy.
• As Jody Owens said, good liturgy is permeated with Scripture, including the Psalms. And because liturgy is rooted in Scripture, liturgy helps us remember God!
• Example: Did you know that there is a church hymn in Philippians and Colossians? Philippians2:6-11 and Colossians1:15-20. (CSB & NIV written in verse.) These were sung in the worship services as part of their liturgy to help Christians remember some of the basic and most important doctrines of the church. They sang theology!
• Over the centuries, the Psalms has helped the church worship and has been a consistent part of many churches’ services or liturgies.
• If you assembled with FCC 20-25 years ago, you’ll remember that Sunday school use to follow the worship service. At the conclusion of SS, we reassembled around the sanctuary and closed by reciting by memory Psalm 19:14: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (ESV)
• We dismissed thinking about God—Who He is and of Whom we desired to please in our thoughts and speech!
• In many faith traditions the Psalms are not just read aloud but are sung! (Sandy Patti—"Thy Word”)
• In fact, you can find all 150 Psalms set to music, often to hymn tunes familiar to many of us!

The Bay Psalm Book
• The first book printed in British North America!
• A metrical translation of the Psalter, printed in 1640 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• It was to be used for the purpose of singing the Psalms in the churches of God!

• “The words hymn writers and liturgists put on our lips in worship affect us profoundly: they teach us what to think and feel, all the more effectively as they are put to music so we can hum them to ourselves whenever we are inclined.”--Gordon Wenham, The Psalter Reclaimed

Transition: Why now should we familiarize ourselves with the Psalms and their purpose for the church?

• Well, last summer I read a little book by Walter Brueggemann titled Spirituality of the Psalms. I’ll come back to this again but Brueggemann points out that generally speaking, the Psalms may be divided into three categories:

• Psalms of Orientation (All is well and as it should be. Life is good!)
• Psalms of Disorientation (All is not well or as it should be. God, why won’t you do something? Nevertheless, I will trust in You!) (Time of COVID-19; civil unrest and violence, injustice, unemployment, not to mention life issues not related at all to C-19.)
• For many in the church, it feels like a time of disorientation. The Psalms help us trust God and deal with it.

• “The Psalms are honest: there is no easy triumphalism and no attempt to disguise the trials that beset believers.”― G.W. Grogan (via https://www.leadershipresources.org/blog/quotes-about-the-book-of-psalms/)

• Psalms of New Orientation (Just when I thought there was no hope, God brought me to a new, unexpected place spiritually and all is well again!)

• “Whenever the Psalter is abandoned, an incomparable treasure is lost to the Christian church. With its recovery will come unexpected power.”― Dietrich Bonhoeffer (via https://www.leadershipresources.org/blog/quotes-about-the-book-of-psalms/)

“It has been said by church historians that in those periods of Christian history where renewal, revival, and awakening took place and the church was at its strongest, that coincidental with those periods in church history, there was a strong focus on the psalms in the life of God’s people–particularly in the worship of God’s people.”― R.C. Sproul (via https://www.leadershipresources.org/blog/quotes-about-the-book-of-psalms/)

Gordon Wenham in Psalms of the Torah, identifies four ways the psalms functioned:

• Written as a sacred text with the intention of being memorized.
• They were written for the purpose of memorization in an oral culture.
• The written copy was used to check your memorization.
• It is my understanding that in Jesus’s day it would not have been uncommon for a Jew to have had all 150 Psalms memorized!
• The purpose of memorizing Scriptures was to pass on the values of the culture. “enculturation.”
• The Psalms are a means of forming values and transmitting the ideal of human life, the blessed life.

• The Psalms are prayed ethics that place a unique claim on the one praying.
• Psalm 7:8-9: 8 The Lord judges the peoples;
judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
and may you establish the righteous—
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God! (ESV)

• Psalms make extensive use of first person pronouns “me” and “I”
• Like taking a vow, they challenge us with a truth to commit to—an act or behavior to carry out or to avoid.
Psalm 119:106: I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to keep your righteous rules.

Psalm 39:1: I said, “I will guard my ways,
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
• See also Psalm 23:4;27:8;32:5;71:14; etc.

The genre (category/style) of Psalms facilitates memorization.
• “Textualized” – we begin to embody the work we’ve memorized.
• Memorized texts have a particularly character forming effect on the memorizer.
• Example: My dad quoting from the Psalm 23 as we headed west out of town, past the nursing home, and down into the little valley: “Ye thought I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil.” Because of that routine and my memorizing it, when I’m in/near the “valley of the shadow” myself or with someone, that verse comes to my mind and helps give me peace.
• Best example is that of Jesus.
OT books most quoted by Jesus:
1. Psalms – 11x
2. Deuteronomy – 10x
3. Isaiah – 8x
4. Exodus – 7x

• “The Psalter filled the life of early Christianity. But more important than all of this is that Jesus died on the cross with words from the Psalms on his lips.”—Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• Bonhoeffer is referring to Jesus last words on the cross:
• Matthew 27:46: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
• This is a quote from Psalm 22:1. (Read Psalm 22 today!)
• Luke 23:46: Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
• This is a quote of Psalm 31:5.

“What does this mean?” asked Benjamin Kandt? “When the God-Man was enduring the trauma of the cross, gasping and grasping for words to express his agony, he recited psalms. Bonhoeffer knew the significance of following Jesus’s example in life and in death.”—Benjamin Kandt (via https://praypsalms.org/bonhoeffer-day-the-psalms-d18659ad6b7d)

• You can be certain that when Jesus quoted from Psalm 22:1, He had the rest of that Psalm on His mind as he looked forward to His ultimate victory over sin and death!

The Lord’s Supper

Luke 22: 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,

“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
• The body of Christ given for us.

20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,

“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

• The blood of Christ poured out for us.
• Prayer

At this time of reflection and celebration, pray for yourself and your brothers and sisters in Christ to be faithful in keeping the New Covenant.

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

King Jesus has died. King Jesus has risen. And King Jesus will come again.

Prayer Guide for the Week of August 30, 2020

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
August 30, 2020

NOTE: Except for section headings, bold type indicates the unison response of everyone when praying in a group.

Quotes on Prayer:

“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize that He is able to carry out His will for me. It does not matter where He places me, or how. That is for Him to consider, not me, for in the easiest positions He will give me grace, and in the most difficult ones His grace is sufficient.”—Hudson Taylor

“The hardest part of a missionary career is to maintain regular, prayerful Bible study. Satan will always find you something to do, when you ought to be occupied about that - if it is only arranging a window blind!”—Hudson Taylor

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:
Revelation 1:4b-6: Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.
All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 6 He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. (NLT)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession: 1 John 1:9: God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. (GW)

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

I confess ______________, forgiving God. Forgive us our sins. (If prayed aloud with others.)

Thanksgiving: In light of the following passage and anything else the Spirit reminds you of, let us thank God for what he’s done.

John 14:27: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (NLT)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1-2: First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people, 2 for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way. (GW)

• In addition to the instructions of the previous passage, pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• After reading and thinking about God’s grace from the following passages, pray to our merciful God as the Spirit guides you.

1 Peter 5:12: … My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace (NLT)

1 Peter 1:13: Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)

1 Peter 4:10: Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. (CSB)

1 Peter 5:10: And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

1 Peter 5:14: Greet one another with the kiss of love.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, August 30, 2020: "Standing Firm in the Grace of God"

1 Peter 5:12-14

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN

Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister

A video of the sermon from 1 Peter 5:5-11 may be viewed by clicking on the following link: Standing Firm in the Grace of God.

Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)

• March 22 was the first Lord’s Day I taught from 1 Peter. It was from 2:13-17 regarding the church’s responsibility to submit to the governing authorities for the common good and to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
• It was then I felt that God would have us spend time being reminded from this letter how we are to live in this time of disorientation related to COVID-19.
• The theology of 1 Peter “is the nature of the Christian life in a time of testing; believers, called to a living hope, are to live holy lives in the fear of God and mutual love, respecting the society in which they are placed but avoiding its temptations and standing firm in the face of persecution.” –I. Howard Marshall, New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel, p. 658
• Major Theme of 1 Peter: The way for Christians to live in the world despite the hostility we receive from some in the world.
• Here we are five months later at the closing greeting of Peter’s first epistle.

• Today’s Passage:

1 Peter 5:12-14: 12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with the kiss of love.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Prayer

Structure/Form of a Typical Letter in Peter’s Day
• Opening Greeting
• Body
• Concluding Remarks:
o Reference to those who delivered the letter.
o Summary of the letters purpose
o Final greetings
o Holy kiss
o Prayer for grace or peace

Structure of 1 Peter:
• Opening greeting & thanksgiving (1:1-12)
• Body. Three main sections concerned with:
Basic characteristics of Christian living (1:13-2:10)
Social conduct (2:11-3:12)
Christian attitude toward hostility (3:13-5:11)
• Closing greeting (5:12-14)

Characters of the Closing Greeting:

• Reference to the person who probably delivered the letter:

12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you…

• Sylvanus (Latin) or Silas (Greek): This is most probably the Silas in Acts who was given the gift of prophecy (Acts 15:32); sent to Antioch from Jerusalem with the decree of the Jerusalem council to the Gentile Christians; companion of Paul’s on the 2nd missionary journey (Acts 16-18); he was a co-sender with Paul of 1& 2 Thessalonians. (Acts 15:22; 2 Cor. 1:19; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1)
• Some think that “by Sylvanus” or “through Sylvanus” means that Silvanus penned the letter for Peter like a scribe or, since he had the gift of prophecy, may have collaborated with Peter.
• But most think it means that Silvanus was the one through whom Peter delivered this letter, which was customary practice to do in such a letter be delivered by personal carrier.

• v. 12a, GW: I’ve written this short letter to you and I’m sending it by Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother.

• v. 12a, TLB: I am sending this note to you through the courtesy of Silvanus who is, in my opinion, a very faithful brother.

• So Peter tells them, look, this brother in Christ who delivered this letter to you is a faithful brother—a trustworthy brother—he can probably answer any questions about my letter you might have.
• Can you imagine this letter (without chapters and verses, in a scroll) being read to the church by an elder? As the elder reads the closing greeting and reads By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you…seeing the believers maybe look over at Silvanus and Silvanus giving a simple head nod or smile.

• …briefly written to you… In comparison, Romans and 1 Corinthians are four times longer than 1 Peter.

• The next character/personality referenced is the church in Rome:

13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings,

• She who is at Babylon . Babylon is a pseudonym for Rome. She is the church at Rome; Babylon was the great city of sin and luxury that oppressed the Jews in the OT; after destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in 70 AD, Jews referred to Rome as “Babylon.” Babylon symbolic of luxury and sin; like Sin City (Las Vegas).
• …who is likewise chosen – compare to 1:1: …to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion….
• Peter is letting the recipients of this letter know that the church in Rome says hey!

… and so does Mark, my son.

• Mark (John Mark): Mark’s mom’s house was where Peter went when he was released from prison in Acts 12:


• Acts 12:12: When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.


• Mark traveled with Paul and Barnabas during first part of Paul’s 1st missionary journey; Mark bailed out but we don’t know why; at beginning of Paul’s second missionary journey, Paul didn’t want Mark to go; Barnabas wanted to give him another chance; Paul and Barnabas split over it; so Paul took Silas (Silvanus) and Barnabas took Mark; Paul later spoke favorably of Mark in three of his letters.
• “my son” = “my son in the gospel (faith)” probably meaning Peter had led Mark to Christ; Mark was to Peter what Timothy was to Paul.

Summary of the letters purpose and final instructions:

• Encouragement & testimony to remain steadfast in the grace of God (v. 12).

12 …I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.

• Peter has written a letter of encouragement and personal testimony.

… this is the true grace of God.

• “This” = either the letter itself or what it has said about God’s grace (Black, p. 138)

• v. 12b-c, NLT: My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.

• In the midst of their suffering and struggling, they needed to remember, as Edmund Clowney writes, “The gospel is the good news of the grace of God, the fact that Christ bore our sins in his body on the tree, and is now the right hand of God (2:24; 3:22). That grace of God will be brought to us when Jesus Christ comes again. (1:13). –Edmund Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter, p. 223

• G.R.A.C.E. = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense

• Let’s just take a brief re-look at the verses that actually speak of grace in this letter:

• 1 Peter 1:10-11: 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (ESV)
• God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense!

• 1 Peter 1:13: Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)

• God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense!

• 1 Peter 3:7:Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (ESV)

• God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense!

• 1 Peter 4:10: Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. (CSB)

• God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense!

• 1 Peter5:5: Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (ESV)

• God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense!

• 1 Peter 5:10: And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (ESV)

• God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense!

• Black: “Peter wants them to endure and stand fast in God’s grace, in the various aspects he has discussed: the grace of the message of the gospel (1:10), the grace of God’s current work through them (4:10), the grace of suffering for Christ (2:19-20), and the grace of their future inheritance (3:7; 5:10). The entire book is an exhortation to steadfastness.”—Allen Black, 1& 2 Peter, p. 138

Stand firm in it.

• “They cling, not to an impersonal moral code, nor to philosophical abstractions. They cling to the grace of God; not what they have done for God, but what God has done for them in Christ.” –Edmund Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter, p. 223
• Brothers and sisters, we must stand firm in the riches we have in Christ that came at His expense!

• Token of Affection: Greet one another with brotherly affection (v. 14a)

14a Greet one another with the kiss of love.

• Paul sometimes closed his letters telling the church to “greet one another with a holy kiss.”
• Obviously, they were not dealing with COVID-19!
• Peter’s and Paul’s letters were read in the worship service of the Christians to whom they were addressed.
• Maybe Peter is saying, “I’m sending my brotherly affection, give one another a kiss for me and to demonstrate appropriate family-style affection to one another.
• There are some cultures even today that a cheek-to-cheek kiss is common. There is nothing erotic about it. Often the lips don’t even touch the other person’s face.
• This is not common around here, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some type of brotherly, Christian sign of affection. But it must always be done with the utmost modesty and appropriateness—perhaps a handshake, a side-hug between people of opposite gender; etc.
• “Here is a good example of where the cultural significance of a particular action must be taken into account. If, for whatever reason, kissing is inappropriate, some other culturally acceptable substitute should surely be adopted in its place. The danger is to do nothing, keeping other Christians at arm’s length. In the Christian fellowship there ought to be a greater degree of mutual love and care, especially for single and lonely people, than in society at large, and the church may well need to take the lead in showing love to such people and in confirming and conveying it to them by suitable symbolic actions.” –I. Howard Marshall, 1 Peter, p. 176
• Somehow we need some departing gesture of affection unique to us as the family of God. “May the peace of Christ be with you.” Or, “Christ’s peace be with you.” “Christ’s peace to ya!”
• Just because we’re not embracing or shaking hands right now, doesn’t mean we cannot say to one another, “May Christ’s peace be with you.” And in return, “And also with you.” Or “With you as well.”
• In fact, look how Peter closing line--

A prayer for peace for the church (v. 14b)

14bPeace to all of you…

• “If grace is the source of divine blessings, peace sums up the content of the blessings…Like love, peace is one of those Christian words that has been sadly devalued by its loose, secular usage. Somehow we need to recover its original force.” –I. Howard Marshall, 1 Peter, p. 177

• John 14:27: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (NLT)

• That blessing of peace is the portion of all who are ‘in Christ.

…who are in Christ.

• “Peter shares Paul’s basic description of a Christian as a person whose existence is determined by the crucified and risen Lord. And the exclusivity of the description should not be ignored: Outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord there is no real, lasting peace.” –I. Howard Marshall, 1 Peter, p.177

Spend some time reflecting on what God’s Word has shown us from this passage using the acronym SPECKS:

• Sin to confess?
• Prayer, promise or praise to hold onto?
• Example to follow?
• Command to obey?
• Knowledge to retain?
• Share the passage with whom?

• You know, one of the ways we continue to stand firm in the true grace of God is through weekly receiving of the Lord’s Supper.
• If there is any time that we are reminded of God’s grace it is in the receiving of the body and blood of Christ!

The Lord’s Supper

Luke 22: 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,

“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
• The body of Christ given for us.

20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,

“This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

• The blood of Christ poured out for us.

• Prayer

At this time of reflection and celebration, pray for yourself and your brothers and sisters in Christ to be faithful in keeping the New Covenant.

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

King Jesus has died. King Jesus has risen. And King Jesus will come again!

Prayer Guide for the Week of August 23, 2020

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
August 23, 2020

NOTE: Except for section headings, bold type indicates the unison response of everyone when praying in a group.

Quotes on Prayer:

“Only a life of prayer and meditation will render a vessel ready for the Master's use.”—George Muller

“Wave after wave of trial rolled over us; but at the end of the year some of us were constrained to confess, that we had learned more of the loving-kindness of the Lord than in any previous year of our lives.--Hudson Taylor

1 Peter 5:6-7: Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (ESV)

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

1 Peter 5:11: To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)
For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession:
James 4:8a, 10: 8a Come close to God, and God will come close to you…10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. (ESV)

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

I confess ______________, forgiving God. Forgive us our sins. (If prayed aloud with others.)

Thanksgiving: In light of the following passages and anything else the Spirit reminds you of, let us thank God for what he’s done.

1Peter 5:10: And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.(ESV)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

Philippians 4:5b-7: The Lord is near. 6 Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. 7 Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. (GW)

• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray.

• After reading and thinking about the following passages, pray to our merciful God as the Spirit guides you.

1 Peter 5:5: Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Hebrews 13:17: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

1 Peter 5:8-9: 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, August 23, 2020: "Humility before God and toward One Another"

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
August 23, 2020
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister

A video of the sermon from 1 Peter 5:5-11 may be viewed by clicking on the following link: “Humility before God and toward One Another” (Note: Observance of the Lord’s Supper following the sermon was not recorded due to a technical issue. Please accept our apology.”

(Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)

• Review: 1 Peter 5 begins with the responsibility of church elders over the church and they attitude with which they are to shepherd.

How are elders (pastors, bishops, overseers) to shepherd and oversee the church? What is to be the serving attitude of elders?

• Elders are to serve not because they feel like they have to but because they want to (v. 2)
• Elders are to shepherd God’s people with an eagerness to serve, not an eagerness to increase financial wealth. (v. 2)
• Elders are to lead, not through the power of their position, but through the influence of their example. (v. 3) (David Faust)

A motivation for faithful shepherding: The return of Jesus.

4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

• One thing each elder and myself perhaps ought to ask ourselves each week is, “What shepherding did I do this past week? (Did I pray for the flock? Did I call and/or visit any sheep? Did I pray with any sheep? Did I encourage any sheep? Did I feed any sheep? Did I counsel any sheep? Did I try to lead any wandering sheep back to the fold? Did I and my wife practice any form of hospitality for any sheep?)

• Today’s Passage: In verse 5, Peter transitions from instructing the eldership to instructing non-elders and then everybody including the elders on how we ought to relate to one another and to God.

5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)

• “The Christian life is a curious blend of trust in God and resolute action based upon it….This is what Peter offers us in this section: the promise of divine help for those who trust in God and the command to resist the devil with all our might stand together.” – I. Howard Marshall, 1 Peter, (p. 167) See 2 Peter 1:3-11.
• At the heart of this balance is humility before God and towards one another.

• Do the following Scriptures sound familiar?

• 13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
• Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.
• Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives…
• Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

• Where are these from? All are from 1 Peter (2:13-14; 2:18; 3:1; 3:7). Peter continues this pattern in today’s passage, as he moves from the eldership to the rest of the flock:

5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.

• Peter is probably referring to those who are not elders—men and women—with the emphasis on the fact that most of them were younger than the elders.(Allen & Mark Black, 1 & 2 Peter &Jude, p. 132).
• One commentator noted that our culture didn’t invent the generation gap (Edmund Clowney, p. 209)!
• Keep in mind that when Peter wrote this, some of the original recipients were experiencing persecution and others would be. It was a stressful time for pastors as well as the congregations as a whole. And there may have been temptation for some of the flock to be impatient with or resistant towards the shepherds’ guidance and decisions.
• So what should the congregation’s response be to the eldership? Acknowledge their leadership and subject themselves to it.

• Hebrews 13:17: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (ESV)

• Church leadership is challenging and weighty. The congregation ought not make it any more difficult for the leadership than it already is (provided the eldership isn’t being disobedient to God).
• One of the ways some make it more difficult for the leaders is through quiet protest by absence. “I don’t agree. I won’t obey. So, I won’t assemble until things change.” They think they are doing the right thing because it doesn’t stir the pot, but it still causes the eldership to groan.
• So, what action and attitude is required by elders and non-elders alike?

… Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

• James writes something similar:
• James 4:6: And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”


• Clothe yourselves = attach a piece of cloth to yourself:

• 5b, Amplified Version: …and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another [tie on the servant’s apron], for God is opposed to the proud [the disdainful, the presumptuous, and He defeats them], but He gives grace to the humble.


• You can bet that when Peter wrote these words his mind went back to the evening of Passover, the night of the Last Supper before Jesus’ crucifixion when Peter and the disciples saw Jesus attach a servant’s cloth to Himself.
• John records it this way:

• John 13:3-8: 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” (NLT)

• In that moment, Peter humbled himself, at least for a while, as he witnessed His Lord’s own humility.
• The prerequisite for humility toward one another is humility before/under God’s hand:

Be humble before God; He cares for you (vv. 6-7).
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you…

• God has a powerful hand under which He wants us to rest and trust Him in the midst of suffering.
• Have you ever seen a caring father place his strong, loving hand on the head or shoulder of a child, only to see the child shake his head or wriggle his way out from under it?
• We do the same to God sometimes don’t we? Especially if He’s wanting us to stand with Him while we have to endure suffering. He’s waiting for the right time to lift us up, but we don’t want to wait.
• How do we humble ourselves under His mighty hand?

…, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

• We prayerfully trust Him and acknowledge our absolute need for dependence upon Him to endure.

• James 4:8a, 10: 8a Come close to God, and God will come close to you…10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

• Psalm 55:22: Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
the righteous to be moved. (ESV)

• Matthew 6:25, 33: “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?... 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (NLT)

• Philippians 4:5b-7: The Lord is near. 6 Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. 7 Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. (GW)

• Micah 6:8: He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God? (NKJV)

• When we don’t humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand in times of suffering, we can cause more suffering for ourselves and others because we’re going against His will.
• We are called to resist the enemy but from underneath God’s mighty hand, but not the way the world does.

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Resist the devil and remember you are not alone in your suffering (vv. 8-9).

• Tests are opportunities to grow in Christ-likeness; opportunities to be refined.
• But tests are also opportunities to fail. Tests are risky.
• Many a Christian has fallen in the face of temptation and persecution.
• Edmund Clowney: “When the French [King] Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685 [ which was given by King Henry IV in 1598 and had given the Huguenots (Calvinist Christians) the right to practice their faith without persecution from the Catholic-dominated state] , a long period of persecution forced the Reformed Christians to gather for worship in the fields or mountains. Their pastors were hunted down by the King’s dragoons. Yet they preached the message of 1 Peter, urging their flocks not to take arms against the king, but to endure persecution for Christ’s sake. So few pastors remained, however, that leadership was taken by self-proclaimed prophets and prophetesses who identified the king of France with the beast of the book of Revelation, and summoned the people to holy war. The result was the Camisard rebellion, and armed revolt that became guilty of its own counterterrorism. The church took the sword and destroyed its own witness.” (1 Peter, pp. 211-212).

• I fear the same may be the practice by some of our brotherhood if things continue in our country—professing Christians taking up arms against our persecutors in the name of patriotism.
• God doesn’t want us to fail His tests but Satan does!
• So we must…

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful.

• Keep your mind clear—too much internet/tv/radio/etc. can fog your mind, even provide a digital intoxication of sorts.

• 1 Peter 1:13: Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)

…Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

• By devour he means to get the Christian to deny Christ!
• Surely Peter thought of that time when he said he would never deny Jesus even if everyone else did, only later to deny he ever knew Jesus. Surely he remembered when our Lord said to him:

• Luke 22:31-32: 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” (NLT)

• Revelation 12:12: Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” (ESV)

• Peter instructs us on what our response to Satan should be:

… 9 Resist him, firm in your faith,…

• This is the Christians’ resistance movement!

• Isaiah 50:6-7: I gave my back to those who strike,
and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
from disgrace and spitting. But the Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame. (ESV)

• Ephesians 6:11: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (ESV)

• “The danger to the Christian is that he will fail to resist, that he will not watch and pray, that he will not put on the whole armor of God and take the sword of the Spirit. That sword, the word of God, was the weapon Jesus used in his ordeal in the desert; it is ours to use in his name.” –Edmund Clowney, 1 Peter, p. 215

•( If you have Amazon Prime Video, watch the true-story movie entitled “Tortured for Christ.”)

• 1 Timothy 6:12: Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (ESV)

…knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

• The 2019 World Watch List report is based on comprehensive and investigative research of 150 countries where Christians are persecuted for their faith. Each year, our research reveals telling numbers and statistics that give us a glimpse at the depth, prevalence and widespread reach of the persecution believers endure.
• Statistics during the 2019 reporting period (from Oct. 31, 2017, to November 1, 2018).
• 245 Million: In the top 50 World Watch List countries alone, 245 million Christians in the world experience high levels of persecution for their choice to follow Christ.
• 1 in 9: Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution
• 14%: The rise in the number of Christians in the top 50 countries on the 2019 World Watch List (WWL) who experience high levels of persecution. (from the 2018 reporting period to 2019’s)
• 4,136: Christians killed for faith-related reasons in the top 50 WWL countries.
• 2,625: Christians detained without trial, arrested, sentenced and imprisoned in the top 50 WWL countries.
• 1,266: churches or Christian buildings attacked in the top 50 WWL countries.
• 7 out of 10: In seven of the countries in the World Watch List’s top 10, the primary cause of persecution is Islamic oppression.
• 11: countries scoring in the “extreme” level for their persecution of Christians. Five years ago, North Korea was the only one.
• 18: Consecutive years North Korea has ranked No. 1 as the world’s most dangerous place for Christians.
• (Source: https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/stories/christian-persecution-by-the-numbers/)

Remember God’s divine promise of victory to those who faithfully resist the devil; praise Him for His power (vv. 10-11).

10 And after you have suffered a little while,..

• A little while and then life will return to “normal” or a little while in comparison to eternity?

… the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

• At the right time, God will take His faithful children and fix them up to good as new, give them all the foundational support and assurance they need.
• He’s that powerful. So, Peter praises God for it:

11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Let’s spend some time reflecting on what God’s Word has shown us, using the acronym SPECKS:

• Sin to confess?
• Prayer, promise or praise to hold onto?
• Example to follow?
• Command to obey?
• Knowledge to retain?
• Share the passage with whom?

Prayer Guide for the Week of August 16, 2020

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
August 16, 2020

NOTE: Except for section headings, bold type indicates the unison response of everyone when praying in a group.

C.H. Spurgeon Quotes on Prayer:

“It is well said that neglected prayer is the birth-place of all evil.”

“I know of no better thermometer to your spiritual temperature than this, the measure of the intensity of your prayer.”

“It is not a matter of time so much as a matter of heart; if you have the heart to pray, you will find the time.”

Adoration: After pondering on the following passage, praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in this passage:

Hebrews 13:20-21: 20 Now may the God of peace—
who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
21 may he equip you with all you need
for doing his will.
May he produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. (NLT)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession:
Nehemiah 9:3: They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God. (NLT)

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

I confess ______________, forgiving God. Forgive us our sins. (If prayed aloud with others.)

Thanksgiving: In light of the following passages and anything else the Spirit reminds you of, let us thank God for what he’s done.

Colossians 3:15: And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. (NLT)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1-4: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)

• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray.

• After reading and thinking about the following passage, pray to our merciful God as the Spirit guides you.

1 Peter 5:1-4: So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

• How might you pray for our church’s shepherd-elders?

Acts 20:28-29: 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. (CSB)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, August 16, 2020: "What's an Eldership to Do?"

1 Peter 5:1-4

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
August 16, 2020
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister

A video of the sermon from 1 Peter 5:1-4 may be viewed by clicking on the following link: “What’s an Eldership to Do?”

(Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)

• There are two topics which I always feel most inadequate teaching: marriage & family and church leadership.
• If feel most inadequate teaching about them because I feel most inadequate in being and doing them.
• But then I remember my old missions professor at JBC (JU), Norm Dungan, saying, “God delights in working through our inadequacies.”
• That’s a true statement because God is more than adequate to accomplish what He desires through those who rely on Him, learn from Him, love Him, and seek to obey Him.
• In chapter 3, Peter taught us some things about marriage. Now, at the beginning of chapter 5, he brings up the issue of spiritual leaders in the church, specifically the eldership.
• Keep in mind that in the NT, in regards to church leadership, the terms elder, pastor, bishop, overseer, shepherd are used interchangeably.
• Also they are always spoken of in terms of plurality—each church/congregation having more than one elder (pastor, overseer, shepherd, bishop).
• Acts 14:23: And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. (ESV)

• Titus 1:5: The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town. (CSB)

• James 5:14: Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. (NLT)

• For example, OFCC’s elders are Tracy Johnson, Mike Sluder, and Corey Taylor. The elders have chosen to designate me as a preaching elder.
• So let’s see what the apostle Peter has to teach us in these four verses, understanding that this is just a small part of what God’s Word has to say about church leadership, especially the eldership.

1 Peter 5:1-5: So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (ESV)

To remind us of the context, let’s do a quick review of the principles of sharing in the sufferings of Christ from 4:12-19:

Principle 1: Persecution is inevitable for the faithful Christian. Expect suffering. (v. 12)
Principle 2: Suffering from persecution is God testing the genuineness of our faith (and Satan tempting us to give up) (v. 12).
Principle 3: Persecution is sharing in the sufferings of Jesus Christ and therefore reason for gladness (v. 13).
Principle 4: “Suffering for Christ leads to “tastes” of glory (v. 14).
Principle 5: Suffering is a reason to examine your life (15).
Principle 6: Suffering persecution because you follow the Way of Jesus is an opportunity to glorify God (v.16)
Principle 7: Persecution not only prepares us for judgment, it may also be the beginning of our judgment (vv. 17-18).
Principle 8: Persecution should be a motivation to try to win unbelievers to Christ (17).
Overriding Principle: When it comes to persecution and tough times, follow the example of Jesus (v. 19)
(The One who created your soul can be trusted to keep your soul; keep trusting and obeying our Creator King!)

• In light of these principles, doesn’t it make sense than that during difficult times it’s important to maintain and further develop strong leadership and strong relationships within the church?
• Therefore, Peter transitions into a section about church leadership, specifically the eldership.
• David Faust: “First Peter was written to encourage struggling Christians whose faith was under fire. Then and now, church leaders play a vital role in determining what a congregation’s attitude will be during tough times. Faithful leaders can inspire confidence and courage. On the other hand, power-hungry, pessimistic, or uncommitted leaders can drag the whole congregation down. If indeed ‘it is time for judgment to being with the family God’ (1 Peter 4:12), then the leaders ought to be the first to examine themselves.” Faith under Fire, p. 126.
• Notice the humility with which Peter addresses the elders:

1So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:

• V. 1, NLT: And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you:

• Peter may have done it again—invented or coined a new word in everyday Greek just like he did in 4:15 for the word translated “meddler.” What has been translated “fellow elder” comes from one compound Greek word “sympresbyteros” that can’t be found in any Greek literature prior to 1 Peter and only shows up afterwards in Christian writings.

• Remember that touching scene after the resurrection when Jesus wants Peter to know He still has role for him even though he’d denied Jesus three times during Jesus’ trial? As Peter humbly and awkwardly professes love for Jesus in John 21:16: [Jesus] said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” (ESV)

• So in today’s passage, what Peter in essence is saying is, “Hey elders, I am in this church shepherding with you. I know what Jesus went through. I know what it’s like to share in Christ’s sufferings, and I know what you will go through as elders. So let me strongly encourage you regarding your role as elders and the attitude with which you should approach this important leadership function. And by the way, I’m also looking forward to participating in glory when Jesus comes back.”

• Colossians 3:4: And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (NLT)

What’s a church eldership to do?

2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight …

• V. 2, Message: Here’s my concern: that you care for God’s flock with all the diligence of a shepherd.

• Shepherd imagery is throughout the Bible. Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd…”
• In OT, God is the shepherd of His people.
• In the NT, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd.
• Allen Black: “Various aspects of shepherding are used as analogies, for example feeding may be compared to teaching, and protecting from wolves to protecting from false teachers.” (1 & 2 Peter, p. 129)

• V. 2, Amplified: shepherd and guide and protect the flock of God among you…

• I. Howard Marshall: “What does the picture convey? As developed in the various biblical passages, it brings out the desperate need of sheep for a shepherd: to keep them from wandering away in the stupidity; to protect them from dangers from wild animals and thieves; to feed them; to find them, even at personal risk, when they are lost; to prevent one animal from taking advantage of others; to maintain unity within the flock; and to exercise individual care. Many of these applications were made exclusively with reference to Jesus, but they apply by extension also to those who are his undershepherds in the church.” 1 Peter, p. 162
• I’d say most if not all of us don’t have a great understanding of being a full-time shepherd of sheep. But some of us have memories of farmers who had a few sheep that they tended.
• Gareth Reese helps paint the picture for us:
• “Think of the personal care farmers give their livestock, and we have a good model of how functioning elders conscientiously treat the members of the congregation (flock) they have been selected to shepherd. Life-stock management includes helping as needed as little ones are born, in some cases feeding the young with a bottle, setting goals for growth, guarding against disease, protecting from predatory animals, doctoring the sick, providing shelter when needed especially in times of storm, and knowing each animal’s habits and quirks and individual needs.” –Gareth Reese, Jude and Peter, p. 147

• So do you see why a plurality of elders is needed?
• My dad grew up on a farm in which they raised lots of sheep. When he was a young man and for a few years after he and Mom got married, one of the ways God provided for our little family was Dad shearing sheep for farmers throughout S IL, SW IN, and NW KY.
• It was back breaking work, which is perhaps one reason why he stooped over so badly and struggled with back pain in his later years.
• But Dad made shearing sheep look easy, shearing in such a way that the wool came off in one piece! For him, there was “mutton” to it!
• The ministry of the eldership is challenging service.
• There are always shepherding tasks to perform—people to call and visit, to pray with, to teach, to encourage, sometimes to lovingly discipline, decisions to be made, hospitality to practice in our homes, etc.
• The era of COVID-19 has been especially challenging. To me, right now it seems harder than when society was “locked down.” We’re somewhere in the middle right now.
• Notice “flock of God.” It’s God’s sheep that the elders have been placed over as shepherds. And, the elders are accountable to God for how they care for the sheep.

• Hebrews 13:17b: … Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God…(NLT)

• Acts 20:28-29: 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. (CSB)

How are elders (pastors, bishops, overseers) to shepherd and oversee the church? What is to be the serving attitude of elders?

…not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you…

• Elders are to serve not because they feel like they have to but because they want to (v. 2)

• The role is voluntary. The desire to fill the role is one of the character traits of an elder:

• 1 Timothy 3:1: The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. (ESV)

• …as God would have you = GW: Watch over it as God does:

…not for shameful gain, but eagerly;

• GW: Don’t do it out of greed, but out of a desire to serve.

• Elders are to shepherd God’s people with an eagerness to serve, not an eagerness to increase financial wealth. (v. 2)

• eagerly = with wholehearted enthusiasm (Amp)

• Why might elders be tempted with greed? Well, they oversee the church funds for one thing. An elder might be tempted to get “sticky fingers.”
• But also, in the 1st Century and for a while after, it was not uncommon for some elders to be compensated, especially those who spent a lot of time preaching and teaching.

• 1 Timothy 5:17-18: The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.” (CSB)

• They were compensated because they didn’t have time to perhaps both shepherd and work another job.
• I am a compensated preaching elder according to 1 Tim 5:17-18 and by designation by our elders.
• Elder in SD who was especially gifted at pastoral care as well as personal evangelism and disciple making, received some compensation. He didn’t earn enough from retirement so the church compensated him for his ministry time and this help take the load off of the preaching minister/elder.
• So, there might have been the temptation to seek to be elders for the purpose of compensation. In other words, some might want to be appointed as an elder just to have a paycheck!

• Jude 12: … shepherds feeding themselves…

• Prophecy against the shepherds of Israel: Ezekiel 34:4: The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. (ESV)


… 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

• Message: Not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way.

• Elders are to lead, not through the power of their position, but through the influence of their example. (v. 3) (David Faust)

• They are to oversee the church without arrogance or overbearingness.
• Jesus warned His disciples about this:
• Mark 10:42-44: 42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. (NLT)

• V. 3, NLT: Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

• Amplified: …but be examples [of Christian living] to the flock [set a pattern of integrity for your congregation].

• Elders are to show the church members how to live a life that puts a smile on God’s face!
• A good summary of a faithful elder’s lifestyle:

• Titus 1:7-8: For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. (ESV)

• Hebrews 13:7: Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (ESV)

A motivation for faithful shepherding: The return of Jesus.

4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

• The Message: When God [the Son], who is the best shepherd of all, comes out in the open with his rule, he’ll see that you’ve done it right and commend you lavishly.

Let’s spend some time reflecting on what God’s Word has shown us, using the acronym SPECKS:

• Sin to confess?
• Prayer, promise or praise to hold onto?
• Example to follow?
• Command to obey?
• Knowledge to retain?
• Share the passage with whom?

• Hebrews 13:20-21: 20 Now may the God of peace—
who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
21 may he equip you with all you need
for doing his will.
May he produce in you,
through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. (NLT)

Prayer Guide for the Week of August 9, 2020

NOTE: Except for section headings, bold type indicates the unison response of everyone when praying in a group.

Quotes on prayer:

1 Peter 4:7: The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. (NLT)

“The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.”—F.B.Meyer

“A prayerless church member is a hindrance. He is in the body like a rotting bone or a decayed tooth. Before long, since he does not contribute to the benefit of his brethren, he will become a danger and a sorrow to them. Neglect of private prayer is the locust which devours the strength of the church.”—C.H. Spurgeon

Adoration: Praise Sovereign God for His attributes, for who He is and what He is like in these passages:

1 Peter 4:19: 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (ESV)

Colossians 1:2b-3: God made his Son responsible for everything. His Son is the one through whom God made the universe. 3 His Son is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact likeness of God’s being. He holds everything together through his powerful words. After he had cleansed people from their sins, he now holds the honored position—the one next to the majestic God [the Father] on the heavenly throne. (NLT)

For ________________, Mighty God. We give you praise!

Confession: First, ponder these verses:

Proverbs 28:13: People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. (NLT)

1 Peter 4:17-18: 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (ESV)

• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that is displeasing to Him and confess it to Him.

I confess ______________, forgiving God. Forgive us our sins. (If prayed aloud with others.)

Thanksgiving: In light of the following passage and anything else the Spirit reminds you of, let us thank God for what he’s done.

Romans 8:17-18: 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. (NLT)

For _______________, loving God. We give you thanks.

Supplication (Humble Petitions) & Intercession:

1 Timothy 2:1-4: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)

• Pray to our merciful God about anything/anyone the Spirit puts on your heart to pray.

• After reading and thinking about the following passage, pray to our merciful God as the Spirit guides you.

1 Peter 4:1-2: 2 Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want. (Message)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

2 Timothy 3:12: Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it. (MSG)

1 Peter 4:7-11: 7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (ESV)

For _____________, Merciful God. Hear our prayer.

Benediction: The Lord’s Model Prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

Lord's Day Sermon, August 9, 2020: “Principles for Sharing Christ’s Sufferings”

1 Peter 4:12-19

First Christian Church, Owensville, IN
August 9, 2020
Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister

A video of the sermon from 1 Peter 4:7-11 may be viewed by clicking on the following link: “Principles on Sharing Christ’s Sufferings”

(Abbreviations for Bible translations that may be quoted: ESV = English Standard Version; NLT = New Living Translation; CSB = Christian Standard Bible; GW = God’s Word; Amplified Bible = AMP; KJV = King James Version; New King James Version = NKJV; The Message = MSG; KNT = Kingdom New Testament)

1 Peter 4:12-19:
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

• William Barclay introduces this passage with these words:
• “It is never easy to be a Christian. The Christian life brings its own sacrifices and its own persecutions. It is therefore, well to have certain great principles in our minds.” –William Barclay, The Letters of James and Peter, Revised Edition, p. 257
• Peter provides several principles for dealing with persecution within this passage.
• You know, it feels a bit awkward teaching about something so sobering that I’ve never really experienced—how to handle serious persecution. But notice how he begins with a term of endearment:

12 Beloved,…

• “Beloved” can indicate that both God and Peter love the recipients of the letter. This would include not only the original recipients but all who follow Christ including disciples here today.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

Principle 1: Persecution is inevitable for the faithful Christian. Expect suffering. (v. 12)
• V. 12, GW: …don’t be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to test you.
• Gareth Reese believes that Peter, writing from Rome, is trying to prepare the Christians out in the provinces for the persecution coming their way that began in Rome after the city burned in AD 64.
• Nero blamed the Christians. As a result, Christians were literally burned as torches to light the emperor’s gardens at night! (Reese, p. 116)
• Jews were accustomed to persecution. Persecution for converted Gentiles (pagans, non-Jews) was a new experience. Peter wanted them and us to go into it wisely.
• In one of Paul’s missionary journeys, he and Barnabas visited some churches and spent time encouraging them to remain faithful with these words (I think it’s kind of humorous but also true.):
• Acts 14:22: …“It is through many tribulations and hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Amplified)

• 2 Timothy 3:12: Those who try to live a godly life because they believe in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (GW)

• 2 Timothy 3:12: Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it. (MSG)

Principle 2: Suffering from persecution is God testing the genuineness of our faith (and Satan tempting us to give up) (v. 12)

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you…

• In the everyday Greek language of Peter’s day, the word translated “test” can also be translated “tempt.”
• But the NT is very clear that God does not tempt His children to sin. God tests. But Satan uses God’s tests as opportunities to tempt us to sin.
• See 1 Peter 1:7-9:
• So, our tests and trials are not without good purpose—they prove if our faith (allegiance) to Jesus is real.
• Romans 8:28-29 also reminds us that the good that God wants to bring us to through difficult times is the likeness of His Son. As Martha Stewart says, “That’s a good thing!”

• So what should the Christian’s attitude be toward persecution?
13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Principle 3: Persecution is sharing in the sufferings of Jesus Christ and therefore reason for gladness (v. 13).
• V. 13, NLT: …Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering,…

• “When he suffers in the name of Christ, as a representative of Christ, he participates in Christ’s sufferings.” –Raymond C. Kelcy, The Letters of Peter and Jude, p. 93

• Peter mentions that he was an eye witness of Christ’s sufferings (5:1).

• Paul: Philippians 3:10-11: I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it. (Message)

… so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

• To the degree you share Christ’s sufferings, rejoice now so you can mega-rejoice at His return.
• This is what Paul is getting at in Romans:
• Romans 8:17-18: 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. (NLT)

14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Principle 4: “Suffering for Christ leads to “tastes” of glory (v. 14)

• If, as in when you are insulted for the name of Christ…
• Peter has been giving examples of this:
• 2:12: …they speak against you as evildoers. (ESV)
• 2:15: …those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you…(NLT)
• 3:16:… when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior…(ESV)

• Matthew 5:10-11: 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. (NLT)

…you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

• Shekinah glory of God (luminous glow of the presence of God)
• Remember when Stephen was facing death by stoning?
• Acts 6:15: And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (ESV)

• …rests upon you…: Perhaps Peter is saying the willingness of a believer to suffer insult and persecution is evidence of the Holy Spirit in his/her life.

• The normative place and time of receiving the Holy Spirit is when a repentant believer is baptized:

• Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (NLT)

• Acts 5:32: “…the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (ESV)

Principle 5: Suffering is a reason to examine your life (15).

15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.

• Meddler = “troublemaker” (GW), “prying into other people’s affairs” (NLT)
• This is the only place the Greek word translated meddler is found in all of the NT! Wasn’t found in any literature prior to this. It seems that Peter coined or invented it!
• Literally: “an overseer of what belongs to others” or “looking into that which belongs to another”
• Kelcy and Reese point out that some believe it points to unnecessary political agitation.
• “At the very time Peter wrote, the zealots were very active trying to overthrow the established Roman government. Peter here cautions his readers against getting involved in political opposition movements that would subject them to efforts by the authorities to squelch them. Make sure you are not doing what Nero has falsely accused the Christians of doing against Rome.”—Gareth Reece, Peter & Jude, p. 119
• Others suggest interference in the domestic affairs of neighbors; others interference by Christians in matters pertaining to religious practice.
• Some think that Christians may have meddled through excessive zeal in attacking pagan habits. (Clowney)
• “At any rate, Peter is forbidding his readers to pry into the affairs of others and to busy themselves with matters that do not concern them.”—Raymond C. Kelcy, p. 94

• 1 Thessalonians 4:11: Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. (NLT)

• 2 Thessalonians 3:11: Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. (NLT)

16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Principle 6: Suffering persecution because you follow the Way of Jesus is an opportunity to glorify God (v.16)

• 1 Peter 2:19-20: 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. (ESV)

• “[The Christians] life and conduct must be the best argument that he does not deserve the suffering which has come upon him and his attitude to it must commend the name he bears.” –William Barclay, p. 260

• "Glorifying God,…is done by a thoughtful, edifying, winning approach to our neighbor. Instead of letting a feeling of shame silence him or paralyze him into inaction, the Christians has an opportunity to bring honor to God while he is being persecuted for being a follower of Jesus. Peter says, ‘Do it! Seize the opportunity!" --Gareth Reese, Jude & Peter, p. 120

• Armando Valladares, for 22 years a prisoner of Castro’s regime in Cuba, tells of how he came to a living trust in Christ: ‘Those cries of the executed patriots—‘Long live Christ the King! Down with Communism!” had wakened me to a new life….The cries became such a potent and stirring symbol that by 1963 the men condemned to death were gagged before being carried down to be shot. The jailers feared those shouts.’ (quoted in Edmund Clowney, p. 192)

17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”(Pr. 11:31)

• If the righteous is scarcely saved =is being saved with difficulty

Principle 7: Persecution not only prepares us for judgment, it may also be the beginning of our judgment (vv. 17-18).

• “Where the privilege has been greatest, there the judgment will be sternest.”—William Barclay, p. 261

• Couple of ways of interpreting these verses. One, is the current persecution of Christians is part of our judgment.
• “The fire of judgment that will come when Christ comes already burns in the sufferings that Christians endure. Yet how different is the purpose of the fire in God’s house from the fire of the last judgment! God’s fire in his temple purifies the faith of his spiritual priesthood.” –Edmund Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter, pp. 194-195
• V. 17 the idea is that Christians, you think this is bad, think about what the destiny of the disobedient—the unbelieving and unfaithful!

• The other is that Judgment Day is coming. Christians will be judged first, and we’ll be saved by the skin of our Savior. You want to avoid being a part of those who will be condemned to Hell.

Principle 8: Persecution should be a motivation to try to win unbelievers to Christ (17).

…what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

• 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10: 7 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 10 When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him. (NLT)

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Overriding Principle: When it comes to persecution and tough times, follow the example of Jesus (v. 19)

• 1 Peter 3:17: For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. (ESV)

• 2:23: When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

• Luke 23:46: Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. (ESV)

The One who created your soul can be trusted to keep your soul; keep trusting and obeying our Creator King!

Let’s spend some time reflecting on what God’s Word has shown us, using the acronym SPECKS:

• Sin to confess?
• Prayer, promise or praise to hold onto?
• Example to follow?
• Command to obey?
• Knowledge to retain?
• Share the passage with whom?

From the Heart of Bart, August 2020: "Some Devotional Thoughts about Mask Wearing"

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8, NLT).

As many members of OFCC know, on July 8, 2020 I shared with the congregation via our One Call Now (OCN) messaging service some devotional thoughts about mask wearing in regards to COVID-19. I revised the message somewhat and included it in our August 2020 paper newsletter. With a bit more revision, here it is again for those who do not receive our monthly church newsletter and might be interested.

Here is how I have personally come to handle this controversial mask-wearing issue. Do you remember in Philippians 2:3-11 where Paul instructs us to consider others more important than ourselves and to look out for others interests and not just our own? To illustrate how we are to do this, Paul then tells us to have the same attitude that Jesus had when He laid aside His divine privileges, came to earth in a human body, humbled himself and was crucified in obedience to His Father's will for the sake of you and me. If Jesus could set aside His divine privileges to wear a cross, then I can certainly wear a mask when advised for the sake of others. It is my understanding that the purpose of wearing a mask is to help prevent giving someone else the Coronavirus, not getting the virus from someone else. And even if I thought that masks don't do a bit of good (I know some who staunchly believe this is the case), if wearing one helps ease someone else's fear who does believe wearing one is of value, then it's worth me wearing for their sake in light of Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 10.

I'm trying to look at this as a follower of Jesus, not as a citizen of the U.S. with certain constitutional rights and privileges. As a Christian, my primary citizenship is that of the kingdom of God and my primary allegiance is to King Jesus (Colossians 1:13; Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 13:15). By wearing a mask, I’m not disobeying God in any way—at least that I can see thus far—and may actually be pleasing Him (1 Peter 2:13-17).

On this issue, I’ve recently heard fellow Christians who refuse to wear a face covering as recommended/required say, “Don’t be a sheep.” I understand that they are concerned about government overreach. (In some places in the US this is probably a legitimate concern but perhaps not on the issue of mask wearing.) But let Christ’s followers remember His words, ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me’ (John 10:27, ESV). As someone else said, Christians are to follow the Lamb of God, not a donkey or an elephant.

Hopefully this advice will be of help to some struggling with the expectation to wear a mask while entering and exiting the OFCC church building for worship and wearing one in other public settings as required by the State of Indiana and other states. These comments are not directed at those who are genuinely claustrophobic when they wear a mask or those with certain health complications that prevent wearing a mask. Such realities are understandable issues and I empathize with you.

Regarding another matter I request your prayers. I’ve enrolled in an online, graduate level New Testament theology course from Johnson University. It’s scheduled to last from August 24 through December 20. My hope is that this will be spiritually transformational not only for me but for the congregation. Please pray that I will practice Jesus-like self-discipline and maintain good health throughout the semester.

May the peace of Christ be with you,

Bart W. Newton, Preaching Minister

Our vision is to be a multiplying family of love-motivated, baptized followers of Jesus learning to daily practice eternal living in His kingdom for God’s glory.

regular weekly SERVICE TIMES

Sunday (Lord’s Day)

8:30 a.m. Adult Bible Fellowship Groups & Children’s Sunday School

8:30 a.m. (First Sunday of each month) Prayer Meeting in lieu of Adult Bible Fellowship Groups.

10:00 a.m. Worship Service with Children’s Church (1st three Sundays of each month) & Nursery

(The service may be listened to live from the church parking lot by tuning your radio FM 87.9. The service may be viewed later in the afternoon online via audio/video recording via a link in the church Facebook page, the Connect tab above or at owensvillefirstchristianchurch.sermon.net/main.)

6:00 p.m. Prayer Meeting (except for first Sunday of each month which is at 8:30 a.m.)

Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

Adult Bible Fellowship and Middle/High School Youth Group (May have seasonal breaks.)

 

 

(812) 724-4181

4680 W SR 168, PO Box 37, Owensville, IN 47665