It’s easy to forget who we are in Christ, why we exist, what we are called to, how we are able to live for Jesus, and where this is all going. We need to be coached up in Christ. We must be encouraged, challenged, and spurred on in our faith and walk with God. Psalm 100 does that by coaching us up. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sermons in the Psalms
TEXT: Psalm 100
TITLE:   A Fountain of Unstoppable Praise
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: When God's unfailing love rules our hearts, unstoppable praises will pour from our lives.

POINTS:
1. God Created Us
2. God Redeemed Us
3. God Keeps Us

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Our lives are living fountains of something. What? The more we know God. The more we pursue Christ. The more we rely on the Spirit. Our lives will be a fountain of unstoppable praises, not to us but to the glory of God.”

“In just five short verses, we find seven clear imperatives. These are not suggestions. They are not optional. They are not negotiable. They are not debatable. They are commands. From singing and serving to gathering and giving to thinking and thanking, God says—Do these things. At the same time, these seven imperatives do not stand alone. They are attitudes of the heart—outward expressions of an inward heart disposition toward God.”

“We don’t just make a noise; we Make a JOYFUL noise. The Hebrew word there means glad shout as a king’s subjects would do as he entered their presence. We don’t merely serve with our gifts; we Serve the Lord with GLADNESS. We don’t merely gather together on Sundays; we Enter His gates with THANKSGIVING. Actions and Attitudes.”

“It reminds us that faith takes root in our hearts but enters through the mind. Our thanksgiving, serving, singing, and gathering are intelligent. Our faith is not blind. It’s not subjective. We live how we live before God because we know and continually know something objectively true—Our God, the God of the gospel, He is God!”

“It is impossible to truly know ourselves apart from knowing God as Creator and ourselves as His creatures. The denial of this reality creates tremendous deception and chaos.”

“…when, Christian or not, we lose sight of the Creator/creature relationship; we become gods in our own eyes, which has enormous implications for how we live. We have ourselves to thank. We serve ourselves. We are accountable to no one. Glory belongs to us. What do we need with God?“

“Now He is not only your Creator; He is your Abba Father. You are His adopted sons and daughters. In His wisdom, this is the imagery God chose to describe His relationship with you—what a gift! …You don’t just know God intellectually; you know God intimately.” 

“We praise and thank God with our lives because of what He has done—He has made us, and he has saved us. But there is one more reason—God is faithful to keep us.”

“God is always in control of your life. The righteousness and blood of Jesus is always sufficient for your salvation. The Spirit that lives in you can always do more than you can ask or imagine. And this will never change because God never changes, and He has promised to keep you until the end. In Christ, God will never leave you nor forsake you. He will always be good to you. He will always love you! He will always keep you—all the way to heaven!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Romans 12:1
Psalm 23
Hebrews 4:14-16

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “It is only when we know God as our Creator that we know ourselves as His creatures and find ourselves appropriately thankful to Him.”

John Stott - “What can our worship be but joyful? Away with funeral faces and doleful dirges! Joy, gladness, and singing are to be the accompaniment of worship.”

James Montgomery Boice - “If there is no other reason why we must be thankful to God, it is because He has both made us and redeemed us. No one should be more thankful to God than the sheep who are cared for by the Good Shepherd.”

APPLICATION:
Are you waiting for God to do something to be thankful to Him? Are you waiting to be convinced that our gathering should be a noisy celebration from the heart? Are you waiting for a particular blessing to unleash your unrestrained praises to God? The wait is over. God created you, and He redeemed you—Let the praises begin!

The Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever. When that reality rules our hearts, unstoppable praise will pour from our lives.

If we’re honest, you and I wrestle with the dilemma of Psalm 73 more often than we might want to confess. If we really examine our hearts as we listen in to Asaph’s account, whether it’s just a tiny momentary spark or a raging forest fire in our hearts, we all can relate to what happened to Asaph. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sermons in the Psalms
TEXT: Psalm 73
TITLE:   Envy, Honesty, and Refuge
PREACHER: Tim Lambros
BIG IDEA: God alone empowers honest confession and provides a soul-satisfying refuge.

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Asaph gives us a Psalm every believer can and will experience and relate to!”

“Psalmist begins with a truth about God – He’s good to His people. He mentions the heart 6 times in this Psalm and we will see how important it will be for us to guard our hearts. As one author succinctly wrote “The state of the heart determines whether a man lives in the truth, in which God’s goodness is experienced or” … What we see next is the “or” for every believer.”

“Key phrase…but as for me. Joshua’s famous line “as for me and my house …” Like a bookend Asaph will repeat this phrase at the end of the Psalm – he will be in a very different frame of mind as God empowers him at the heart level to move FROM one place TO another.”

“Asaph is not the only one in Scripture to be bothered by the apparent prosperity of the wicked compared to the challenges of the godly. David in Psalm 37 answers this question with encouragement to wait. Like the grass, the wicked will fade and like green plants, they will soon die. Job similarly inquired and regretted it. He got no answer from God and got schooled in the reality that mere man cannot even answer even one of God’s manifold ways much less God’s ways with the righteous and the wicked. After three chapters of God’s relentless question of Job, he says in Job 42:3 '“Surely I spoke of things I did not understand…” More than just nodding our heads that Scripture deals with a tough question, today we will experience a refreshingly honest Psalmist that in the words of one author “might just provide the most perceptive treatment of this theme in all of literature.”

“In v. 17 there is a definitive transition in Asaph’s testimony. We encounter probably the most important word in this testimony from Asaph. Not only is it a crucial turning point for Asaph, but it’s also vital for every believer to grasp what God is revealing here. Asaph said he was weary UNTIL. Until something changed. UNTIL there was some movement in his heart. What was the turning point in his heart? He says – UNTIL I went into the sanctuary of God.”

“There’s nothing magical about walking into the place we worship on Sundays. But what makes the sanctuary for Asaph and the sanctuary for you and me special is the promised presence of God’s active presence. It moves God’s people from one place to the next. Asaph’s heart is moving from weary to a different place. CJ Mahaney says it even more succinctly, ‘The transforming effect of a divine  perspective.’”

“Asaph confesses his sin with vivid truth and refreshing honesty. He’s embarrassed as he looks back and observes how quickly his heart went to places that could have led him to disastrous actions. Asaph’s conclusion? Listen to how God-centered his confession turns. Marvel at the movement of his heart FROM where he was TO his proclamation TO preaching truth to himself.”

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “The wicked seem to do well in this world, much better than the godly and this is not what we would expect in a moral universe directed by a Sovereign God. If God is in control of things, the plans of the wicked should flounder. They should even be publicly punished. The godly alone should prosper.”

APPLICATION:

PSALM 73 WARNS:
It warns believers to live aware we can slip. Living in this fallen world and especially in times of suffering can tempt all of us to LOOK/SEE others and begin to doubt  God’s goodness towards us. Envy creeps in. We all have different things we SEE – we’re created to be interpreters – and quickly we are venting or accusing God or making angry charges vs. God. Our complaining is never morally neutral.  

Part of being warned is increasing our understanding that we need one another. - we can help one another run to God’s goodness instead of doubting it exists. We can help one another guard our thoughts so we don’t slip into the abyss of self-pity.

PSALM 73 COMMISSIONS: 

It commissions us to tell unbelievers of their end. (v. 18-20 & 28b.) Unbeliever – The Bible says you’re living in a dream. You’ll wake up one day and all will evaporate. You will be destroyed in a moment. Jesus died so that He might tabernacle  with you.

PSALM 73 ENCOURAGES: 

It encourages us to intentional sanctuary thinking. The transforming effect of a divine perspective – that’s what happened to Asaph. In Christ, we have the power to see things through a divine perspective. But it starts with asking the question – WHAT CURRENTLY INFLUENCES ME MOST?
How is your local Church influencing you? Pastors that God has put in your life to shepherd your soul, members that you know and they know you!  

To grow in sanctuary thinking let’s maximize all God is doing in your Church as the primary influence to your sanctuary thinking. Think PRIMARY not EXCLUSIVE  when you choose what things to listen to and influence you.

PSALM 73 PROCLAIMS: 

What does Psalm 73 proclaim? THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD FOR BELIEVERS – The all-sufficiency of knowing God. NOTHING in heaven or earth will satisfy. Only the good of knowing we can be near God, our refuge, our place of deep satisfaction in this world while we await being in His physical presence.

Verse 3 from "God Is Faithful (Psalm 114)"

We have known Your mercy and Your love as in the past
If days be few or many You will guide us to the last
You have said it, we believe it, every promise holding fast
For we know that You are good

Truths like these remind us of the faithfulness of God toward His people. From Old Testament saints to the New Testament church, including us today: GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES!

Join us in a noisy celebration this Sunday as we sing together of the faithfulness of God!

Title: God Is Faithful (Psalm 114)
Album: Unchanging God - Songs from the Book of Psalms, Vol. 2
Link to listen HERE.

Psalms are a treasure for the Christian. All of them, including imprecatory Psalm 58, are the holy words of Scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit. Like the rest of Scripture, Psalm 58 is authoritative over and profitable for our lives. We can’t cancel them. So what do we do with them? Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sermons in the Psalms
TEXT: Psalm 58
TITLE:   The Gospel and Imprecatory Psalms
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: The gospel turns our imprecatory prayers into impassioned pleas for God’s saving mercy as we trust Him to do what is just in His eyes.

POINTS:
1. A Portrait of the Wicked
2. A Prayer Against the Wicked

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”We will walk through the passage to understand it in the original context, then look at a few ways the gospel shapes how Psalm 58 can function in our lives.”

“Who are the wicked? At the end of 1, the word gods is translated from a Hebrew word that can mean mighty one or ruler. In the immediate context, the inscriptions of the surrounding psalms lend to this; they are Saul and the officials who support his mission to murder David. In general, they are the ungodly rulers in Israel and, beyond that, leaders opposed to God and His people.”

“Notice how David goes from heart to hand. In their hearts, they devise wicked plans. Their evil actions are thought out. In other words, their wicked governance is who they are. And with their hands, they deal out—dispense, mete out—their evil hearts on others. David paints a picture of calculated evil executed with business-like ruthlessness and efficiency.”

“By the time we get to verse 6, David is outraged at the wickedness and evil he sees. He does not opt for a passive shrugging of shoulders or civil diplomacy. He reigns down curses from above using rich imagery.”

“So how should we think about David’s prayer? Carefully, humbly, and like every other part of Scripture and life, through the lens of the gospel.”

“There is great continuity between the Old and New Testaments. There is also appropriate discontinuity and for one overarching reason: The Gospel. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus changed everything.”

“As Christians, we don’t pray for the damnation of sinners; we pray for their salvation. We pray for the demise of their evil work, which, by the way, the gospel is the ultimate answer, but we don’t pray for their personal damnation. We pray God protects us from suffering at their hands, but we don’t pray He strikes them dead instantly. As far as we are concerned, no one is out of the reach of God’s saving grace. He alone knows and determines who he saves.”

“This is worth remembering. Hating sin is an act of righteousness. But do we hate our sin as much as we hate other's sin? We should have burned. We lived opposed to God in every way. Remembering the depths of our depravity produces a humility that produces gratitude for grace and compassion for the lost—yes, even the wicked who rule over and oppose our Lord and Savior with their position and power.”

“The gospel comes with a promise—eternal justice. Those in Christ will live forever with him in heaven as their reward. All who reject Jesus will pay the price of their sins forever in hell. We must keep our eyes on heaven. A day is coming, if not in our lives, when Christ returns, when the Lord will have His vengeance on the wicked.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 5:43-44
Luke 6:28
Galatians 6:9

The extraordinary nature of David’s repentance matched the extraordinary nature of his sin, and he understood that he desperately needed the extraordinary work of transformation that only God had the power to perform! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sermons in the Psalms
TEXT: Psalm 51
TITLE:  Repentance and Renewal
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins

POINTS:
1. A radical repentance
2. A radical renewal

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”[In verse 1,] David cries out for God’s pardon in repentance. But we quickly realize that this repentance is not simple. It is not short. David, at length, and in-depth seeks God’s forgiveness, God’s release, God’s pardon… because his sin was extraordinarily grievous!”

“You’ve heard it - sin is sin. (almost a ‘get-over-it’ attitude). But one sin is not simply the same as another. They vary in gravity and quantity, in both light and grievous consequences. The resulting damage is little in some cases and almost irreparable in others!”

“Second Samuel 11 and 12 is a must-read to begin understanding the horror of David’s sin and the beauty and power of God’s grace and mercy.”

“His sins were many. His sins were grievous. He was trying to hide them. OUR sins were many. OUR sins are grievous. WE are trying to hide them.”

“David’s repentance reveals that his sins are ever before him AND the following consequences taught him that he had sinned ultimately against God alone (2 Sam. 12) “you have utterly scorned the Lord”), that his sins were a great evil in God’s sight, and that God was completely justified in His words and judgment!”

“In David’s radical repentance, he calls out for these things that only God can provide and finally would provide through His Son, Jesus.”

“God's very Son will become David’s substitute and bear David’s sin, ALL OF THEM, on his own body on the Cross! Jesus will be broken for him. Jesus will shed his own blood for David’s guilt… for OUR guilt. Everything that David needs in his repentance will flow from the Cross of Christ. Every blow of the hammer to remove the engraved list of his and our sins was replaced with every blow of the hammer that drove the nails into our Savior’s hands and feet!”

“Sinners forgiven by Him and sinners given new life from Him become sons and daughters who bring Him much delight. He delights in what he has done first (the gracious forgiveness and the giving of new hearts) before anything that we can offer. We live again!!! We’ve been forgiven and born again! BROKEN and Contrite Men and Women sing aloud and God is truly worshipped and praised!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Hebrews 11:13

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon - “My revolts, my excesses, are all recorded against me; but, Lord, erase the lines. Draw thy pen through the register. Obliterate the record, though now it seems engraved in the rock forever: many strokes of thy mercy may be needed, to cut out the deep inscription, but then thou has a multitude of mercies, and therefore, I beseech thee, erase my sins.”

Charles Spurgeon - “A great sinner pardoned makes a great singer!”

APPLICATION:
The longer your wait to repent, the longer the list of transgressions grows - don’t wait any longer!

Has sin so gripped you that your original love for God has now turned to question Him, doubting him? Cry out to God for the miracle of the restoration of your spirit that can again marvel at your salvation - the return of JOY after Pardon and Purity!

Though written 3000 years ago, Psalm 47, the exclamation point to Psalm 46, could not be more relevant for us today. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sermons in the Psalms
TEXT: Psalm 47
TITLE:  He Is Worthy
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: There is only one true God and He is no ordinary king.

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”The psalmist is giving a poetic beatdown to the nations’ gods. Yahweh is not one god of many. He is the Most High, the Great King over all the earth. As such, He is to be feared, that is acknowledged, served, and praised by all people everywhere.”

“[God] may be patient, but He will not stomach any rivals. Any person who refuses to turn to him in repentance and faith will be judged eternally. But He is not a tyrant. He is merciful. And His people know this personally.”

“Not once. Not twice. Not three times. Not four times. FIVE times the psalmist summons people everywhere to praise God. We are meant to feel the weight of the repetition. We need to feel the weight of the repetition. We can never praise God sufficient of His glory and majesty as the great king over all the earth.”

“The psalmist is saying, there is a day coming when God’s love and mercy and grace will not be for Israel only, but the Gentiles as well—all the peoples of the earth. Those who were once strangers and aliens to the covenant people of God will be brought near and made part. This week read Ephesians 2 and see how verse 9 fleshes out.”

“Jesus fulfilled Psalm 47 by becoming our great king of all the earth. His coronation was on a cross where justice and mercy met to make all people everywhere, regardless of their nation, tribe, and tongue the people of God. so that all men everywhere, Jew or Gentile, could belong to God by faith.” 

“People everywhere are searching for meaning and purpose. They can’t find it so they rage inside. Their rage is so strong it bubbles out of them in things like sexual perversion, addiction, violence, and power trips. And in its own way, Psalm 47 says—Be still and know that I am King. Rest your weary hearts in me, the great king over all the earth.”

“Psalm 47 unequivocally and unapologetically teaches us that our King is so great the praises that begin in the heart cannot be contained by the heart—they are expressive.”

“Let SGC be known for a joyful and noisy celebration on Sundays. Let it be orderly, but may it not be muted and lifeless. May it declare the glory of our King Jesus. Is He worthy of our loud praises—He is!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Samuel 6:15
Galatians 3:7-9
Galatians 3:13-14

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon - “What jubilation is here, when five times over the whole earth is called upon to sing to God. Never let the music pause. He never ceases to be good, let us never cease to be grateful. Strange that we should need so much urging to attend to so heavenly an exercise.”

Derek Kidner - “From the first word to the last, this communicates the excitement and jubilation of the enthronement, and the king is God himself. And more than poetry; this is prophecy, whose climax is exceptionally far-reaching.”

James Montgomery Boice - “Let’s be done with worship that is always weak and unexciting. If you cannot sing loudly and make loud music to praise the God who has redeemed you in Jesus Christ and is preparing you for heaven, perhaps it is because you do not really know God or the gospel at all.”

APPLICATION:
Did you need urging this morning to sing praises to God? That’s a spiritual red flag you should pay attention to. Ask yourself these questions:

Is Christ your king today? Is Christ a King worth your kingly praises?

Sometimes the application is so clear in the text, you can’t ignore it. Here’s what is clear in Psalm 47: Christian worship, by that I mean what we do for 25 minutes every Sunday, is meant to be a noisy celebration. 

When we gather, we sing. Our singing is joyful obedience. Our singing matters to what is happening outside of Sunday mornings because what we do in here shapes and informs what we do out there.

That moment of rushing through the elements to your car or a building, slamming the door behind you, and though the storm is still raging outside, suddenly you have a sense of relief, calm, and safety that makes the storm fade away even as it rages on outside. That’s the picture of Psalm 46. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sermons in the Psalms
TEXT: Psalm 46
TITLE:  Our Mighty Fortress
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. God’s Protection in Times of Trouble
2. God’s Presence in Times of Trouble
3. God’s Pronouncement for Times of Trouble

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Everyone runs for safety in a storm. The question is, when the storms of life rage around you, where do you run? Where you run makes all the difference. Where you run reveals where your heart and hope is.”

“Whether to comfort you in a current storm or prepare you for the coming storm, Psalm 46 comes to us as a strong friend, encouraging and compelling us to seek refuge in God.”

“God is our refuge - A refuge is a place of safety. It’s where you go to be protected and free from danger. God is likened to a fortress we can run to in the storms of life—He is our safety.”

“God is our strength - In God, we have not only a place of safety; we find the strength to face our circumstances and sufferings. The power to persevere and deal with the storms of life is not a natural strength—it's supernatural.”

“God is our very present help in trouble - The word present could also mean well-proven. The point is God is a faithful and sufficient help in our time of need. He is always with you, not merely to assist you, but He is your safety and strength, sufficient for any troubles you experience.”

“Trials and troubles expose our weaknesses. Often times we allow them to isolate us—No one understands or cares—so we clam up and don’t show up at church or CG. Fear has a way of setting in. And when fear sets in, we become irrational. Objective truth, the very thing we need most in the moment, is usurped by subjective and often self-centered feelings and emotions. This is Satan’s work of deception; fear proves we have believed his lies.”

“The river signifies God’s provision for and presence with David. Just as David could walk through the valley of the shadow of death without fear in Psalm 23, he could face the trembling mountains and roaring seas of life without fear. It’s like being in the eye of a tornado—peacefulness as the storm roars all around you.“

“Nowhere did God speak louder than at the cross. In Jesus' death and resurrection, the power and penalty of sin were melted away for all who put their faith in Jesus. Do you feel weak and scared? Do you feel strong and secure? Either way, you can do nothing to melt away the power of sin and death. It is the one battle that matters and the one battle you cannot win. But Jesus did.”

“To be still and know that God is God is to mortify your anxiety; cease in your self-sufficiency; stop trying to carry your burdens alone; stop interpreting your life apart from God. Let God be God. Recognize Me for who I am.”

“…the claim of Psalm 46 on our lives goes beyond the storms of life—it also speaks to our tendencies toward joy-robbing condemnation. Condemnation is a form of pride that says—I just need to do better. When we sin, godly conviction turns our eyes upward to our Savior. Condemnation turns our eyes inward to our efforts. That’s pride. Here's the thing: Romans 8:1 says, “There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” Why? Because the very sin that condemns us has been dealt with at the cross.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 130:5
Hebrews 10:24-25
2 Corinthians 10:5

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon - “God is our all in all. All other refuges are refuges of lies and all other strength is weakness….Our only impregnable, accessible, delightful place of retreat is our God.”

APPLICATION:
Where do you need to Be still and know that God is God?

Our struggles, suffering, and fears need something bigger and better that puts them in their place. The problem is we turn to so many other things to ease our worries and pains. In doing so, we are like the raging nations and tottering kingdoms. But in Christ, we have another way to deal with life in a fallen world. We have a Mighty Fortress, an unfailing bulwark of protection and provision. But how do we get there:

• Wait on the Lord through prayer and the Word

• Prioritize Sundays even when you don’t feel like it

• Preach truth to yourself more and listen to yourself less

In just six verses, 118 words, David’s song puts us on the right path by proclaiming God’s intimate knowledge of and unfailing love for us. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sermons in the Psalms
TEXT: Psalm 23
TITLE: The LORD is MY Shepherd
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Scripture is filled with pictures that help us understand God and apply what we know about Him to ordinary life. We call them metaphors. They are a gift from God. One of the Bible's most common and powerful metaphors is the imagery of God as a shepherd.”

“David’s shepherd is no ordinary shepherd—The LORD—all caps is the personal and holy name of God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3—Yahweh, the great I AM.“

“David’s shepherd is the one who has always existed, who brought all things into existence and keeps all things existing. The one Isaiah 40 describes as measuring the waters that cover the earth in the hollow of His hands and the one who consults no one because He knows everything. The one Job 38 describes commanding the elements of weather and creating the boundaries of the sea. The one Psalm 8 declares has set the stars into place—all 200 billion trillion. The one Proverbs 16:33 says controls even the cast of the lot (flip of a quarter). This is no ordinary shepherd.”

“David does not say ‘the’ shepherd. He doesn’t even say ‘our’ or ‘Israel’s’ shepherd. David says—The LORD is MY shepherd.”

“No one should be more grateful than a Christian. We should have a monopoly on gratitude.”

“Notice how David changes from ‘He’ and ‘his’ (5 times in verses 2-3) to ‘you’ and ‘you're’ in verse 4. Instead of talking about God, David speaks directly to God. The valley of death brings us into an intimacy with God that the green pastures of 2 do not.”

“The dark valleys elicit fear in us. It’s not the darkness that is so scary; it’s being in the darkness alone. David does not fear the dark valleys of life because he knows his shepherd is with him. His rod and staff comfort him.” 

“Psalm 23 makes it clear—no sheep that belongs to this shepherd is ever alone or will ever be lost. And if you have put your faith in Jesus, the Great Shepherd, you are never alone, you are always being cared for, and you will never be lost.”

“David’s life was filled with dark valleys. At times those valleys left him feeling like God had abandoned him. But David knows the truth: those dark valleys brought him closer to his shepherd. So it is with us. Bad things happen in our lives. But, in the words of Romans 8—God works all things for the good of those who love him…If God is for us, who can be against us…nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.” 

“Whatever is happening in your life today is because God is pursuing you with His goodness and mercy through them. He is bringing you into closer intimacy, a greater likeness, a deeper trust, and a more abiding joy in Him through your dark valleys. What can be better than that?!”

“Through the hardships of your life, your shepherd is pursuing and preparing you to—end of verse 6—dwell with him forever. No more sin. No more suffering. No more sorrow. No more distractions. No more dark valleys. Only the greenest of green pastures, the stillest of still waters, and the most exquisite feast—all in his glorious presence! That’s only possible because God’s goodness and mercy have pursued you in His Son, Jesus.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
John 10

QUOTES:
Timothy Laniak - “To truly understand God, the metaphorical phrase, God is my shepherd, is necessary, not just nice.”

Dale Ralph Davis - “It is precisely in the commonplace and familiar scenes of life where we see our Savior’s constant provision. We love him because he does not just meet us in the critical times but in the common times. We know he will be at work for us on Tuesday and the day after that, though there may be nothing dramatic about them.”

John Calvin - “Faith does not promise us length of days, riches, and honors; but is contented with the assurance, that however poor we may be in regard to present comforts, God will never fail us.”

APPLICATION:
Do you know the shepherd of Psalm 23, or are you just familiar with him? Perhaps you know him, but you have become familiar with him. Today is the day to be restored to your shepherd.

Look at the heading with me—A Maskil of David. A Maskil probably refers to a song. Psalm 23 is meant to be sung. We are going to end by singing to our shepherd. But don’t just sing—praise him. Repent before him. Thank him. He is the good shepherd whose goodness and mercy shall pursue you all the way to the eternal house of the Lord.  

There are many facets to our life as a church! Our hope is that these posts will enable you to plan, pray, and ultimately rejoice in what the Lord is doing at Sovereign Grace Church. Here are a few updates for you to do just that! 

GRACEkids: elementary class summer break

It's that time of year again when the GRACEkids Elementary class takes a break for the summer. The Sunday School classes for this grade group (1st - 5th) will take a break during the months of July and August and will start back up on the first Sunday in September. 

For more information on the summer break, contact Chris Johnson.

New Members Sunday

On Sunday, July 23rd, during the Sunday morning service, we will have the joy of welcoming the newest members of Sovereign Grace Church! If you’d like more information on membership, contact Tom Wilkins.

Child Dedication

We will be having another child dedication for those who were unable to participate in last month’s child dedication! It will be held on Sunday, July 30th, during the Sunday morning service. Contact Tom Wilkins if you’d like to partake in this sweet tradition.

5th Sunday Stretch Worship & Prayer night

WORSHIP & PRAYER night will be held at the church on July 30th (the fifth Sunday) at 7PM. This event is a time for us to come together as a church community to praise and worship God and pray together about specific topics. For more details about this event, please reach out to Tom Wilkins.

The legacy of David is no matter how hard life was, he always looked up, remembering, resting, and rejoicing in the goodness of God. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Sermons in the Psalms
TEXT: Psalm 22
TITLE: A Hard Life Is No Match For A Good God
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Life is hard, but God is good. And Jesus is the proof!

POINTS:
1. Life is Hard
2. God is Good

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Unlike Psalm 8, where David was at the height of his relationship with God, Psalm 22 finds David at the opposite end of the spectrum. David is in deep despair. In his mind, his situation has become bigger than life itself, and God is nowhere to be found. To be sure, David has not lapsed in his faith, as we will see in a moment, but his heart HURTS so much that he feels God has abandoned him.”

“I think verse 6 sums it up for David—I am a worm, not a man. In Scripture, a worm is a metaphor for judgment and destruction. So deep is his anguish David doesn’t even feel human. Life is Hard; just ask David.”

“In 2 Samuel 12, David’s adultery cost him the life of his son. In 2 Samuel 13, David’s daughter Tamar was raped by her brother, Amnon. When Tamar’s other brother Absalom found out, he killed his brother Amnon. In 2 Samuel 14-18, David’s son Absalom attempted a coup against him, only to be killed in battle against him. In 1 Samuel 18-30, David, promised to be King, was forced to live in a cave instead of a castle because the man he looked up to and respected, Saul, was hell-bent on killing him.”

“We love to identify with David in his lament, and we should. But too often, we justify our struggles with God and try to whitewash our sinful attitudes toward God by saying—Look at David in the Psalms! But wearing his feelings on his sleeve before God is not the legacy of David. The legacy of David is no matter how hard life was, he always looked up, remembering, resting, and rejoicing in the goodness of God.” 

“The word ‘Yet’ in verse 3 represents an interruption in David’s focus. He has shifted from the grief of his situation to the God of his salvation. I have this situation going on in my life, Yet, God is holy, and notice the second half of verse 3—He is enthroned on the praises of Israel. Translation: God is worthy to be praised in good times and bad times.”

“In his grief, David stops himself—he takes his thoughts captive—to remember his God (My God 3x in verses 1-2) is FAITHFUL.”

“Problems over—No. Enemies gone—No. Suffering ceased—No. Eyes fixed on the Lord—Yes! David doesn’t ignore his feelings. They are real. But, he does not allow his emotions to rule him. David knows where the battle begins, in the mind, and he takes his thoughts captive. Using the language from Psalm 8, he becomes more mindful of God—His faithfulness and sovereignty—than his circumstance. And that leads him to worship, even in woe.”

“Psalm 22 teaches us that Life is Hard, but God is Good. And the highest expression of God’s goodness is Jesus. The One who took care of your greatest need at Calvary by offering himself for your forgiveness, righteousness, and salvation.”

“This is why we can say, in even the hardest trial—I am doing better than I deserve. I deserve God’s wrath—Yet—I have full pardon in Christ. Christ was forsaken so you could be accepted. This spiritual reality gives perspective on our hardships.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 27
2 Corinthians 4:16
2 Corinthians 1:9

QUOTES:
John Calvin - “David gathers together the examples of all past ages, in order thereby to encourage, strengthen, and effectually persuade himself, that as God had never cast off any of his chosen people, he would be one of the number of those for whom deliverance is securely laid up for him in the hand of God.”

John Bloom - “At the crux of history, there was a moment when God was God-forsaken. And he was forsaken for you and me….God became the object of God’s wrath to eternally remove our curse, that we might become the objects of God’s eternal mercy.”

APPLICATION:
- Where do you need a “Yet” inserted into your life? Where do you need an interruption in your focus?

Psalm 22 is for all of us. But I believe there are some here God is particularly concerned with. Your eyes are on you, your problems, and your solutions. The Lord’s word to you today is—Look up and find your hope in life and death in Jesus. Whatever you think you need most—you need Jesus more!

Three weapons for the fight:

• Prioritize the Psalms (begin this week with Psalm 23)

• Prioritize gathering with your gospel-preaching church

• Prioritize Christ-centered counsel with your pastor