Today, we look at our third purpose as a church—Outward ministry to the lost. In a word, evangelism. In two weeks, Tim will preach on personal evangelism from Acts 1:8. But today, our focus is church planting. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Going Not Knowing
TEXT: Ephesians 3:7-11
TITLE: There is Nothing Like The Church
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Nothing is like the Church!

POINTS:
1. The Gospel Creates the Church
2. The Church Reveals the Glory and Wisdom of God in the Gospel

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Today, our focus is church planting. For this, I could not think of a better text than Ephesians 3:7-11. It’s not the Great Commission. It’s not a blueprint for successful church plants. There is no call to go to the nations. But it is the starting point and foundational conviction we must have if we are to be a church that passionately pursues our gospel mission:— We exist tobuild a God-glorifying church through the proclamation and demonstration of the transforming power of the gospel. Every aspect of that mission— Sunday attendance, CG participation, personal evangelism, or personal sacrifice to see an East side plant—begins with embracing and believing Paul’s words about Christ’s church in Eph 3.”

“Nothing compares to Christ’s Church. It’s not perfect. We don’t worship it. But there is nothing like it on this planet.”

“In Ephesians 1-2, Paul brilliantly unpacks God’s plan of salvation. Before the foundations of the world, God devised a plan to choose and save and make sinners His own. Through the long-awaited sacrifice of Jesus, sinners who could not help themselves and did not deserve help from God are now mercifully saved by grace through faith. This is the gospel Paul refers to in 7. It is the mystery of Christ (4) that has the privilege of making known to the Gentiles. This mystery of Christ is revealed in 6.”

“Paul’s idea of mystery is not something unsolvable but rather something once hidden but now made known. The gospel was foretold in the OT, but now, in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, it has been fully revealed. Belonging to God is no longer about nations, bloodlines, or ethnicity. It’s about undeserving sinners of all shapes, sizes, and colors saved and made part of God’s new humanity that exists as His dwelling place in a fallen world.”

“That should be enough for all of us to stop, fall down on our knees, and worship. Once the enemy of God but now beloved heirs in Christ. We must remember this. We must live with a daily awareness of who we once were apart from Christ and who we now are in Christ.”

“Paul never forgets he does not deserve to belong to God and be part of His church. He lives with an amazed heart and a sense of profound privilege that Christ would save him and make him part of his church.”

“The claim of verse 10 is stunning: God makes His manifold, multi-faceted wisdom known to the cosmos through the church. Like a diamond’s brilliance is revealed in its multi-faceted cuts, the manifold wisdom of God is revealed in the church.”

“God could have used any means he desired to make his glory and wisdom known—He’s God! He has endless resources. But He chose the church, you and I, together, to make his wisdom known, not only to mankind, (10) the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. That is stunning! God intends for the angels that He created to endlessly worship Him and keep their eyes on the earthly church so that they can witness the greatness and glory of His wisdom. As they do, they can better glorify and praise God had they not.”

“The angels of Psalm 148:2 that praise God; the angels in Revelation 7:11 that fall on their knees before the throne and worship God; the angels that cry out Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts in Isaiah 6:3; they are better able to glorify and worship God as they witness all He is doing in His church.”

“What we are doing isn’t very impressive to the world. It’s primitive foolishness. But let the nations rage and boast. God has devised an eternal plan (11) where ordinary people like you and me, living ordinary lives shaped and informed by the gospel, reveal God's extraordinary glory and wisdom to the cosmos! Unfathomable! Unimaginable! Stunning! There is nothing like the church. All earthly things and institutions fade into insignificance when compared to the church. The church alone, which includes our church, represents the grandest and greatest of all His works.”

“This is why we are passionate about the church. This is why we prioritize the church. The church is Christ’s priority. He designed the church in eternity past. He left his place in the Trinity for the church. He suffered in this world for the church. He died for the church. His love for the church is so profound he views her as his bride. He is interceding for the church right now. Jesus is returning for one reason—the church. Jesus has one thing on his mind and heart—the glory of his Father through the church! Aren’t you glad and grateful you are part of His church?”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 2:11-22
1 Peter 1:10-12

QUOTES:
Martyn-Lloyd Jones - “There is nothing beyond the Church. She is the highest and the most supreme manifestation of the wisdom of God; and to look forward to something beyond the Church is to deny not only this verse but many other verses in the Scripture. The Church is the final expression of the wisdom of God, the thing above all others that enables even the angels to comprehend the wisdom of God.”

Martin Lloyd-Jones - “The Apostle is asserting that what is happening in the Church is so stupendous, so glorious, that even the brightest angelic beings who have spent their entire existence in the presence of God, even they are staggered and amazed at what they see in and through the Church.”

John Piper - “No angel will ever sing “how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” This is our song and our joy, and they can never sing it or know it. But God wants them to see it. And the angels love to stoop down and get as close as they can to the wonders of redemption and how God prepared and saved and gathered his church.”

Charles Spurgeon - “Give yourself to the church. You that are members of the church have not found it perfect and I hope that you feel almost glad that you have not. If I had never joined a church until I had found one that was perfect, I would never have joined one at all. And the moment I did join one, I should have spoiled it. For it would not have been a perfect church after I became a member of it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth.”

APPLICATION:
- Have you lost your joy, passion, and gratitude for not just being saved but also being saved and made part of the Church? One of the surest ways to be like Paul is to get involved! Throw yourself into your church (Romans 12:1). Get ready because as you throw yourself into God’s work through His church, God will grow your gratitude and sense of privilege to be a part of more and more and more.

- This is why we want to plant a church on the east side of Tucson. Next Sunday evening, we will envision you for our mission for new year. Please be there—husband, wife, kids. Allow your presence at that meeting to be a declaration—This is my church. At that meeting, we will lay out three convictions that shape our vision on the Eastside: A biblical model, faith-filled risk, and personal sacrifice. Each one could be an application of today’s sermon because each one is rooted in the one big truth: There is nothing like the church

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
How Vast The Love
How Firm A Foundation
God Of Every Grace
Christ Is Mine Forevermore
The Glory Of The Cross

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Ephesians 3:7-11

There will be much that we pour our efforts into, but by the grace of God, let’s commit together, to gather together, hold fast to the Gospel, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to praying! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Going Not Knowing
TEXT: Acts 2:42-47
TITLE: ALL IN
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: Because we belong to Jesus, we are all in for His people.

POINTS:
1. All in all the time on the Gospel of Jesus Christ
2. All in all the time in the fellowship in Jesus 
3. All in all the time in the breaking of bread remembering Jesus
4. All in all the time in prayer

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Our mission is to build a God-glorifying church that proclaims and demonstrates the transforming power of the gospel to our city and beyond. Biblically speaking, this is the three-fold purpose of any church:

• Upward Ministry to God, which is worship

• Inward Ministry to believers, which is edification

• Outward Ministry to the world, which is evangelism.”

“We must pursue all three purposes of the church and not allow one or more to atrophy and another become THE THING we focus on. Scripture calls us to our robust purpose in all 3 - worshipping God, edifying the Church, and going to the world!”

“Last Sunday, we beheld the transforming power of the Gospel that so moves on the soul of those saved by Jesus that we climb onto the altar as a willing, joy-filled sacrifice in praise and worship of God… our UPWARD Ministry to God. We, former God-haters, have been mercifully saved by Jesus and given gospel-fueled purpose as a Church. Now, loving the Savior, on that altar as LIVING SACRIFICES… we climb up again in the INward ministry to believers… the saints… sacrificially ministering to one another.”

“This is where we are going in Acts; we find this brand-new community of Christians beginning in Jerusalem, just as Jesus promised. We see in verses 41-42 that this new Holy Spirit-filled, water-baptized, covenant people are now the Church - “together” the “fellowship” of the believers.  Now called and gathered by the power of the Gospel, filled with the Holy Spirit, they will be going not knowing as Christ’s witnesses into their towns and villages and then to the world. Compelled and reassured by the Holy Spirit, they will be going not knowing what God will do but in faith that God was with them.”

“The word “devoted” means “continually steadfast.” The original language is one of devoted continually… ALL IN ALL OF THE TIME!”

“Shorthand for “the apostles’ doctrine” was the Gospel. The word… the teaching… the doctrine of Christ and His Cross is the foundation of our church. The Gospel, as delivered by the Apostles, is the rock on which we stand. And we are all in all of the time on this Gospel. This means that all that we are, our very identity as a people of God, and ALL that we do (our very lives personal and together) has, as its wellspring, the Gospel!”

“This is why we pound away at this same nail - Jesus Christ and Him crucified. For the Apostle Paul, it was of first importance to him because he was all in all of the time on the Gospel and resolved to deliver nothing else but the message of the Cross to the churches. He guarded and defended it and called pastors to guard and defend it. He cherished it and called the churches to cherish it. He warred against enemies of the gospel when they rose up in the churches and calls us to the same.”

“This is why we desire that all of our sermons point to the Gospel. If it’s not Christ and Him crucified, then what is it? This is why all of our discipleship points to increased faith in Jesus. This is why all of our counseling must faithfully and desperately cling to the gospel. The goal of our discipleship and counseling is this: growth in our faith in Jesus Christ! If our goal is anything other than pointing to the gospel and increased faith in Christ, then our discipleship and counsel are something other than Christian. This is why our songs for worship are robust in the clarity of the gospel. This is why when we speak of generosity and giving as grounded in the gospel mission.”

“The “fellowship” of believers in Jesus is like no other fellowship. The sense of its meaning has at its core a shared participation. ‘Koinonia’ – Christ is at the center.”

“This shared participation among the people of God includes deep concern for the financial and practical needs of fellow believers and the Gospel mission advance. Giving for the “relief of the saints” and provision of the mission. Together at their man gathering, together in their homes, the church was built up/strengthened as they edified/nurtured one another.”

“The greatest threat to the edification of the Church comes from within. Being ALL in on the fellowship of the saints compels us toward maintaining unity, forgiving one another, serving one another, weeping with one another, rejoicing with each other, discipling one another, working out conflict between each other, bearing with one another in love.”

“Breaking of bread” is mentioned again in 46 IN THEIR HOMES. Is this the commissioned Lord’s Supper that Jesus instituted in the upper room with the disciples? After some study, the answer is YES. And, yet, it’s usage here Acts allows for this to also include eating in fellowship together as believers. And this kind of fellowship around food was more than hanging out grabbing some hot wings together. These times of fellowship at the table in the homes of Christians is one of intentional identity as ones saved by Jesus, remembering Jesus and encouraging one another in Jesus. It was intimate, the sharing affections for the Savior, the sorrows and joys of this life in Christ. There is a sober reminder of the holiness of God… we are regularly filled with awe and wonder at the mercies of Jesus Christ and His Cross.”

“The difference between eating with sinners/non-believers and eating with the saints is radical. There is no fellowship “in Jesus” with those who reject him. We eat with them, talk with them… but we cannot have fellowship with them… this informs how our relationship with those who turn their backs on Christ. We do not turn our backs on them but our intimacy at the table in Christ shifts.”

“PRAYER to the Lord and for each other is an amazing gracious gift that we now have in Jesus.”

“They knew nothing would happen if God did not move, so they prayed that He would move! In Jesus, we have direct access to the throne room of God where HE LEANS IN to hear our prayers. There we worship Him, we plead with Him, we pour out our hearts to Him. The deepest longings of our souls are brought before the Sovereign King and He is ready to answer every sing time.”

“We are beginning the groundwork of a church plant on the eastside – going not knowing, BUT we must not and we are committed to not neglect the nurture and edification of the church. There will be much that we pour our efforts into, but by the grace of God, let’s commit together, to gather together, hold fast to the Gospel, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to praying!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 4:11

APPLICATION:
1. What keeps you from being all in week after week on Sundays?
2. What keeps you from day by day (46) gathering in fellowship in CG?
3. When the men the meet, where are you?
4. When the women meet, where are you?
5. Can I, in integrity, describe my fellowship as ALL IN - Continually Steadfast?
6. If not, we are ALL IN somewhere. Where?

- When was the last time you opened your home or were in another's home - for an intimate meal together - discussing the gospel and sharing life together in Jesus?

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
How Great (Psalm 145)
Praise to the Lord
God Is Faithful (Psalm 114)
Sing
There is One Gospel

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Ephesians 3:7-11

The church doesn’t exist for itself—we exist for God’s glory. That means we need to understand where God Himself is going and what He is doing so that all we do serves His purpose. That’s the point of the next four weeks. Our theme for the new ministry year is Going not Knowing. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Going Not Knowing
TEXT: Romans 12:1
TITLE: Living on the Altar
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: We do what we do because Jesus did what he did.

POINTS:
1. A Life of Worship is Compelled by the Gospel
2. A Life of Worship is Complete Gospel Devotion

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Everyone is looking for meaning and purpose—Why am I here? Where do I fit in? Where should my life be going? These are crucial questions. As a local church, those questions are crucial—Why do we exist? Where are we going? What are we supposed to be doing?  Too often the answers to those questions arise from the convenience of pragmatism, the pressure of the majority, the winds of culture, or the sanctity of tradition. But the church doesn’t exist for itself—we exist for God’s glory. That means we need to understand where God Himself is going and what He is doing so that all we do serves His purpose.”

“Our theme for the new ministry year is Going not Knowing. That phrase is rooted in Acts 20:22 where Paul said—Behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there. We are going into this new year not knowing what God will do. Here’s what we do know: Our mission is to build a God-glorifying church that proclaims and demonstrates the transforming power of the gospel to our city and beyond.”

“It’s a mission that is upward, inward, and outward. Biblically speaking, this is the three-fold purpose of any church:

• Upward Ministry to God, which is worship

• Inward Ministry to believers, which is edification

• Outward Ministry to the world, which is evangelism”

“We’ll end our series with a Family Meeting to unpack the practical details of what it looks like for us to fulfill our purposes this year. Today, we begin with Purpose #1—Upward Ministry to God, which, in a word, is Worship.”

“We do what we do because Jesus did what he did. That is the big idea of Romans 12:1. We are to offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice because He offered His only son Jesus as a sacrifice for us. The result is a life of worship that is pleasing to God.”

“The gospel moved from Paul’s head to his heart, and he explodes in worship. But Paul isn’t done. He spends the final five chapters of Romans showing us what the transformative power of the gospel looks like in everyday life. This is the corner Paul turns in 1 when he writes—I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God. The mercies of God are an obvious reference to the gospel. The word therefore points us back to the glories of the gospel in the first eleven chapters.”

“Borrowing some phrases from John Stott—Paul loves to move from exposition to exhortation, combine doctrine with duty, link belief with behavior, connect creed to conduct. It’s a reminder for us that while God is MOST concerned with the heart, He is not ONLY concerned with the heart. God wants my heart and my feet.”

“This is not a given. We can’t assume a gospel-driven life. A life of worship is neither automatic nor inevitable. Paul knows this so he urges us.”

“This is where a life of worship begins. We don’t do what we do to gain God’s favor. We don’t do what we do because it’s religiously productive. We don’t do what we do because its emotionally rewarding. We do what we do because Jesus did what he did!”

“Paul’s point is not that we must pay God back for His grace. The holiness of God, the nature of Christ’s sacrifice, and the pervasiveness of our sin makes that impossible. The point is a heart fixed on grace will overflow with gratitude expressed in discernable and practical ways because the gospel is the foundation and fuel for a life of worship.”

“Paul now explains the nature of our worship—a complete devotion that demands our entire existence. Drawing from 2, the gospel transforms our hearts so that our minds will be renewed to TREASURE, THINK and LIVE like Christ. The term Paul uses for bodies in 1 refers to the whole person—body and soul, head and heart, beliefs and behavior. It requires every part of us.”

“That’s what the gospel does. It leads us to full surrender. It makes us new creations who are satisfied in God and treasure Christ above all else in this world. This is the essence of  worship.”

“Ponder the picture pastor Sproul gives us here: I climb up on the altar to present myself as a living sacrifice for God’s glory and renown. It’s good to sing. It’s good to serve. It’s good to give. But a life of worship is more than that. Paul says it’s full consecration. We die to ourselves and live for Jesus.”

“If I am a Christian, the only sensible, logical, and appropriate response is to surrender my entire existence to God. He deserves it. He demands it. It’s what He saved us for. On the flip side, to experience saving mercy but live for myself doesn’t make sense. Why do dogs bark? They are dogs. Why do kids act like kids? They are kids. If I’ve been saved by grace, I make my whole life an a sacrificial offering of praise to my Savior. Why? Because I belong to Jesus.”

“To the degree we fix our eyes on Jesus, we will fulfill God’s purposes for us. The real power is in the one who climbed up on a cross and became a sin sacrifice for us. Christ alone is our strength, hope, and vision!”

“A Romans 12:1 life is individual, yes, but it is also corporate. Together we are the body and bride of Christ. I know people (so have you) who believe they are a church unto themselves. It’s Jesus, me, and my ministry and the local church is barely an afterthought. That approach may be safe and convenient, but it’s unbiblical. The dominating theme of the Bible is God’s glory revealed in His grand purpose to redeem a people for His own who will worship Him forever.”

“Church, we believe the Lord is leading us to Go not Knowing in some every specific ways this year. To be sure, our going is not an end, it’s a means. Worship is the end. It’s what we were created for. It’s why we will Go not Knowing what the Lord will do, whatever the sacrifice. Our Savior is worthy.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 5:2
Matthew 16:24-25
Ephesians 2:1-10
Jeremiah 31:33
1 Peter 2:9

QUOTES:
John Stott- “Only a vision of his mercy will inspire us to present our bodies to him and allow him to transform us according to his will.”

APPLICATION:
God’s grand purpose in it all is to create a worshipping, not person, people, to the praise of His glory forever (Revelation 21:1-4)

Church, God has always called us to be a part, as a Church. We aren’t THE part, but we are a part. As the church, we get to:

• Climb on the altar and sacrifice our schedules to make the Sunday gatherings, CG, and other faith building and Christ-exalting ministries of our church a priority.

• Climb on the altar and sacrifice our personal convenience as we give ourselves to the hard work and inconvenience of planting a church.

• Climb on the altar and sacrifice our personal comfort and maybe even reputation as we proclaim Christ to those around us.

Everyone has sacred cows they are unwilling to climb up on the altar with. We believe what God is calling us to will challenge those sacred cows. What are yours?

• What aspect of your lifestyle or routine needs to be hoisted upon the altar because it is hindering a life of worship?

• Maybe for you, going is just getting to church or CG consistently.

• For some here, going may be rearranging your life to be part of the groundwork on the East side this year.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
He is Our God
Holy Holy Holy
We Give Thanks (Psalm 107)
We Receive
My Life is An Offering

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Acts 2:42-47

Church, we are excited to sing a new song this week from Sovereign Grace Music called “We Receive”. This song is a grateful response to the willing sacrifice of Christ and the grace He bestows on us, which we celebrate as we share in the Lord’s Supper together. We encourage you to listen and learn so you can join in this Communion Sunday!

Here is a little more about the song from Sovereign Grace Music:

The gospel boldly confronts our deluded thoughts that we can somehow earn or contribute to our salvation. And we're reminded of that truth each time we share the Lord's supper together. It's a feast of grace that points to our inability and Christ's sufficiency, our emptiness and Christ's fullness, our need for forgiveness and Christ's provision. And as J.I. Packer reminds us, Christ himself "intervenes in our interest to ensure that we receive all that he died to procure for us." Hallelujah, what a Savior! 

Links to Listen & Learn: 
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9UqSBxscXw
Lyrics: https://sovereigngracemusic.com/music/songs/we-receive/ 

Beginning in July, week after week, we have beheld and savored the Glory of God. These messages have been leading us to this glorious place: PRAISE THE LORD. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 113
TITLE: Who Is Like Our God?
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: Our incomparable LORD is worthy of our endless and highest praise!

POINTS:
1. The Never-ending Praise of His Name (Vs. 1-3)
2. The Grandeur of His Glory (Vs. 4-5)
3. The Marvel of His Mercy (Vs. 6-9)

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”This Psalm opens with the imperative - Praise the Lord. The opening first three verses make it clear! The last words of this Psalm make it clear! Praise the LORD! From beginning to end, it is clear… Praise the LORD!”

“Recalling that this Ps was likely the first song sung at Passover, we must put ourselves in the Jewish homes worldwide at that time as they sang and prepared for the Passover. The public temple service was a responsive service in which the Levite priests would declare each part of the verse, and the people would respond.”

“This song does not first build the case that grips our hearts, leading us to praise. Rather, this song bursts forth in Praise of our God first! “Praise, O servants of the LORD!” - the prescription!”

“Now Vs. 2 provides the description - the praise of the Lord now begins to take ‘SHAPE’ and instruction.”

“How long am I to praise the LORD? We worship our God right now… FORTH with a trajectory of forevermore. We begin now and refuse to cease… if more can be, we magnify Him!”

“There is a sense in this verse in which the meaning points to the faithfulness of the rising and setting of the sun… the faithfulness of the rotation of the earth… so shall the faithfulness of our worship be.Yet it also describes our praise being lifted up every day! The effect of the verse is: The inclination and disposition of the heart is one of joy, thanksgiving, need, longing, trusting, and returning to the praise of His glorious name! ‘Praise Him every waking moment and do not stop praising the LORD!’”

“Q. Who is like the LORD our God? This question and its answer provide the framework of this Psalm. This question… really… is God’s question to us about himself, provided not simply as a test but aims us toward the praise and blessing of His name. The grandeur of God’s glory begins to be described for us by revealing the vast, immeasurable difference, distinctiveness, distance, ‘otherness’ in holiness describes the LORD in the words, “The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!”

“God is high above everything that we see, experience, or conceive in our minds and imagination. God is high above all of the people of the earth and the observable universe! God is (vs. 5) seated on high He is present, ruling over all of creation - He is seated on high as its Sovereign, Providential KING in majesty! As high and ‘other’ is He, He rules it all from His Holy throne!”

“The god of SELF attempts to pull God off of His seat - dethroning Him and we attempt to take His seat! The greatest enemy of God and His glory is not first out there somewhere declaring their rule and reign. Application for us: in our sin, we want to sit on high!So texts like these are pure gold. When my view and thoughts of God have been diminished and I am failing to behold the Grandeur of His Glory… caught in anger, complaining that things are not going MY way…A difficult situation comes to my mind, and forgetting all that is good and true about my God, I turn on him in accusation. The gods of this world obscure our view of the Glory of God.”

“Who is like our God in His humiliation/condescension? From on high, He looks down! O, how far the LORD has come and stooped down to look on us! AND this is nothing but the magnificence of His MERCY.”

“We marvel at His mercy as He stoops and looks on the heavens and the earth who raged against Him. (vs 6). We marvel at His mercy as He comes to the dust and goes into the burning trash heap (dunghill). (vs 7) Has He not come so far?! There is no sinner, so filthy and so far, that God cannot show mercy - THIS IS WHAT MERCY IS! - the undeserved saving of God. His nail-scared hand has reached into this dark place and has pulled you out! We marvel at His mercy as He raises us up when we should have be been left where we were, but HE seats his saints on high (vs 8). We marvel at His mercy in the compassion of the miracle pictured in the imagery of a barren woman.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Isaiah 40:15
Isaiah 44:6-8
Matthew 1:21
Matthew 1:23
Philippians 2:6-11

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon- “While praising him aloud, the people were also to bless him in the silence of their hearts, wishing glory to his name, success to his cause, and triumph to his truth.”

Charles Spurgeon- “For ever, and more than ‘for ever,’ if more can be, let him be magnified.”

John Calvin - “… at such a distance from us…”  “he magnifies his mercy towards us”

Charles Spurgeon - “It is a marvel of mercy that the sun should rise on the rebellious sons of men…”

APPLICATION:
Who is like the LORD our God? NO ONE! Let this humble you and draw you to behold the Grandeur of His Glory. Psalm 113 gets around in front of us exhorting self-worshippers like me and you by exulting God lifting our eyes ‘UP’ to the one and only incomparable God.
- Behold the Grandeur of His Glory!!!
- Behold the Marvelous Mercy of Jesus as he came down and gave His life in our place on the cross!

The Gospel result is we have been lifted from dust and the burning trash and a cursed life and made princes in God’s kingdom! Seated with Christ Jesus to the confession and praise of His Glorious name!
Q. How high has your pride sought to take God’s seat? There is mercy for you!
Q. How far have you been buried in the filth and burning trash of your sin? There is mercy for you!

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
This Is Our God
Our Song From Age To Age
Jesus I My Cross Have Taken
There is One Gospel
Jesus, There's No One Like You

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Romans 12:1

What do you want more than anything else? Psalm 84 takes us into the thoughts of a man who wants God more than anything else. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 84
TITLE: A Bellhop’s Psalm
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. He Longs to Worship God with God’s People
2. He is Dependent On and Delights In God’s Grace
3. He is Satisfied In God’s Salvation

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Here’s a challenging thought (Ligonier Website): Where and who do you want to be? Is it more important to you to be in this world with a high position and much acclaim, or would you prefer to be a mere servant in the household of God? The world and its allurements may be enticing, but all of it will pass away. Only the household of God will remain, and only what we do for Christ will have eternal value. We can distill that thought into one penetrating question—What do you want more than anything else? Psalm 84 takes us into the thoughts of a man who wants God more than anything else.”

“Psalm 84 was written by one of the sons of Korah. You can read about them in 1 Chronicles 23-26. As a division of the Levites, the Korahites served in the temple. There were numerous temple tasks: priests, musicians, treasurers, and others. The Korahites had the lowest duty in the temple—doorkeeper. …The Sons of Korah were ancient bellhops.”

“Psalm 84 is their perspective of the privilege of being at the temple with God’s people in God’s presence. Their job was menial. Their ministry was not exalted. But that didn’t matter because they loved being in the house of the Lord. Psalm 84 is their chance to tell the world about it. And today they get to tell us about it. As they do, a portrait appears of the person who wants God and desires to be in God’s presence with God’s people more than anything else.”

“In this portrait, we find three characteristics or, as the psalmist presents them, marks of blessedness, of the one who wants God more than anything else.”

“Jewish people believed in an omnipresent God. They believed Yahweh was always with them. But they also knew God’s presence and glory was uniquely manifested and experienced in the temple. The sacrifices, the Law, God’s covenant people gathered, all of it made the temple a place where God’s people could encounter and engage with God in a way like no other.”

“The verbs longs and faints express a desire and yearning for God so strong that it exhausts his whole being. The psalmists says—My heart (spiritual) and flesh (physical) sing for joy to the living God. This wasn’t about mental assent; it was about being consumed with God. He treasures God. He longs for his glory. He finds his greatest joy in His presence. He sings for joy in God and considers himself blessed for being part of it all!”

“How important is this today? Fewer and fewer Christians are interested in gathering with God’s people to worship God in the presence of His glory. I’m too tired. I’m too busy. I’m too hurt. I’m good I read my Bible. I think the psalmist would say—What’s up with not going to church!”

“Listen, we don't need a temple to go to today. We have seen, we know, and we experience the glory of God in Jesus Christ. The gospel transforms everything. Personal peace with God. Personal union in Christ. The Spirit lives in the heart of every believer. But there’s so much more to the Christian life than me and Jesus.”

“There is nothing magical about this building. But when we gather to worship God together, in a unique and powerful way we are the dwelling place of God and we experience His presence and glory that cannot be experienced in any other way. I submit to you, if any part of this life is like heaven, it is what we are doing right now.”

“When you walk through those doors at 10 am is there a sense of awe and wonder, joy and privilege? If you think about what we are doing, there should be.”

“In the Bible, the sparrow is symbolic for something that is worthless and the swallow for something that is restless. Are you feeling worthless? Is your soul restless? This is where you belong.”  

“…the traveler had a deep desire to be at the temple and an abiding confidence in the grace of God to strengthen them for the difficult and trying journey. So they made the journey with joy AND resolve.”

“According to 6, the psalmist dug wells in the desert and trusted God for rain. His pilgrimage to Jerusalem represents ours in this world. We do our part in the Valley of Baca by making it a place of springs. We dig pools, i.e., thankfulness, studying His Word, serving and blessing others. We do that anticipating God will do His part—supplying the autumn rains, i.e., bringing joy, peace, and provision.”

“This is how we go from strength to strength as it says in 7. Seeing and experiencing, knowing and growing in Christ more and more on the road to Zion, this is how God grows our faith in and love for Him.”

“What is your Valley of Baca today? What does it look like for you to dig blessings out of hardships? Follow the highway to Zion that the Lord has put in your heart. Allow His grace to supersede any trial. Trust He will send rain in due time as he brings you closer and closer to heaven. He will do it. He is for you!”

“Here’s what makes this celebration of God’s salvation so amazing.  Numbers 16 recounts how God judged Korah and his family for their rebellious temple service by causing the earth to swallow them up. Now centuries later, one of the Sons of Korah is writing this psalm that praises that same God for His grace and favor in salvation. Whether or not 11 is a result of thinking back on Numbers 16 we don’t know. But the family who knew severe judgment from God now marvels in His salvation.”

“He’s close enough to catch glimpses of the wonder and glory of it all. And a glimpse is enough. One day of glimpses is better than a thousand in the tents of the wicked! Why? Because the doorkeeper belongs to God.”

“We’re all just bellhops right now. But the gospel has set our hearts on the highway to Zion. Heaven is our home. Like the worshiper in Psalm 84, we are on a pilgrimage. And one day in heaven our glimpses of glory will be turned to unveiled and eternal gazing.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 2:22
1 Peter 2:5
2 Corinthians 3:18

QUOTES:
Derek Kindner - “They make it a place of springs is a classic statement of the faith which dares to dig blessings out of hardships. But God may choose to send rain, which comes through nobodies enterprise and can bring a whole area to life, for he has more than one way of dealing with our dryness.”

Charles Spurgeon - “To bear burdens and open doors for the Lord’s house is better than the highest position among the godless…God’s doorstep is a happier rest than downy couches within the pavilions of royal sinners, though we might lie there for a lifetime of luxury.”

APPLICATION:
What about you and I? Where and who do we want to be?  

• Where are the highways of my heart leading me? 

• What are you exhausting your heart and flesh for?

• What is so valuable to me that it keeps me from communion with believers, serving in the strength of the Spirit, and worshipping my Savior on Sundays?

Bottom line: Have you grown familiar with Jesus? We grow familiar. Have you grown familiar with Jesus? Have you lost your wonder and awe toward him? To trust in the Lord is to give Him glory. To give Him glory is to long for and be satisfied in His Son Jesus. To be satisfied in Jesus is to be blessed. On this side of the cross, the blazing center of God’s presence and glory is Jesus.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
God Is For Us
How Rich A Treasure We Possess
Only Jesus
The Father's Love
Christ Our Glory

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 113

It’s easy to make Psalm 56 about the struggle to have faith in fearful times. Yes, it can be a struggle. Yes, there is a degree of lament in David’s words. But Psalm 56 is not about struggle; it’s about VICTORY, victory that comes through faith in the character and promises of God that belong to us in Christ. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 56
TITLE: God Is For Me!
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Our fear gives way to faith when we focus on the faithfulness of God.

POINTS:
1. The Heart of Fear
2. The Heart of Faith
3. The Heart of God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”The backdrop of Psalm 56 is 1 Samuel 21-22. I encourage you to read it this week. In a nutshell, David, who was running for his life from King Saul, ran right into the hands of another deadly enemy—the Philistines. When David wrote Psalm 56, he was alone, desperate, and afraid.”

“The occasion for David’s fear is clear in the text. the first two verses, David uses words like trample, oppresses, and attack to describe what was happening to him. In 5-6, he says his enemies injure his cause and stir up strife as they position themselves to kill David. In their quest to kill David, his enemies were unrelenting. Three times, 1, 2, and 5, David says that his enemies have pursued him all day long. David lived every moment of every day, wondering if it was his last. The brave boy who slayed Goliath when everyone else was afraid. David was no stranger to fear.”

“What about you? Are you feeling alone, desperate, or afraid today? What keeps you up at night? What fears tend to grip your heart?”

“David began 3 afraid. By the end of 4, he is not afraid. What happened between When I am afraid and I shall not be afraid? Faith happened. David could face his terrifying trials because he knew where to run when he felt fear beginning to grip him. He put his faith in God.”

“Typically, our response to fear is anxiety, panic, or distress. When we are afraid, it’s easy to turn to self-sufficiency and self-preservation. Those are vain and powerless responses to fear. More than that, they are sin we must confess to, repent of, and embrace full forgiveness in Christ for. Only then will our fears drive us to Jesus instead of away from Jesus. When David was afraid, he turned to the Lord.”

“His example is so instructive for us when we are afraid and fighting for faith. I want you to notice two things about David’s faith: David’s faith is deliberate and David’s faith is theologically informed.”

“David’s faith was an intentional act of the will. In the moment of fear, David makes a decision that that defies the reality of his situation and the power of his emotions. He trusts God. David He didn’t wait for God to give him faith. Is his faith in God a gift? Is it the work of the Spirit in him? Absolutely. But that does not excuse David from exercising his faith in God.”

“In the same way, we are called to put our faith in God. The Bible never says Jesus has faith for us. Trusting God is what God calls us to do. When we do, we realize it is only by grace, so we cannot boast except in Christ.”

“Three times, David says—I trust in God, whose word I praise. The word praise means exclaim. David exclaims, declaring to himself (preaching to himself) what God is like and what He has promised according to God’s Word. His faith is not blind. He is not throwing vague prayers at the wall. His trust in God is informed by the character and promises of God as revealed to him in God’s Word that drown out the voice of fear.”

“Church, how encouraging and compelling David’s example is for us. When David spoke of God’s Word, he had the Pentateuch (Gen-Deut) and maybe Joshua and Judges, but it was enough to know God’s character and promises. We have the entire Bible. God doesn’t speak to us audibly, but He does speak to us clearly, by His Spirit through His Word.”

“God’s Word is God speaking. He is telling us what He is like. He is telling us how He feels about His people. God is telling us how He acts and what He promises to His children. He reveals what we can be sure of regarding our relationship with Him. And what He says to us in the Bible is the foundation of our faith in times of fear.”

“God knows your tossings. He personally keeps record, not of your sin, but of every tear that falls from your eyes. Verse 8 is a memorable and penetrating way of describing God’s tender care for David and us. God hears your cries. God knows your fears. Sees what keeps you tossing at night. He knows, and He is keeping track of your heart, and He will never fail to care, and He will never be indifferent to your trials and struggles.”

“You can take God at His word. God cannot lie (Heb 6:18). God is faithful (1 Cor 1:9). He is trustworthy. And it is through His Word that He faithfully cares for you. So, the degree to which you have confidence in the Word of God is the degree to which you will have confidence in God.”

“This is David’s grand conclusion— What can man do to me? This I know, my God is for me. The danger David was in did not disappear. But his fears did, and for one reason—What David knew (mental ascent) and what he believed (faith) about God. And it all culminated in this—My God is for me.”

“Man can oppress you, hate you, hurt you, slander you, and yes, even kill you. But in the deepest and most ultimate sense, they can do NOTHING to you because NOTHING can separate you from the eternal love and favor of the One whom your life and fellowship are bound up with in Christ—the God of the universe.”

“When your back is against the wall, i.e., you are being trampled on and attacked, you know that the transcendent, all-powerful, all-wise, all-loving, and sovereign Lord of the universe is counting your tossing and keeping track of every tear you cry. The knowledge and conviction of the promise of intimate, tender, and adequate divine care is the basis for silencing the voice of fear when it roars.”

“No one here knows God well enough. That is the Christian’s eternal duty and delight that will never end. But the more you know, the more you grow and the greater joy you will experience. As the final words of the text say—That I may walk before God in the light of life. Translation—JOY IN CHRIST!”

“Whatever gets in the way of giving yourself to this application, tear it up and throw it away because what you need is to KNOW that god is for you today, tomorrow, and forever!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 21-22
Hebrews 13:5
Romans 8:28
Philippians 4:19
2 Corinthians 12:9
Romans 8:31-32

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “We have the Bible. It contains all we need to know about spiritual things. Equally important, we have the Holy Spirit to give us understanding of what has been written as well as the ability to apply it to specific areas of our lives.”

J.I. Packer - “God is for me is in truth one of the richest and weightiest utterances that the Bible contains….The knowledge that God is on his side brings a note of triumph into David’s prayer.”

Sinclair Ferguson - “How do you know God is really for you? Where should you look for the proof that God is for you? Does it lie in the fact that your Christian life has been unbroken happiness? Does it lie in the fact that your Christian life has been one of ecstatic joy? There is only one irrefutable answer to these questions. It cannot be found in our circumstances. It lies only in the provision that God has made for us in Jesus Christ.”

APPLICATION:
- Do you doubt God cares for you? God notices, catches, and records every tear you shed. He cares because He loves you with an undying love. Do you believe that?

It’s not simply God’s got this. It’s God is FOR you. God is at work for my good. God will see His work to the end. God is intimately and tenderly involved in my life in every way as my Heavenly Father—God is FOR me!

Do you believe God is FOR you? I’m not asking if you agree with me but if you believe. If you don’t or you have even a smidge of doubt, look past your circumstances and see His only Son hanging on a cross, being crushed by His heavenly Father—FOR YOU!

Do you believe the greatest expression that God is FOR you is in the gospel?
1. Preach to yourself more and listen to yourself less
2. Get to know your Lord and Savior

• Scriptures read earlier

• Knowing God (J.I. Packer)

• Knowing Christ (Mark Jones)

3. Major on the spiritual, minor on the practical

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Christ Our Hope In Life And Death
Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery
The Power Of The Cross
Jesus Paid It All
All Things

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 84

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 is coming to an end, which means the GRACEkids Elementary Class (grades 1st-5th) will be starting back up soon!

The first Elementary Class of the new GRACEkids year will be on Sunday, September 8th! This will also be the Sunday the 1st graders will graduate from the Preschoolers Class and move to the Elementary Class.

If you have any questions, please contact
John & Joelle McCauley.

church Family Meeting

Mark your calendars for an important and exciting Church Family Meeting on Sunday Evening, September 29th, at 5:30 PM, where we will unpack what our mission will look like in 2024-2025!

Dinner will be provided. Children and guests are welcome to join us.

Membership Class

If you are interested in becoming a member or learning more about Sovereign Grace Church, information about joining the Membership Class in October will be coming soon.

Forge is back!

Saturday, October 5th. Breakfast will be served at 8 AM.

Erik Rangel, who serves as the senior pastor at the Sovereign Grace Church in Yuma (Legacy Church), will be coming to teach the men in our church how the bible speaks to men about sexual temptation.

For more information, contact Derek Overstreet.

New sermon series - COLOSSIANS: ALIVE IN CHRIST

We are excited to study the book of Colossians as a church starting in October!

Be on the lookout for your free copy of the Colossians ESV Scripture Journal that will be available in a few weeks.

gifts of the spirit weekend with

mark prater

NEW dates for the GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT WEEKEND are Friday, October 18th, from 7PM-9PM & Saturday, October 19th, from 9AM-2PM !

Join us as we allow the Scriptures to inform us about the gifts God gives his people through the Spirit!

To sign up or find out more about this exciting event, please CLICK HERE.

relay: a sovereign GRACE cONFERENCE FOR YOUNG adults

The RELAY Conference exists to inspire young adults to live for the glory of Christ.

While the conference is aimed at college students and young adults (18-25 years old), as well as their leaders, they welcome high school students ages 16-17 and those in their late 20s or 30s. We don’t have strict age limits.

For more details and registration information, visit the RELAY SITE HERE.

As individual believers and collectively as a local church, we can never overestimate, and we must never underestimate what it means to be forgiven of our sins by God. That is the message of Psalm 32. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 32
TITLE: Better Than We Deserve
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Being forgiven is everything.

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Years ago, I heard someone respond to the question, How are you doing? in this way—’I’m doing better than I deserve.’ …I am doing better than I deserve. It’s more than a religious slogan. Understood rightly, it’s a declaration and celebration of God’s heart and the power of the gospel. At its core is this eternal truth—My sins are forgiven. I am doing better than I deserve because God has chosen to forgive my sins instead of holding them against me.”

“There is no higher blessing in this life than having your sin forgiven by God in Christ Jesus. If you are forgiven, regardless of anything else going on in your life—you are genuinely doing better than you deserve.”

“The first two verses are the centerpiece of the psalm. They are theology at its finest.”

“It’s easy to underestimate the moment in these verses. If you were with David as he wrote these words, you would perceive a substantive and deep joy pouring from his heart. David knows he is forgiven, and as he considers that reality, he is undone by joy. How do we know this? Look no further than 11. David begins Psalm 32 with a declaration that to be forgiven is to be blessed. And 11 is the exclamation point of what is going on in his heart as he considers that God has forgiven his sins.”

“Now, David uses three different words to refer to sin. In 1, he uses transgression (rebellion or crime) and sin (to fall short or miss the mark like an arrow misses the target). In 2, he chooses iniquity (twisted or crooked). The point of using multiple terms to describe sin is not to draw distinctions or create categories of sin. The comprehensive nature and utter sinfulness of our sin is revealed in these terms.”

“Sin is not simply some trivial wrongdoing or bad moral choice. Sin is a rebellious and perverted offense against God and His authority. David wants us to feel that. He wants us to be sobered by that, not to condemn us, but to compel us to be amazed by grace.”

“The first word to describe what God does with our sin is forgiven—(1) Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven. …The word forgiven literally means our sin has been lifted off. Sin and the guilt and shame that accompany it is a weight upon our souls. But when we confess our sin, God removes it. He takes it away. He lifts it off so that we no longer bear the effects of our sin.”

“Where does our sin go? The innocent shoulders of Jesus Christ, who stood in our place and paid the total debt of our sin on the cross. He is the reason we can be forgiven. God doesn’t overlook our sin. He can’t. He’s a holy God who hates sin and must punish all sin.”

“The second word that describes what God does with our sin is covered—(1) Blessed is the one whose sin is covered. The blood of Jesus covers our sin. He is the sacrificial lamb whose blood shed on the cross covers our sin, hiding it in the sense that it has been resolved and is no longer an issue keeping us alienated from and under the wrath of God. The New Testament word for this covering is propitiation. Jesus is our propitiation, his blood covering our sin so that God’s wrath would be turned away.” 

“Finally, David says in 2—Blessed is the man whom the LORD counts no iniquity. This is amazing! God is the divine bookkeeper. But the one whose sin has been forgiven, God no longer COUNTS it against them. He strikes it from the record book. It’s as if it never happened.”

“Your sin is forgiven, covered, and removed from the divine record book when you repent. There is no record of your sin. Even better, the only thing COUNTED to you, what the divine ledger reads next to your name is not your many sins but the perfect obedience and righteousness of Jesus Christ. That is what God counts toward you. That’s what we call justification.”

“Church, there is no greater blessedness than being forgiven by God. It's true that God’s blessings come in all shapes and sizes. I trust you are acutely aware of God’s blessings in your life. I hope you have been counting them one by one this past week. But here’s the truth: You can have everything—health, wealth, popularity, power, success, friendships, children and grandchildren—but if your sin is not forgiven, you have nothing.”

“I humbly submit that we must redeem our paradigm of what it means to be blessed. Too often, my understanding of a blessed life is too narrow and too earthly. It’s easy for me to connect a blessed life with my current circumstances.”

“Now, in 3-4, David recounts a time when instead of confessing his sin, he was silent and, as it says at the end of 2, his spirit was living in deception. He was unwilling to confess his sin. David describes the effects of his unrepentant heart in physical terms. (3) His bones wasting away reflects an internal conflict that left him (4) weak and parched as a hot summer day with no water or relief leaves one physically. In 4, David says he felt the unrelenting heavy hand of God’s discipline upon him. Not to punish him but as an expression of God’s love for David; divine discipline mercifully moved David toward repentance.”

“Many scholars believe Psalm 32 is a response to Psalm 51, where David repented of adultery with Bathsheba and the orchestrated murder of her husband Uriah. David was carrying the weight of adultery and murder, and it was killing him.”

“David ended his silence. He owned his guilt. He confessed his sin to the Lord. He repented. And the Lord forgave David. Look at the right margin at the end of 5. See the word Selah. It probably means pause and think about what you just read. In 5, Selah follows these words—and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. God’s forgiveness is worthy of our pause and consideration. We should not read and immediately move on. But Selah applies to us, not God. As soon as David confesses, we read the Lord forgives. God doesn’t pause to consider David’s confession—He immediately forgives. God doesn’t make David earn it. God doesn’t make David sweat. David confesses his sin from the heart, and God pardons him immediately!”

“Not because our sin isn’t serious but because God is merciful. God loves to forgive sinners. God is eager to forgive His children over and over again. You don’t have to perform. You don’t have to beg. You don’t have to persuade. You don’t have to prove your case. God doesn’t vet us. God loves to forgive the penitent!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 103:12
Psalm 103:10
1 John 1:9
Isaiah 55:6-7

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “God is ready and even yearning to forgive and restore us fully —if only we will confess our sin and come to him believing in Jesus Christ, who has made atonement for it. And he will do it right away.”

APPLICATION:
For application I want us to spend time in three passages this week: 

• Psalm 51 (Magna Carta of repentance)

• 1 John 1 (Ongoing repentance as fellowship with God)

• Psalm 103 (God’s heart toward those who repent)

Our text gives us clear and immediate application—

Verse 6 is a call to repentance—TODAY—while God can be found. No one is promised tomorrow, but God promises grace TODAY. Today is a day of grace because God is available to receive your repentance. No one is promised tomorrow.

Freely come to Jesus, believing that his life and death are sufficient for your forgiveness. What you will find is that the Lord will be merciful.

TODAY is the day to run to Jesus in repentance and faith. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, the Lord won’t turn you away. He will turn His forgiving eye on you.

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Come Praise And Glorify
It Was Finished Upon That Cross
O My Soul Arise
Judge Of The Secrets
Bless The Lord O My Soul (Psalm 103)

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 56

Prosperity in this world (wealth, health, family) is a gift from God. Prosperity is also a test. It's a test of the heart meant to prove and renew our trust in and love for God. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Sermons in the Psalms, Vol 2
TEXT: Psalm 30
TITLE: Our Prosperity and God’s Praise
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”King David knew the gift of prosperity, but he failed the test of prosperity. Psalm 30 was sung at the dedication of the Temple. David never saw that day, but his experience was the background. In the same way Moses exhorted the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6—When you live prosperously in the Promise Land, don’t forget it came from the hand of God—in the same way, Psalm 30 would remind God’s people that the Temple in all its wonder and glory, comes from the hands of God.”

“David’s experience is our instruction. Living in America, we all know prosperity. The question isn’t—Am I prosperous? The question is—How do I know if I’m failing the test of prosperity?  For this task, Psalm 30 is a gift to us. Today we will unpack David’s situation, then use his situation to draw three applications for our own praise of God in prosperity.”

“Like a bucket draws water up out of a well—imagery of verb drawn in 1—God drew David up out of the pit of death. And now David praises God from a heart overflowing with gratitude. He doesn’t forget what God did for him. He can’t forget. He won’t forget. So, he praises God.”

“David was a man who had received God’s favor in abundance. The LORD was good to David. The LORD prospered David. He provided richly for David—his kingdom, military might, and personal life. David knew God’s favor as few knew it—(7) By your favor, O LORD, you made my mountain (metaphor for his kingdom and personal life) stand strong.”

“David knew God’s favor. But he forgot God’s favor—(6) As for me in my prosperity, I shall never be moved. This is David’s humble confession that he became proud in his prosperity. He allowed God’s favor to close his eyes to God. He grew numb to the reality that all he had was from God, and his pride swelled as he began to believe his own headlines. David began to think—I got this! I’ve done this!”

“David forgot that his prosperity was a gift from God, and in his forgetfulness, he failed the test of prosperity. And so, God disciplined him. God disciplines the ones He loves (Heb 12). God disciplined for his pride. At the end of 7, God hid His face from David, and David was dismayed. He felt it, and he knew it. David forgot God.”

“Let us beware, indeed. In the words of one Scottish preacher—We are never in greater danger than in the sunshine of prosperity.”

“I can find at least three ways David responds to God in Psalm 30  that three thousand years later compel us to sing God’s praises in our prosperity rather than swell our pride. [See below.]”

“Being merciful and gracious is not merely what God does; it’s who He is. It’s His nature. It’s according to his character or, as 4 says—His holy name. David is not simply observing life here in 4-5. You win some, you lose some. You have to take the bad with the good. Cheer up; things will get better. No, Anger for a moment, favor for a lifetime, weeping in the night, and joy in the morning are spiritual contrasts that communicate what God is like and how He loves to treat His people.”

“Be warned today—God will discipline you for your sin. Be sober-minded about your self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and self-exaltation. Repent. Humble yourself before the Lord in prayer. Run to Jesus and receive forgiveness, knowing the disposition of God’s heart toward you is divine favor, and that outweighs His divine anger.”

“Know that whether it is God’s discipline or suffering in a fallen world, you will have times of weeping in your life, but God’s favor and the joy His favor brings are the final words in your life.”

“Whether it is education, career, health, wealth, or cherished relationships, our prosperity comes from God, and it is for His glory, not ours. Your prosperity is meant to serve God’s eternal designs of glorifying Himself in all things. It’s the reason we exist. Through our salvation in Christ, our lives would not be silent; instead, we would worship and testify to the glory of God.”

“The discipline of the Lord has humbled David. Now he sees he should have thanked God for what he had instead of allowing what he had to swell his pride. And gratitude is the key. It’s hard for pride to grow in a heart filled with gratitude.”

“Truth is, our gratefulness should exceed David’s because Jesus did the unthinkable—he gave up his life so we could be spared from the pit of eternal death. This is truth for all of us, but my heart today is that in particular, those of you who If don’t feel prosperous. God hid his face from His only Son on the cross so He could shine His face down upon you. Jesus died on the cross. For three days, he was dead. But on the third day, God drew him up, not merely from death but over death itself.”

“Are you looking for reasons to sing this morning? Do you need to be compelled to sing? Don’t look to your prosperity; look to what God is like. His anger is but for a moment, but his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry through the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 6:33
John 3:30

QUOTES:
Oswald Sanders - “Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall. The most exacting test of all is to survive prosperity.”

Charles Spurgeon - “Prosperity had evidently turned the psalmist’s head, or he would not have been so self-confident. He stood by grace, and yet forgot himself, and so met with a fall. Reader, is there not much of the same proud stuff in all our hearts? Let us beware lest the fortunes of intoxicating success get into our brains and make fools of us also.”

James Montgomery Boice - “The point is this: God is indeed displeased with sin and can never be indifferent to it. He judges sin with a holy anger, even in Christians. But for His people God’s judgments and anger are short-lived. They pass quickly. What remains is His favor, which lasts for our lifetime and indeed forever.”

Eric Lane - “God’s anger is like an overnight visitor but His favor is like a permanent resident.”

APPLICATION:
So How do we know if we are failing the test of prosperity? 

• Is your daily communion (Prayer/Word) with Jesus diminishing?

• Is your first impulse I got this or I did this?

• Do forsake the things you know God has called you to (church, Christian fellowship, giving) to pursue the things the world holds out to you (leisure, work, lifestyle, family)?

• Have the unsaved become invisible because all that matters is what you have going on?

• Do you give less to your church's mission because you need more to sustain your lifestyle?

• Do you forget to give God glory in success?

• Are people more aware of your encouragement of them or your stories about you? 

• Are you amazed by God’s grace and power less and less because you are amazed at your abilities and accomplishments more and more?

In his prosperity, David forgot God. Have you forgotten God in your prosperity? Or maybe you haven’t forgotten God but have repositioned him in your life.

1. Remember God’s Heart

2. Embrace Your Purpose

3. Excel in Gratitude

SONGS FROM THIS SUNDAY:
Sing
Jesus Your Mercy
The Lord Almighty Reigns (Psalm 93)
O Lord My Rock And My Redeemer
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)

NEXT WEEK’S PASSAGE:
Psalm 32