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Psalm 39
Psalm
39 is probably a continuation of Psalm 38. David is still in the
same dreadful plight of man who has been stricken by God. It was
written by David who is suffering under the stoke of God for his
flagrant sin with Bathsheba and for his murder of Uriah, one of the
most faithful men David had.
David
is fully aware of the fact that he deserved to be punished by the
living God for his flagrant sin, his abuse of privilege,
position, and power.
Observe
David’s promise (verses 1-3)
Observe
David’s plea (verses 4-6)
David
said he was weary of life and he wished to know the measure of his
days, that he might see how long he had to suffer.
Observe
David’s plight (7-11)
It is
as if David comes to his senses and declares “Why should I linger
where the prospect is so uninviting, and the present so trying?” The
psalmist then turns to his God, in disgust of all things else.
David now cast himself wholly and unreservedly on the very God under
whose hand he was be chastened.
Observe
David’s prayer (12,13)
David
wants God to make him once again:
Happy
Holy
Healthy
DAVID’S HOPE WAS IN THE LORD. Life with the Lord is an endless hope,
but life without the Lord is a hopeless end.
Now
many today should ask the question that David asked in verse
7,
“What wait I for?” I trust this morning God will grip our
hearts with this question?
I. WHAT WAIT I FOR,
the
DEMAND will never be greater (Matthew
9:36-38)
A.
The MISERY Jesus saw (36)
Jesus saw people they way they really were. He looked past
their faces and saw their fear. The outward was nothing to Jesus
except a clear indication of the inward. Pharisees looked at the
multitude and saw a crowd of people, but Jesus looked at the
multitude as a flock of sheep.
1. Jesus saw the people as sheep that were hurting
"fainted" __
troubled, battered, bruised, mangled, ripped apart, worn out,
burdened, and exhausted. They were hurting!
2. Jesus saw the people as sheep that were helpless
"scattered" _
cast down, to be prostrate and unable to get up because of a mortal
wound. If a sheep ever falls over on its back, it will starve to
death because it cannot right itself and get up. This world is
full of people who have fallen down and cannot get up.
3. Jesus saw the people as sheep that were hopeless
"as sheep having no
shepherd" _ a person without God is not only lost, he
is hopelessly lost. A lost person is like a blind man in a dark
room looking for a black cat that is not there.
Sheep without a shepherd are absolutely hopeless.
They are unfed, un-watered, and unguarded. They have no idea of
where to go or what to do.
B The MINISTERS Jesus sought
(37,38)
1. The problem described (37)
Problem was not with the harvest but with the
laborers. The opportunities are great but the workers have
diminished. The harvest is always
"plenteous," "great," and
"white." The problem is not the
size of the harvest, but the lack of servants.
2. The prayer demanded (38)
What is Jesus solution to the problem do? He calls
us to pray!
Pray for the lost? PRAY FOR THE LABORERS! He does
not call us to pray for the harvest but for the harvesters.
Every child of God is called upon to pray this
prayer. Every Christian is commanded to pray this prayer! BUT WHY?
Christ sends forth those whom he commanded to pray (10:1).
Prayer is a preparation for ministry.
If we prayed more for the harvest, I am confident we
would be burden to do more in the fields.
II.
WHAT WAIT I FOR, the
DIRECTIONS will never be plainer
It is
not what I don’t understand in the Bible that bothers me, it is what
I understand and do not do. It is not the directions that you and I
have problems with. It is our will that we have all the problems
with.
A.
The charge for the saints is simple
See Matthew 28:18-20.
It is time we make His last command our first concern.
1. The
decree is plain “Go”
2. The
duty is personal “YE”
3. The
dynamic is provided
B.
The call to the sinner is simple
Jesus was the
Master of everything, and this includes speech. Had He so desired,
he could have delivered messages that would have dumbfounded the
most educated Pharisees. However, he spoke in with a language that
all could understand. Isn't it strange that one of the longest
words Jesus used was "whosoever,"
and the one He seemed to like the best was
"Come." Matter of fact, the word
"come" seems to be a favorite
of the Godhead when addressing sinners. The plea of God in the Bible
to sinners is seen in the simple word
"Come."
Matthew 11:28
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest."
1. Consider its clarity - "COME"
COME is not difficult to understand. It simply means to move
towards and to draw nigh.
In the word "come" two things
are involved:
a. Making a decision
b. Moving in a direction
It is so simple that most men reject it. You cannot do
anything to get saved except come to the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Consider its capacity - "ALL"
John 3:16,
II Peter 3:9,
I Timothy 2:4
Come without any regards for your color, condition ,
circumstances, or character. All are invited. None is excluded,
and all are included
3.
Consider its certainty
“I will give your rest”
No do about it.
Jesus
also said, “Him that cometh to me I will in
no wise cast out.”No sinner will ever come to Christ and not
be received.
III.
WHAT WAIT I FOR, the DAY will
never be better
Don’t be deceived by thinking that there come better day to be saved
or to serve God.
Acts 24:24,25
“Go thy way for this time: when I have a
convenient season...”
Felix was troubled; but instead of asking what he should do, he sent
the messenger of God away. He was evidently not prepared to break
off his sins and turn to God. He sought peace by sending away his
reprover; and intended then to banish the subject from his mind.
Yet, he did not intend to banish it altogether. He looked forward to
a time when he should be more at leisure; when the cares of office
should press less heavily on his attention; or when he should be
more disposed to attend to it. Thus others, when they are alarmed,
and see their guilt and danger, resolve to defer it to a more
convenient time. One man is engaged in a career of pleasure, and it
is not now a convenient time to attend to his soul's
salvation. Another is pressed with business; with the cares of life;
with a plan of gain; with the labours of office, or of a profession,
and it is not now a convenient time for him to attend to
Christ. Another supposes that his time of life is not the most
convenient. His youth he desires to spend in pleasure, and waits
for a more convenient time in middle age. His middle life he spends
in business, and the toils of the world, and this is not a
convenient time. Such a period he expects then to find in old
age. But as age advances, he finds an increasing disposition to
defer it; he is still indisposed to attend to it; still in love with
the world. Even old age is seldom found to be a convenient time to
prepare for heaven; and it is deferred from one period of life to
another, till death closes the scene. It has been commonly supposed
and said, that Felix never found that more convenient time to call
for Paul. That he did not embrace the Christian faith, and forsake
his sins, is almost certain. But it is not true that he did not take
an opportunity of hearing Paul further on the subject; for it is
said that he sent for him often, and communed with him. But though
Felix found this opportunity, yet we have no reason to suppose that
the main thing __the salvation of his soul__ ever again occupied his
attention. There is no evidence that he was again alarmed or
awakened, or that he had any further concern on the subject of his
sins. He had passed for ever the favorable time; the golden moments
when he might have secured the salvation of his soul.
Others have no right to suppose that their lives will be lengthened
out that they may have any further opportunity to attend to the
subject of salvation. When a sinner is awakened, and sees his
sins, if he rejects the appeal to his conscience then, and defers it
to a more convenient opportunity, he has no reason to expect that
his attention will ever be again called with deep interest to the
subject. He may live; but he may live without the strivings of the
Holy Spirit. When a man has once deliberately rejected the offers of
mercy; when he has trifled with the influences of the Spirit of God,
he has no right or reason to expect that the Spirit will ever strive
with him again. Such, we have too much reason to fear was the case
with Felix. Though he often saw Paul again, and
"communed with him," yet there is no
account that he was again alarmed or awakened. And so sinners grace
after they have grieved the Holy Spirit, listen to the doctrines of
the gospel, hear its appeals and its warnings, but they have no
feeling, no interest, and die in their sins.
No
day will be more convenient that today. Delay is gambling, very
irrationally, with a very uncertain thing, your life and your future
opportunities. The day will never be better than TODAY..
One of these
days is none of these days. Every day of delay leaves a day more to
repent of and a day less to repent in. They great mischief of men is
that they procrastinate. It is not that they resolve to be damned,
but they resolve to saved tomorrow. It is not that they reject
Christ forever, but that they reject Christ today.
IV.
WHAT WAIT I FOR, the DECREES will
never be surer
The promises,
the precepts, the decrees of God will never be surer. Oh. the
durability and the dependability of the Word of God. See
II Peter 1:16-21. The witness of
Scripture is even surer than the voice heard in the mount.
The Scriptures, or written word of God, are a more sure word to us
than any voice from heaven.
A.
Inspiration is the providing of this sure Word of God
We believe in
the inspiration of the Word (II Timothy
3:16). Quote Matthew 4:4.
Inspiration is not a continuing process. If it were a continuing
process, we could have another book tomorrow. Inspiration was the
process by which God gave His Word to man. God breathed out His
Word over a period of about 1,500 years to approximately forty
specially chosen and prepared men of God.
B.
Inerrancy is the purity of this sure Word of God
The Scriptures reveals unquestionably that God gave the exact words
of Scripture. Inspiration does no consist in mere guidance of the
words, but in a divine supplying or divine giving of the very words
that constitute Scripture. Because of the verbal inspiration we have
the inerrancy of the Word of God. Inerrancy requires that God choose
His own words.
C.
Preservation is the protecting of this sure Word of God
Preservation is the protection of the truth. Preservation is the
providential safekeeping of that which God breathed out so that
believers of all generations have the Word of God. Preservation
testify to the fact that the precepts of God never change. In my KJV
Bible I hold in my hand the preserved Word of God.
Because of the inspiration, inerrancy, and preservation, I have a
sure Word. You can count on the eternal Word of God.
WHY WAIT ANY LONGER to be saved, you have the sure word of God that
He will save you?
WHY WAIT ANY LONGER to serve God, you have the sure word of God that
He will strengthen you?
God will do what He says! See Psalm
111:7,8. All that God decreed shall surely stand. God is
no fickle tyrant commanding one thing one day and another, another
day, but His commands remain absolutely unaltered, their necessity
equally unquestionable, and their excellence permanently proven.
Conclusion:
What
wait ye for? YOUR HOPE IS IN HIM! Cast yourself on Him
unconditionally and unreservedly today! Put your hope in Him who is
never shaken ,who never changeth, and who never faileth.
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