Grosey's Messages

 

Psalm 20 The Battle Hymn of Israel

Trust in the Name of the LORD Our God

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

 1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!

May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary

and give you support from Zion!
 3 May he remember all your offerings

and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! — Selah

 4 May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!
 5 May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners!

May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

 6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven

with the saving might of his right hand.
 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,  but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
 8 They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.

9 O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call.

 

One commentator calls it, "an underappreciated little psalm."

But the subject of the psalm is about "May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!" the psalm begins; makes the congregation sing. Well, who is the "you" there? Verse 6 says it is the Lord's anointed! And verse 9 tells us that the people are speaking to the king himself. The "you" there, "May the Lord answer you," the "you" there is not the people, but the king. The people are praying for the king, that the Lord may answer the king. Written by King David, possibly for use in a worship service prior to some great battle in which he would go out to lead his people into war, the focal point of Psalm 20 is not directly on God's blessing for every believer, but, rather on God's blessing upon His anointed king who leads them. There's actually an ancient rabbinic tradition, Jewish tradition, of interpreting this Psalm specifically as a reference, as a prophecy of a coming Messiah. The great King descended from David whom David prefigured. Verse 6 can even legitimately be translated, "Now I know that the Lord saves his Messiah." Anointed one is, "Messiah." The Lord saves His Messiah! Psalm 20, you see, is not just a song by David about David; it's a song for a future King. A song of God's Old Testament people looking forward to the coming of Christ, their Messiah, praying for God's blessing upon Him in the day of His trouble.

Psalm 20 and 21 go together. Both are Battle songs. The 20th psalm precedes the battle and the 21st follows the battle. Psalm 20 is a Psalm of Prayer for the Battle, while Psalm 21 is praise for the victory of the battle. Psalm 20 Anticipates victory, Psalm 21 reflects on the victory. This Psalm was written by David probably during the period of his many wars recorded in II Samuel chapter 8-10. David was the warring King. His sword may have been worn, but at least it was not rusty.

The picture here is this: the king is going out into battle against the enemy, and the people pray corporately for the king. They ask for God's protection over him (Ps 20:1-2). They also ask that God remember the king's worship practices, his submission and humility before God (Ps 20:3). And they ask that God grant the desire of the king's heart (Ps 20:4-5). If God will do these things, they promise rejoicing and worship in response.

This isn't a psalm that deals with our personal, individual prayers, although there are many prayers and psalms that broach that subject. Rather, this psalm reminds us of something. It reminds us that we are but small parts of the greater body of Christ.

A Song For The Day Of Trouble

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!  May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!

LORD-the covenant keeping God--because of his self-revelation, David, Israel, and his people of any age can call on the One who is ready to work. What does the "name of" mean? The reputation of…"the God of Jacob" who promised to deliver Jacob--He keeps his promises.

Genesis 28:13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

The Lord delivered Jacob's descendants from Egypt. His name is Yahweh-the LORD. He will protect you. Same word as in "The LORD is my rock and my fortress literally my high fortress.

2 May he send you help from the sanctuary  and give you support from Zion!

The presence of God is symbolized in the sanctuary on Mt. Zion. The presence of God is all that is needed in the day of trouble.

Spurgeon "The sanctuary to us is the person of our blessed Lord, who was typified by the temple, and is the true sanctuary which God has pitched, and not man: let us fly to the cross for shelter in all times of need, and help will be sent to us"

3 May he remember all your offerings  and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah

The Israelite practice of presenting sacrifices and offerings before a military campaign was an active devotion and submission to the Lord. Their purpose was not primarily to atone for sin but to see God's favor and to consecrate oneself from war. (Longman, 226)

What is the sacrifice that the anointed one will offer? Himself

What did Jesus do prior to the Cross? He prayed in gethsemane… compare to v. 4

4 May he grant you your heart's desire  and fulfill all your plans!

The psalm turns from the general call for answer to a specific type of answer: protection. It also establishes the immediate context; it is a "day of trouble," a day of "distress" or "pressure."4

Everyone has their days of trouble. Everyone has times in their life when they want protection.

"May Yahweh answer you in a day of trouble; may the name of Jacob's God protect you." (Psalm 20:1, HCSB)

 

There are days of trouble  Luke 8

There are natural disasters  Jesus Stills the storm

There are spiritual disasters  Jesus Heals the demon possessed

There are chronic illness disasters Jesus Healing the woman with the flow of blood

There are final disasters Jesus Raising Jairus' daughter

"So, unlike the prayers in , we do not pray for Jesus to be victorious; we pray because He has been victorious. That has altered everything" (Davis, 126). "We still celebrate His victory (cf. v. 5), but we do not pray for it. We pray He would manifest, display, make open and public His victory, that He would impose it on those who flatter themselves that they can resist it, that He would indeed allow His people to see the days of the Son of Man (cf. ). We pray, but on the basis of the victory already achieved" (Davis, 126).

To whom do you go for help? When you labour and are heavy laden, to whom will you go? When you are troubled by guilt and shame, when you are filled with fear, when you are anxious and worried, to whom will you go? When you discover the lump, when the pains run across your chest and down your arm, to whom will you cry for help? When you are filled with doubts, when you need guidance at the fork in the road, to the left or the right, to whom will you cry, "Help me!"? When you need strength, when you lose your job, and when there is no food
on the table to whom will you go? If your house should catch fire, if your car breaks down and fails its M.O.T. to whom will you cry for help? Go to him for the protection of everything that is yours. There was a man who once had borrowed an axe-head. It fell into a lake but when a prophet asked God for help the axe-head floated. The shoes of the Israelites did not wear out in the wilderness. God rules in the material things of our world; he will help you.  When the weakness of old age comes upon you or your husband, then where will you get help day by day? If your marriage is on the rocks, if your children start staying out late or don't come home at all, if they ask you how they should live, to whom will you go for help? When death is drawing near, then go for help to the one who said, "I am the resurrection and the life." He has taken away the sting of death; he has tasted its bitterness. He has warmed the bed of the dying by lying in the tomb before us. Go to him for help. Where will you look for help  – in the pub, or will you turn to alcohol or to drugs? Some go on the road, some think of emigrating, some join a cult. To whom will you go for help, in every crisis, in every need, material or spiritual? Jesus tells us, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Why do you refuse the help of God the Son? Go to him for forgiveness. He has come into the world to deal with its greatest problem, man's sinfulness, guilt and rebellion against its Creator. He has sent his Son to become the Lamb of God who will take away the sin of the world. Go to him for he has all the resources of heaven and earth at his command. What can other men do for you? Most of them are more helpless than you. The Lord Christ can help you in any need. By his power you can overcome any army, defeat any enemy, ford any river, climb any mountain, bear any burden. You can do anything he asks of you with the strength which he supplies. He can help you to forgive seventy times seven. He can help you to turn the other cheek. He can help you love your enemies. If it's hope you need, he can help you. If it's gentleness you need then go to the one who says, "I am meek and lowly of heart." His resources are never exhausted. If the whole world should go to him then he can cope with them all. Go to him in days of trouble. Here is a congregation and this is what they are praying for their leaders, "May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion" (v.2).

A Song to Inspire Trust

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm."

Three thousand years ago, King David looked at his world and the Holy Spirit helped him draw a very important conclusion. David saw what war could do and he was impressed. He saw what money could do and that impressed him. David also saw what God could do and that gave him confidence in the future. David's psalm represents the futility of man on his own, and the necessity of trusting God.

In the psalm the chariot represents man's military power, but the name of our God is Banner--our God fights for his people. The horse represents man's wealth, but the name of God is Provider--God provides for his people.

The name of the Lord our God is, in Hebrew, Yahweh--it means I AM. When God revealed his name as I AM, the Almighty implied his capability to accomplish anything (Exodus 3). God is and God can and God is all I need. History proves the truth of David's conclusion--we will trust in the name of our God.

The first part is the realization that trusting merely in human strength doesn't accomplish what we want it to accomplish. Psalm 127 "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." The very real temptation of human organizations, especially when they are led by capable and strong leaders like King David, is to trust in human capacities. We are strong and we have lots of skill and smarts, and nothing can defeat us, or so the thinking goes. But as soon as you start thinking that, you set yourself up for comeuppance.

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,  but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Israel's kings were prohibited to acquire great numbers of horses but were required to revere the Lord. Deuteronomy 17:14–20  lest they trust in them rather than in the Lord.

The model for this trust was demonstrated early in the life of Israel as a nation and of the young shepherd by David.

After national repentance at Mizpah 1 Samuel 7 tells us "7 Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, "Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines." 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. And Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. 10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the LORD thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car."

Later David knew this same principle when he faced Goliath.

1 Samuel 17: 43 And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." 45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand."

 

2Chronicles shows this became normative in the  life of God's people at their best. At that time Jehoshaphat was the God-fearing king of Judah. The holy land was being invaded by a vast army of Moabites and Ammonites, and some men hurried to Jerusalem to tell the king. What did Jehoshaphat do? His instinctive reaction was to seek help from the Lord and also to urge the nation to fast and pray. The people came from all over the land and gathered in Jerusalem around the temple, men, women, children and even babes in arms. The king led them in prayer: "O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no-one can withstand you . . . We will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us. But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir . . . O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you" (2 Chronicles 20: 6, 9,10,12). Then, we are told, a Levite stood up and he spoke in God's name to the king and to the people, "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you" (2 Chronicles 20:15-17).

Then look what happened:

18   Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.

19   And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

20   And they rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be established; believe his prophets, and you will succeed."

21   And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, "Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever."

22   And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.

23   For the men of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction, and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.

 

 

The little army of Judah went out to the Pass and there they watched the invading army of Moabites and Ammonites destroying itself. They fell upon one another. No one escaped, and the result was that, "The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel" (2 Chrons. 20:29).

 

The song the choir sang inspired them. And they trusted God!

The comparison the Holy Spirit sets forth is between the faithful, whose confidence is in God alone, and the rest of the world, whose trust is almost always in riches, power, and military strength. (Calvin, 110)

 In those battles,  do we trust in the defenses of this world - or do we trust in God. It is easy to look for solutions to our Physical and Spiritual battles in this world,  but we ought to look principally to God . John Calvin said:  "Many interpreters view this prayer as offered up only on one particular occasion; but in this I cannot agree. The occasion of its composition at first may have arisen from some particular battle which was about to be fought, either against the Ammonites, or against some other enemies of Israel. But the design of the Holy Spirit, in my judgment, was to deliver to the Church a common form of prayer, which, as we may gather from the words, was to be used whenever she was threatened with any danger.3"

 

The Song For The Day Of Triumph

 "Let us shout for joy at your victory and lift the banner in the name of our God. May Yahweh fulfill all your requests." (Psalm 20:5, HCSB)

Our songs can give us a sense of alignment

But I'm wondering if you have aligned yourself with all that is embodied in the most important banner. Are you prepared to align yourself unreservedly with the living God? Now there are many banners from which you may choose. There is the banner of power. There is the banner of wealth. There is the banner of prestige.

There is the banner of popularity. There are many banners under which you may become identified. In fact, in our text the psalmist says, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses...." There are many banners, but I suggest only one - the banner of the cross. If I cannot be identified with Christ, let me remain unknown. If I cannot be aligned with Christ, I will not become aligned with anything else. We may commit ourselves to working together by setting up false and unworthy banners; by putting our faith in weak and worldly objects.

But we will do well "to rejoice in God's salvation, and in His name set up our banners."

Let us announce to the world that we are aligned with the cause of Jesus Christ and that we intend to march forth into victory under His banner and in His name. Let us never give the world reason to question our alignment or our affiliation. Let us hold our banner high so that all will know that we have identified ourselves with Jesus Christ and His church and His kingdom.

The Bible says that we must either be for or against Christ. We are identified with Him or against Him. Jesus said, "He that is not with me is against me. And he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." So may our banner mark our alignment with Christ.

Our songs can give us a sense of allegiance

Once we align ourselves with Christ, nothing should be allowed to interfere with that alignment. Once the banner of the cross is set up, nothing should destroy what that banner represents. Our performance as a Christian must always match our profession. If this is true, then our banner represents our allegiance as well as our alignment. Allegiance speaks of our commitment. Allegiance speaks of our loyalty. Allegiance speaks of our faithfulness.

Spiritual progress in this church demands our allegiance. We must march in a cooperative spirit under the banner of the cross. It will involve sacrifice. It will involve a full measure of your devotion. It will involve using talents more effectively and perhaps uncovering some new ones. It will involve sharing, giving, cross-bearing. Many years ago the Spaniards were besieging the little town of St. Quinton on the frontiers of France. This little town was in ruins. Many of the people in this little town were sick with fever. There had been a famine and there were not very many supplies, not very much food. Thoughts of treason existed among many of the townspeople.

One day the Spanish army shot over the walls a shower of arrows. Attached to the arrows were little slips of parchment promising the inhabitants that if they would surrender their lives and property would be spared.

The governor of this town was one of the great leaders of the Huguenots. As his sole answer to all their inducements to surrender, he took a piece of parchment, tied it to a javelin and wrote on the parchment two words - regem habemus – "We have a king!" - and hurled it back into the camp of the enemy. This was his one answer to all of their threats and to all of their inducements.

Well, folks, we have a king and the church needs to be steadfast and unmovable in their commitment to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. So our banner needs to mark our alignment and it needs to mark our allegiance.

 

What is your alignment? Do you trust the Lord your God?

What is your allegiance? Will you stand with the Lord your God?

You don't know what will happen if you align and give allegiance to the lord your God!

Ira Sankey was traveling on a steamer in the Delaware River when he was recognized by some passengers who had seen his picture in the newspaper and knew he was associated with evangelist D. L. Moody. When they asked him to sing one of his own compositions, Sankey said he preferred the hymn by William Bradbury, "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us." He suggested that everyone join in the singing. One of the stanzas begins, "We are thine, do thou befriend us; be the guardian of our way." When he finished, a man stepped out of the shadows and asked, "Were you in the army, Mr. Sankey?" "Yes, I joined up in 1860." "Did you do guard duty at night in Maryland, about 1862?" "Yes, I did." "I was in the Confederate Army," said the stranger. "I saw you one night at Sharpsburg. I had you in my gun sight as you stood in the light of the full moon. Then just as I was about to pull the trigger, you began to sing. It was the same hymn you sang tonight. I couldn't shoot you."

Just as well he gave his allegiance to the Lord his God that night! His singing stood out!

Will you give your allegiance to the Lord your God today?

 

 

Holiness… its about who you are      1 Peter 2:1-12

 

Jesus is the foundation. Through the prophet Isaiah, God promised to choose and lay a precious cornerstone in Zion. Zion is a word for the temple area of Jerusalem.

I Peter 2:4-8 As you come to him, the living Stone–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him–you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in scripture it says, "See, I lay in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (Isaiah 28:16) Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone." (Psalm 118:22) and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." (Isaiah 8:14) They stumble because they disobey the message–which is also what they were destined for.

Peter used to two words to describe this cornerstone: lithos (which means rock) and akrogoniaios which means "the best cornerstone." A cornerstone provided the foundation for a building. It was the first stone to be placed and all the other stones related to it. If the cornerstone was not perfectly square and perfectly laid, the entire building would be flawed

Jesus is the capstone. In verse 7 Peter quotes Psalm 118 to give us another rock picture of Jesus. In this description, Jesus is seen as the capstone. A capstone was different from a cornerstone. A cornerstone was used for a foundation guide, and was the first stone laid. In contrast, a capstone was the last stone laid.

When Solomon's temple was built, all the stones were quarried at a remote location so there was no sound of chiseling heard on the holy ground. A powerful Jewish legend tells the story of a strange-shaped stone being brought to the construction site early in the process. The head builder looked at the stone and couldn't figure out where it fit, so he figured it was a mistake, so the stone was rolled away to the side and forgotten. It took several years to build the temple, and when the building was almost finished the builder sent word to the quarry that he was ready for the capstone. The quarry master sent word back that he sent the capstone years earlier. The capstone was the stone that had been rolled aside and by now it was covered with dirt and vines. That's what the Bible means when it speaks of how "the stone which the builders rejected has become the capstone."

You may wonder how Jesus can be both the cornerstone and the capstone. He is both the foundation of your life and the crowning achievement of life. He is the author and the finisher of our faith. He is the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega. And we are fitted into Him!

Jesus is the stumbling stone. The third picture of Jesus, the Rock is that of a stumbling stone. Verse eight says to those of us who believe, the rock is precious. Jesus is more precious than diamonds, emeralds and gold to those of us who know Him. Peter quotes Isaiah 8 to show the other side of the rock. He says to those who disbelieve, Jesus is a stone which makes them stumble and a rock that makes them fall. The word "fall" is the Greek word skandalon from which we get our English word "scandal."

Jesus is the rock, but now let's consider our role. Who are we and what are we to be doing in light of the fact that Jesus is the cornerstone, the capstone, and the stumbling stone? The Bible answers this question in verse 5: you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the living stone and we are living stones. During the days of Greek power, the Spartan king boasted to a visiting monarch about the walls of Sparta. The visiting monarch looked around and saw no walls. Puzzled, he asked the king, "Where are the walls about which you boast so? I see no walls!" The king pointed to the Spartan soldiers and said, "These are the walls of Sparta and every man is a brick."

You are Selected.

You are Shaped.

You can sacrifice to God. Peter changes metaphors in the middle of the verse as he writes that we are "a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Who are we? We are living stones. What do we do? We are priests who offer sacrifices to God. We are all priests before God! You can approach God and make sacrifices to Him. But these sacrifices are only acceptable when offered through the Lord Jesus Christ. There are different kinds of sacrifices we offer to God. In Romans 12:1 we are told we should offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. In the Old Testament, the priests offered dead animals as sacrifices. Today, God is looking for living sacrifices.

People either come to the Lord Jesus and find Him to be the captstone and found ation stone for their lives, or they reject Him and one day will discover Him to be the stumbling stone, the One they could not do without. I was talking with the Bishop's assistant from Armidale on Wednesday at a meeting. He said that it is very difficult. The very gospel we preach condemns those who will not receive it for themselves. Our Lord Jesus is both the best news they could ever hear and the worst news they could ever hear!

But I you come to Him, He gives you life, and a whole new self-identity.

The way we see ourselves determines, to a large degree, the way we act and react in life. If we see ourselves as worthless, we may act accordingly. On the other hand, if we see ourselves as successful, then we tend to repeat successes that we've had in the past. This is not a new discovery. The Bible teaches very clearly that what we think about ourselves affects our happiness and behaviour. Many of us go through life with a distorted image of ourselves because of difficult childhood experiences, pain resulting from ridicule, or the sense of failure due to our not measuring up to someone else's standards. All of these experiences appear on the tape of our memories. And some of us have played the tape over and over so many times that we now function according to a distorted self-image.

A sense of self and the developing self, will set the agenda for children and youth to determine their own trajectories.  Self-concept is comprised of a complex system of distinct and multiple elements. A young person's self develops around the worldview of those contexts in which the self is articulated. Self-concepts are complex things, negotiated in community with others, articulated from conceptions of the good, developed through interpersonal relationships, dependent upon spirituality as young people negotiate their own innate morality, the good, and those conceptions of the good articulated by others in their various communities and relationships.

Self-concepts arise from our associations with people.

1 Corinthians 15:33,34 Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."  Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

This line of poetry occurs in Menander's comedy Thais.

It picks up on several themes in the book of Proverbs

Proverbs 1:10, My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 15,16 my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, for their feet run to evil..

Proverbs 2:12,  delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, 16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress

Proverbs 22:24,25 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,
lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

Proverbs 23:19 Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way. Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat.

The book of Proverbs tells us not to travel with foolish people

It clarifies why Israel had to be separate from the nations.

Deuteronomy 8:17-20 Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.  And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 12:1-4 "These are the statutes and rules that you shall be careful to do in the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth. 2You shall surely destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.  You shall tear down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and burn their Asherim with fire. You shall chop down the carved images of their gods and destroy their name out of that place.  You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way.

Deuteronomy 18:9  "When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations.

Where you find acceptance is the place you find your value.

Where you find acceptance is the place where you will draw your values.

Values are not virtues. Virtues are the understandings of good and bad that are firstly innate, given by God as a "virtue" of our being created in the image of God, as an innate conscience of right and wrong. Virtues, conscience, is guided and directed by God's Word given in His commandments. Values are relativistic, derived from people around us. They often conflict with Scripture. Consider those values that have become laws in Australia.  Each succeeding generation will have greater difficulty distinguishing between relativist values and conscience and scripture-directed virtues. Commitment to these values can override scriptural convictions.  This could be termed "encroaching cultural Marxism."

Self-concepts arise from our personal convictions.

The Lord Jesus calls us to live counter-culturally. He has called His people to be separate from the world, to be different.

John 15:18,19 "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 17:14-19 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.   Sanctify them  in the truth; your word is truth.  As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself,  that they also may be sanctified  in truth.

It is time to throw away the old tape and replace it with a message grounded in truth. In the section of the Bible we come to today, the Apostle Peter mentions five descriptive titles regarding who and what you are if we are believers in Jesus Christ. Each title meets a need in our lives.

 

Who are you really? 1 Peter 2:9-12

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.  11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

 

1.    BECAUSE GOD HAS CHOSEN ME, I AM ACCEPTABLE! 

The Need. Most of us spend our entire lives trying to earn acceptance. We may long to be part of the in crowd. It feels good to be chosen for a promotion or honour. 

 

 

The Solution. We have been chosen by God. Our selection was not based on our performance or any quality in us. God's choice was based on His love.

Eph. 1:4

1 Cor.1:28-29;

Deut.7:7-8.

 

 

2.    BECAUSE I AM A LIVING STONE, I AM VALUABLE! 

The Need. The value of something depends on what someone is willing to pay for it and who may have owned it in the past. Do we have any value? We often feel like worthless trash. 

 

The Solution. The Bible says that we were purchased by Christ and that we now belong to God. To illustrate our new relationship and worth, Peter says that Christ is the Living Stone and that we are connected to Him and to each other as living stone chips in His Church!

 

 

3.    BECAUSE I AM A ROYAL PRIEST, I AM CAPABLE!

The Need. People who lack self-esteem often feel useless. Their lives lack purpose or direction. They feel as though they have nothing meaningful to contribute.

 

The Solution. We are a holy, royal priesthood (2:5,9). As priests, we can go to God directly in prayer (Rom. 5:2; Eph.3:12). We have also been gifted for service (1 Cor. 12). God has given us talents, abilities and gifts to be used for Him.

 

 

4.    BECAUSE I BELONG TO A HOLY NATION, I HAVE COMMUNITY!

The Need. Many today feel isolated and insecure. Our busy schedules leave us feeling rootless and disconnected.

 

The Solution. We are a "holy nation" (Gen. 12:2; Exo.19:6). Christians are connected to God's people down through the ages. We enjoy community with believers. We sense their support and receive their encouragement, particularly in difficult times (Eph. 2:19).

 

 

5.    BECAUSE I HAVE RECEIVED MERCY, I AM FORGIVEN!

The Need. Many people live in constant guilt. They feel like moral failures. They try to please God, but they never experience His peace or the assurance of His love.

 

The Solution. We are the recipients of mercy (2:10), resulting in forgiveness for all of our sin. We have permanent right standing through faith in Jesus Christ (Isa. 43:25; Rom.5:1).

 

 

6.    BECAUSE I HAVE A PLACE IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD I WILL BE DIFFERENT

It may come as a surprise to you, but people are making mental notes on you, particularly if you claim to be a Christian (1 Pet. 2:12). They watch to see if your walk matches your talk, if what you say you believe matches what you do. They watch to see if you have integrity.  The hallmark of the Christian life is integrity. It means that there is a consistency between the image you project in public and the life that you live in private. In particular, there are three major areas in which our integrity is being watched and tested. People who do not believe in Christ are watching to see how we respond to temptation, authority and suffering.

RESIST TEMPTATION (2:11-12)!

What? We are to abstain or "distance" ourselves from sinful desires. A person of integrity will put some distance between him/herself and whatever it is that's the source of temptation.

Why? Peter provides two practical reasons:

Our residency - We are "aliens and strangers." This is not the country where we have our citizenship (Phil. 3:20). We're just passing through.

Our witness - By resisting temptation, we will encourage others to consider Christ. On the day that God "visits" them, it will lead to their conversion (2:12).

 

FOUR BASIC FACTS ABOUT TEMPTATION

1. Temptation Affects Everyone. The evil one often tries to convince us that our struggle is unique. But temptation is normal. It happens to everyone. Even Jesus Christ experienced temptation, although He never sinned (Matt. 4:1). He took on the full brunt of the enemy's attack and was still standing (Heb. 4:15).
2. Temptation is more difficult to handle in moments of vulnerability. The devil attacked Jesus while He was alone in the wilderness, physically weakened from more than a month of fasting, and still inexperienced in ministry (Matt. 4:1-3). We are also more vulnerable if we do not get proper rest, choose our friends wisely, or fail to exercise care concerning the videos we watch or the web sites we visit, etc.
3. Temptation Is An Individual Matter. Each of Jesus' three temptations (Matt. 4:4-11) addresses the same issue: Create a following while avoiding the cross. Satan urges Him to be the Bread-King, become a sensationalist and compromise His values. Open doors to sin face us all each day, but not necessarily in the same way (James 1:14). Our unique personalities and life experiences often make us vulnerable to particular types of temptation: depression, intimacy outside of marriage, a pull toward some addiction, anger, etc.
4. Temptation Will Always Be With Us. Sometimes Christians wrongly expect that, if they are growing in their faith, they should reach the point where they are never tempted. If Jesus never eliminated temptation from His life (Lk. 4:13; Matt.16:22-23), why should we be any different?

 

 

Back in the days when the Old West was being settled, pioneers were flocking across the country to California and Oregon. In one particular spot on the Eastern slopes of the Rockies there was a large, dirt encrusted lump in the middle of the trail. Wagons rolled over it and men tripped over it. Finally someone dug up the lump and rolled it off into a nearby stream. The stream was too wide to jump over, but by using that lump, people could "two-step" over the water. It was used for years, until finally one settler built his cabin near the stream. He carried the lump out of the stream and placed it in his cabin to serve as a doorstop. As years passed, railroads were built and modern cities sprang up. The old settler's grandson went east to study geology. On a visit to his grandfather's cabin, the grandson happened to examine the old lump of stone and discovered that within that lump of dirt and rock was the largest pure gold nugget ever discovered on the Eastern slope of the Rockies. It had been there for three generations, and people looked at it in different ways. To some it was a stumbling stone to be removed. To others it was a stepping stone, to others it was just a heavy rock. But only the grandson saw it for what it really was–a lump of pure gold. Jesus is the precious rock God has given us to be the foundation of our lives. Will you come to the rock today? Will you build your life upon Him? One day, you will discover that Jesus will either be a stepping stone that gives you access to God, or He will be a rock that causes you to stumble.

If you come to Him, you will uncover a new self-identity.

 

A pompous-looking fellow was trying to impress upon a class of boys the importance of Christian living. So he asked, "Why do people call me a Christian?" His next door neighbour, a little boy, answered, "Because they don't know you yet."